MJ August starters #4

[Wingingit11]

New thread as #3 full and to mark my disastrous crashing off plan today so hoping to be reinspired !

I'm on week three of splitting my 5mg dose into two. It's worked really well for me - enough suppression but able to eat well. I'm going to continue this for my third pen.

I've had mild nausea on and off and use Kwells which have worked a treat (it's why I didn't want to go up to 5mg).

@Blondeshavemorefun I’ve been really ill throughout. The bonus dose which was just above 3 was ok hence I went up to 3.75 but it’s just all too much to cope with!

started: 14 stone 5 (08/08/24)
current: 12 stone 6 (20/09/24)

That's such a shame @MidLifeResurgence74 but the side effects sound absolutely horrendous for you.

Bad luck @MidLifeResurgence74, I guess you're just one of the people for whom the side effects are extreme. I don't blame you for wanting to feel better again, it really does sound like you've had a rotten time.

I would maybe try a few weeks back at 2.5

You have lost weight. More then me

But I get the sickness etx must be awful

As in 2stone in 2mths on 2.5 sounds good

I'm sorry @MidLifeResurgence74 , that sounds awful and it does sound like the right option for you.

I can't remember which prescriber you're with, but if they're a decent one perhaps they could talk to you about other options if you still feel like you want some support with weight loss. Alternatively, I had a lot of success with Slimpod - there's threads on here about it. Now I know that sounds daft given I ended up back at the point where I needed mounjaro, but for a good long spell it worked like magic for me and I still do find some aspects of it beneficial to this day. Since I've already payed for the programme and still use some of the pods occasionally, I'm planning on using it to either help me maintain any weight loss I manage with mounjaro, or if the side effects do end up being too much for me too then I hope it will help me again as an alternative. Might not be your thing at all - but I just wanted to mention, more so that there are other sources of support out there!

@MidLifeResurgence74 ah that's rubbish. Sorry you've been feeling so poorly. Hope you feel
Better soon once the jab wears off!

On my side - I've managed to poo two days running, so that feels like a bit of a breakthrough. That's with lactulose at first to get me over the worse of the constipation, and then keeping up with both fibre gummies, and a fybogel every day, plus sprinkling psyllium husk on my food. And yes eating fruit and veg etc.

I had a doctors appointment this morning about the period thing, not only are they every two weeks they're pretty horrendous too. And last a week at least, so really it's more like week on/ week off bleeding. We think because of the timing it's most likely due to my change in HRT dosage/ application - it happened almost immediately after that, though of course mounjaro could be part of it. I'm going back to my original HRT regime/ dosage to see if that settles things, if not I guess it will be the mounjaro. She did offer to refer me for a scan if after a month things haven't settled, I feel a bit bad though in terms of wasting resources if it's probably the mounjaro?

Thing is with all the 'side effects' is that they're more like stepping up stuff I've always struggled with anyway - my bowels have always had issues, my periods have always been pretty hideous etc - I think if I'd never struggled with these things and mj brought them on it would be easier to stop taking it. Because they could be flare ups of existing issues then I'm more inclined to think, oh well maybe it's not completely related and I can keep going with it. Because ultimately I'm desperate to lose this weight - just have to decide how much I'm willing to put up with to get there! Anyone who thinks this is the easy way/ cheating is bloody dreaming!

@Blondeshavemorefun its not healthy though and I’ve lost so much muscle (I lift weights) as I haven’t really had the strength to do anything. Weight loss at all costs wasn’t my plan!

@MidLifeResurgence74 So sorry this has been such an ordeal for you. I completely understand why you don't feel it's worth it.

Absolutely the same for me. I've had stretches of time where my periods have been absolutely awful, this has just ramped the situation up a bit, but I have had scans on my uterus before to confirm there wasn't anything underlying going on.

I feel ok nausea wise today but the period and the cramps are driving me round the bend.

@AuntieDote I tweaked my HRT back at the end of March and have been having bleeds ever since, longest I have gone without is nine days. I was hoping it would stop within 6 months, as that is how long it can take for things to settle if you adjust your HRT, but we are nearly at the end of my 6 months and I am still bleeding and having all the hormonal joy that goes with it. I am 99.99% certain it is HRT related but I also think mj might be playing a small part as it seems that those of us who have good weight loss, upset our hormones even more, which can then cause upset with bleeding all over the place. So not the mj medication itself, but a side effect of the loss.
I have my annual menopause appointment next month so will discuss it with her, but not really expecting anything to stop it as I am happy with the HRT I am on and am not willing to give up mj.
I am having my annual bloods done today so will be interesting to see where my, hormone and iron levels are after all this!

Why is nothing ever straightforward for womens bodies!

@MidLifeResurgence74 I'm so sorry 😞 this is awful side effects for you! I'm considering doing a 1.25 dose for a couple of weeks because of how I feel. Hugs xx

@MidLifeResurgence74 what a shame, the side effects sound intolerable. Hope that you begin to feel better soon, you may be quite dehydrated. Possibly another weight loss drug would suit you better in the future x

@MidLifeResurgence74 that is true bless you. Only you can decide if it is worth it

Def talk to your supplier and see what they say

If you found 2.5 ok ish but the 3/3-75 too much then I would try back at 2.5 but maybe split it over the week as some do on here so 1.25 say Fri and Tue

Equally no point feeling awful all day and not being able to eat /do normal day to day stuff 💐💐

Can I ask a general question about when you inject and when you weigh? I saw a TikTok video about it and wondered whether there was any correlation or whether it makes no difference.

I normally weigh and then inject on the same morning.

Oh @MidLifeResurgence74 I’m so sorry. It sounds awful. You must go to the doctor. Severe diarrhoea and pain could be related to kidneys. Probably not the case, but continuous diarrhoea should be checked.

I inject on a Tuesday and weigh on a Saturday... no idea if it makes a difference I just like weighing a Saturday!

It can happen too that you kind of spasm after diarrhoea which becomes a vicious circle. You need some medical help to calm it all down. Your weight loss was quite extreme which will deplete you too. I really suggest you don’t consider continuing even on 2.5 before you’ve discussed with doc

I normally inject on a Tuesday night then weigh on the Wednesday morning x

I'm going to change my injection day to Sunday night I think, from Saturday morning. I should be ok to do that, shouldn't I?

I work from home, it's a bit easier to feel rough during the week when no one can see me other than on Teams calls!

@MidLifeResurgence74 I was going to say this too. If you were unwell on 2.5mg it's questionable whether you should have gone up from 2.5mg at all. Did you seek any advice from your prescriber? I know some are very hard to get hold of once they have got your custom.

You may well be super super sensitive to the drug compared to most people and find that 1.25mg gives you the suppression without nausea that other people get from 5 or 7.5 or 10. That's ok - you should be using the drug how you need it not doing something that works for the majority of people.

I would have a few days rest until your symptoms have gone and you feel better and then see if you can tolerate 1mg or 1.25mg.

I inject on Friday morning and record weight on this thread.

But I weigh every day as I like to see the fluctuations.

@Pinkjenny I weigh fri am then jab