Continuing Mounjaro Thread 11

[FlappyFish]

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

9th thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5074054-continuing-mounjaropart-9

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

Thread for newbies just starting out:

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

Courtesy of Flappy, deputising for the wonderful Obsidian.

They are all clear right? I have tried both the clear beauty collagen and the normal one. I like both. Not sure if they work or not tho 🤣

No more MedExpress discount codes. We are all moving to ZAVA. If you use a referral code you get 15% off. My code which I don't think anyone has used yet is REFVYVHF.

Yes, Med Express has confirmed on email that they won’t having any more big discount codes for weight loss treatments. Code RK5ARP gives you £5 off so £144.99 for 2.5 and 5mg pens which for me is still ok but for higher doses The Family Chemist and Zava have cheaper prices. People are posting their Zava discount codes here so just one of them if you want to move to them.

I have messaged Med Express as well asking will they price match. I have told them that the weight loss forums make it very easy for consumers to chase the best deals and that many hundreds of their customers are moving.

Curate are coming in at £155 with a code for 10mg. I am waiting for 12.5 though.

I know what their answer will be but I feel better for sending it😅

@ObsidianTree I haven't opened them yet 🤣

I've no idea if they work either. Part of me thinks that's just a new fad but the vainer part of me wants to give it a go in case I do look younger by taking it! I'll be a 51 year old bride next year so I'm willing to try anything 😂😂

Thanks for all the referral links, I may well take advantage of someone's when it's time to order 10mg.

I've just done a 7.5 dose from my last 5mg pen. Went up last week as it was getting less effective, used the bonus dose this week. I was all set to wrench the pen, last time I had to use pliers to grip it. This time of barely held out for a second.

Going up last week got me unbloated and back in the game with a 2kg loss. I didn't lose much the week before and I think some of that was the bloating, I wouldn't normally expect that sort of loss. This was week 12 (counting initial injection day as week 0) and I've lost 16.3kg in total. I'm running again, I'm trying to be active every day and I get antsy if I don't do some sort of exercise. Feels like a new lease of life!

Still got a long way to go, don't think I'm even half way there at the moment. But I feel so much better already.

you have amazing results!
could you let me know how you use the bonus dose? last time I used a syringe but I have now some spare needles and just wanted to inject from the pen, do I turn the pen until it shows 1? or this will not work for the bonus dose? I see people mentioning pliers but not sure what it means! also would love to do 7.5mg from my 5mg pen but how to do it? (I have one dose left plus the bonus) Thank you in advance!

@Sabblue so the pen won't want to turn after the fourth dose. You need to make sure there's no needle on it and force it to turn. Like it's a stuck jam jar lid. Sometimes you can do it by hand, sometimes you need something to grip the pen bit while you twist the bottom. Just to give you something to push against.

I did a regular dose and then a half one by turning the pen 30 clicks (full dose is 60) to get my 7.5. New needle each time and into a different spot of wherever you're injecting.

Yay, @KeepingUndercover ! That’s great progress. I also found my 5mg pen very easy to force for the extra dose.

Zava has just cancelled my 7.5mg order because my BMI is now under 30 (only just - 29.8) even though it was over 30 when I started and I’ve been using the medication continuously. Think I may have to stick to MedExpress😅

Oh no Pug that is annoying. I think a few people will have similar challenges. It doesn't make sense does it.

I am shocked at that @PugLover2024. I just checked back and you ordered at lunchtime. Same as me. My order is still pending. I will let you know what happens with mine.

Perhaps you can appeal? Perhaps they have decided they are no inundated with MedExpress customers and too many referrals that don't make as much money. Or they don't have the stock to supply everyone but don't want to say that?

I assume you sent the photos after ordering?

Im due my next injection of 2.5mg today and can really feel the effects wearin off 😩 rather than reach for a takeaway like i would before ive decided to "treat" myself to this 😋

Phew finally caught up with the thread! Some fantastic observations about the MJ journey. I especially resonated with @GloriaBunniford 's description of the freedom from your body physically over-riding all logical thought about not needing any more food with vice-like urges to eat - you put it much better than I could.

