Continuing Mounjaro...part 17

[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! Make sure the needle is twisted on tightly. Priming will help confirm if the needle is on securely and not faulty.
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 - 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 - Taking Mounjaro can stop birth control from being effective. If you are on birth control, consider extra protection if you aren't planning on conceiving anytime soon!
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. Try and drink at least 2ltrs a day.
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
15th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5107426-continuing-mounjaropart-15?page=1
16th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5115015-continuing-mounjaropart-16?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:

@MelissaLouRocks send me your code and I'll see if I can convince my dad to order from them. He's with zava and doesn't like change but he may be tempted! I'm seeing him this Saturday so I'll see if I can order for him. Can't promise but I'll try 😘

Thanks! That’s so impressive

A couple of people mentioned the Aldi/Lidl protein shakes, I tried this one from Lidl this morning and it has an impressive 35g of protein for 219 cals (it cost me 99p!)

It doesn't taste as nice as the Ufit ones but for 35g's at that price I'll gladly be stocking up on them.

Thanks to whoever it was that put us onto them!

Weigh in day here and after just over two weeks in a stall I'm down 1.5lb - glad to be on the move again, hope it continues 🤞🏻

2lbs to go until I reach my first mini goal. I was hoping to be there by the time I go on holiday but that's Saturday so unlikely now. However, I'm just happy to be where I am rather than where I was at the start of May before my MJ journey began!

Will take my final 7.5mg dose before I go away and then move up to 10mg as soon as I'm back (only away a week) and really hope I get better results on that dose 🤞🏻

Hope everyone has a good week 😊

Aargh looks like I've gone up over the weekend.

We were at a friend's house and had pizza and drinks so not surprising although I didn't go overboard.

Official weigh in is Tuesday so the best I can hope for is no loss this week which means my 'plan to stay on 5mg for as long as I am losing weight' is in doubt! I'm due my dose this morning and this would be my 7th week on 5mg.

I need to decide whether to 'stick or twist!'

@InspectorGidget it will be carb and alcohol related water retention. Drink a lot of water today, eat protein, salad, veggies and yoghurt, no salt and you will probably lose the weight gain in 24-48 hours. After my holiday I lost 5lbs in 48 hours.

As for the dose only you can decide but if you have been on 5mg for 7 weeks and it's still working then why go up now?

Thanks @Choux

I'd pretty much decided to stay on 5mg till after holiday (we're going to Italy so want to enjoy!) - then really start in earnest come September. That will be 12 weeks on 5mg.

September to December has always been my weight loss zone once birthdays and holidays are out of the way and I really need to get my fitness back too.

It's easy to see everyone else's losses and get swept up but the plan has been working so far!

Good to have a sanity check!

*goes off to inject 5mg

Long time lurker here - does anyone here not weigh themselves?

I'm gearing up to give Mounjaro a go - lifelong yo-yo dieter here, also ASD and awaiting ADHD diagnosis. I deliberately stopped weighing myself 5 years ago and mentally it has been the most amazing thing I have ever done. To say I was obsessed with my weight before would be a huge understatement!!

However I have gained weight - I've gone from a size 12/14 to a 16/18.

Last time I was this size I weighed around 13st 7lbs. I had to be weighed in hospital last year and they were great at not telling me my weight but my BMI was just under 30 (29 point something.)

If I weigh 13st 7lbs currently my BMI will be 31.5.

I really just want to be guided by measurements and clothes sizing. Does anyone else on here do it this way or is everyone weighing themselves?

@JamieFrasersSassenach 5 years of not weighing yourself has been good for you mentally but you have gained 2 dress sizes. So not weighing has pros and cons.

Weighing yourself also has pros and cons - you can see how your efforts to eat better are having results but you can start to overfocus on the numbers.

You have a starting weight. You can take Mounjaro and only weigh yourself monthly or even less. But I imagine once your appetite and cravings are suppressed a you will want to know at least weekly what effect that is having on the scales. The scales will show results faster than your hips shrink a dress size. Many people say that Mounjaro gives them a sense of calm with less anxiety and obsessiveness about all sorts of things. So you may find the scales become 'just another thing'

Thank you @Choux - I completely understand what you are saying, however I have gained two dress sizes in a much faster time period before whilst weighing myself, whereas while not doing so I have gained so much peace of mind - it's hard to explain but my self-esteem is so much better for ditching the scales.

