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:

@Mycuprunnethempty

Try not to worry. What you are doing in the early stages is priming your body to tolerate the new drug.

That's why there is a loading schedule. The half life of the drug is 5 days, this means every time you inject you still have a small amount in your body - and over time this amount increases to help maintain the effects.

For many on the trials - they needed to be at a 10/15 to lose weight. Once there, they lost weight steadily and consistently.

It's not that as you step up you lose more weight - you are trying to get to a point of consistency - and that's different for different people.

I know it's hard when you see others losing weight more quickly - but they are only a small number of the people taking the medication - there will be many others who respond like you have.

Obv it's possible to be a 'non responder', but statistically that's an outlier position.

Just keep following the plan and see what happens when you get to the higher doses.

Good luck.

Morning all.
My first injection was last Thursday evening. I weighed in for the photo to ZAVA on Wed morning at 311lb (22st 3lb)
My weight this morning is 306lb (21st 12lb)

To say I'm delighted is an understatement. I go to WW and after an initial loss of 28lb over a few months, I have not been losing for a good 8 months since. I've gained 22lb back since Xmas and then been just losing and gaining the same few pounds.

I feel like a weight has been lifted (pardon the pun) from me physically and mentally. I know it's early days but I could cry.
I'd pay £122 just for that feeling and I hope there is much more to come. I don't even feel bad about the money now. Some people would spend that on drink, drugs or smoking in a month. I do none of these.
Target weight for now is around 200lb and then I'll re assess.

I have very swollen ankles most of the time and I never seem to be able to get rid of it. I had started to think I've lipedema but I swear they have looked less puffy this week. There's hope for sure!

I want to shout it from the rooftops but I'm keeping it a secret from all but DH.

Thank you @ObsidianTree for this thread. It's already become my replacement for my food obsession. Like a lot of people, I wish I'd done for myself this sooner.

So nauseous today, always the way the day after my injection. It's horrendous 🤢

I think someone on here recently had issues with delivery. My order from Zava was dispatched on Monday, Royal Mail tracking says they have it and it will be sent to my local sorting hub. How long after that will delivery take? Concerned that is now Wednesday and we've had a hot couple of days 😕 Should I complain to Zava? What would the likely outcome be? When I complained last month that my pen would only be usable for 3 weeks due to the expiry, they said I could move up to the new dose early to avoid wasting it or just dispose of the last dose. When I said that wasn't a good enough response they refunded me 25% of the price

@PomchiK You're right that response really is not good enough. I had a good flrst delivery from ZAVA but I'm concerned they're getting too many orders through the referrals and being cheapest, to maintain a decent service.
They may become a victim of their own successes. We will see. I'm nervous about ordering my next pen as the delivery arriving on time and cold enough definitely stresses me.

Bah humbug.

I read upthread yesterday that carpet can affect weight readings so I took my scale to both bathroom and kitchen floors. Whaddya know - I’ve actually been 1.5kg heavier all this while.

Devo, abs devo 😪😂

Week one done 8lbs down THANKYOU to you all x

@Lastchancefatty I think the issue may be with Royal Mail on this occasion as they've had the package since Monday. I will check the tracking again at midday and then contact Zava to see what they say, but after their response to my previous issue I'm not very optimistic. I'm already considering switching to Bolt as they supply until BMI 22. Just wanted to use my 15% discounts before switching.

It was this one. Some more info below

MedExpress: Once at healthy BMI continue on maintenance dose for 6 months and then step down medication and monitor loss
The Family chemist :Would consult you as approached healthy BMI to discuss maintenance under close supervision
Curate: up to 2 years
Cloud: up to 2 years
Boots: Cut off at BMI 23
Asda: Cut off at a healthy BMI
Pharmacy2u: Will supply for maintenance
Bolt:Individual assessment once BMI 22
Zava:Once healthy BMI will stop prescribing this treatment

@Lastchancefatty I'm glad it's working well for you 😊

I definitely no longer feel bad for spending the money on the drug. That went away quickly! I barely drink now, bought a bottle of prosecco for my bday, had 2 glasses over the weekend and just chucked the rest of the bottle yesterday. I'll probably think again before buying alcohol again as it's a waste!

