Continuing Mounjaro...part 15

[ObsidianTree]

Please note: Mounjaro will only be be prescribed initially if your BMI is above 30. If you have additional health conditions you can get the medication with a BMI 27. (Prediabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart problems)

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 - Some people find that they don't need to go up a pen dose each month if the current pen dosage is working well for them. If you are unsure when to go up, speak to your prescriber.

8 - The move up from 2.5mg to 5mg can be quite a shock to the system. Some people chose to take 3.75mg dosage for a few weeks to ease the transition.

9 - If you are having bad side effects after titrating up or you are struggling to eat your calories each day, your dose may be too high so should consider lowering your dose. Speak to your prescriber if unsure.

10 - 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

11 - Once you take your first dose you can choose to keep your pen in the fridge or somewhere else. It's up to you.

12 - 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

13 - Protein is important as eating less protein can cause muscle wastage and hair loss.
Some natural sources of protein:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321522#high-protein-foods

14 - 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.

15 - Drink lots of water. Water helps with the weight loss. Drink at least 2ltrs a day. Preferably 3ltrs.

16 - 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.

17 - 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

18 - 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.

19 - 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.

20 - Some of the places you can order from are:
MedExpress:
2.5mg and 5mg. £149.99. 7.5mg £169.99, 10mg £189.99. 12.5mg £209.99. 15mg £209.99 Coupon codes no longer working!
The Family Chemist:
2.5mg and 5mg £149. 7.5mg £169, 10mg £169, 12.5mg £194, 15mg £199
Zava medical:
2.5mg £139, 5mg £139, 7.5mg £169, 10mg £189. 12.5mg £204. 15mg £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, 15mg £199
Asda:
2.5mg and 5mg £179. 7.5mg £189, 10mg £189, 12.5mg £204 15mg £204
There are others not listed.

21- You will still be prescribed Mounjaro when your BMI falls below 30. However, it may be harder to move suppliers once you BMI is below 30 if you wanted to move.

22 - Worried about your supply being cut off when you get to a healthy BMI? Below is some info on some places maintenance plans.
The Family chemist :Would consult you as approached healthy BMI to discuss maintenance under close supervision(if you started with family chemist)
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 and does offer maintenance
Zava:Once healthy BMI will stop prescribing this treatment
Med Express: BMI 25 and cut off.

23 - 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
14th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5102149-continuing-mounjaropart-14?page=1

Thread for newbies just starting out in July:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5101435-mounjaro-july-2024

Video on how to inject:

same. Slow is better. More likely to stay off and skin to catch up I reckons.

Correction: I should have said 0.25ml.
2.5ml and I probably wouldn't eat for the next year 😀

You lot are amazing! I'm loving reading about the losses and NSVs. It's keeping me going.

I'm avoiding weighing in!

I did my 5 weeks on 2.5 and was working well. Still hungry and able to eat but not the usual....I have to eat everything and eat it now! 10 lbs off which I was very happy with. Stepped up to 3.75 and nothing. No food suppression, food noise back.
I'm definitely doing the full 5 this week in the hope it bring me back to where I was during the 2.5.

Yesterday, I ate badly! Had my usual Gr yohurt and fruit. Then had 2 packs of mini crackers with humous. DD made a lovely high protein curry.....what did I do? Well I did not eat the curry, instead I had a massive bag of crisps and a giant chocolate bar!

This is what terrifies me about (if I ever reach it) maintenance. I'm trying to retrain my brain to stick to healthy nutritious meals but it is so difficult. Even when it is set in front of me and I dont have to do anything but eat it, I can derail.
Anyone else feel like this?

@greenmillions are you taking B2 vitamin? That will turn your urine bright yellow.

I have had a look at this. The study quoted was undertaken in a group of patients who were already under the care of an eye hospital. This means they are people who already have signifcant problems with their eyesight [and presumably a risk of blindness] and are not representative of the wider population who may be taking semaglutide. In my experience you need to be fairly wary of scientific studies reported in the press. Journalists rarely interpret them correctly and are often after the big scary headline.

That's mad! how was this even a worthwhile study?? surely the control group should have been other people at the eye hospital who weren't on weight loss drugs!! controlling for weight and diabetes naturally.

I swear, can no-one do a competent study anymore? I blame the press more and think scientific studies should be exclusively reported by science competent journalists who can offer sensible analysis about a, bias of those conducting study, reliability and validity of the data, any less is just irresponsible IMO.

Honestly, I only have an A level in Psychology where we studied the science of studies (lots of dodgy ones historically in the subject 'cough' Freud 'cough') and even I can figure this stuff out. It isn't hard!

Another day another upset stomach and I’m at an all day gig today. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

It’s rubbish isn’t it. I was doing so well for so long on this and now I think I will have to stop. I just can’t be this ill every week. I have a phone appointment with the pharmacy and will see if we can make a plan that doesn’t involve giving up but I am not sure.

Sorry to hear you guys are struggling - what dose are you on?

@Cerialkiller don't ever read studies related to Covid or the vaccine then! I am a retired clinician and still read a lot but it gets more hair-raising as the years pass by!

I'm not doing brilliantly on 5mg. I've never really had what I think suppression might be, I have had improved impulse control and a vague nausea at times but the last week at 5 has been hard. I'm going to increase to 7.5 and hope I might discover what suppression is but am just a worried about side effects as I'll be away for the weekend just after - every increase I have seems to coincide with holiday/weekend away/special event, I've clearly planned this very badly!

@Cerialkiller I agree with you. There may be some findings of relevence to people with eyesight problems, which are more common with both T1 and T2 diabetes. Otherwise this reporting is scaremongering.

Suppression for me is feeling less or no hunger and also feeling fuller much quicker when eating.

Great to see all the % losses!

