Continuing Mounjaro...part 16

[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.
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 - 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.

9 - 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

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

11 - 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

12 - 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

13 - 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.

14 - Drink lots of water. Water helps with the weight loss. Try and drink at least 2ltrs a day.

15 - 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.

16 - 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

17 - 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.

18 - 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.

19 - 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.

20- 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.

21 - 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.

22 - 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

15th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5107426-continuing-mounjaropart-15?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:

My first NSVs!!

1. My rings are all very loose!
2. I can pull off the bracelet that I wear all the time without undoing it!
3. My bras now need to be on the tightest hook! This one is HUGE as I HATE the back fat!

@Slimstar13 - I am still catching up with the thread, but I did want you to tell you that my sister's experience with loose skin has been that it does improve with time as well. I am still on my MJ journey, but she has lost a lot of weight with MJ over the last 18 months (90lbs or so). We are both in the US.

She is now successfully maintaining at around 140 lbs with a lower dose which she spreads across several weeks. And she is pleased that the skin on her legs and arms is looking better as she maintains. She takes collagen and has a very active job, but is not doing anything else specifically. She says that her boobs and her legs have really improved over the last few months - so there is hope.

And then suddenly I got to the end of the thread.

@MelissaLouRocks - sorry you are back "inside ". I hope they figure out things very soon and you get to go home. Let us know if you want a chat thread at any time to keep you entertained.

@Rainbowl - how exciting and terrifying at the same time. I always wanted twins. Until the reality of being pregnant set in and then I suddenly was daunted by the fact that they do run in my husband's family. But my brother has non-identical 18 year old boys and they are awesome. So I suspect I missed out on a wonderful experience. Please keep us updated.

Just catching up with the thread but wanted to congratulate you Obsidian and the rest of you on your losses, it makes for some really heartening reading. Bloody well done!

Hope you're OK, MelissaLou. Really sorry to hear you're back in the hospital 😔

I've just got in from a day out with my brother and sister in law, I mentioned being on mounjaro (because they're the least judgmental people in the world) and it turns out my SIL has been looking into it herself and has been looking at these threads. It's a small world 😁

I started exactly 6 months ago. I have type 2 diabetes, and I am post-menopausal. I have been overweight for a long time, and my doctor prescribed MJ to help get my blood sugar under control. To date I have lost 38lbs (around 1.5lbs a week) with a couple of weeks of no losses and two minor gains. I am seeing some great improvement in my diabetes numbers from the early days. My next blood test is on Tuesday and I am very excited and also nervous.

My challenges with MN have been about supply. I am on 10mg now, but I stayed on 7.5 for 3 months partly because I liked it, but also because I could not get 10mg. Things seem to be improving so I can get my doses, but every month I hold my breath while my pharmacy tries to obtain it.

It is covered by my insurance, but I had to pay the deductible at the start of the year, so it was VERY expensive for the first 3 months- even with the discount card. Now it is free until 31 December and then I start again. But I think it is worth it for the health benefits.

For now my doctor does not want me to use a compounding pharmacy, as she worries that we do not know what they include in the medication . However, if money became an issue, I suppose I could move to that. I obviously want to see what other medications come out in future, but I plan to be on MJ or similar for a long time.

@Slimstar13 you could get really scientific and do one product on your left arm and the other on the right and see which is better after a month? I'd be so tempted to do this, but also paranoid I wouldn't be symmetrical!

Rainbowl, how lovely to see you here again 😊

WOW, what an amazing surprise. So many congratulations to you and your DH. What a blessing that is ♥️

@RagzRebooted I did this with Avewno! Lotion on one arm and oil on the other 😁
Lotion is more moisturing but the oil smells sooo much better! 😀

Whew I've missed so much today!

@Rainbowl that's amazing news. Scary but amazing news! Such a blessing. Definitely keep us posted 😊

Today, I went to a family party. Everyone commented about how much weight I had lost. Asking me how I did it etc. some family I hadn't seen since before Xmas so it's over 4st I've lost since then. I told them that I had reduced calories, omad/fasting, reduced carbs, reducing alcohol... which is pretty much true! I don't think I'll ever want to confess that I'm on MJ.

