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

I started MJ 8 weeks ago and have stayed on 2.5mg the whole time. I've lost 20lbs so far. So I'm really happy with that. I can definitely feel the effects of the 2.5mg wearing off quicker each week now so going to move up the 5mg this weekend.

SW 19st 1lb
CW 17st 8lb

Welcome to any newbies who have found us from the aibu thread.
I’ve been on these threads a couple of months and have loved the supportive atmosphere.

Any advice appreciated please!
on my first week of 5mg. Not too bad so far, but the eggy burps, farting and burping are something else this week! I feel like I could vomit a thousand eggs. I feel like one big egg to be honest. I had it mildly on the 2.5mg dose but it was not constant. Today it has been ALL DAY. Can’t stop farting, can’t stop pooping (which is fine tbh as I had IBS anyway) but I really can’t with the egg and vomity feeling. It’s not nausea, more an urge to throw up whenever I taste the egg. And it is constant by that I mean like every twenty seconds. I have seen previous posters say it helps if they watch what they eat but I haven’t eaten any fried foods etc, just normal meals. Not sure what I should avoid. I am going to get some peppermint capsules but anything else please? I will never be able to eat or look at an egg again.

Hi @funmamamoo No silly questions here, we are here to help each other.
I’m staying at 2.5mg because
-I lost 6 kilos (1 stone!) in the first 2 weeks, and although it sounds great it also scared me a bit, I knew losing too fast is not the answer.
-I had good suppression at that dose but was still able to eat everything in moderation without any side effects.
-I read many Americans (they are way ahead of us) have successfully stayed on 2.5mg through their journey and that was people who had much more weight to lose than me.
-Long term side effects/risks are always at the back of my mind and I think the lowest the dose the better chances of not being affected.
-One of the main reasons! It still requires me to put some effort, some weeks it hasn’t been easy but I like that it’s not just MJ doing all the work. I think I have better chances to adjust my body to the changes, losing weight, maintain long term and when I have to come off MJ it won’t be as difficult or shocking to my body as coming down from a high dose.

Oh sorry @funmamamoo and regarding why not just buy another 2.5mg pen, my first 2 pens were 2.5mg and this third one is 5mg but I’m still injecting 2.5mg
If I keep at 2.5mg that means the pen will give me 10 doses instead of 5 so I’ll be saving a lot of money. Also if at some point I need to up my dose to say 3mg or 3.mg I can do it and still have more doses than just buying a 2.5mg pen.

I’m sure the instructions with the pen say you should use it within 28 days so I’m not sure how safe it is if you use it for 10 doses? Might just be me being a rule follower but worth keeping in mind!

@RagzRebooted

You've just given me the perfect excuse for having gained weight. You were talking about epigenetics, such as children of parents that went through famine being prone to weight gain.

I'm Irish and I have iron overload which is far more common in people of Irish descent than others, they believe it's because it was selected for genetically by the Irish famine as people that absorbed more iron from their food were more likely to survive, therefore my ancestors very likely went through the Irish famine.

I'm taking it!😂😂😂

@lurkylurk are you talking about haemochromatosis? My uncle had it but my mother refused to be tested for it (she died several years ago now) but I'm suspecting she didn't have it as if anything, I'm iron deficient. I've just never heard anyone else talking about it

Yes @Ghilliedu I was thinking about it too.
I ruined the last 2 doses of my first pen when I went on holidays and by mistake put it in the freezer, not the fridge 🙈 As I was away for 3 weeks had no choice but to defrost it and then use it as normal. I definitely felt little effect … maybe there was some effect or maybe it was a placebo effect, maybe what was left in my body from previous doses helping, I’ll never know but I had to rely hard on my self control.
Then the second pen I used it for 45 days but definitely the effect hasn’t been that strong the last few weeks. I don’t know if it is because I’ve been too long on 2.5mg for long and the effect naturally reduces or because it was open for too long.
Interesting that I injected on Sunday with the new pen and definitely feel the difference. Last 2 days I had to really push myself to eat as I have no interest in food, although once the food is in front of me and I’m eating I still enjoy it.
I’ll see how the first weeks go and take it from there, might have to up to 2.75 or 3 and this g pen will give me that flexibility if I need to.

I’m here lurking and ready 👀 @AgathaMystery If we haven’t hit 980 by bedtime I will do the new thread anyway.

I’m due on. Again. The fun of my teeny short cycle. I’ve actually been properly hungry today. The MJ has not suppressed the hormonal FEED ME on this cycle. Darn it.

I have another 5 pen to use, I now have two 7.5 stashed. I think I’m ready for the 7.5 now really. Or maybe that is just the impending period. AGAIN.

I think those on this thread know more about my cycle than my OH. 23/4 days. On for 7/8 days. Mirena was meant to stop this. Sigh.

Welcome to all the newbies!

I’m a bit disappointed at day one of my 5mg pen, was hoping it would be immediate suppression like it was with 2.5mg but still felt hungry all day! Not ravenous though, I suppose just normally hungry. Still disappointing though, hopefully it’ll kick in tomorrow!

