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

@VelociraptorsVelociRapping 5mg kicked my arse too, I felt awful on it. It finally got properly better on my bonus dose having got a little better each week after week 2 and now I'm on my second pen it's totally fine. I know a few people on this thread did a smaller dose from their 5mg pen. @AgathaMystery was it you was doing 3.75?

I've developed a really awful mental block about trying yet another weight loss programme.
My first delivery arrived 10 days ago but I just can't bring myself to take it. Every morning I think I'll do it today, and then something psychologically blocks me. Its fear. I'm frightened of it not working on me. Because so many other weight loss programmes haven't worked on me, it's affected me psychologically and now I'm too scared to do this in case I fail again.
I can't even face standing on the scales as I think I'm somewhere around 16 stone at 5ft7 which is mortifying!
I think I need a Psychologist!!!
So much of weight issues is psychological isn't it?

@GloriaBunniford you've got the pen so you've spent the money. Might as well inject it or it really won't work.

Yes @KeepingUndercover that is very true!

I realise it's easier said than done though @GloriaBunniford. Especially if you've tried other things and they haven't worked.

I've started a thread here wondering if anyone has explored any non surgical options for skim tightening?

I've always had an apron tummy since having my first child but also think I always had the shape tummy that sticks out and hangs rather than curves up from the pubic area.

I'm not near goal yet but can see the apron starting to reduce but not lift.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5077682-tummy-tuck-alternatives-for-apron-tummy

@VelociraptorsVelociRapping Im so sorry to hear you’re going through a horrible time. Hope you’re doing ok. I didn’t even take the full 5mg from my own and only 3.75 kicked my arse! This week I’m going to go back down, not to 2.5 but I’ll maybe try 3mg and work up

As I unpacked the supermarket shopping just now, I realised there had been some questions about protein yogurts. I have been eating a lot of these so thought I'd share my views.
Skyr is a type of yogurt which seems to be the most unprocessed one for the amount of protein it packs it. Various supermarkets sell it in various flavours. The coconut one is my favourite
Nestle do a brand called Lindahls which is really quark based. It is basically artificially flavoured quark. The raspberry and vanilla ones I find tolerable but the chocolate and others I find really sweet & cloying.
Others have mentioned Arla. I think the yogurts are some of the best. They're protein puddings I found to be really weird.
Muller do protein rice puddings. Avoid! Truly vile.
Lidl do various protein yogurts, puddings drinks & pouches. The salted caramel pudding reminds me of Butterscotch Angel Delight and so, somehow, it's enjoyable despite being so sweet and weird. I didn't like their coffee drink but found vanilla OK.
Aldi also do a variety of things and have more fruit based flavours. The mango & passion fruit is very artificial but is at least a different to the endless vanilla, blueberry, raspberry, chocolate & caramel that all of the other manufacturers seem to provide.
With all of them, I am conscious that they really are a UPF and I am generally trying to cut those down.

@Wonkypictureframe I hear you! This week was a bit unusual with the running:weights ratio as the DC had more going on than usual so I was running whilst they were doing stuff in random places and unable to do weights.

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa

If you've been doing a lot of exercise particularly weights (I know not those this week, but in general), and if it's a lot more than you used to do what could be happening is that you're losing fat but gaining muscle at the same time which would result in no weight loss but is a good thing in the long run and eventually weight will drop too.

@VelociraptorsVelociRapping I only went up to 3.75mg and I had a few days of dodgy stomach but my colleague has done a few weeks at 5mg and definitely had more side effects, but less on the second week.
I'd try dropping down to 3.75mg and see how you go. Were you not suppressed enough on 2.5?
Could also try thigh injection if you normally do stomach as there's research to support slightly fewer side effects in thighs and arms, but it's only a few percentage points so dose reduction is probably going to be more effective.

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa

Also, keep measurements, I was very pleasantly surprised to find I'd lost 2 inches off my so-called waist despite only having lost 9 pounds over 7 and a half weeks, that spurred me on!

@VelociraptorsVelociRapping

I did 2 weeks of 3.75mg and one of 4.25 mg. Still kicked my ass but would have been worse with 5!

Well 6.2lbs down this week. But I’m fully expecting to regain some of that when I start eating and drinking normally again. Seems like a good loss but still not really worth all the vomiting and the fact I still feel dreadful!