Later on in the evening I was chatting to my cousin who's a pharmacist and my aunt who's type 2 diabetics. My aunt was talking about her diabetes and talking about her struggles to lose weight, my cousin starter talking to her about mj! I had to pretend I didn't know what it was. That was pretty hard. I have so much knowledge but had to play dumb like I'd never heard of it!

So an interesting night for sure! My cousin, the pharmacist is coming over to mine tomorrow, I need to hide all my mj pens and all other mj paraphernalia! I kind of want to confess to her, but I feel like she will tell her mum, and then the cat will be out the bag!

Hope everyone has had a good day 😊

Well done for all the losses and NSVs!

@ObsidianTree Ha, ha, that’s really funny. It’s whatever makes you comfortable.

I’ve now turned into my friendship group MJ converter. Two close friends and my SIL are now a couple of weeks into their journey. I’ve even done FaceTime with them to help them through that first dose so they are confident.

I’m a live advert for it and the positive changes. It makes me happy I can help people be free of the tyranny of gaining and losing, getting to be shame free.

Dropped a year overnight😂. Gone from age 57 to 56 on my fancy scales. I'm only 51 but I'll take it.

That's really good that you feel ready to tell people 😊

I suppose when these types of drugs become normalised, then I might come clear 🤣

Lol @camerontucker the main this is it's going downwards! I am also showing as older. 46 when i'm 42

Yeh at getting younger!

I'm so sorry to be 'that' person and asking a stupid question, just planning ahead to my holidays and when I would need to order my 3rd pen (haven't even ordered my 2nd yet 😂). Do all pens have a full dose as the 5th, so always at least 0.6mls?

Sorry I did look but couldn't find the answer!

Thanks!

@ObsidianTree I’ve been in that situation twice so talked about “my friends” experience! Which is sort of true as my friend is taking it too. Like you I’ve worked hard at my diet with keto et al and it’s mostly me so I talk about that. And why do people ask about how you’ve lost weight but in same breathe ask why you aren’t eating more?!

Just caught up, well done to everyone on this thread and huge congratulations to @Rainbowl

One thing I notice about this thread is that it is 99.99% positive which is really inspiring and almost everyone is successful which is fabulous.

Im four full weeks down now, my weigh in was a full stone lost. I am feeling tired mid afternoon so I have been on Amazon & ordered some electrolytes.

I used my 2.5 bonus dose last Friday so will start my 5mg pen on Friday, probably do 40 clicks to start though.

hope everyone has a good week!

15 weeks and 23lbs down so far for me.
I've been taking 7.29mg from a 12.5 pen due to not trusting the shipping but getting no where with getting a replacement or refund and I can't afford to lose the money.

Everyone's doing so well on here.

One day of eating crap food and I'm 1.8lbs up this morning from my lowest weight three days ago. It just goes to show, when you take your eye off the ball.. 😐

This is what I ate yesterday, exposing myself a bit here but I never eat like this these days.

2 weetabix
A clear whey protein
A 98cal freddo (my first bit of chocolate in months!)
A strawberry cornetto
Dairylea dunkers
A small cheese and pickle roll
... Some super noodles 🙄

Basically a picnic, as I was at the zoo all day, and needed something quick and easy when I got home late.

All that said, I also walked 19,000 steps!

The maths aren't mathing..

I am a bit constipated however.

Humf. On we go.

Congratulations on what is both an NSV and a scales victory!

@BlackFriYay don't worry. The math isn't mathing as it's water weight and will be gone after a couple of days of good eating. Everyone who eases off due to being on holiday, staying with relatives where they can't control what they eat etc has it. I have had it this week myself. Officially I have maintained my weight from two weeks ago but I was six pounds heavier on Wednesday after time on holiday. So I have really lost 6lbs in 4 days - a bit like when you first start a diet and get a big loss in week 1. Keep the faith and keep going when you can.

Thank you for this, I feel better for hearing that. I was a bit annoyed with myself for dropping the ball but when I tallied it all up I thought surely not.