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:

Please could I have some advice on the extra dose?
This is still my first pen, 2.5mg.
So I finished my 4th dose last week and still had more medication left in the pen. I posted here about it, on thread 12. After getting advice here, I gave the pen a hard twist today until the dial got round to 1 again. I didn't need to use pliers, and I didn't need go draw the remaining medication out, I simply twisted the pen really hard with a firm grip until it went to 1 on the dial, like before. I injected myself until if went to zero, then it automatically stopped. And now, I STILL have medication left in the pen!! What is going on?? I can see the volume of fluid in the pen has reduced from before today's injection to after today's injection, so I know some has gone in. But how much? How much have I had today - what dose have I had? And why on earth have I still got even more left? What dose is left?
Here's a picture of my pen now, following 5 doses....

@PlantyPotts not sure what Zava will do, but if you haven't had anyone use your referral code you will be charged something like £229. Maybe it's best to pause it and go elsewhere for a cheaper pen? Then you can pick 2.5mg again.

Zava would work out under £130 for a 2.5mg pen if you use someone's 15% off referral code

Sorry that's blurry
Try again...this is after adminstering 5 doses. My 5th dose was earlier today.
What dose is this that's left? Do I have a 6th dose here?! Have a had a full 2.5 dose today even though there's this left?
Thank you!

Would help if I attached the pic....

@GloriaBunniford that doesn't look like a full dose, but looks like at least half a dose. Sometimes I think hard twisting kind of breaks the mechanism in the pen. Maybe the plunger didn't go down properly when you were injecting?

Can you twist again and try and inject the rest? It shouldn't be more than max 0.80ml in that last dose. So even if you injected the rest, it would be a dose of about 3.3mg

I’m with Voy and I’ve not had to do anything, they let me know when my next order has been approved and then dispatched, you will need to contact them to change this - they’ve always been very quick to respond when I send them a message via the website

My appetite has gone. Like, vanished, disappeared, vamoosed. Its so weird. I've never not wanted food...now I don't care. I've got just over 1kg to go to break the 100kg mark, which isn't my "real" target, but is definitely a psychological one. My first real target is 90kg.

Agree. Give it more time. In trials it was shown that some people lost most of their weight at 10mg and up.

Thanks so much @ObsidianTree 😊

Has anyone NOT had horrific side effects from moving from 2.5 to 5?

I'm due to take my first shot of 5 next Thurs and I'm going to see Green Day at Wembley on Saturday. Don't want to ruin my day or have to miss it if I'm sick.

I've had zero side effects (or weight loss) from the 2.5, so hoping 5 might be my dose.

I did the last week of my 2.5 and the first week of my 5 as 3.75 on both. First full dose of 5mg this week, almost ready for next dose and no ill effects so far...

I didn’t. No side effects apart from feeling cold, and that was after the first 2 x 2.5 doses. Nothing on 5. Starting 7.5 this week.

They contacted me re order. I was happy to get the 5 so just left it and it was sent out. You could contact them and say you want to have another 2.5. The coaches are really helpful too.

I had no side effects until 7.5mg and even then it wasn’t until week 2.

I’m with Voy and it automatically goes up each month up to 10mg. I contacted them to ask to stay on 7.5mg which they did - you need to get in a few days before dispatch to make the request. I contacted both admin and clinical. My husband made a similar request though (wanted to stay on 5mg) and they automatically sent a higher dose. He had only contacted admin so I’d suggest it’s worth doing both if you want anything other than the automatic increase.

How do you get a 3.75 dose out of a 5 pen?

The only side effects I've had are feeling cold and very tired the night of the jab and maybe the following day. Not enough to stop me doing anything more that if I sit down I lose all inclination to get up again!
When I moved from 5mg to 7.5mg I didn't even get the cold feeling just the lethargy but very short lived.

I’m waiting my first set of injections from Asda (2.5). Do I have to contact them again for the next dose (5) or will they contact me?

Another good week for me, especially as I am no longer obese 🥳 I am staying on 10mg for now as it's working well for me.

I have lost the weight of an Icelandic Sheep Dog 😁

SW: 13st 10
CW: 11st 5
GW: 9st 7

After 1 week: Feb 28th 13st 2 (- 8 pounds)
After 2 weeks: March 6th 12st 12 (- 4 pounds)
After 3 weeks: March 13th 12st 9 (-3 pounds)

Moved to 5mg
After 4 weeks: March 20th 12st 9 (-0 pounds)
After 5 weeks: March 28th 12st 8 (-1 pound)
After 6 weeks April 3rd 12st 4 (-4 pounds)
After 7 weeks April 10th 12st 3 (-1 pound)
After 8.5 weeks April 22nd 12st 2 (-1 pound)
After 9 weeks April 23rd 12st 0 (-2 pounds)

Moved to 7.5
After 10 weeks May 1st 11st 12 (-2 pounds)
After 11 weeks May 8th 12 St (+2)
After 12 weeks May 15th 11st 12(-2)

Moved to 10mg
After 13 weeks May 23nd 11st 10 (-2)
After 14 weeks May 29th 11st 9 (-1)
After 15 weeks June 5th 11st 8 (-1)
After 16 weeks June 12th 11st 7 (-1)
After 17 weeks June 19th 11st 5 (-2)

33 pounds total loss (2st 5Ib)
BMI down from 35.7 to 29.6
HbA1c down from top of prediabetic to normal
Waist down from 40 inches to 34

I didn't get any bad effects until 10mg.

Did feel more cold, achy, headachy moving from 2.5mg to 5mg, but was mostly fine.

I didn't feel 2.5mg did much for me either.

However! With you having something planned on Saturday I wonder if it's best to be safe than sorry and maybe stick to 2.5mg for your next dose

Wow! Those are great weight loss figures @Thebaldprimadonna Well done.

I am just starting on this journey. Got my first pen from Zava for £122.14 using a referral code on this thread. I am dreaming of losing 33lb in 17 weeks!!

Paying it forward:
Here is my ZAVA referral code for 15% off your first order at ZAVA: REFN6SPJ

It is £122 for the 2.5 and 5 pens with this code.

Well done @Thebaldprimadonna. Great work 😊

Someone posted before the research they had done into the providers and what their current maintenance support plans are. It was really helpful but I can't for my life find it now. Is there any chance that can be posted again?

@Thebaldprimadonna

Woof woof!

Great progress 👏

I'm not seeing any movement on 7.5mg so plan to move to 10 next. It's great to see It's made the difference for you.

I'm also finding 7.5mg pretty rubbish. I've got the bonus dose to go and another pen as suppression after my first 7.5 was amazing. Whilst I'm not hungry very often, and it seems to last ok, I'm not getting the loss I did on 5mg...I don't think. So now to decide whether I go up to 10mg or use my 2nd 7.5mg, but maybe jab every 5 days or something to build it up.
I need to look at my losses really but I don't feel I've made much progress this month at all.