Not since my first few weeks have I been a bit sensitive to strong tasting or very fatty foods but last nights dinner did not sit well with me. I've stayed on 2.5mg the whole journey so it surprised me a little bit - great to know its still working!

I've gone down 18%. That's pretty cool!

This is my first week back down on 5mg and I've been feeling a bit rough. Upset stomach but at the same time craving sugar. Not sure if it's the dose or period or a combination of both.
Might take 3.75 next week.
Weight still between 9-13 and 10 so that's something!

Morning
Suddenly, I've lost a stone! I say suddenly as this is actually the middle of week 12 for me so it's been slow compared to most with an average loss of just over a lb a week but, having had the scales fluctuating up and down for the last couple of weeks, this morning it seemed very definite!
So, it's only a stone down in 12 weeks. But this is the lightest I have been since the autumn of '21. My gradual weight gain began then only to get more rapid 15 months ago when I started HRT. I started January '22 to lose then then few pounds I'd gained but, despite being on a diet, increasing exercise etc, that weight wasn't going anywhere. And now it has. Importantly, it has gone in a way which has allowed me to still function. I've lost the odd pound or two in this 2.5 years through effectively starving myself but not keep able that up for more than a few days at a time.
It was interesting reading yesterday's posts about people using the meds not as prescribed. I started this with an exact BMI of 30 - and that was weighing of an evening with clothes on and having had a pint of water. So, compared to my morning, naked, just done a wee weight, I suppose I lied but then whenever you get weighed in a medical setting or whatever, you're always dressed and it's at some point in the day so I can't say I feel I have gamed the system. Given the rate at which I was gaining weight, I could have left it a couple of months and just started then. I suppose it does mean I've lost 17lbs rather than just a stone as I took my starting weight as my morning, naked, just done a week weight.
I've also messed around with the doses. I did 4 weeks on 2.5, one of about 3, one on 3.75, one on 5 and, after a week of being really ill, dropped back down to 3 and have very slowly built up to 4.2. On a couple of occasions, I have taken my doses 6 days apart rather than 7. So I haven't followed the prescribed plan but as I am taking less than I have been prescribed then, again, I don't have an issue. Many people who started at the same time as me would be on 7.5 by now and looking at 10. I have been offered those pens by my prescriber.
By taking smaller doses out of a 5ml pen, it meant it was open and out of the fridge for longer than the advised 30 days. I took a dose from it on day 35 and, despite their being medication left in it, threw that pen away as I wasn't prepared to take that risk. I'm fortunate though - I can pay for this without having to cut back in other areas
I will be trying 5ml again next week. I was conscious yesterday that I didn't have much food suppression but was out so it didn't matter. I'm at home today and found myself mindlessly eating Shreddies out of the packet earlier! That's something I haven't done since mid April!

@RunningAndSinging @Abigailandthefoxes
What dose are you on and how long have you been on it? I had some issues on 3.75 (D&V) but foolishly increased to 5 anyway and had a hideous of week of such appetitive suppression that I didn't want to eat or drink anything and serious D&V on top which meant I scarcely slept for two nights as I was just in the bathroom all night and, that combined with the appetite suppression, meant I scarcely even drank any water so then had the consequences of not really eating or drinking to deal with too.
I dropped back down to 3ml and have been increasing by a few clicks each week and have been fine since.

I'm having my first experience of GI issues since starting 8 weeks ago. I've been eating really clean everyday, low fat, low sugar, low carbs, no UPFs but last night, had stir fry chicken/vegs/noodles which I thought would be fine. Partner used a packet sauce which we've used before but not since I've been on MJ. While I was eating it, I was thinking 'god, this tastes a lot sweeter than I remember'. The consequences have not been nice (but lost 2lb over night!).

I’m also struggling a bit on 5mg. I have barely any appetite at all and feel constantly sick. I’m really worried about losing weight too quickly and ending up with loose skin so don’t want to carry on like this.

My first week, not really feeling any effects yet but I didn't expect to on 2.5mg but last night I was awake ALL NIGHT. I never have trouble sleeping so I'm hoping this is a one-off, or at least settles very soon if not. I need my sleep.

On the upside though, the scales are showing a 5lb loss since Sunday, I'm doing this in conjunction with WW which I did before but just kept losing and gaining the same stone. Hoping the suppression kicks in soon

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa well done. My weight loss is similar. 11lbs in 2 months…..which while I know is good overall I can’t help but being disappointed with. I hardly have any appetite suppression so it’s been really hard and I’m not convinced that the weight loss isn’t down to my stubborn will power, going to bed hungry, etc. I still have all my sugar cravings too.

im on 7.5mg now. Will have my second injection at that dose tomorrow. I started at a bmi of 36 so it’s not like i didn’t have much to lose!

Great weight loss in 4 days but I am confused. If you aren't feeling any suppression, how have you lost 5lbs in 4 days?

Because I'm following WW as well and always have big losses in the first week, I've been sticking to it rigidly and my willpower has kicked in so hoping the suppression does too before my willpower deserts me!

@Mounjaroooooh how exactly are you feeling this week? Is your hunger and cravings still the same as last week? After my first 2.5mg injection I still felt hungry but I could make healthier choices and eat smaller portions and then stop.

I call Mounjaro 'liquid willpower'. It doesn't make me lose my appetite completely but slows down the onset of hunger so I can control myself better in my choices.

Everyone is different and some people don't feel much effect until on higher doses but the subtle effects may be helping you exercise that willpower.

Anyone had their MedExpress order approved in the last few days. They just let me reorder and I'm wondering how long it's like to take. Want to make sure I'm home when it arrives.

I re-ordered Sunday night, and it's only been marked as dispatched today with Monday as the estimated delivery date, do 7 days for me (unless it arrives early)