Continuing Mounjaro... Part 23

[Jimmyneutronsforehead]

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)
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For 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/

I will be back in the morning to add all of the information I had spent an hour on earlier on the original thread 23 that sort of went bust but I've just not found time this evening.

I'll cover UTIs again, as well as add the images from Miss Mounjaro, and the list of possible side effects.

Not quite the start to thread 23 that I had planned for, but I do think it's very important that everyone who had successful losses in thread 22 gets a huge congratulations and well done.

Happy thread 23 everybody!

I love your story @Slimstar13 and it contains such great advice! I wondered if you had worked out your weight loss as a percentage of your starting weight? Its a good marker of progress. Also love your advice of following the green flag for what feels right as a goal. BMI is pretty crude guide and the NHS suggests I could go as low as 7.5 stones and be at healthy weight [I am much shorter than you] but I think that is totally unrealistic for me at least.

Yes, I do too.
I'm now 14st 3lbs and have lost just over 4 stone.
I feel light in my step and can feel bones in places I haven't for ages. Yesterday my arms suddenly felt slim to touch.
But I'm still obese, so can't imagine how thin I'll feel when I'm in the overweight category.

Then I see myself and think 'god, I'm still fat'. I keep watching myself on the ring doorbell to see if I move differently but it just makes me realise I've still got plenty to lose.

Hi everyone, checking in! 3.2lb loss this week, that’s a big loss for me, I usually average around 2lbs. I haven’t done anything differently and I think the body is random sometimes, and I need to remember this for weeks where I don’t have as good a week!

SW: 22st 11.8lbs
CW: 18st 5.2lbs
GW: 14st 10lbs (for now)

Earlier this week I was watching a film with my daughter, she put her head on my shoulder and I noticed after a few minutes that it started to hurt. I shifted her about and felt my shoulder and realised that it’s a BONE! 😂 I can feel bones in my shoulders!

My weight loss has slowed dramatically but I have a major NSV today. One of my reasons for starting Mounjaro, was that following gestational diabetes in both of my pregnancies several years ago, my annual A1c blood test was on the cusp of pre-diabetes - 41mmol/mol.

I got my A1c results today, 5 months of Mounjaro, 1 lb from healthy BMI.

Look:

Yay! That's wonderful.

Weigh day for me today, down only 1lb which I wasn’t happy with. I’ve switched from injecting in leg to stomach, the side effects are much less, but so is the weight loss, has anyone else noticed this? But on the plus side…

I’m officially overweight not obese!!!!!

I've found each site has an initial drop in weight then it plateaus for myself which is frustrating, but also as you get thinner each lb gets a little bit harder to lose.

Officially getting into the overweight category though is a huge achievement, congratulations.

I haven't gained any weight today, but not lost any either which is fine because I drank so much water yesterday and I know my body holds on to it like a grudge, so I'm happy with that result.

@Jimmyneutronsforehead You know I think it’s so easy to underestimate what a positive a maintain week is, it’s still progress and against the trend I imagine most of us have had for a sustained period of our lives where we’ve gained weight periodically. I’m glad you have the outlook you do!

Feeling a bit headachy and constipated this morning, have a coffee and water for now. Plan of action for the day is to sort through piles of clothes I have in a multitude of sizes and get them pictured and uploaded to Vinted. I’ve been putting it off for ages!

@Mencia boots 7.5. Got 2 weeks ago. Expiry April 2025

Well despite putting weight on from my holiday, I’ve had a huge whoosh! Lost 1.8lb holiday gain plus a further 2lbs. Also takes me into the 11 stone bracket for the first time in over 20 years.

Like some of you mentioned, perhaps the eating and drinking plenty on my holiday ‘reset’ my body (it was definitely worth it!)

Feeling a bit sorry for myself - turns out I have Covid, so this has cheered me up no end.

Only 2lb left to lose to reach my goal weight and a healthy BMI.

A huge well done to all my fellow MJers. We’ve totally got this 😍

I'm another feeling smaller but well and truly overweight! Lost just under 3st and, technically have over 4st to go but that is never going to happen!

