Continuing Mounjaro...part 8

[ObsidianTree]

Please note: Mounjaro can only be taken if your BMI is above 30.

Pointers for newbies:

1 - For taking your first dose you need to twist the pen a lot to get to 1! The instructions say prime each time you take a dose, but actually Eli Lilly have confirmed you only need to prime for the first ever use of a pen. (The video posted says every use, but this isn't true!)

2 - When injecting, hold down the button until the number goes back to 0. Once at 0, keep holding down the button and count to 5 with the needle still in so no medication is lost!

3 - Your first dose may not have an immediate effect. For some people the effects build slowly. It could take 3 or 4 days to notice anything, it could take a few weeks. Some people don't feel the meds working until they get to 5mg. See titration chart which shows how the medication builds up in your system. Also below you can plot the effect of your doses.
https://glp1plotter.com/

4 - 2.5mg isn't a therapeutic dose, meaning you aren’t meant to lose on 2.5mg. You need to start on 2.5mg to get your body used to the drug and gradually introduce it into your system and get used to any side effects.

5 - Not everyone loses a lot in the first few weeks. Don't feel discouraged if you don't lose a lot initially. Again, you might need a higher dose to start losing. Also, inches can be lost without anything showing on the scales. Start your journey by taking measurements and check them as you go along.

6 - If you do lose a lot in the first few weeks, please don't assume you will continue losing at this rate. The first few weeks it is usually water weight that is lost, after than a good weight loss is about 2lbs a week. Some weeks you might not lose anything, but this is ok too…again, taking measurements might show inches lost instead.

7 - Constipation, coldness, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, aches, are side effects. There may be be other side effects also. Read info here :

www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15481/pil#about-medicine

8 - Once you take your first dose you can choose to keep your pen in the fridge or somewhere else. It's up to you.

9 - Don't reuse any needles as this could risk infection. If you damage a needle or one isn't working, you can buy a pack of about 100 spares. https://www.chemist-4-u.com/carepoint-pen-needles-31g-4mm-pack-of-100?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiYOxBhC5ARIsAIvdH51rLZBVFQxuvS7mDJooegtK8BMiyT0PwREMRHhH_1atfQIo8TEbsmkaAkA0EALw_wcB

Also there is a 5th dose in each pen. To extract it you can either try a hard twist or use an insulin needle.
https://medbasic.co.uk/bd-micro-fine-30g-1ml-syringes-needles

10 - Protein is important as eating less protein can cause muscle wastage and hair loss. Try to have at least 100g a day.

11 - Some natural sources of protein:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321522#high-protein-foods

12 - You can use supplements, some that people use are magnesium(for sleep and constipation), protein(to reduce muscle wastage), collagen (skin elasticity), aloe vera(for constipation), electrolytes.

13 - Drink lota of water. Water helps with the weight loss. Drink at least 2ltrs a day. Preferably 3ltrs.

14 - Don't be afraid to feel hungry. It is entirely normal and healthy to feel hungry. Just eat something. Treat it as an opportunity to start good habits around hunger. Eat a nice balanced snack or a meal if it's a meal time. It's ok.

15 - Does it makes any difference where you inject? yes it does! Drugs get absorbed at different rates depending on injection site

In order of fastest absorption, it goes:
• Tummy
• Arms
• Thighs
furthet reading about injection sites and the effects: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316618

16 - Abdominal side-effects are much easier to control with smaller meals. For example, having 4 small meals in the day vs 2 big meals can have an improvement in nausea and burps.

17 - You can track your calories / protein on apps such as My fitnessPal, Carb Manager or Nutracheck. Nutracheck is quite useful and easy to find foods /build recipes.

18 - Some of the places you can order from are:

• MedExpress 2.5mg and 5mg. £149.99. 7.5mg £169. Use code STARTNOW. Ask for other codes if that doesn't work.
• The Family Chemist 2.5mg and 5mg -£149. 7.5mg £169.
• Simple online pharmacy - £159 2.5mg £179 5mg
• Bolt pharmacy 2.5mg £125, 5mg £179. 7.5mg £189
• Asda 2.5mg and 5mg £184. 7.5mg £189
• Boots £219 +
• Chemist4U £179 +
• Superdrugs

19 - If you want to switch suppliers, make sure you have pics of your Mounjaro box with your name and dose. This will come in useful when other suppliers ask for evidence.

1st thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5007744-mourjano-starting-soon?page=1

2nd thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5028495-continuing-murnjaropart-2?page=1

3rd thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5037623-continuing-mounjaropart-3?page=1

4th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5044316-continuing-mounjaropart-4?page=1

Thread for newbies just starting out:

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/5057475-mounjaro-and-wegovy-newbies-april-2024

Hi All, how are you all finding your skin as you lose weight? I've been taking collagen supplements to boost what little elasticity my skin has. Just noticed for the first time today how awful and wrinkly the skin at the top of the inside of my thighs are. I'm a stone lighter than when I started on MJ 10 weeks ago and 2 stone lighter than the heaviest I've been (stone gained through peri and then lost with HRT last year), so obviously there's over 10% less of me for my skin to cover. Looks like this is where the loose skin issue is going to rear its head for me (I don't count my tummy as it's grown 3 babies including a 10 pounder, of course it's saggy and wrinkly).
I feel sad about it. Silly I know, I'm doing the best thing for my health, but there's a small part of my unrealistic brain that was hoping the end result wouldn't look too bad! Unhelpful thoughts I know, I'm sure I'll get used to it.

