Shall I take the bonus dose now

[waffleyversatile1]

Evening all
I have been on mounjaro since early July. I have stayed on 2.5mg through this time. My next pen is 5mg which I'm due to start next Friday.

I injected a 2.5mg dose on Friday and have the bonus left. Today I'm starving. This is the first time I am starving since I started. Shall I take my bonus dose early? If I take it tomorrow morning am I then ok to start my new higher dose pen this coming Friday?

Just to add I'm thinking my body is now really used to the low dose and not working as it was in the beginning.

Yep go for it

I've always stayed on 2.5 but about 7 weeks ago realised I perhaps should be going up to 5

I didn't want to though as can't risk side effects like vomiting! So I inject 2.5 twice a week - effectively splitting the 5mg dose

This works for me and has kept me side effect free so far

I'm pretty sure you have to leave 4 days between doses, so I'd go for Tuesday.

I wouldn’t, or if you do, then I would definitely leave 7 days (or at least 5) before you go up to 5mg as that titration up can be quite a lot for some people and bring on gastro side effects. Hence many people going up half way to 3.75mg by counting clicks on the pen first
*not a medical professional!

What do the instructions say?

I started MJ in early July and also did two 2.5mg pens. I had no side effects and thought I'd be fine moving up to 5mg for my third month.

I had severe, relentless, awful diarrhoea within 48 hours of injecting 5mg, then vomiting and an inability to eat anything at all for four days. Sunday is my injection day but I can't take a dose today because I am still so depleted that I can't put more of this stuff in my system yet. I regret increasing my dose so much, I really don't think you should risk taking a second dose only two days after having one. This is a really powerful drug.

Personally, I'm moving back down to 2.5mg and I won't risk increasing my dose again. I would follow the instructions and leave the prescribed amount of time between doses in your case. If you have a few days of no appetite suppression, it won't undo all your weight loss or derail you - it's only a few days.

Thank you this is really good advice.

Thank you all. Most of you seem to be saying no. I'm really worried about doubling the dose so reading back my post I don't know what I was thinking taking the bonus before the new dose. We've had a bereavement today so it may just be emotional eating. As pp just said I'm also panicking as I haven't been hungry. Thanks again all for replying.
I haven't read the instruction (because I'm being lazy) I have read on hear that a lot of you take different doses on occasion which I never have.

Interesting to hear how quickly the appetite comes back

I have tried Saxenda- initially it made me really ill but once I got used to it it was great and I lost weight. Had to change to wegovy - felt sick every day on that. Didn't lose much weight as I ate to quell the nausea. On Mounjaro now and I still feel hungry with it but little nausea. I'm on 2.5 currently so I like the idea of injecting twice weekly.

You're supposed to leave at least 3 days (72 hours) between doses. I used the bonus dose for Week 5 (3.75mg) and felt fine. I then moved up to 5mg the following week and had awful diarrhoea for six days and felt like death. I then had to skip a week and instead I split the 5mg into 2 x 2.5mg every three or four days, for three doses, and then did a dose of 4mg last week (I turned the dial to 48 clicks) and all ok so far. I'll then draw a bonus dose from the end of the 5mg pen this week (which I think is also 4mg, give or take) and then move to the 5mg next week and hopefully not have any side effects.

Don't be worried about feeling a bit hungry.
I find, if I do, I usually get full again when only eating very little. Or even a cup of tea will do it.
It's good to get yourself used to feeling hunger and not reaching for unhealthy snacks so you can continue this once you stop taking it.

There is no 'bonus dose' - and if you take MJ according to instructions, it means going up to the higher doses month by month. 2.5 and 5 aren't really therapeutic doses, as I understand it. I'm on 10 and about to go up to 12.5.

According to the instructions, only 2.5mg is non-therapeutic (low strength of med) but it still works for many people. Full strength is 5mg upwards.

You can also stay on any dose that's working for you and don't have to chase up the doses monthly just because. Some people seem to be regretting it now that they have nowhere else to go up to because they left an effective dose to climb the ladder. Going up or staying where you are is up to the individual.

There is no official bonus dose but there's left over meds after the 4th dose which make up a full dose and many people choose to take it as an extra/'bonus' dose.

If anyone wants to use the remaining liquid in the pen that is their business really.

The instructions have a suggested dosing schedule (and can be different depending on your pharmacy), but staying on lower, or intermediate doses is absolutely ok, it is supported and encouraged by most decent qualified providers.

I would try make it 4 days since last injection. You will know about it when you take the 5mg.

I think now it is more accepted than people can and should stay on a dose if it’s still working for them.
i don’t seem to tolerate 5mg, have been taking MJ for 18 weeks now and am on 4.16ml (50 clicks of a 5ml pen). Yes its not strictly to instructions but surely always ok to put less in your body!