Maybe if the Mounjaro gives me that peace of mind anyway I will be happy to weigh myself but I just don't want to start the journey with a weight obsession - happy to measure myself with a tape measure, but honestly terrified of going back to weighing myself.

I think you will have to weigh yourself, at least initially, as providers want to know your starting weight to determine if you are eligible. Usually you have to provide a photo of you on the scales so that they can see your weight and calculate BMI. You will usually be asked your current weight when reordering, occasionally with proof, so that they can see if the medication is working for you and that your BMI hasn't dropped below their prescribing limits. Obviously you don't need to weigh in between those points.
Some people find it less emotive to weigh in kg.

Maybe kgs will be the best for me then @Fromthesidelines - as long as I don't get obsessed with those instead of lbs!!

Perhaps I'll use a weighing scale in Boots or somewhere - do they still exist? I don't trust myself with scales at home.

Clearly I have massive issues with weighing myself!!

Does anyone on here use scales outside of the home to weigh on?

@JamieFrasersSassenach I used to go to boots once every 2 weeks but the ones near me no longer have scales (since Covid) - might be worth you checking online to see if they still have them.

I think training yourself to check your weight and not obsess about it is part of good habits which will help you in the long run. We all worry about it too much, some of us weigh daily and others once a week but either way it helps you hold yourself accountable! Good luck!

@JamieFrasersSassenach I hate weighing in stones and lbs as I have a real emotional reaction to it. DH is an engineer and thinks everything metric so I let him change the scales to kg and it is wonderful! I get on, weigh myself and feel NOTHING because it is just a number
I know that says more about me than the scales but it has been eye-opening to ditch the guilt, excitement, panic and resentment

Maybe I should just stay overweight/obese - at least I am happy in myself. I'd like to be a healthy size but not at the expense of my mental health.

I can't explain how detrimental it was to my mental health when I was weighing myself. My whole day would be ruined or brilliant depending on what the scales said. I would hate myself or be happy with myself depending on what rather scales said.

I've read in here pp's saying how they've lost less than they thought they had or gained or not lost at all and I know how harmful that would be to me.

What I want is the peace from food noise I read about Mounjaro giving, along with seeing my dress size go down.

I'm just really interested to know if anyone else on here is the same?

@QueenOfHiraeth - you sound a little like me! I could weigh in kg and hope I stay emotionally unattached to the reading and then maybe just weigh once a month?

I don't want my weight to get in the way of losing weight - I know I sound nuts!

@JamieFrasersSassenach not nuts at all, I understand
DD is like you and has had to ask not to be weighed at NHS appts where it is not strictly necessary
I am older so kg are all a bit "forrin" to me. I could weigh in at 70, 90, 150 or anything and my brain would not compute

Thank you @QueenOfHiraeth

https://archive.ph/rP4GD

Times report on shock horror increased admissions to rehab for weight loss drugs abuse.

Hi everyone, hope you have all had a good weekend.

So as previous I’ve taken my last 7.5mg and have gone up pen doses as normal every 4 weeks. I applied for my 10mg and P2u (who I have remained with from
the start) asked for photos for the 1st time. All done and now all approved.

What I’ve found off though this time is the dispatch to delivery time estimates given the product needs to remain cool. Any thoughts.

Apologies this is the delivery estimate. It didn’t attach to my original post.

@Melty this article make no sense! How can they say mounjaro is not licensed for weight loss? I'm sure that's the case in America, so they are literally printing false information!

Also this view made me switch right off:

She said: “We’re seeing <a class="break-all" href="https://archive.ph/o/rP4GD/www.thetimes.com/article/surely-getting-a-wegovy-prescription-isnt-easy-shockingly-it-is-bv292z0nn" rel="nofollow" target="blank">weight-loss injectionss rising among men. They aren’t as worried about needles or getting hurt. Whereas women, we see a lot of tablets, like metformin, which is used to treat type 2 diabetes.”

I love Mounjaro needles!

@Melty @CiderJabs
So much wrong with it I don't know where to start. My initial response is 'I ain't got no tears left for millionaires who can afford to both abuse these drugs for vanity and pay thousands a week to chill out afterwards in luxury rehab'. However, it's another brick in the wall of misinformation and anti-fat bigotry which right wing media is just loving at the moment.