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:

Has anyone heard of the future health study the gov are doing? They sent letters through the post to sign up if you want to. I signed up and went for my health check today. They check your blood pressure, do a cholesterol check, height and weight and take blood samples.

My cholesterol was great at 2.59. Wonder what it would have been before MJ!

However, when doing my blood pressure my heart rate was 113. I know MJ has increased my heart rate but the person told me to speak to my Dr. I will go see my Dr but think it's definitely the MJ. Has anyone else heart rate increased? My blood pressure was fine, it's just my heart beats per minute which is elevated.

@ObsidianTree was that heart rate after you had been resting for a while or when you had been moving around? It seems a bit high if it was a resting heart rate. My smartwatch tells me my current heart rate is 70-80 and I have been sitting drinking coffee for last 5-10 minutes.

I changed watch brands at about the same time as starting MJ so can't see if it went up once on the drug. But I do recall people talking about it in March on these threads (possibly thread 1) and several people mentioning it as a known side effect.

@Choux yes. It is a bit high. Think it was around 100 after I starter MJ. I have a smart watch so will monitor it.

Not sure what I can do about it as don't want to stop MJ!

Do you have a smartwatch or blood pressure monitor to check it away from the doctors? There's an app called Heart Rate Monitor which uses my iPhone light to check my pulse. Or even just take your pulse for 10 seconds to see if it is lower now.

It could have been elevated from white coat syndrome, rushing to the appointment and not yet fully gone down etc at the drs. It could well be below 100 when you are actually at rest and calm.

I don't think that will be a reason to have to stop. I recall reading that athletes have a very low resting heart rate so getting fitter would probably help it go lower. And being a healthy weight so you can be more active is a key component of getting fitter.

@ObsidianTree thank you. My fitness pal says I've lost 24.4% of my starting weight. Being short my total loss doesn't sound that impressive but seeing the percentage was an eye opener!!

I threw my study letter away by accident! I'd have liked to have participated. That's great about your cholesterol and interesting about your heart rate. I don't wear my watch as often as I should but it looks like mine has increased slightly too.

Wow that’s amazing news well done 👏

Big congratulations@Stickthatupyourdojo!

I’m very focused on sticking to my calorie deficit, and ensuring I eat super clean - I focus on fresh veg, lots of salads, lean meats and fish. I’ve gone off alcohol and coffee - just don’t crave/need either at this point. And then for anything else, I focus on options that are high protein , high fiber or low cal.

I’d say for me it’s not a massive overhaul as this was the basis of how I ate before. My downfall has always been alcohol to unwind and snacks. But the main meals have always been healthy. But I’ve never really before prioritized protein for example, or if I crave something trying to find a better alternative, whereas now I do.

Interesting re heart rate, mine has decreased hugely since starting MJ! I’ve got from 85bpm average to 68bpm.

Week 18 weigh in - I’m now 13 stone 12lbs and a BMI of 27.8 down from 33.4 (I’m tall at 5’10”) which is incredible! My total loss is now 39lbs 🥳

I really don’t want to stop my MJ journey. I’m feeling better since yesterday, have managed to sleep and my anxiety symptoms have improved. So I’ve ordered another pen and reduced my dose from 7.5 to 5mg- hopefully this will be better and I can keep going on MJ 🙏🤞

Well done to everyone for their losses.

I feel more optimistic now Labour in power and want them to invest in weight loss medication… and commission a cost-benefit analysis. I suspect this could yield the biggest return on investment compared to other health interventions. But I won’t hold my breath!

Not surprising, it does tend to lower as we slim down

Thank you. I have a Google watch which is basically a Fitbit. So will start monitoring it more at home.

Will go to Drs anyway and get it checked there too.

I don't feel like I have palpations or anything and feel fine in myself.

Can anyone recommend a Smart Watch / Fitbit type watch please? My budget is not big enough to stretch to an Apple Watch or similar. There seem to be so many on the market it’s confusing as reviews mixed on effectiveness. I just need something basic that doesn’t need charging constantly and works well with an app

Congratulations @Stickthatupyourdojo amazing achievement!

weighed in this morning after a weeks holiday and have lost 1lb. To say I am shocked would be an understatement! From this week I am going to seriously start trying to titrate up. I’ve been sticking around 3mg for weeks because it’s safe and I’ve had a lot on. Hopefully my body has got more used to it now!

I had a Fitbit versa before I got my Apple watch and it was good. I passed it onto my mum and it’s still going strong after 3 years

Bit late because it’s been a mad week but weigh in:
Jab 9 done

SW: 13 stone 10
CW: 11 stone 4

I'm now just overweight not obese.

Well done everyone…

Is anyone else finding their weight is just dicking about?! I’m going back & forth between 77 & 78kg & honestly it’s so boring.

I don’t want to see 78kg again and it keeps coming for a visit.

I am the same as @Ghilliedu. Had a Fitbit versa for 4+ years and it was great but over the last year went from needing to be charged weekly to not lasting a day without a recharge.

Switched to apple which is fine but does need charging every day.

A friend has a smaller Fitbit and seems very happy with it. I don't know anything about other brands.

Just injected my first 5mg, wish me luck..

@WannabeHealthier I've got a Fitbit Charge 5...I bought from Amazon and was able to pay over 5 months. It's linked to Nutracheck to my activity calories get logged there too so I can see my daily deficit. I don't really do any exercise but once upon a time I ran and it records it well. It needs the phone for GPS but I'm never without my phone anyway.

Blimey, it's taking a lifetime to get through the 13's. The 14's seemed to pass in a blink, with losses of 3-4 lbs a week. Now, it's more like a lb or two a week and it's taking forever and I'm still only at 13st 8lb. My OH always says I'm too impatient, about everything, but I really want to get into the 12's as that's the home straight into healthy BMI. But, to be positive, I successfully fought off the alcohol cravings last night (by going to bed!) which, for me, is a massive achievement.

hey all can anyone suggest the best collagen supplement to use? Getting lost in all the articles that recommend different ones! The less crap in it the better 😊

@WannabeHealthier I have a Fitbit luxe (small display) which I have stopped wearing as I was given a new garmin as a bday present. It still works perfectly and I am planning to sell it. It's about £170 new and I'll be selling it for around £50. If you're interested send me a dm and I'll send you some photos.

In other news today I'm 9st 13. This is the lowest I've been in about 35 years. I went down to 5mg last week and am trying to decide what to take on Monday. I'll either do 5 one more time or 3.75 (it's s 7.5 pen).