SW -223.8
CW - 205.8

18lbs in 5 weeks is great but I think my experience this week has just really brought me down and I don’t feel positive about it like I did before. I really hope I can get that back

WI day for me today and down 1kg from last week, so
SW (30 Mar) 85.3kg
CW (18 May 78.9kg
GW (mid Aug) 70kg (according to Nutracheck)

The Saturday Times is worth a look (paper copy) lots of info on WL drugs.

I take my injection on Thursday and appetite suppression usually starts peaking on Saturday, but today I am weirdly hungry, and wondering whether I will need to increase to 5mg soon. I still have week 4 dose plus bonus left in current pen. I have just bought another 2.5 pen, so if this dose is ceasing to be effective, I will have to double up. On top of this, I go away on holiday in 2+weeks and I do not want to find myself really ill on a higher dose. See how it goes.

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa @lurkylurk ive not really introduced exercise yet, just a few reps with weights for my arms and a few easy walks. I did couch to 5k a few years back and I didn’t lose any weight whatsoever! Admittedly I toned up and my strength improved but I did it for weight loss!

Yes.

I did 4 weeks on 2.5 & then I did my ‘bonus dose’ but like a newbie idiot I didn’t titrate and just gave myself 5.5mg. Felt like death for 2 weeks so have been titrating up over the past month & last night did 5mg.

The bruxism is back with a vengeance but I hope it will ease off. I’m away from next Friday for a week and want to maintain on my holiday, hence wanting to hit 5mg this week. I’ve another 5mg pen in the fridge so can titrate that as I see fit.

@AgathaMystery did you do 3.75 the whole time or did you move up slowly? Obv the 3.75 kicked my arse at the start of the week so I’m wondering if I go back to 2.5 until I feel better or whether to try 3mg, then move up to 3.25 and so on

I’ve just realised you’re quite right, it must have changed v recently as we both got the 50% earlier this month. I’ll stick with Voy as really didn’t fancy the GP getting updated on it. But agree that would mean the first month is £144. I think all the studies this week on impact of jabs cutting heart attack risk and promise tackling other chronic diseases means it all feels like a good long-term investment, any road

Thanks for all of the love this morning! Like you @lurkylurk I have PCOS so am used to being a slow loser. I also think it makes me extra sensitive to any slip up. I've had a PT for a year and she is a bit baffled by it all. She did once gently ask if perhaps I was one of those people who raids the fridge whilst still asleep in the middle of the night - something I have previously considered myself - but, as the food in the house doesn't disappear, I would have to be capable of driving to the garage, buying the food and eating it without waking up! I was hoping MJ might mix it up a bit and make it come off a bit easier but it seems not. That's where this thread is so helpful. There are other slow losers; others with lower BMIs than me are losing; others are posting their NSVs which really resonate as I want those; @FlappyFish posted her photos and I thought "I want to look like that" which is spurring me on.

Just thinking about my better than average WL this week (1kg):
DP is away, so eating is simple and healthy😏
I was more active and got in 10,000 + steps most days.

@ObsidianTree i might be too late but I started my period when I was on holiday, I got some period pants from Amazon and they were amazing! I wore them under my swim suit and they worked brilliantly! I was worried at first but they worked really well!

No I went super slow! It has taken me 6 weeks to go from 2.5 to 5

So I’ve been thinking 5mg has been a bit of a dud for me as I’ve not felt noticeable appetite suppression and the food noise was rearing its head again. I feel like I’ve been “chasing the dragon” of the first couple of weeks of 2.5mg (for want of a better expression).

However, I’m sat here on day 4 of my third dose of 5mg and I had to force myself to eat some boiled eggs for lunch and I can’t finish them. I had a slice of toast for breakfast and last night only had a protein bar for dinner (although did have a lovely vegetable pasta dish for lunch).

I wonder whether it’s all physical or actually whether the food noise had crept back in due to emotional eating. I’m really not sure but I’m quite delighted to be feeling some effect again. Homemade red lentil and veg soup planned for dinner as I need some veggies!

I might try and find some time this evening to go for a swim - not easy with two little ones at home but it’s my absolute favourite form of exercise.

Hope you are all having a wonderful day!

It works in mysterious ways. Day 6 of 5 mg week 2 last week I was starving. Day 6 week 3, which was yesterday, full suppression.

Definitely. It also makes deciding on whether titrate up for the next pen more difficult though!