Mounjaro and stomach paralysis

[SunQueen24]

I’ve seen there are law suits against the manufacturers for users who have suffered stomach paralysis - in some cases permanent or long term.

Does anyone have much knowledge of this?

I am wondering if users who are a) using a higher dose than necessary to suppress their appetite completely and b) users who barely eat are more at risk as it seems logical. But I am not a doctor.

Any educated thoughts?

I think if people are experiencing severe side effects they are on too high a dose. Go low, and go slow. Don't increase the amount just because - give your body time to adjust, and if you've hit the sweet spot of no bad side effects and safe, steady weight loss, there is literally no reason to increase your dose.

Thanks @KeepinOn that’s what I suspect but would like to establish. I have taken 1x 2.5mg and will stick with it as my suppression is good. I know in America they start on a 5mg dose and there’s been a lot of abuse. I just wonder if people who have experienced this have misused the drug or if it’s with typical use which is obviously more concerning.

I think the American model of administration is too fast. I didn't realise they started that high, either.

I listened to a podcast recently, I think it may have been an episode of "What Your GP doesn't tell you" on weight loss drugs that featured a patient with this problem. She was very open that she had vomiting when on a GLP1 but thought it was just a normal side effect so continued, unfortunately she is now left with ongoing issues that are seriously impacting her health.
I think the weight loss medication market in the UK is rather like the wild west at the moment and suspect regulations will have to be tightened as there is currently a lack of appreciation from a large number of the public regarding the dangers of any medication when not used correctly

The newer guidance seems to be to remain on a dose as long as you are tolerating it well, it is helping you to eat healthily and you are losing weight.

Even the idea of appetite suppression is now being suggested as too much by some prescribers and the doctors in the US who have used this for longer are saying patients should aim for improved control of eating, reduced cravings, etc but should still be able to eat a full and balanced diet within their calorie restriction and the appetite being suppressed is actually a sign of the dose being too high

Stick with 2.5 for as long as it is helping you

I would be curious to know:
Where they were purchased? Reputable registered pharmacies?
What they purchased - compounded or something else?
If they met the criteria and were honest during consultation?

Before I can be concerned with their side effects.

Lots of people can't answer these questions honestly and if you probe, you'll see they're usually the ones who got theirs from their gym, hairdressers, used who-knows-what concoction given by a friend or hairdresser or compounded tirzepatide for the US, lied during consultation and disregarded clearly written and advised information about the other conflicting conditions or medications that they were warned would interact with Mounjaro if they used them together; weren't taking it as prescribed, etc.

All these things need to be asked and taken into consideration but it's always easier to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The US is a litigious country so a company being in a legal battle with customers is par for the course and doesn't necessarily say much until all the relevant details are known. Those who're simply against Mounjaro and its users for whatever reason don't care to know the full details anyway.

@QueenOfHiraeth

“Even the idea of appetite suppression is now being suggested as too much by some prescribers.”

That’s is something I’ve considered, initially my suppression was too much, I have read lots of people eating less than 1000 calories per day and if you consider many will likely be very large (and so have a higher BMR) they must be becoming malnourished/nutrient deficient. I’m not a doctor but surely the dose titrating up should be based on symptoms and the therapeutic benefit on a cases by case basis not a set schedule.

From what I have read the people most at risk of this are those with Type 2 Diabetes (which in itself caries a risk of it happening, even without MJ).

I agree about the dosing potentially being too high for some people. I would love to see a study where they only increased the dose as needed, for example if there was less than (say) 3kg weight loss in the 4 weeks of that pen and when there are no major side effects. The weight loss and side effects over a couple of years like that would be really interesting to see. I know these things take time though, they have to.

If you want some educated thoughts try this podcast with Ben Bikman,
"Dr Ben Bikman - The Truth about GLP 1, Ozempic and Insulin resistance - Inspiring better health Ep.4" on YouTube.

It is interesting, one of the active functions of the drug is to slow the contractions of the stomach, thus slowing the movement of food through the digestive tract, and paralysis of the stomach is now a know side effect in some cases.

I think the advice 'Go low, Go slow' is good.

When I took the 4.4 mg the emptying of my stomach was far too slow (and I vomited multiple times). What I absolutely didn't do was stick with that dose.
It was clearly too high for me. So I dropped down. I would imagine if I doggedly stuck to it (or just went straight up to 5 mg and then stuck with it despite the issues) I may have run the risk of stomach paralysis? No idea but wasn't prepared to risk it or put up with feeling that ill!

I feel like I am ready to try that dose again now having build back up much slower - I am ready for a bit more suppression but I am not chasing loads of suppression. I'm a bit nervous about trying 4.4 mg or 4.6 mg this week but fingers crossed I am ready this time round!

That is a fabulous spreadsheet @EliLilly - good luck with your next move up.

I can't tell you how long I've been staring at the spreadsheet @EliLilly it's a wonderous thing!

It’s basically about 50 in the us linked to not labelling correctly, if you contextualise 6million people are on it in the us. And the people suing, there is not info on the severity, their starting weight, if they dosed right. There is always law suits in the us, every medicine has had it, even paracetamol.

@Sajacas I listened to that podcast thank you. ☺️

@EliLilly beautiful spreadsheet! Without giving TMI I’m still having regular bowel movements so my system must be moving.