Sadly I have got loose skin problems, despite having a healthy diet and plenty of fluids, maybe because it is quite dry, soft and fine-textured. I have been much bigger in the past than when I started MJ, my highest was about 21st so, although I have lost about 3st this time my skin has come much further. Annoyingly my tummy (always covered up) is not too bad but my arms are generally a bit crepey, my bingo wings flappy and my thighs look like flubbery bags of rice pudding. Having said that I am mid 60s and always dress quite modestly so I am not over-concerned and would not think about surgery at this point in life.

I've just been reading that someone has died of pancreatitis and sepsis with tirzepatide mentioned on the death certificate. I think I saw she had only had 2 doses of 2.5mg. Very sad news 😢

I hoping to get some opinions on this thread with what you think I should do regarding continuing Mounjaro because there is such a wide range of experiences.

I have been using Mounjaro for two months but I have started panicking now. I used a dosage of 2.5g for 5 weeks and had no side effects other than maybe very mild diarrhoea during those 5 weeks.

Then i thought I would do a week on 3.75mg before moving up to the next dose, that was fine too.

As soon as I hit my second week of 5mg I have started having issues with indigestion. Two weeks in a row straight for a few days after injection I have had intense stomach pain to the point where it only stopped after I was sick with awful Sulphur burps and diarrhoea. I have been worried about eating because of the fact that it feels like the food is just sitting there and not passing through me properly.

The first week was particularly bad I was in such intense pain I considered going to A and E and I couldn’t sleep. This is now the second week of this happening and I don’t know whether I should go back to a lower dose where I didn’t have any side effects or just stop.

My tummy feels so unsettled at the moment although not in pain but I fear my next jab coming up on Tuesday which would be my 3rd 5mg. I even took caution to eat less greasy food and smaller meals but I am generally still eating the same healthier meals when I started Mounjaro. Maybe my digestive system cannot tolerate 5mg as a dose

It would be a shame to have to stop as I slowly managed to loose 7kg since I started.

I haven’t shared with any family or friends that I started Mounjaro so I have no one I could discuss this with

DP sent me this article too. I don't think it really sunk in for him why I was so worried but pancreatitis is definitely no small concern.

Then when we went to the doctors about his overall health afterwards the doctor was talking about avoiding things to reduce the risk as pancreatitis does reoccur often and can just take you.

I think he definitely had a come to Jesus moment when he read that article, because that could have been him. 2 weeks on 2.5mg.

I bet I sound like a stuck record sometimes on here, but it really is so important that if any one has any symptoms that could be remotely linked to pancreatitis you need to find the fastest route for a blood test for pancreatic enzymes, either by GP referral, 111 or if symptoms get worse A&E, and really advocate for yourself and request testing for gallbladder and pancreatic function and cease taking mounjaro, forever.

It's better to be fat and alive and find other solutions than dead or risking a lifelong, sinister condition.

In fact, I've set a reminder so as soon as DS is in bed I'll repost the side effects sheet because I've still not got round to it yet.

Please see my post above yours and @Jimmyneutronsforehead below.
You really do need to get clinical advice with symptoms like that so please contact your provider or GP before taking any more. This medication is pretty safe for most people but the serious adverse effects can be huge so please do get proper medical advice

Annoyingly my tummy (always covered up) is not too bad but my arms are generally a bit crepey, my bingo wings flappy and my thighs look like flubbery bags of rice pudding. Having said that I am mid 60s and always dress quite modestly so I am not over-concerned and would not think about surgery at this point in life.

Quite honestly @QueenOfHiraeth I think that's what I expect to look like in my mid60s!

My mum had/has advanced dementia in her early 60s so if I get to mid 60s with everything intact but a bit flappy and flubbery I'll call that a win!

@SnacklessWonder I'm really sorry about your mum, but I 100% agree with your outlook.

Even though the kids have said some pretty unnecessary stuff to me like I look infinity years old at the ripe old age of 29, they've also said some unintentionally heartwarming things like "Aunty Forehead, you know your arms, they cuddle me more because they've got flappy bits", and do you know what, if they feel more cuddled and more loved then my body is doing its job. A backhanded compliment is sometimes all I get from these darlings, and it builds up the confidence in me that they have broken down with other unfiltered comments, but I'll take it.