Food bill has gone down as I am no longer the instigator of buying snacky food on weekly/top up shop. Kids get a few treats but I no longer replace them when they burn through them, so they are eating less junk as a result. If I do buy something for myself it actually lasts longer than a week as I am not looking for snacks anymore!

Meals out are cheaper as I know I won't eat much so might just order a starter or me and husband will share. Don't bother ordering alcohol anymore so meals are cheaper!

Eating less at work so no trips to the shop /cafe to get unneeded food / coffees etc.

@PomchiK complain to Zava. Send them that screenshot. Ask for a replacement pen as yours has got lost in post or will be unsafe to take if it does arrive.

@Mum2lots well done! Great first week

@FarSideOfTheSun

I can’t seem to catch up with this thread at all so I know it was pages back but that was very useful information about Bolt, thinking of switching to them, others have had positive experiences with their flexibility too, for example in prescribing multiple pens for someone who was going to be abroad.

Anyone know if there are any discount codes for them?

On a less positive note The Family Chenist came back to me on a query about what BMI they cut off as wasn’t happy with current pharmacies policy on this and they said they would only look at maintenance for customers that had been with them from the start as they know that patient and said I should ask my current pharmacy to look at it instead.

@lurkylurk that's bad news about family chemist.

I do want to be with a provider that supports maintenance but don't want to keep moving around!

I am hoping that eventually all providers will offer medication for maintenance so we don't have to move around all the time!

Morning all. I started my second box of 7.5mg (choosing it over the 10 I also have in my fridge!) last night but on balance I actually want to try 10 as my weight loss has really slowed the past couple of weeks. Would you top up by 2.5mg (assuming that's approx 20 clicks from a 7.5mg pen) today or just wait until next week's flab jab to do 10 in one sitting (2 needles obvs)?

I feel your pain. I once did this on floorboards and then realised

Agree. My takeaways and meals out have been almost none existent since starting the medication. My weekly grocery shop hadn't gone down though as I'm eating healthier foods which as we all know are more expensive.

@ObsidianTree @susiedaisy1912

I am not sure my food shop will go down much as like Susiedaisy says the healthy food costs a lot but I'm not feeling like the money is a waste at all. What would you pay to be slim and healthy?
The money I've given to WW, Slimming World and all the other plans I've done like f800 and slimpod all add up too. It's a big industry.
Interestingly WW have embraced the injections - I think they had to as its become very big in the USA and they're a very prominent outfit there also. They now do a Glp1 plan for people on the jabs.

I do actively dislike Slimming World. No one will ever convince me to go back there.

Hi everyone. I've completed my course of 2.5mg and 5mg and I'm about to start 7.5mg. Since I started on the 5mg dose, I've had a couple of occasions where I've had brown discharge. This only lasts for a day or two. No blood or pain. I take desogestrel everyday to stop my periods completely (this is a progestogen-only-pill). I assumed this was a side effect of mounjaro as it does say it can effect contraceptive pills. Has anyone else on the pill had brown discharge since taking mounjaro? I've had no other side effects. I've also just found a small lump on my vulva, hence my concern.

I haven’t had discharge but I did get a period while taking the pill which went on for longer than usual

I think the consensus is that it can affect menstrual cycle

Thinking about it, I bought 50 quids worth of cookbooks not so long ago from keto fitness club. They're now sat in a cupboard. All the f800 and 5:2 books. WW books. Slimming World books. Paul. Mckenna cds and books. Slimpod which was 100 quid. About 200 quid of shakes for f800. Wasted gym memberships. The list goes on and on. This has to be the last time and for once, I actually feel like it will be!

My Courage was delayed. Like the Zava order it sat in that North West postal hub for ages so it's really the royal mails fault.
Curate dispatched a new pen after a bit of complaining.

Yes! I was going to ask this myself. I'm on desogestrel too. I've been on it with no periods for about four months and since my very first injection I've had spotting. Last night it was the equivalent of a very very light period and now it's OK again. I know it's the injection. I just hope I don't get actual periods again as I was put on it specifically to stop them. My friend is on ozempic and has no such issue. It won't take the shine off for me but it is a side effect I believe.

Thank you @Lastchancefatty @Buffypaws that's very reassuring.