Just ordered a 5mg pen from MedExpress- didn't gave time to search around abd work out how to switch, but will for the next pen if they're still not competitive. Did my bonus dose with the needles linked on the first post, which was easy. Only got 3.1mg out of it though - I must have primed too thoroughly.

Official weigh-in today at the end of week 4. Sadly a 100g gain, but I'm prepared to believe it'll show a non-offocial drop tomorrow as I was down on the current weight earlier last week. I suspect that going away for a few days over half term stalled me a bit - I ate loads less than I normally would have and much more intuitively, but was out of routine and drinking less water. So I'm at:

SW 80kg, BMI 32.5
CW 75.4 kg, BMI 30.6
GW 60kg, BMI 24.3

That looks delicious! And other than the butter sauce on top of the steak it seems like a perfectly reasonable meal to me. It’s not about not eating things we like as otherwise life will be sad but about controlling portions, swapping for healthier alternatives and changing bad habits, like you just did by cooking something instead of ordering a take away. Nutracheck has been really helpful for me, you can keep track of your calories.
If you have this for lunch then probably you could balance it by having a very light dinner like a salad and some protein or maybe just yogurt and fruit as you might be too full anyway.

Aw thank you! The garlic butter was worth the 60 calories tho 😂 i use mfp atm, have read loads of good things about nutracheck tho so will definitely be checking it out

Oh no, were you with Zava previously or did you try to switch? I may have to switch suppliers when I get near 30 BMI. Will check NHS site to see what weight that is.

My food obsession has been replaced by a Mounjaro obsession

I get you! The 73 calories of butter I used this morning for my mushrooms and scrambled eggs were worth it too 😋
I’m on week 13 and I was using MFP too but moved to Nutracheck a few weeks ago and I like it better, it’s also easier, it’s free but I got the advanced version because they had an offer of £24 for the whole year which I think was a good price.

I got this from MedExpress after asking them to honour the 20% off that the code would have given me before they discontinued them.

It's vague but reads as them saying that discounts will continue albeit we'll get them via inbox and not via codes that are public.

A smart way of getting around the rumoured new regulations prohibiting them from advertising discount codes as incentives?

I've taken the £5 discount today anyway, I'm making a little stockpile whilst I can. We'll see what happens in a few weeks.

I would go back to them and query this and make clear you are already on Mounjaro. My order from 12.47 today is still pending.

Immediately after ordering I got a message saying my order was on hold and I needed to send photos. I sent the photo of the scales and my body and also sent the screenshot of my last order so they know I was already on 10mg. My order hasn't moved since then but it hasn't been rejected.

I think someone at ZAVA thinks you are a new user with too low a BMI so has rejected you incorrectly. If you message back with the previous order screenshot they might reinstate the order.

I am still getting awful intermittent headaches on day 3 and 4 (7.5mg). I am keeping fluids up and using electrolytes. I have always injected into the stomach for maximum suppression but wondered if the headaches might lessen if I go for thigh this week. Has anyone any experience?

I was with MedExpress then tried Zava for this discount, this was their response for anyone interested:

Thank you, I will give it a go. I ordered it on my lunch break so didn’t have a chance to take photos before they rejected me, however I did select during the questionnaire that I’m already on 5mg. They did say in the message though that “it would not be appropriate for us to treat you remotely and are therefore unable to offer you a prescription. This is because you don’t meet the threshold weight for starting this medication with us (even if you are continuing treatment started elsewhere).”

@BlackFriYay I got roughly the same reply except for this sentence

"Just a friendly reminder that some discount codes may exclude certain medications, such as GLP-1 treatments"

Considering my query was literally about GLP1 meds, it's a tremdously shite response!
I told them that I will now go forward with a competitive provider as will thousands of people on weight loss forums as information is easily shared!