@Everdecreasingcircumferences I am finding my neck is getting wrinkly! Not too happy about it but nothing I can do. I am taking all the collagen and biotin...so hopefully that will help

Thank you to anybody that replied to
me on the other thread about lack of needles in my Boots pen. It doesn't come with needles so I've ordered some from the chemist link in the first page. I feel quite aggrieved at paying top dollar and I can't take it!

I think doing it on a Tuesday evening will be better for me anyway, so all's not lost.

@Everdecreasingcircumferences @ObsidianTree

It will shrink back somewhat (a bit dependent on age as to how much). The weight gain in pregnancy is very rapid and almost all in one place (tummy) so it stretches the skin quite rapidly which causes more damage than a slow gain.

My stomach is like crepe paper when I'm slim because of all the stretch marks I got in pregnancy, but the rest of your skin has not been stretched anywhere near as much at such speed so doesn't have the same kind of scarring at the lower levels of the skin and you should find it does shrink back a fair bit.

But, if it doesn't, when you come off Mounjaro, we could use the money we were spending on that each month to save up for laser treatment or dermaneedling!😂

I never comment about weightloss as I'm pathetically jealous of anybody who has noticeably lost any.

Just received a message from Boots that my prescription contained needles and a sharps bin and I've got to go and get them. Fair enough.

Just injected my third dose. It took several attempts to get the needle back out of the pen. It's been really straightforward & easy with my previous two doses.

It's a pipe dream for me too! I haven't been a normal BMI since my 20s, and that was when I just made normal BMI for a short time after being on meal replacement shakes for a while. Then stopped them and weight went back up up up!

So don't know why I'm worrying about getting to BMI 25 and being cut off 😂

I haven't had a healthy BMI since I was 14. I'm now 0.4 points off 😊Have had 6 doses of Mounjaro so far.

Mind you, I've been losing weight for a long time, with most success on Keto somewhere around 2019. Since Jan 2022 I've not had any fizzy drinks (other than water), nor sugar/crisps. Oct 2023 I stopped drinking alcohol completely (other than the occasional glass of red wine) and reduced my UPF intake to 5% or under, focusing on fibre and protein (on Zoe). Stalled from Jan to March. April started Mounjaro, and have lost 6/7 kilos so far.

Yes I'm of a similar opinion so hoping to split dose when I'm on maintenance from a larger pen. From what I can see they say efficacy cannot be proven but I think if I'm starting to lower the dose to come off it's not so much of an issue. My 7.5mg pens are good until April 2025 so I'm not too worried about them. I need to be on it for a long time as I'm wanting to lose between 7-10 stone in total

I've put my order in for 7.5mg (though full disclosure I don't need this for 9 weeks but am buying as i have money available)

i feel like this weekend has been a tricky one for me not because of symptoms or anything but ive had a busy weekend where i was unable to calorie count (bbq food and party food for FIL 70th) but i weighed less this morning than friday so think ive managed well but i feel the lul in attention to healthy balance.

so i have a goal to calorie count tomorrow and drink my fluids to ensure i stay on track for Wednesday weigh it

Same. I have a 7.5mg pen to start next week and once I've done 5 doses I'm hoping to buy a 10mg then start to titrate down and do 5mg then 2.5mg over the course of 6-8 weeks. Then to do the last bit alone and then hopefully will be easier to maintain rather than hitting my target and stopping straight away. I have just under 2 stone left to a BMI of 22. I have already lost 2 stone.

I was thinking about doing this as there seems to be no plan from these pharmacies to reduce slowly - the serving hatch shuts abruptly once you reach a specific BMI, which is worrying as I want to slowly decrease and get used to normal appetite again. I do usually keep my pen in the fridge.

Does anyone have a code for med express for a 2nd order? I didn't get the discount with my first order and can't use the code now

I used CONSULT-BUNNY TODAY FOR £25 off

Same here! It's weird.

Some tiktok people say for some 10mg is the dose that works the best. Maybe some need to go up to that.

I am going to do a few more months of 7.5mg and see how that is going. If I stop losing then will go up to 10mg.

@UKmum89 you really need to stop spamming every single thread with your link and if you can't do that, then making it clear what you get when someone uses your link

@UKmum89 UKMum returns! 😂😂😂

Has she ever posted anything remotely different

Nope!

Hi all, hope you've had a good bank holiday weekend for those who are off. I've taken my bonus 5th dose of 5mg two days early this week as I've been awful food and drink wise this weekend, no suppression at all for the first time since starting. Definitely moving up to 7.5mg next week.

I got an answer from The Family Chemist about down to what BMI they will prescribe, not a lot of use though:

"Thank you for contacting The Family Chemist. I am sorry I cannot answer that question, it is based on the prescriber’s discretion and individuals clinical circumstance."