Continuing Mounjaro...part 14

[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.
https://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:

Zava medical:
2.5mg £139, 5mg £139, 7.5mg £169, 10mg £189. 12.5mg £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 £149, 5mg £149. 7.5mg £169, 10mg £179, 12.5mg £199

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, 12.5mg £194

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

There are others not listed.

18 - Worried about your supply being cut off when you get to a healthy BMI? Below is some info on some places maintenance plans.

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

19 - 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

13th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5096704-continuing-mounjaropart-13?page=1

Thread for newbies just starting out in June:

https://www.mumsnet.co
m/talk/weightlosschat/5082791-mounjaro-june-24-starters

Video on how to inject:

Absolutely

@Fromthesidelines

I hope I haven't damaged my pathways. It makes sense that I have since I have been on fat cycles most of my life. Mainly fat since about age 37. 44 now.

I think I will need to set myself a max weight and no matter what I have to do something. Easier said than done.

This is what I'm planning to (attempt to) do. If my weight goes up by 5 pounds, try to do something.

@Slimstar13 I didn't think you were getting at me at all. I am just finding the slow loss frustrating when I started at 17.5st so not small so was just having a good old moan! Annoyingly, despite losing my meagre 11lb, my inches have not changed at all. No wonder I'm fuming!
You have inspired me to go upwards again with a clear conscience though. I'm always cautious with medication and was debating persisting on 5mg but, you are right, being hungry and slow loss is not using the drug correctly.

I do think the popcorn analogy is a good one so that, along with the kitchen roll explanation of size is now burned into my brain

@Slimstar13 and thank you for taking the time to reply!

I lost 5st over a 3 year period (ironically the 'hard' way with no drugs) and put 2.5 back on over the next 2 years (menopause / divorce / life in general). At least I realised I had to do something before the whole lot came back on and more. This gives me hope that I will react sooner if it starts to happen again. My main fear is realising I need to lose a stone, fail to do it on my own and not be able to access the drug as my bmi would be too low to start again.

Can recommend UKMeds. I was approved same day for next day delivery. If you decide to go with them, you’ll get 20% off with my referral link https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/raf/1BD66D8D6676DCC3ED831

My Curate order has just arrived fully warm! ice pack is completely melted and nice and toasty… 😩 I've emailed them…

MedExpress promo code that look like they’re working
STARTNOW - new customer 15% off
DAILYMAIL - 10% off

They're both codes for new users, I tried the Daily mail one.

@KeepingUndercover that’s a shame, I was hopeful they may have seen the error in their ways. I’m tempted to go with them anyway as I ordered with Zava Tuesday and it’s still pending today. I can’t cope with how slow their process is.

Do you know how long it has taken to get to you? I think somebody posted something about the stability in transit a while ago but my aged brain has forgotten what!

24 hours as far as I can see. It’s clearly well above 8 degrees and I’m not ready to use it yet.

I'm not hearing good things about curate at the moment. Don't think anyone has had a delivery that wasn't late/fully melted ice

I moved over from Boots to pharmlous due to costing, I now on my 2nd 2.5 pen.
i am loving it, it has stopped the noise in my head regarding food, with very limited issues .
looking forward continuing this journey
I weigh myself monthly and lost 10 lbs

was 15.11
now 15.1
GW any where that starts with a 13 😬

3lbs loss this week, bringing my total loss to 30lb in 3 months.

I'm thinking of split dosing my first 7.5. 5mg today and 2.5 on Monday. I'm just worried I'll get bad side effects tomorrow at work!

Has anyone done this? Does this mean if I do the full 7.5 in one go next week that the side effects could be even worse?

Just like ZAVA then. My ZAVA order was approved at 11am yesterday, got it at 5pm today. Ice pack melted, room temp. It's a 12.5mg (November expiry) and I still have 1 dose plus bonus dose of 10mg to use so don't need the new pen for another 13 days. I will just use it and see how it goes suppression wise. I probably should have waited another week before ordering.

I have been doing a split dose for the last couple of weeks having half [30 clicks] on a Tuesday and the remaining half dose on a Friday. This has definitely helped reduce my side effects and I think the appetite supression is about the same. If you want to see how the science bit works use the plotter from ObsidianTrees post above https://glp1plotter.com/ and compare the graphs. I opened the link twice and entered for each scenario. The peak with a split dose happens twice in a week but is lower which I think explains fewer side effects.

Anyone need a Zava code

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: REFSGZS6
www.zavamed.com/uk/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=refer_a_friend
Maximum discount value: £30

I've had zava stop my order for some medical questions. I answered and it's just sitting there. Feel like telling them to stick it and switch provider

Re the pens being delivered not cold. I had the same annoyance with my current pen. I order from pharmacy online and they tend to only use one gel pack, I missed the delivery and it was definitely not fridge cold when collected the next day. However I had two weeks of existing pen left. But six weeks on I am on the last day of the third injection. About to jab tonight and still having strong suppression. Hope the same works for your pens delivered in this heat.

Thanks so much! I've been trying and trying to find that post but couldn't!

Thanks for sharing that @ineedmoresleepnow . I was expecting it to be fine once I use it but it's good to know you feel yours worked as normal.