I'm starting to wonder if mounjaro is making me feel depressed

[mjcausingthis]

I started about 10th September I think, I've just had to go back down to 2.5mg as I couldn't cope with not being able to eat enough on the 5mg.
Anyway, I do suffer from anxiety which I take medication for and usually it comes and goes. But the last few weeks I am so incredibly down in the dumps, I've never been depressed, it's always anxiety with me so this is new and seemingly out of the blue. I'm starting to wonder if it's mounjaro, has anyone else's who's been on it a good couple of months felt this way ?
I have literally fuck all motivation, I barely leave the house these days. Everything feels like a massive effort, I feel really, meh. Just feel shit and not myself at all!

I did feel like that In the beginning but by about week 7/8 I started to feel really down, without being able to put my finger on why ! I'm used to anxiety, but this depressed feeling is new to me and honestly, I'd rather be anxious ! I have zero motivation to do anything I would usually do, I feel flat, lifeless almost.

Mounjaro does appear to affect dopamine, so it makes sense it would affect your mood

You are describing anhedonia: a cardinal symptom of depression

It seems that these drugs do affect the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward systems in the brain and cause food to be less rewarding so it stands to reason they would make other stimuli less rewarding too. They've been found to be effective in cocaine and alcohol addiction for this reason.

Interesting stuff.

@ThePure this is exactly what my dh said this morning to me, I lost all interest in food and enjoying food, so he said it stands to reason it's affecting the way you feel pleasure in everything else

Are you taking supplements? You might not be eating as much mood inducing food as you used to. Vit D spray and B complex, Magnesium, Zinc and Folic Acid will help keep your mood up. Maybe add a berocca fizzy tablet to one glass of water a day, as well as B complex and Vit D sprays.

Oh wow this post is an eye opener. I've felt a bit low over the last few weeks, a lack of joy comment really resonated with me and my anxiety has been up again. I just put it down to stress at work, the time of year and peri and like others upped by vit D. I had issues a couple of years back and did counselling but this doesn't feel like that (if that makes sense!). I've lost a great deal of weight which I'm really proud of and my health is really good as a result. I'm taking MJ lowest dose to maintain and plan to do so for a while.

The only thing that does not make sense to me is that a lot of people say it helps their ADHD symptoms which it ought not to do if it is blocking the dopaminergic effect of stimulants (ADHD drugs are pharmacologically similar to cocaine)

I think a lot more will be discovered on the brain effects in the coming years.

I am interested because my job is in mental health and whilst many of my patients would benefit a lot physically from weight loss jabs it seems it is worth keeping an eye on depressive symptoms and that this would be even more relevant in people with a past history of severe depression

I have depression and on a couple of meds for it, I feel calmer on mounjaro but quite tired, going to try e.g walking more I think, this time of year does not help whit the weather etc.

In the past I have had low ferritin, vitamin d etc so trying to keep an eye on taking my vitamins also.

Op i came off it for this reason - there is another thread about it this. I had crippling anxiety with MJ.

It is really interesting, especially as I also seem to have lost interest in drinking alcohol too.

I’m aware of anhedonia but do not otherwise feel depressed.

Yes I take a daily multivitamin and also 20mg of escitalopram for my ocd and anxiety. I'm not saying mj is the root cause of this depression, but I do whole heartedly believe it's made my current mental health issues worse. I've never experienced a lack of motivation and lack of joy. I can't even get out of bed in the morning, I've never been one for staying in bed.

It's interesting to see I'm not the only one, and also a relief. I guess us people with existing mental health issues are the most at risk for this particular side effect.

Could you possibly link the thread ? I'd like to have a read, thanks

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5210459-mounjaro-and-anxiety

www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5210459-mounjaro-and-anxiety

I agree about feeling totally flat. Not anxious or depressed just flat. I'm debating going back down to 2.5.

It's definitely a side effect, and it can get so bad you may think of unaliving yourself.

You need to think whether losing weight is that important to you.

By the way I'm slightly jealous of you as I can't take it due to problems with my kidneys.

I think my flatness coincided with starting a higher dose and adjusting. I seem to be in a better place this week. Although the weather isn't helping.

I'm already flat. I hope it doesn't make me worse as I need a couple of years on it in all likelihood 😬. I wish I had professional support with it all

I've noticed my friends who are on it are flat, but once they get to target they'll be themselves again

@WinterBird24 thank you !

Yeah for me now I'm not 100% happy but I have lost alot of weight, so now it's the last few pounds or my mental health, and it's got to be my mental health. I was fine on the 2.5mg so in a way I'm kicking myself for going up to 5mg as that's when the flatness started.

YES, absolutely, this is ME. I wrote a few weeks back 'Mounjaro and feeling down the next day'. I know it definitely is the Mounjaro. I already suffer from anxiety/depression and I'm on 20mg of Citalopram. But the Mounjaro most definitely has an effect on my mood. Its not even just the next day. It lasts for several days and just as I feel its about to lift, its time for the next dose :-( it really does not feel good and despite the fact that I know I should keep myself busy, go out for a walk etc when i feel like this, it's much, much harder to keep yourself motivated when your feeling soo 'down'.

I've tried splitting the dose which helps a bit wont side effects for example taking 2.5mg twice a week, not managed to go up with time and taking 5mg twice weekly, this seems to be helping me a bit. might be worth a try if it is worse the day after the jab.

I've also been taking it for 12 weeks and feeling really down. I do suffer with low mood which I take medication for but everyday seems to be a struggle now. No energy or motivation to do anything. If I could stay in bed, I would.

I'm on 7.5mg and thinking to go back to 2.5mg as I had nearly no symptoms on that. Or I might just give it up altogether. It's not worth the daily torture.

I wonder if any of this might be to do with the link with certain foods and serotonin. For example carbs and tryptophan can increase serotonin.

I have also found sometimes when increasing the dose I can get insomnia and wondered if that might be linked too. Sometimes I have had a banana or glass of milk with cacao and felt that helped the sleep a bit

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/can_food_boost_serotonin_levels

So, I guess what I was wondering is it might be the change in diet rather than the mounjaro itself. Also might be less dopamine as a result of consuming less of certain foods.