Continuing Mounjaro... Thread 12

[ObsidianTree]

Please note: Mounjaro will only be be prescribed initially if your BMI is above 30 until you get to a healthy BMI of 23 to BMI 25

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 that 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, vomiting, headaches, aches, are side effects. There may 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.

Some natural sources of protein:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321522#high-protein-foods

11 - 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), psylum husks(fibre for constipation), electrolytes.

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

13 - 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.

14 - 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
further reading about injection sites and the effects: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316618

15 - 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.

16 - 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.

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

MedExpress:
2.5mg and 5mg. £149.99. 7.5mg £169, 10mg £189. Coupon codes no longer working!

The Family Chemist:
2.5mg and 5mg £149. 7.5mg £169, 10mg £169

Zava medical:
2.5mg £139, 5mg £139, 7.5mg £169, 10mg £189. Zava offer refer a friend discount of 15% off. Ask for a code on here.

Simple online pharmacy:
£149 2.5mg, £149 5mg, £169 7.5mg £189 10mg

Bolt pharmacy:
2.5mg £125, 5mg £179. 7.5mg £189, 10mg £189

Asda:
2.5mg and 5mg £179. 7.5mg £189, 10mg £189

There are others not listed.

18 - 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

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

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

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

8th thread:
https://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?page=1

10th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5080755-continuing-mounjaro-thread-10?page=1

11th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5085436-continuing-mounjaro-thread-11?page=1

Thread for newbies just starting out in June:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5082791-mounjaro-june-24-starters

Video on how to inject:

Re stock piling, the scientist research says we should stay on a maintenance dose for life. Unfortunately the UK have been irresponsible by making the rule that you must get cut off when your BMI gets to 25 or you've been on the drug for 2 years. That is a recipe for disaster as we all know that there is a very high chance of gaining the weight back by coming off the drug. So all we can do is build enough supply to come off the drugs slowly at our own pace, in the hope that this will help us with maintenance. (There has been some research to say this helps). None of us want to regain the weight back so we do what we can to try and prevent that. Until the UK sorts it's shit out and realises that it shouldn't be cutting us off, we will do what we feel is best.

Weekly weigh in, and I've maintained. Slightly disappointed however I did have a weekend away and due to the weather, I've not walked as much.

SW 13.12
CW 11.04

36lb off since starting early March.

@Thebaldprimadonna 👭how are you finding 10mg? I still have a 7.5 bonus dose and a full pen, but wondering if my next should be a 10?

Weekly weigh in and lost 3lb! This has taken me well into the 3 stone loss so feeling good today! BMI down to 36 which is still obese but much better than the 40+ I started with! Party tomorrow and looking forward to feeling comfortable in myself for a change!

Well done for the losses today 😊

Well done everyone for the losses. This thread is so helpful and supportive :)
I am six weeks in and down 27 pounds! Struggling to manage the recommended 1200 calories on MFP but making healthy choices and seeing some NSVs. I have had 4 weeks of 2.5 and 2 of 3.75.
SW 210
CW 183
GW 160

I'm still having the mother of all stalls. Been wavering between 10st 1.8 (my lowest) and 10st 3. It's been like this since before half term. I'm starting to consider whether this weight is where my body is comfortable at and therefore easier to maintain. My goal is (was) 9st 11 so roughly 5-6lbs to go.
I have two 7.5 pens and am not sure what to do. @FlappyFish @ObsidianTree @AgathaMystery what would you lovely ladies do?

Morning all. It makes me chuckle that “flab jab” has amused so many people 😂

WI this week is 8.3/4 lb 😀 although this is from my WI last week which was only a few hours post flight so most of that was plane/heat weight. I’m still 2lb away from being overweight but I can live with that.

I didn’t have a good food day yesterday and boy am I suffering for it this morning! I’ve been hopping on and off the loo since 7am and I still don’t think I’m finished yet 😳 thankfully I don’t have to go anywhere today!

What's your BMI currently?

Are you on 7.5mg at the moment? How are you on it? I guess if you're still happy to pay for the meds and want to be on it longer, then embrace the stall and keep doing the pens etc. I think the stall will shift eventually.

Obviously your life is going to get even busier from 5th July, @NextPrimeMinister ;-)

10mg is proving better for me. Still slow but steady and no 'zero loss' weeks.

Bloomin heck, alcohol and pizza doesn’t work well with MJ! I had a great evening out but should’ve gone with the attitude of one glass of wine and then a water and just a little pizza, I went all in and was up at 2.30am feeling sick as a dog (but not actually sick) - half the alcohol and half the MJ disliking what on earth is done. Time for a reset, after I finish this peanut butter toast to get me focused for work!

I forgot my stats!

SW 14.12
CW 13.11
GW mini target of 13.6 1/2 by 28/06

Well I'm not sure what's going on with me, but I like it!

