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:

Awful news, wishing for him to be found safely.

Is anybody else more emotional?

It's likely period week (I have the kyleena coil)

But I am crying at songs much easier than usual! I cannot listen to Billie Eilish 'what am I here for' in fact just typing that I'm welling up!

No idea if mj, peri or what 😭😂 but I think I'm too young for peri yet, and I know family hasn't or didn't start until 45-50

Hello new thread. Well done to all those having losses and to those maintaining because it's all part of the journey.

Well done for the losses today folks 😁

I ideally want to be on the drugs for 2 years. But don't know how realistic that is now with 3 stone to go. Or 4 stone to go if I want to go for 10st! But that would put my BMI to 21 ish. So they would definitely cut me off!

What does eli lilly count as the therapeutic dose? Maybe if I stay on the lowest of the therapeutic doses my weight loss will slow down enough for my weight to stay at BMI 25.1! Lol

I'm a long way from stopping but would really want to stay on it long term as for the first time in my life, I feel in control around food, rather than desperately craving whatever I could see to eat.

@Moanranger im about to go on holiday and I too hope I can make sensible choices as I really fear this interrupting my progress.

@Marigolds24 ive been enjoying MJ not just because of weight loss, I’m sure I’m calmer and my anxiety feels better and I think my hair loss has slowed down. Like @ObsidianTree says we’re hoping a long term maintenance dose gets approved.

so holiday awaits me, I just said “we’ll get breakfast at the airport and a sandwich to take on the plane for lunch” it’s filling me with terror as for the past 6 weeks I’ve closely controlled what I’m putting in my body and stuck with keto. Wish me luck I can pick the right things!

Weigh day and I’ve finally had my whoosh! 6lb off this week which brings me to 2 stone 12lb off in 12 weeks!

So once we are out Mounjaro as our BMIs are normal, as far as I am aware, the only potential tool available is Alli which is a low strength of Orlistat so can be bought over the counter or possibly hypnosis. Anything else available or is there only willpower and calorie counters?

I am not sure how maintenance using Mounjaro could be structured. Would 2.5mg per week be enough to help maintain on an ongoing basis or would our bodies get used to it so it stopped working? Should we be allowed as previously obese people to access it again when we hit 27 BMI so we can yo yo between 27 and 25 once or twice a year if we can't maintain at 25 without it. What ongoing maintenance MJ do you think would help you?

Amazing work @Choux. Excellent woosh 😊

Oops I meant @GlueNoGlue

I have seen Berberine can be helpful. But no experience of using it.

I will definitely go back on MJ if I can't maintain on my own and gain weight again. Might be an unfortunate necessity for most /some of us until their bring out a maintenance drug or allow us to take MJ for maintenance!

I am hoping you are psychic and my whoosh is coming this week 🙃

Can anybody please give me instructions on how to get this '5th dose' from then pen please? I'm on my 3rd injection of 5 mg & if I could get a 5th dose out of the pen it would help my finances massively. TIA x

@sparkleroo same procedure as previous doses but you will have to twist very hard, I used pliers to help me grip.

Has anyone heard of someone not losing any weight at all? A friend of a friend has been on it for 12 weeks and has not lost a single pound. They are moving up to 7.5g now in the hope that it works so there is hope. I know some people lose slower than others but I've not seen anyone not losing anything.

Hi all, I think I lost you at around thread 9! I have a question if anyone can help me please? For various reasons including being unwell but mainly due to my stupidity, I last took a dose on 20th May. It was my first 7.5mg. I'm just wondering how long a gap is OK, or have I blown it and would need to start again? Thank you!

Brilliant @GlueNoGlue!

As of this morning I am officially half a stone away from a BMI of 24.9, eeeeeeeek. 12 and a bit weeks and have lost 25 pounds.

I think I'm going to buy my 10mg from annoying medexpress this weekend as I don't want to fanny around elsewhere and be told no now I'm getting near to goal.

I also think I'm going to try and go below my original goal of just into "healthy" range. 9 stone anything seemed like an impossible task at the time but I now feel maybe I could try and aim for a BMI of 23 which I think for me is another stone to go.

Fingers crossed and I'm psychic 😁

Hi all, just found the new thread and am checking in. Week 3 on 2.5 and I’m definitely feeling the suppression is less, but I’m trying to use it as an opportunity to make better choices even with an increased appetite/food noise. So far have managed to stick to my calorie limit.

Its weird they didn't go up to 7.5mg after 8 weeks! Were they getting bad side effects.

I think there are cases of complete non responders. But probably a very small percentage.

Although, some people need to wait until 15mg to get the best results (as seen on US Reddit)

Also, are the getting the drugs from a genuine provider? I have heard of people from UK getting it from their beauticians! So might be some fake meds out there!

Thank you @ThirdStorm

Hey, I had an 8 day gap when I was on holiday.

I took my last dose on 18th may and not again until the 2nd June.

I was planning to titrate up again slowly, but decided as I have never had bad side effects on MJ I would just go for my next 7.5mg dose and hope for the best! I didn't get any bad effects at all tbh. But as I said, I've gone through my journey with pretty easy side effects. Coldness being my main one.

But your gap is longer than mine, nearly 2 weeks. So I would probably do a reduced dose. The amount depends on how you react to MJ. If you took the break because your side effects were terrible, then 2.5mg, if your side effects are minimal, then 5mg.

You can take 2.5mg with 20 clicks and 5mg with 40 clicks of the 7.5mg pen.

The nausea drinking grated ginger root 🫚 helped massively just in case anyone else was struggling with it.

Hello, new thread. As ever, lots of success! Well done, everyone. And those persevering through the stall too.