My Mounjaro Experience so far - Week 8 (A Perimenopausal woman)

[juststopthenoise]

When I was deciding whether to go for Mounjaro, I really loved reading other people's experiences. I also think that Mounjaro gets a really bad rap on Mumsnet.

So, I thought I would share my experience so far - and its not for the purpose of code sharing. I actually posted something similar in another thread.

I was always slim in my twenties and and reasonably so in my 30's when I had children.
In my twenties I had endometriosis and mild polycystic ovaries (all hormanal) and two cycles of IVF (obvs hormonal). I hit 40 and things started to change, even though I had not changed my lifestyle at all. I was watching what I was eating and exercising regularly but looked in the mirror one day and noticed I was developing an apron belly. I started to develop other weird symptoms,notice I could put on weight easily but was gaining and losing the same 2 pounds over and over again. Was told by my GP is was just age related changes.

For the first time in my life, I became food obsessed. I don't mean that I wanted to keep eating, just that every day was a mental battle to work out what to do to lose weight against a body that wouldn't play ball. What can I eat today so that I can stabalise my weight? Have I weighed it? Have I logged it? You are having a meal out on sunday, better have a super low cal day Monday and Tuesday to compensate? How many steps can I fit in today? If i don't fit in at least 15k I'll put on a pound of two (inward panic). Oh no! Work is busy this week, lots of appointments - how will I manage to get a workout in? (panic again). Can't do much at the weekend as need to get lots of steps in, long workouts only to keep my weight the same.

This was a daily inward battle as I continued to put on weight (2 stone). Then at 44 I was diagonised with pernicious anaemia (impacts hormones) and Hashimotos disease (autoimmune thyroid - hormonal).
I was prescribed Thyroid medication and thought that this would be the thing that would help me. It slowed down the weight gain but despite my efforts, I was then 3 stone overweight. I'm 5ft 10 so carry it reasonably well.
I believe that the weight gain has caused me to become insulin resistant, making it almost impossible to lose weight despite my efforts and eating 1450 controlled calories a day.

Then in August, I decided to bite the bullet and order Mounjaro. I have changed nothing except the addition of the weekly injection. I continue to eat 1450 calories a day, I aim to get 10k steps in a day and I lift heavy 3-4 times a week. I don't do takeaways and I try to stay away from UPF's, as I have always done.
I have finally started to lose weight. I don't know how much as I made a decision not to weigh myself initially for the benefit of my mental health and to stop the weight related obsession. I take my injection, exercise and eat well - log it....and get on with my day. I have dropped a dress size and feel so much happier already.The brain fog has disappeared and I am sleeping well.

The relief from the constant mental debate about what I need to do to control my weight has gone....and I could sob with pure relief. I feel that I am finally getting my life back and that I will soon look like someone that cares about their health and exercises regularly. People treat you differently when you are overweight - you feel constantly judged and feel dismissed as a person. I know this because I was slim in my twenties and thirties and people are just nicer to you.
Yes, some people are overweight due to significant overeating but for others it is much more complex than that. Even if someone overeats, there is usually a root cause linked to emotions and mental health.

Personally I feel that I had lots of hormonal issues going on that probably would need a Endocronologist to get to the bottom of. Am I going to get that on the NHS? No, I have 6 monthly blood tests for my Thyroid by my GP who is happy if my TSH level is under 5 (research shows that patients with autoimmune thyroid conditions fare better under 1). The NHS is not going to help me with my issues. I don't need to know about healthy eating and exercise.

So how can I afford it?I can't afford not to. I am now 47 and I am not prepared to spend another year of my life like the last 7. I do not have a single photograph of myself with my children during this time because I have become so embarrassed about how I look. I have become a shadow of myself.
Interestingly, I break even costwise as I have stopped online comfort shopping to make myself feel better. I may actually be financially better off since I started taking Mounjaro.