Had a whoosh Tuesday and lost 2.5lbs, well have had another overnight and shed another 2. That's 4.5lbs, the most I've had in a week since I started.

Maybe I just needed to build up to a decent dose, I flab-jab-stabbed my first 7.5mg on Monday, so perhaps that was the kick I needed. 😊

Well done everyone else on there losses today, and good luck to everyone. 💐

I took the bonus dose of my 5mg pen today. It let me turn it all the way to 1 but when I injected I couldn’t get the plunger all the way back to zero, it stopped about three clicks away. Anyone had this? It looked like it was just the end of the pen but thought if it let me turn the dial to one full dose I should have been able to inject it?

Great news on the whoosh @MelissaLouRocks

I seem to be falling into a pattern of losing then stalling then losing. Currently in a stalling pattern again but having gone through it a few times I'm attempting to stay positive.

I know I've said this before but if anyone is plateauing do try changing injection sites, it does seem to give you an additional push.

I've decided to move up to 10mg once this second 7.5mg pen is finished, have just ordered through Zava as MedExpress prices are not worth sticking with. Thank you to those that shared their code.

If anyone needs a Zava code feel free to use: REF386ZZ

A 10mg pen was £164 including delivery cost.

Thank you again to everyone contributing such positive support and good advice on these threads, it really helps.

@Eyesofmistyblue same thing for me this morning when I took the hard twist bonus from my 7.5mg.

I think maybe it's the shape of the pen that stops it going any further as we're right at the end of the pen. Or it could be that we've got the full dose but the hard twist knocks the plunger out of whack slightly?

Weigh in after 7th week, another 4.5lb down. that includes the pound gain from last week so 3.5 down from previous low. Pretty good really for week 7! 20lb off in total and 1 more pound until I reach 1.5stone and my next mini goal.

8th Jab was Wednesday so I'm feeling the effects today. Physically very hungry but despite a full fridge, nothing is appealing, food noise is there but easy to ignore. I had some plain cold chicken but that's it so far. Will make myself a creamy coffee to warm me up in a bit. Not motivated to work at all, not ideal for a freelancer.

SW 196

Wk1 -7
Wk2 -4.5
wk3 -1
wk4 - 3
wk5 - 1
wk6 +1
wk7 - 4.5

CW 176

Goals
1 Lose a stone (done)
2 Reach pre DD weight 12st 7
3 Reach pre DS weight 12st
4 Get into healthy category 11st5
5 Main Goal 11st
6 Ultimate Goal 10st 8.

@MountKilimounjaro I have just used your zava code - thank you. Here is my code if anyone would like to use it

Use my code and you’ll get 15% off your first order at ZAVA: REFH4WTP

@ObsidianTree I've been on MJ 15 weeks - 5 on 2.5 and 10 on 5. I've very little side effects and have ok suppression (but have been using more will power lately which I'm happy to do)

BMI is hovering between 25.1 and 25.3 (which is annoying!)

I would say to go up to 7.5mg if you want to lose those last lbs. Or if happy to maintain and stay on the meds, then stick on 5mgs.

@ObsidianTree thank you for replying. This is my dilemma!
Maybe I'll do two weeks on 7.5 and see how I feel. I'm scared of side effects as some of you have struggled!

So I’m down 18 lb after 7 weeks

SW 23 st
CW 21 st 10

@CiderJabs perhaps try going to 6.25mg first, this is what I did to titrate between 5 and 7.5.

NSV today is really feeling my loss when chasing my son around soft play! Far less stress in my knees constantly getting up and down!

@CiderJabs This is an idea if worried about side effects.

Thank you for the Zava code @MountKilimounjaro I’ve just switched over from Asda (same pharmacy team but nearly £50 cheaper!)

I was also given a code for 15% off if anyone needs it: REFT8U9S

I reordered 7.5mg as @ObsidianTree suggested and will do 40 clicks for 5mg for my next dose. Maybe I will go back up to 7.5 for my next dose depending on how I’m feeling.

Nice to see you back @MelissaLouRocks and congratulations on your amazing loss! Would be interesting to hear what your medical team has made of the positive impact of Mounjaro on your health condition/symptoms!

Yesterday I was contemplating stopping my Mounjaro journey because of the psychological effects…. But I think that would be madness as they are temporary and losing weight will be good for my body and mind. There’s also a lot I can do to manage these effects … I reckon if I’m more mindful about reducing anxiety (less screen time, more walking in nature!) I can reduce them. The lack of sleep (which others have reported along with Bruxism which has increased for me) needs tackling - I’ve suffered with both throughout my life and I really do need to put better strategies in place to manage. I’m not helping myself by going on mumsnet and Vinted late into the evening. So I just need more self care!

I think I overdosed last time anyway and went up to 10mg , so it made things worse! At least the 7.5 pen will give me options.