Continuing Mounjaro...part 13

[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
furthet 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, 12mg £204. 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 £149. 7.5mg £169, 10mg £179, 12.5mg £199

Asda:
2.5mg and 5mg £179. 7.5mg £189, 10mg £189, 12.5mg £204

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

12th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5090788-continuing-mounjaro-thread-12?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:

Jumping on the Zava bandwagon. Grabbed someone here’s code, if anyone is looking for one here’s mine.

Like most it seems I’ve have shopped around quite a bit over the last few months.

I can’t say I really rate any of them over another.

I started in the first week Mounjaro became available in the UK. So far I’ve lost about 16lbs. It’s made a huge difference to my confidence. As with many others I’ve found the “food noise” disappearing the main trigger for my weight loss. I’ve definitely still needed to use a bit of willpower, but it’s come so much easier than anything else I’ve tried before.

I’ve been a long term lurker on the thread and found it so, so helpful to hear about others journeys.

There’s no better gift than the gift of good health. Use my code and you’ll get 15% off your first order at ZAVA: REFQYMEE
https://www.zavamed.com/uk/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=refer_a_friend
Maximum discount value: £30

I’m very happy to be completely honest about it if I’m asked about it by close friends but I won’t be volunteering the details without being asked. I think the other thread proves that a lot of slimmies probably wouldn’t get it initially

If Zava codes run out then I think bolt is cheaper than Zava for higher dose@Slimstar13

.

We’re MJ twins (or nearly) I started MJ on the 15th April at 131kgs and have lost 16.7 or 2st 8lbs! It’s been a total game changer for me too. Let’s keep up the good work!

Wonderful news 💪

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa
I’m in the same boat as you!
I did my first 5mg last Thurs and have had chronic diarrhoea since then. Friday and Sat night were particularly brutal!

I’m going to reduce my dose down next week too. I still feel this is life changing so am carrying on!

I have switched to ZAVA and would appreciate someone using my code for 15% discount.
REFUM535

I think that if someone goes on about it (in a situation where I don't feel like taking about about it) then I will say that I've finally been getting help this year with my disordered eating. It's true and I think that will close most interrogators down 🤐

@Slimstar13
Good point about the £30 maximum. Might be better off sticking to 1 at a time then.

The reason I wonder if prices will drop is because that's the pattern I've seen over the past three months. When I first got the 2.5mg/5mg combo it was £320 from Bolt which was a good deal at the time. Now, you can get these doses for much lower prices. I'm hoping as it becomes more readily available there will be more competition among suppliers as they don't want to be stuck with pens going out of date.

Re. the multi packs, they were for my next two doses, so 7.5/10 or 10/12.5 (I'm currently on 7.5), perhaps as you move up the schedule they'd become available for you too.

The just eat less biscuits got me on the other thread, I had to comment 🤣

Was an excellent post 🙌

Bolts prices have come down again recently, so do think there is more competition.

This is all really good news. I like their approach. I got my first two pens from them so I can hopefully switch to them easily even with a BMI close to 25.

But how do we use it in maintenance mode? Their 2.5mg pen is currently £125 so with 5 doses in a pen that would be £25 a dose but I don't know if that would do much for me given I am currently on 10mg.

The app I am using tells me I will be at BMI 25 by mid September if I continue at 1.5lbs average loss a week so i need to figure this out relatively quickly.

In other news i joined my work gym today. It's free and i am in the office 2-3 times a week now. I used to be a gym goer from age 20 to about 35 but that was nearly 20 years ago. Felt like everyone there was a lot younger than me. They do a programme for you for free and if you want a PT session it's £40 for 45 mins. i need to do weights to build more muscle to improve my metabolic rate and to improve my bone density as i have osteopenia so am at risk of osteoporosis in the future.

Anyone else get new guidance this morning? I ordered through Bolt, and have received an email about needing to use barrier contraception, and not to use within a certain period of trying to conceive. The new info is in the screenshot. I guess it's just such a new drug?

It's not new info it's in the leaflet you get with the pen (you know the standard one you get with any drug that lists side effects etc) ! Bolt must now be drawing to people's attention...the only bit I don't remember being in the leaflet is the lump in neck

Hi all 👋

Just checking in. Currently on wk 5 and have this morning taken my first 5mg shot.

21/05/24 - 194lbs / 13st 12lbs
28/05/24 - 187.6lbs / 13st 5.6lbs (-7.4lbs)
04/06/24 - 184.4lbs / 13st 2.4lbs (-3.2lbs)
11/06/24 - 181.8lbs / 12st 13.8lbs (- 2.6lbs)
17/06/24 - 179.8lbs / 12st 11.8lbs (-2lbs)

Just over a stone in 5 weeks and it's starting to get noticeable. I'm still amazed by this drug and the impact it has had on me ❤️

Week 16 and I’ve lost 3lb which totals 41lb in all.

I’ve got 19lb until I reach my goal weight and hope to do it by end of August.

I’m currently on 10mg and no side effects, planning on staying on it and then tapering back down.

@BellaCriesAndThatsAlright There is no "unblocking" as such, I noticed after the first week I was just regular. Nothing loose just normal movements.

@Thebaldprimadonna I've not told anybody I'm taking MJ but quite a few close friends have noticed how hard I've been working at my diet this time - so in my mind that's why I'm losing weight. Yes MJ is helping me but its the decisions I'm making.

What do you think they mean by a lump in the throat? I had this with the extreme appetite suppression at 7.5mg but it’s gone now I’m back down to 5mg. It was part of feeling really full (GERD symptom maybe??) and not a permanent physical change. But now I’m worried

I think it means a physical lump on side of neck that you could touch rather than a lump in throat.
Lump in throat is likely due to slow digestion.

I think they mentioned lump on side of neck as this is a potential sign of thyroid cancer ...I think it is an overly cautious warning as although testing on rats has shown a risk for rats of thyroid cancer there is no such evidence for humans as we have different receptors to rats (someone more scientific can probably explain it better)