Continuing Mounjaro... Part 22

[Jimmyneutronsforehead]

It's thread 22 time! As usual please fill up the previous thread before we make a start on this one.

Huge congratulations to every one who has made losses, and well done to those who have graduated the mounjaro club! We would love you to come back and share your tips for maintenance so we can all continue to learn and grow from each other.

Pointers for newbies:
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)
Mumsnet does not allow promo codes. Please do not post any. If you want one, ask and someone will PM you a code or there are now threads on the promo page that have codes for Mounjaro link below:
Promo codes :
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/promo-codes-bargains
Linking Wallywobbles site, as theyve very kindly compiled all threads so far, pointers for newbies, weightloss tracker, links to discount codes, tips and tricks and high protein recipes.
Site with all the info :
https://wattnext.notion.site/e880d9342b7a4bab94c244b34e0e5841?v=cc1edc3f1c2b41dab3011c8d9063df0a

Miss Mounjaro UK has the most up to date price comparison charts: https://www.missmounjarouk.com/

This one's the most recent I will also post the image.

Just to copy from the previous thread as it's highly useful information:
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/carbohydrates-and-diabetes/carbs-and-cooking
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cooling-resistant-starch#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6

MabelSpan:
For those who love their carbs, I grow my own veg, including lots of potatoes so eat them most days. You can dramatically increase the amount of resistant starch, a type of fibre, in your potatoes, rice and pasta and bread simply by cooking then cooling, ideally overnight or freezing in the case of bread and then reheating or toasting in the case of bread.

Please remember to do this safely if this is something you would like to do.

In light of being in close proximity to someone who has had complications from Mounjaro, I just want to say for any newbies: We are a wonderful community of Mounjaro users with a wealth of knowledge between us, but we're not a medical service. We are all people who have acknowledged the risk to benefit ratio, and are following our clinicians advice. If you do have any serious side effects listed on the information sheet that comes with your medication, please seek medical advice.

There are no questions too silly, no loss too small to celebrate, no hurdle not worth the challenge and huge congratulations to everyone who has made it this far in their journey and once again, welcome to thread 22.

Prescription medicines in the UK undergo extensive testing by the manufacturer. Their results are then analysed and checked by the MHRA, at which point the medication is licensed for use and prescribers can issue it to be used IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIRECTIONS agreed to be effective after those years of testing.

Eli Lilly's testing suggests that 2.5mg is not a therapeutic dose but is to prime the body and reduce side-effects compared to starting on 5mg so 1.25mg is likely to be pointless. Similarly, the half-life of Mounjaro is 5 days so a 7 day dosing interval is sensible but 10 days is pointless

If a clinician advises a patient to use medication in any different dose, timing, etc they have to explain that it is outside the terms of the drug license and many prescribers will not do that as their insurers like the safety of knowing things have been properly tested

That's a rather longwinded way of saying that it is not advisable for any of us to recommend using prescribed medication in untested doses and untested ways.

@Creamcheesedreams As I said above you could consider stopping then re-trying after symptoms settle but I would not use different dose or different time between doses without the agreement of your provider

@IrisPallida I agree there are a lot finding 2.5mg effective but the manufacturer's data has to trump anecdote and we should not be advising people to use medication outside the terms of its license.

At the very least the advice should be to check with the provider

Had my first dose of 5mg on Sunday and I'm still feeling hungry. Can't stop thinking of food. Like what's going on with me?! First I stall then all my hunger etc comes back. I really don't want to fail yet another 'diet'. I've lost 22lbs so far (7 weeks) and I've still another 4 stone to go before I'm even almost healthy. BMI says I should be around 2 stone lighter than that again but I'll be happy to be in the 10s.
Has anyone had a dose stop working? I moved from 2.5 to 3 then 3.75 as I needed to i.e as hunger & food noise returned. I've never had a new dose not work though & usually I'd at least have a few days of suppression before it waned. Maybe my mind is over riding it (my little inner fattie fighting back). I've increased calories as I was vastly under eating which led to the stall I think. Once I increased calories a bit I lost 1lb.
I'm going to keep the faith cause I'm eating much better anyway & at least the overall trend is down.
Just confused at feeling so hungry though.

Wait a minute - could my period be interfering with suppression?? I was on the week I started then I had 1 about 4 weeks later so would be due next week again I think. (Unpredictable cycle so anything from 28 days to well over 45 but usually become more regular as I slim.)

I vaguely remember 5mg taking a few weeks to kick in but when it did it was easy to stay on top of.

Also 5mg gave me heartburn that didn't quite feel like heartburn it felt like a discomfort only eating would rectify. That also took a few weeks to settle in but was fine afterwards.

I also take cyclizine for an unrelated condition and on the days where I need to take cyclizine I feel like it completely cancels out the mounjaro. It's probably a big reason I've been a slower loser.