I can imagine being 60, and cuddling some grandkids and knowing that they love granny hugs, and be grateful that I'm alive at 60 to hug them.

@SnacklessWonder I have some friends who look less flubbery (although they have not been overweight) but I have other friends who have not made it this far or aren't in good health so I count my blessings
@Jimmyneutronsforehead "I can imagine being 60, and cuddling some grandkids and knowing that they love granny hugs, and be grateful that I'm alive at 60 to hug them." That is exactly where I am at and I love it. I have 6 under 5yrs old
I've spent a lot of time this week rocking a new baby to sleep and every second is a joy!

@QueenOfHiraeth I have always hated my boobs but for lots of reasons over the course of my life.

Premature growth, unwanted male attention at a young age, the fact they completely bypassed the being perky stage and I felt robbed as a teenager, then they migrated south for winter and joined an expat community in Australia I'm sure and then when I had my little boy and I fed him it changed my perception a little bit and sowed some seeds of positive self perception, and even now at 5 he comes for cuddles and puts his head on my chest, and then last week I cuddled the new family baby who hates being upright, and he just tucked right in and fell asleep, everyone laughed and said it's because you've got all the boobs and it has all honestly genuinely made me second guess whether I still want reduction surgery once I'm at my goal weight.

The only thing that seems to still be a pro towards that choice is that I've got back ache all the time, my posture is terrible, and I'm fighting for my life to get my very obvious hypermobility recognised and it feels like I'm doubled over with a sack of tatties on my front, but it makes me miss the fact my body has given so much comfort and I don't want to not be able to give that comfort. I'm not bothered about looking slim or appealing to others. I just want to be able to live long enough and have the energy to run after my little one and any other little ones that come this way. That's one of my biggest motivators for losing weight.

I think, as long as it doesn't cause significant health and comfort issues once I am at my goal weight, I'd be proud to accept the loose skin and overhangs and excess flab in stubborn spots, and perhaps my one chin too many.

Thank you. Yes I will be reaching out to my provider and GP to see what they think. I will also pause the Mounjaro so that the higher dose can leave my system.

If the provider thinks it’s still safe to continue I will probably just stick to the lowest dose in future. I was okay with no side effects all the way up until 3.75. It was after 5mg that my digestive system seemed to slow down too much

Sorry, my little lad thought it was a competition to see who could stay up the longest last night, and he won first place on that one, so didn't get round to doing this last night. Here is the side effects information, taken from Eli Lilly:

Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro® (tirzepatide), outlines several potential side effects associated with its use. Common side effects include:

- Nausea

Diarrhea

Decreased appetite

Vomiting

Constipation

Indigestion (dyspepsia)

Stomach (abdominal) pain

These gastrointestinal symptoms are typically mild to moderate and often diminish over time as the body adjusts to the medication.

However, Mounjaro may also cause serious side effects, such as:

- Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis): Seek immediate medical attention if you experience severe, persistent abdominal pain that may radiate to the back, with or without vomiting. - I want to personally add that not all pancreatic pain radiates to the back and can present a-typically in that it can just be present on the front or be hard to locate the source of pain.

- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): The risk increases when Mounjaro is used in combination with other medications that can cause hypoglycemia, such as sulfonylureas or insulin. Symptoms may include dizziness, sweating, confusion, headache, blurred vision, shakiness, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, irritability, hunger, weakness, and feeling jittery.

- Serious allergic reactions: Discontinue use and seek immediate medical help if you experience symptoms like swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting; or rapid heartbeat.

- Kidney problems (kidney failure): Dehydration resulting from nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea can worsen kidney issues. It's important to maintain adequate fluid intake to reduce this risk.

- Severe stomach problems: Inform your healthcare provider if you experience severe or persistent stomach issues.

- Changes in vision: Report any vision changes during treatment to your healthcare provider.

- Gallbladder problems: Symptoms may include pain in the upper stomach, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), and clay-colored stools.

Eli Lilly emphasizes the importance of discussing any side effects with your healthcare provider, especially if they are bothersome or persistent. They also advise reporting side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or via the FDA MedWatch website.

For comprehensive information, refer to the Mounjaro prescribing information provided by Eli Lilly.