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:

Yes - I use Dexcom and am already very tight with my glucose control but now I’m like a cruise missile. It’s awesome.

Regarding HRT & MJ - I am much more flexible and my Pilates is a breeze some weeks. I also have familial hypertension & have stopped my meds. Mind blowing!!

@NiceUnusualDifferent i use the ones that melt on your tongue? They taste disgusting (a nice combination with the egg burps!). You take one every time you have the diarrhoea up to six a day I think? I’ve used them when doing camping trips etc and the need to avoid shitting myself was higher than the need to lose weight!

@GlueNoGlue thanks, that's the ones I have here. I've taken 2 and seems to have done the trick touch wood.
Now to decided if indo another 3.75 but into thigh instead of timmy or drop back to 2.5!

I've given in and ordered the psyllium husk capsules today (thank you, Amazon Prime Day) as there's NO amount of water and fruit/veg that's helping this constipation 😭

I'm surprised to learn about MedExpress price matching! If that's the case I may well go back to / stay with them.

They were always really good when it came to delivering, the pen always arrived in good time and the cold packs still frozen.. which seems to be a problem with zava at the minute (I went to them for my last pen)

I'm going to order in 2 weeks time so I'll have a chat with them closer to the time and see if they'll honour the price match for me too.

Dearie me, I can tell it’s flab jab day tomorrow 🐷

Interesting about Med Express! They are obviously suffering with people switching!

I’ve moved to oushk now and I think I’m just going to stick with them unless something drastic happens, although I’m tempted to do another order from med express since I’m still technically with them, they only emailed me about ordering yesterday. And just have a pen in reserve.

@dmott I wore one a few months ago (work related, we were learning how to use them) and I got a lot of low readings. Especially around 3am and 6am, weirdly, but some during the day too. Assumed it was the MJ, but the general trend was pretty steady, no huge peaks, which is good. I never felt unwell when it went low.
@guestusername that was me yesterday, though it was quite nice being able to eat a bit more!

I've been looking at the NHS bmi calculator. At 5'8" there is a very wide range of "healthy" weights. From 122lbs to 164lbs. That's a range of 3 stone.
I was aiming for between 154 and 160 but now I'm not so sure 🙈
I would love to hear of people's target weights (particularly from tall people!) 🙏

SW 210lbs 3/5/24
CW 173.5lbs 16/7/24

My Cushings’ has improved massively since MJ - so grateful. Worth the outlay each month.

Solgar psyllium husks are a godsend, honestly.

I’ve come back from the gym and done my dose this evening instead of tomorrow lunchtime. I feel like I’ve been going on willpower alone the last couple of days and while I need to get used to it, the food noise has just been too much 😒

My leg bled when I pulled the needle out. Never had that before 🤔 it wasn’t loads but it was a lot more than I’ve had before

@Vamozz I'm a shorty but I think with regard to goal weights and deciding what it should be you have to wait and see how you feel and look at BMIs close to 25 and then decide.

Some of us haven't been at a BMI of 25 for decades and have had pregnancies which have changed our bodies plus some of us are post menopausal now.

Personally I want to get to BMI of 25 then assess. I used to be a BMI of 23 but that was 10-15 years ago and I was a gym goer then. If I got that low now perhaps I would look great but perhaps I would look too thin and old in the face now which I don't want. I also might struggle to maintain that weight as I don't go to the gym at the moment.

But even if I only get to BMI of 26 but maintain it, that is way healthier than being in the obese category which is what I was before starting Mounjaro.

I am 5ft 7 and my ideal weight apparently is between 8st 5 and 11st 7. The lower range I’d be nowt more than a twig so I think I’ll go for something beginning with 10 but until I get there, I have no idea how I’d feel and where I’d want to be

Thanks @choux
You've made some good points. I felt like the lower end of the scale seems extreme. As @guestusername says I think that would be twig like for me too.
I'll aim for the 25 bmi and see how that feels.

4th week in and noticing some hair loss, which was thin already,. Could feel much less volume in the shower this morning. 😩 Not sure it is just MJ, weight loss (1st), or recent covid which had me in bed for a week during MJ week 1. Or just the physical stress of all combined.

I'm taking Hair multivitamins, extra vit D, and have just started Biotin. Eating lots of protein and clear protein drinks/yoghurts.

Did anyone else notice hair loss in the first few weeks, and did it stop quickly?

Ooh! That's great news! I was just mulling over who to swap to.

Another vote here for solgar psyllium husks. I plan to keep taking them as part of my new regimen and life after MJ. I take a menopause style vitamin and just started biotin to encourage hair growth. The electrolytes are here to stay too!

Been on tiktok too much today. A few of the Mounjaro influencers on there are saying Curate is terrible. From this group it seems that that is correct as no one seems to have managed to get an order from Curate ontime.

Does anyone know how long delivery from ZAVA takes? I'm switching from vouchers and need to inject tomorrow, my order was approved before 4 on Friday...

,,,@ObsidianTree
Curate did struggle to get pens to me on time, although the prob seemed to be them sitting in the South west postal hub, and the second one sat in the Glasgow hub forever.
Is that their fault?
They said Royal Mail blamed my "remote area" but then Royal Mail has always manage to deliver my Med express pens on time , so I wonder.....what the hell?

To be fair. they also did send me a replacement pen after I complained about the late arrival but that was late too!

They refunded promptly when they decided they couldn't deliver to my "remote area"

They are also very responsive to messaging.

So are they terrible? I just don't know .
( I may be harbouring positive thoughts as I ended up with 2 free pens as they were still cool enough for me to be confident in using them. It's amazing how free pens colours you opinion😂. Did I mention 2 FREE PENS😂😂)

@montysma1 🤣 yes I'm sure 2 free pens is going to make you feel positive 🤣 although, if they have to refund everyone for being rubbish, they aren't going to be in business for very long 🤣

I think mine said despatched on wed and arrived Saturday. If you go onto Zava, you should be able to track your order there. So you can see if it's been received by royal mail yet etc. I think mine was only received by royal mail the day before I got it.

@guestusername

I'm not a doctor, but I wonder if your heart rate was still increased after exercise which caused you to bleed.

A bit like if you're playing sport and get nicked by a nail or similar it seems to bleed a lot, compared to a small cut at home.

Yes that is very possible - it was about 5 minutes after I got home so that would make sense