Yes, although I’m not diagnosed for it as I only have one copy of the gene, so diagnosed with iron overload but the specialists told me that there are more genes that cause it than the two they test for so the likelihood is that I have a copy of another one too. I also have slightly low lymphocytes which are also seen in others with iron overload so they reckon that’s a marker for another gene to do with it that they haven’t found yet.

I have been advised for my kids to get tested when older as their Dad is Irish too which increases the odds and also even if they don’t have the 2 copies of the genes to get their iron tested anyhow as they may have inherited whatever other gene I have!

I’m supposed to get follow up blood tests ( been a bit remiss with that!) every year, but it shouldn’t cause me issues until after menopause as losing blood every month generally keeps it at bay for women until then, at that point may need to have a pint of blood taken several times a year, will donate it if allowed, that’s a bit of a grey area, if it’s well under control they will let you donate it.

I’ll be interested to know if it still works properly after the 28 days as I currently have a 5mg pen but have only been using small doses so far so it would be good if I didn’t have to waste whatever is left after 28 days!

@NextPrimeMinister

Yes, it’s April next year! Newly manufactured pens are good for a year, the reason dates are so short on the lower doses is because they were manufactured for the UK ages ago in the hopes that it would get approved on NHS for diabetes much earlier. They have different pens in US so those pens just ended up hanging around here for most of a year!

@FastGoose

They stability tested some of the 2.5mg batches as they were expiring soon and found they’d be fine for another few months, it was only 3 batches that were extended, I believe the details of which batches are on the Eli Lilly site.There’s been no news of the same for 5.0 ones though

I'll slip this in there before end of thread, just went to order another 7.5 with Asda and noticed these discount codes for existing customers. I messaged them last week asking why their partnership with Zava was cheaper? I also noticed that the delivery date was a week away. That's fine for me but much slower than normal.

@NaturalBlondeYeahRight

That is interesting, they must have realised people were moving away from them due to the cost.

Encouraging to see suppliers do want to be competitive price wise, as that will help drive the cost down.

We just need them to come up with a maintenance approach now!

I’ve opened thread 10 before I head to bed.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5080755-continuing-mounjaro-thread-10

NSV I've noticed, over time, my shopping addiction has reduced, and since moving to 7.5mg it's totally stopped. It's so bizarre.

I don't get a buzz from random online purchases anymore. There's no joy, all I see is the cost!

Weirdly, due to no longer buying things, I'm spending less, even adding in the cost of MJ.

The instant gratification I used to get from shopping or ramming food into my mouth, has gone.

Hi All
Feeling emotional today. Probably because I didn't sleep well and am on again sort of (hrt, MJ, who knows, third time in 6 weeks). Really annoyed with something in work, just want to cry and rage. Nothing to do with MJ probably, just dont have anywhere else to vent at the moment.
This thread is a such a great safe space, it really helps me reading about your losses, NSV and experiences. Thank you all for continuing to share, it's making such a difference to me and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I had the same thought yesterday when I took my first 5mg but can confirm it hit like a truck today, much stronger suppression than before.

10lbs up in 4 days 😳

obviously it’s not weight / fat as I’ve been in a calorie deficit…. But that’s some serious bloating!

I also get really emotional when I don’t sleep well @Everdecreasingcircumferences it’s a horribly self-perpetuating cycle as once I’m into it, I go to bed each night and know it will happen.

Vent away! We are all human. I have eaten more today than I have in ages and whilst it wasn’t total fuck it, I craved carbs for period.

@NextPrimeMinister I am spending on clothes, but only because I look like an idiot in half my wardrobe.

My NSV is I have started listing new with tags clothes on Vinted. Sold them in a week. Now just having money trickle in.

I had a major shopping thing going on. I’d buy pretty things with nowhere to go to.

Now I’m just embracing colour and cargos and tops that fit. It’s novel.

Oh no, I was all set to do my 2nd injections and the little box of needles is not with the injector pen where I put it away! Neither are the alcohol wipes I thought I put there too. Now I’m afraid in the stress of doing the first one I accidentally threw their little box away with the other packaging 😩 oh no how can I get more quickly? I’d like to not go too much longer than I’m meant to.

Hi, My DH has haemochromotosis too (had to have blood drawn at the hospital every week for 18m, now just quarterly for the rest of his life). As I now understand it, it’s a hereditary illness that only affects people of Celtic ancestry and (like you say) you have to get one copy of the gene from both of your parents to get it - and even then there is only a 25% chance of it developing in old age. If you only have one gene, you can’t get it, but you CAN pass that gene on to your kids (50% chance), so probably worth testing them if you can persuade the GP (ours wouldn’t as neither has high iron/ferritin). I’d like mine tested so that they know whether there is a risk of passing a gene onto any kids they might have.

We’re debating whether I should get tested as, if I don’t have the gene, the kids can’t get it so won’t need testing. I’m very gallic looking, so would like to think the chances are remote… but my FiL is also dark skinned and was dark haired like me, so 🤷🏻‍♀️