Continuing Mounjaro...part 9

[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.
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. 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.
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:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein
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: 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:

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

2nd thread:

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

3rd thread:

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

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

5th thread:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5048290-continuing-mounjaropart-5?page=1

6th thread:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5057916-continuing-mounjaropart-6?page=1

7th thread:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5062935-continuing-mounjaropart-7?page=1

8th thread:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5068850-continuing-mounjaropart-8?page=1

Thread for newbies just starting out:

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

Well done everyone on the losses. I love reading everyone's updates.

I ordered a 7.5mg yesterday, but don't need it for a month as I have 3 left of 5 mg. But I missed the blooming delivery today and cant collect until tomorrow night so am guessing the 30 day out of the fridge will have started by then.
Pondering whether to count clicks to take 3 x 5mg of the 7.5 pen and then move up to 7.5 using the rest of the 7.5 and then the 5 which will be in the fridge still. But the 5 would have been open for more than 30 days! Aghh!

It might be ok @ineedmoresleepnow. My last delivery still had a semi frozen gel pack in with it as well as the wool so was still very cool when it arrived.

I bought from pharmacy online and unfortunately they only send it with an icepack in the box, no wool. It's usually just about defrosted on delivery day, so I am expecting it not to be cold tomorrow. Thank you though.

It won't suddenly turn toxic if at room temperature for 12 hours and the active ingredient won't die off. Just get it in the fridge as soon as possible and then use it when planned.

If you aren't getting side effects from your 5mg you could always start doing doses every 5 or 6 days instead of 7 to use it up a bit faster and get onto the 7.5mg pen.

There was someone here who took a pen to Sri Lanka where it was over 30 degrees with no fridge. She still used it. Not sure if she ever said if it still suppressed her appetite as usual. I think the instructions are written with an abundance of caution. I took a bonus dose 42 days after I'd started using the pen. It still worked and I was fine.

So this is what people are talking about when they say that eating crap food on MJ makes them suffer 😬

I took my DS to mcdonalds after school, he doesn't have it often. Whilst there I got myself 6 chicken nuggets. Dear god, my stomach bloody hurts. Never again.

Oh swimming costumes are the devil. Weirdly I find bikini easier. They fit better somehow.

My delivery came today and I just did my first injection. Now just to see how it goes 😬.

I'd love to wear a bikini but am apple shaped unless very slim with a very high waistline (think muffin tops even when slim in high waist jeans!)

Add to that stretch marks from pregnancies of two big babies that look like the surface of the moon.

So am left with swimsuits, which actually I like, except I'm tall too, so the boobs will be half way down my body and the shoulder or halter strap digging in! For a few years some years ago Asda of all places had a really good swimsuit designer that must have been tall too and the ones I have from then are my favourite so I need to fit back into them! (Size 10 though).

Tankinis are no good, as I am tall there is a big gap between top and bottoms so same issue as bikinis!

Can't feel comfortable in bikinis and I find it really hard to find swimsuits that fit. End up trying on dozens to find ones long enough that I also like. Yes, there are ones for tall people but few and far between so the odds of me liking them and them not costing a fortune are small. Rant over.

Very few people here have had bad side effects from the 2.5mg dose, I'm fairly certain it'll be fine, hope that helps.

Someone on a Facebook group has been cut off from Asda as their BMI got to 25! Yikes! I suggest anyone getting close to 25, start stocking up some maintenance pens!

Looks like MedExpress go to 23.5bmi, so possibly switch to them if not close to goal yet!

Sorry, maybe daft question @ObsidianTree but how are you aware Med Express go to 23.5? Thank you. 😊

Morning @ObsidianTree and @MelissaLouRocks :)

Thanks for the reminder I need to sort this out. Though I now lose at a snail’s pace. I don’t even care about the cost.

It’s weigh day, but frankly I’m over it atm. 😂

Gain one. Lose one. Gain one lose two.

I’m eating the same as I did at the beginning. Oh well.

SW: 14.1
CW: 11.8 Lowest this week. I’m just above atm.

I have said to enough people on this thread trust the process, but I need a kick up the bum. Frankly it is miserable to not be able to eat much and still not be positively sylph -like and losing a pound a week now is a struggle. I know if I suddenly developed the urge to eat a Dominos I’d gain half a stone overnight.

Current BMI is 25.4. Asda let me order last pen at 25.8. You actually have to be 24.9 on BMI to count as healthy lol. That means I have 4 pounds to lose. (Not that I’ve played with the calculator).

I was ordering every 2/3 weeks so I have a 10 week stockpile. But I will now try and move.

So if people are being cut off, is it worth telling while lies about the weight we input?

Watching those approaching BMI 25 and planning maintenance stockpiles with admiration - well done on reaching these sets of challenges!

Week 2 and still firmly in the BMI 32 zone here. I'm definitely feeling less suppressed than last week, and no sulphur burps/aches/gastric side effects either. I'm sticking to my eating plan of protein/fibre for breakfast and lunch and a half portion of family supper, but it's taking willpower now. I'm wondering whether the medicine that leaked after injection has actually dropped my dose to a noticeable effect - it was a proper drip running down my stomach, and with such a tiny dose it might be making a difference. I'm considering topping up by 1/10th of a dose from the bonus - but don't want to screw with the adjustment period. Anyone done this? Google tells me there's quite an issue with the multidise pens leaking and people losing their doses.

*multidose

@FlappyFish so far I’ve been ordering early too. Two pens at 2.5. I’m going to order again next week for use in 6 weeks time - how did you decide dose. Did you go up?

Lurkylurk, THANK YOU forcthe hypothalamus explanation! I'd been wondering about this!

Can I join in? I’ve got my pen in the fridge good to go I’m just waiting to take the plunge. Bit nervous about feeling rubbish.

@pinktransit thats me this week! Moved bra hook and wore a suit jacket that I’ve not been able to comfortably wear in forever. It feels so good!

@WoolyMammoth55 i feel the same, it has really boosted my willpower but it doesn’t feel like I’m having to try really hard. I really hope it lasts!!

@FlappyFish it could be argued that you are in the dream situation. You have lost 2 1/2 stone and are maintaining very close to a healthy BMI and the supplier are not going to cut you off. It is frustrating when you have a target and it’s so close but imagine if someone had told you how quickly you would achieve this when you started and how you would have felt about it then. Blimmin well done I say - you are such an inspiration on here.

Only because when you put different weights into their starter questionnaire, it lets you get to a weight as low as BMI 23.5 before it tells you cant have it! So I tested mine down to 11st 1lb and can get it until then. 11st said I couldn't get it anymore.

Morning :)

I think in your case, the lb up and down is a good thing as you want more time on the medication. Maybe next pen go for 7.5mg? As I don't think the use by date is changing on the 5mg. You could always take 40 clicks to get 5mg.

Just think of it as the medication healing your body /metabolic conditions etc.

I'm the same! I put on a 1lb in the last ten days. I couldn't weigh as I was away with work...but didn't eat much at all.
Feel thinner though. My son and a colleague both commented saying they thought I'd lost weight!

I did 5mg on Monday but added in another 2.5mg yesterday due to the 1lb gain.
Last night I could have eaten for England, I was so hungry! I'm hoping the combined dose of 7.5mg will start to hit and that I'll be dropping weight again soon.

I've still only lost 11lbs in 9 weeks though.

When I used Ozempic a year ago, I was losing about 3/4lbs a week but possibly due to the fact I was so ill. I had constant D&V and just felt tired the whole time.
On MJ I've had no side effects at all...constipation yes, but not too horrendous!