This week so far I've had low calorie cup soups on the go almost all day everyday just to keep my hands warm after taking DS to school but they're warm, liquid and filling. It's kept the reaching for calorie dense foods at bay, but I am getting a bit bored of them now.

If you can't help feeling snacky, just keep on making good snack choices. Better to have a light snack than ignore the feeling and have a binge on something else later or make an unhealthy dinner time choice.

Of course she should speak to her provider but these are strategies that providers have supported people with to deal with symptoms.

A relative of mine was someone who got excessive suppression on a dose that wasn't supposed to be therapeutic and had to use a very low dose.

So my mj journey is going really well.

Sticking on 5mg for month 3 as it's doing everything I want it to.

Sw. 9th August 17st 5. Or 110.2 kg
Cw. 2nd October 15st 8 or. 98.9 kg

Total loss of 25lb 11.3 kg.

Mind blown!! I would really really like to see 14st on the scales at Christmas. That's my goal.

@MabelSpan thanks. They’re usually so quick I left it too late this week. Still haven’t heard back from them to say they’ve accepted my pictures and I’m due to inject on Friday so panicking now. Learnt my lesson and will order earlier next time, but they’re usually so quick I’ve not had this issue before

@Vamozz im losing tonnes of hair. I have a friend who did lighter life a few years ago and she literally had bald patches. But it grew back when she came off so I’m hoping the hair loss will stop when the meds do? I hope!

@WorriedRelative It is fine taking a dose that is untested when recommended by a prescriber as long as that prescriber explains to the patient that it is being used in an "off-licence" way, obtain informed consent and they document their recommendations in the patient's records so their medical insurance still covers the use. Incidentally, this is exactly what Newson Health are being called up for by Panorama this week, not explaining and not getting that consent with regards to HRT.

Many years of working in healthcare, understanding pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, use of medications and the laws relating to them, plus often seeing the results of patients using drugs as they, a relative, someone online or a random person in the pub recommended, means I do have a bee in my bonnet on this. We have been through this at length on older threads about the importance of not going too far "off-piste" without permission from the provider. There are also large FB support groups with thousands in them that have been closed for sharing advice like this so I doubt MN want us to go down those routes.
We all have a level of what we find acceptable as, technically, counting clicks or using a fifth dose is not allowed yet many do it but recommending a lower dose than tested at a longer interval than tested is something different.
What is right for your relative may not be right for someone else and no-one but their prescriber should be recommending off-licence use

Hi GlueNoGlue,

Can I ask how long you have been ordering with Asda when they asked you to send new pics? I have only just ordered my second pen, so it would be good to know roughly when they want pics again so I too can order in good time.
Thanks😊

Happy to say that 10mg hitting the spot for me way better than 7.5mg did.

Thank you, it helps to know I'm not going crazy. I managed to find some gluten & dairy free micro meals last night so there's something quick to make on my busy nights that's calorie controlled too. I bought some healthy snacks too. I need to get my fluid up but might need to focus more on hot drinks than cold. It's all still a big learning curve really.

This was my 8th pen I was trying to order. I’ve called today and been told the pictures need to be wearing skin tight clothes, fully showing my figure, so even more of a delay

Thanks. What a palaver! Not sure as I lose weight, I will ever have skin tight clothes! I will have to make sure I have a pair of too small leggings and lycra vest top for pics.

I think I've seen (on a previous thread) a link to stay cool bag for use when travelling but I can't find it. Can anyone help please?

I'll be using the bonus dose of my current pen so won't have to worry too much about how cold it is but as I'm used to keeping it in the fridge, I'd prefer to keep it chilled whilst travelling.

I'm just reading through the thread.

Obviously mounjaro and it's use and side effects are very close to my heart at the moment.

For any one that is new, I must reiterate we're not medical professionals. We're just mounjaro users and we each take it having read the guidance in the medication provided on the leaflet, and with the guidance of our prescriber.

Mounjaro is not risk free, and it's not appropriate for everybody. I understand that can sting to accept especially if like me, it has become your last resort and it can feel a bit hopeless.

If you're having really strong side effects on a very small dose like the 2.5mg, please consult your prescriber.

Symptoms like extreme constipation, stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, pain when palpating your stomach, pain that moves when you change sides, pain that goes through to your back, or any of the listed side effects in the information sheet on 2.5mg needs exploring. It might be nothing, it could well just be normal side effects, but as I know from recent experience with DP it can also be the start of something more serious if you continue and do not seek medical advice.

For those of us who take bonus doses or split doses, or count clicks, these are personal risks we have taken based on the information we have to hand, and we're usually confident to do it as we've surpassed the recommended therapeutic dose and know those doses work for us. It isn't wise to do this with the 2.5mg dose because anything less than 2.5mg for one isn't sustainable to get long term effects, and it indicates there's already a problem metabolising the medication.