I am prepared to take it for life. The risks outweigh the benefits for me.I was heading down a path of Type II diabetes, heart disease and a higher stroke risk if I couldn't take control.

One thing I know...noone cared when I was putting on weight despite dieting and exercising. Noone cared about how this made me feel day to day. If people have a problem with people taking weigh loss medication that they've paid for privately, it really is their problem.

Thank you for posting. I am the same age and right down to not having my photo taken. Sympathies, it is so difficult.

I have gained a lot of weight since 2005 but I am still the same height as you. I have applied for Moujourno and I hope to hear soon if I am eligible.

I need to lose a good 10 stone. I have been hypothyroid for 16 years (225mg of levo a day). I am probably insulin-resistant as well. I have ADHD so that isn't helping either.

Of course, I've wrestled if this is right, but I am tired and why shouldn't I have the help?

@Studyartic Fingers crossed you are approved and can give it a go. It really is amazing and I think if you're not already doing exercise and fine tuning your nutrition it gives you the head space to focus on any changes you want to make. Even if they aren't food related. Life somehow feels more in control and I like the feeling.

Thank you so much. I am so grateful we now have this option.

Thank you for posting.
I think many of us can understand completely that feeling of embarrassment and lack of control over how you look and feel.

Since my weight has crept up, I’ve put off meeting up with friends I haven’t seen for ages as I’m ashamed of how big I’ve got.
My life is on hold.

I hate being fat, looking awful in clothes, not being able to take part in things.

I’m so hoping this works for me and I’m actually a bit scared in case it doesn’t as I really seem to have no other options!

@Witchyandtwitchy I am so sorry you feel this way, empathy. One day soon, there will be a real understanding of weight, lifestyle, and, importantly, hormones.

Why should there be guilt?

I hear you although I’m not diagnosed with anything I did start HRT at 44 after years already of struggling. I knew what to eat and exercised regularly I did several triathlons and half marathons but continued to get fatter. I was definitely insulin resistant and although HRT helped for 5yrs the last few have been so so hard into my 50s. Literally with in an hour of starting MJ I felt different that week my joint pain reduced my brain fog improved and I’ve now lost 28lbs of the 42lbs I needed to. I’m running longer with ease but still fasting, having to eat 1200c protein more carbs less my BP is low again and I don’t have the same constant rumination of exhausted thoughts in my head around chasing my next hit of sugary carbs that I needed to function. I’m scared what happens when I have to stop the impact on my brain function & thoughts. I’ve known for years my body was processing food thoughts differently from my siblings & husband who see food as fuel only and are all slim yet I was the one who did the most amount of exercise. I hope these gpl1 drugs become as common as statins for managing what is I think a hormone defect

Thank you for posting this, OP. I recognise so much of it in myself - as I suspect many of us do.

It seems like a such a simple dream for us: to live our lives as physically and mentally as healthy as possible. Like you, I'm happy to 'do the work'. I'll watch what I eat for life. I'll exercise regularly. All the things I did anyway. I just want to be able to do it without my biology fighting me all the way. Because I know now that it's not a fight I can win without help.

So much of this resonates for me too OP.
The sad thing is, from reading all the negativity on here, is that fat people can’t win. When we’re overweight we’re judged as being greedy, lazy, gluttonous, not trying hard enough to shift it etc. So we try and shift it, and we’re judged for our methods… ‘you shouldn’t cut out whole food groups’, ‘slimming world makes no sense’, ‘calorie counting is too restrictive’ etc etc. We spend years trying to lose it and finally a medical treatment becomes available, and now we’re ‘taking the easy way out’, ‘not making sustainable changes’, ‘will put it all back on again’ and so on. I don’t actually know why people are so invested in other people’s weight, but here we are.
I am paying privately, out of my own pocket, for a medical treatment that will make me healthier and happier. There’s no shame in that.

Can I ask OP if you take medication for thyroid? And if that’s ok with Mounjaro? Are there any implications you’re aware of. Thanks for sharing your experience.