If you do continue with the medication it should be under the guidance of your prescriber or clinician, but not from us on the Internet.

I don't want these threads to go the way the Facebook threads have where they seem to be hidden, because they're extremely valuable resources and it's a fantastic community and we've already had successes with people graduating maintenance.

I will also find the list of side effects and safety information and post them later today just so they're easy to access if you have any queries or doubts about the medication and whether its the best plan forward for you, but I must stipulate again that we're not medical professionals and it's simply an FYI so we can each make informed choices.

I ordered an insulin pen case with cool pouch from Shein to keep mine in. It wasn't very dear & it just keeps it out of the way of my youngest.

Thank you @MamaBearH. I'm looking on Amazon and they have some with packs you chill in the fridge and some that you freeze.

I think I'll go with the cool pack rather than ice pack as I don't want to risk freezing it (and I know that it doesn't really have to be kept cold at this stage).

@MabelSpan that's what I’ve done. Swimming costume as a top with leggings on as well. Not a pretty sight but much better than it was at the start of the year!

Hi fellow Mounjaro-ers!

I'm 2 months in now - started on 30th July and had the bonus dose of my 5mg pen last night.

I've got my 7.5mg pen ready for next week but I'm not sure whether I need to go up to 7.5 or if 5 is a good dose for me.

@Jimmyneutronsforehead I'm wondering whether to try your split dose approach or just stick to 5mg out of the new pen and then only order 5 again next month. I'm with Voy and I've asked them not to send the next pen until I've decided which strength I want.

My first week on 5 was weird - I felt like I'd taken nothing, but from the 2nd week in I've had lovely suppression.

I haven't been counting calories at all (I become very obsessed if I do) and I've found that I'm just eating much smaller portions and making much healthier choices.

Last time I weighed myself (6 days ago) I had lost a total of 9.8kgs which I think is approximately 1.5 stone. My BMI was 31when I started and it's now 27.1

I will weigh again tomorrow - a bit like calorie counting it's something I can become very obsessed about, I've found by weighing in kilos rather than stones it hasn't triggered the obsession though.

I think I can honestly say that the last 2 months have been amazing for me. My food noise has stopped, I have not once felt like I'm missing out on anything. It's almost as though food/eating/appetite were controlling me until I started using Mounjaro. So the benefits for me are far greater than just the weight loss.

I didn't even know Mounjaro existed until I stumbled across one of these earlier threads - I lurked for a few months until I took the plunge - I'm so glad I did. I don't post often but I read the threads and take lots from them - thank you all!!

Mine is a cool pack not a freezer pack

I'm actually kind of glad to hear you say your first week on 5mg felt like nothing cause so far my first shot of 5mg hasn't had the same effect as other doses. I don't count calories closely as I become fixated but I do choose healthy foods & mostly pre-packaged salads or chicken etc to check the calories of the portion. Hopefully that makes sense -I don't weigh & count food but buy it in such a way that I know my calories are definitely under for each meal\day.
I am a daily weigher though unless I've been away from the house or gone downstairs before weighing. I have a routine of going for a pee, weighing, getting washed & dressed, taking my tablets then going downstairs. I will not weigh once dressed or if I've had anything to eat or drink. For me weighing daily helps me to track changes & identify things that affect my loss e.g if I ate something different then gained the next day, I avoid it in future or maybe I didn't drink enough then it shows as a gain or a stall for me.
I love hearing how different people lose weight differently as there's always something new to try if things need shook up a bit.
Good luck with the rest of your journey.

Hey @MamaBearH
I used to be a daily weigher too - trouble was the number on the scales determined my mood for the whole day.
Until I started Mounjaro I had not stood on the scales for 5 years - that had definitely helped my overall mental health, but sadly not my waistline!
I've found weighing weekly in kg has been a good solution for me - so far I've seen some sort of loss every week - some weeks far more than others, but it's worked out at about a kg a week on average which I believe is healthy.
The first week on 5mg was so weird - I remember thinking that if someone told me I'd just injected saline I would believe them! But then towards the end of that week and as soon as I had had the second 5mg dose it was brilliant.
Hang on in there and with any luck it will be similar for you. Good luck to you too 🍀

I've found a study for GLP-1 affecting anxiety and depression. It's way out my level of understanding but if anyone is interested enough to read it and report the conclusions that would be great. If I've taken something from it it looks like it lowers depression and heightens anxiety.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306453015300184

I broke through the 158 plateau!!! 156.6! BMI 29.1 and calculator says 22lb to a healthy BMI. I was hoping to hit that by Christmas, but it’s taken 6.5 weeks to lose 14 pounds. Christmas is about 12 weeks away so maybe not impossible? I expect weight loss will slow down at some point.