Gearing up for a JANUARY start!

[FatGirlDosing]

Just approved and am assuming that the pen won’t arrive until after Christmas so will start the new year with a, er, prick.

Anyway, thought I’d start a thread for anyone else planning on a slimmer 2025!

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy New Year and hopefully a new us for 2025! 💃

Bit of a headache overnight despite drinking absolutely no alcohol for NYE 😭🤪 Otherwise feeling fine.
Remembered to finally measure everywhere for comparison. One very satisfying goal would be to be able to lift my arms when standing in my underwear and not see underboob, overboob and especially side boob, spilling out of my bra! 🤣😬 There's no hope for the emcs apron that will always be my stomach though! 😭

Started today, at least 5st to lose. Feeling smug that I managed to inject myself and not ask poor DH to do it!! Here for the tips! And to hear the success stories to keep me motivated!

Hope you're enjoying your holiday @FatGirlDosing. I'm also facing a similar dilemma about what to do when we go on holiday in February. Unfortunately it will cover 2 of my jab days. I have checked and you can fly with the pen but it's recommended to take in carry on and so therefore will have to go in a clear plastic bag and I'll have to put it in the tray to go through security. Great way to announce to everyone what I'm doing! 😱 Think I also have to double check with the health authority where we're going (according to google) if I need to have my prescription as well. Will see how the next couple of jabs go whether I step up to 5mg or just keep with 2.5 to get me through the holiday without too many side effects. At least I can just sleep off any tiredness on a sun lounger! 😂

edited for typo!

@Thelittlestranger - that's really helpful to read. And yay for no side effects!
@mince3point14159265 I've no idea in general about the holiday - especially if you want to eat - or having a break but just to reassure you we always fly with things in the see through bags (inhalers/often take paracetamol ibuprofen with us) as well as a bag with the usual liquids... No one bats an eye lid and they rush you through so fast no one has time to really look at anyone else's tray. So go for it if you want to!

@FatGirlDosing have a great holiday!
@Chazzadc for breakfast I often have 175g alpro Greek style yoghurt, 50g blueberries, 15g pecans and a couple of mini babybel. Along with my milk for the day it is 353 calories and 25.8g protein which is an amount I can tolerate for first meal which I do try to eat at lunchtime rather than breakfast.

Nearly a week in now . I have had episodes of being really really hungry and a couple of others where I left a bit of food. Currently it isn’t feel really any different to what I have been doing under my own steam. One of the main reasons I am doing this is because I am hoping it will reduce my inflammation which is isn’t currently, will have to see if that does happen on a higher dose.

Not sure 100% at this point I will carry on but very early days yet. I am not expecting the big losses some will get as have been at this since November 2023. I need to find it significantly easier to maintain deficit than I have been or see reduction in inflammation and/or blood pressure to justify the cost longer term. Early days yet and I need longer and a higher dose to know really but I find knowing there may be side effects quite hard to cope with mentally as have just tried and failed to increase the dose of another medication but couldn’t tolerate it as I felt too sick.

Hi everyone!

I’ve just joined mumsnet purely for this chat thread! I’m still in the stage of “should I, shouldn’t I” so I’m hoping this will help me decide once and for all. Can I ask, has anyone found a supplier that lets you stay on a lower dose if it’s working for you? I’m not sure I want to move up every 4 weeks if I don’t need to.

The potential side effects are what’s putting me off taking the leap! Are most of you doing ok so far?

Thanks!

Injected yesterday - First day long day at work - packed homemade sweet potato soup and healthy sprouty salad - I’m following the human being diet alongside MJ - 2 days just veg then add lean protein for two weeks - none of the obvious - I don’t want anyone to know!!! I have a sauna every morning so I’m really hoping for results but my body is just stuck 80kg 😞

@Jan2025 Welcome. I don't think any of them make you move up a dose apart from SheMed, as they are a clinical trial. I'm with MedExpress, I think You can stick at a lower dose.

I'm going to get 5 next month but will inject maybe 3.5. I'm finding 2.5 pretty strong already so don't want to take a big jump.

Yes I weed a lot the first night, and was very thirsty. It went away after that.

@Dunkou Shemed don't make you move up a dose. Its reviewed each month looking at side effects and weight loss.

However I can't get their app to work to do my blood test this morning. I'm hoping it's just because lots of us are starting this morning but it's irritating as it's a fasting one!

Ah ok thanks, I stand corrected. Hope your blood test is sorted soon!

Do you refrigerate your own after the first dose or leave it at room temp? How do you work out a smaller dose like 3.75?

I'm refrigerating as I don't see any benefit to leaving it at room temp.

For smaller doses you count the clicks as you turn it. 60 clicks is a full dose, so do whatever proportion you are aiming for.

Me too! 👍👍🤞🤞

I am also keeping mine in the fridge as can’t see the benefit to keeping it at room temperature. @Dunkou how are you feeling now?

I actually came down with a virus on Tuesday, so I think what I thought were side-effects were partly just getting a bug.

I still have not much appetite and am eating beige foods as feel nauseous so not the healthiest of starts, but will get back on track now as cold has passed.

Oh that's good to know - are you able to stick at the 2.5 pen, or do you move up to the 5 and adjust your own dose?

@Jan2025 I'm going to move to 5 as it's the same price as 2.5, so then I have the option to take more than 2.5 if I choose to.

You could stick at 2.5 but then you can't adjust up.

I mean, I'm basing this off absolutely nothing as I haven't even tried it yet! 😂but if the lower dose did work, I think I'd want to stick at it for as long as possible.

Still so undecided - I keep coming back to the idea, but something is stopping me. Did anyone else feel like that?

I’m really hoping my pen shows up today! It’s arrived in Northern Ireland according to tracking but doesn’t say out for delivery yet, and I really wanted to start today! Tomorrow I’m back in work so it’ll be a whole thing trying not to miss the postie 😥

@Dunkou really glad the cold has passed and hope you feel completely normal very soon. If I decide to continue I will be doing the same as you with the 5mg pen as feel it gives maximum flexibility.

@Jan2025 I have spent ages deciding whether to to it. My Rheumatologist suggested in October 2023 that I might be a good candidate for it and I have only just started it.

@Jan2025 I spent six months considering it, reading about it, and deciding to go for it.

@Seaitoverthere I hadn't even considered taking the 5mg dose, and then just taking less of it!!! Of course, if it is the same cost, then why wouldn't you!! I'm only first week, but the aim is to stay as low as possible for as long as possible. They do say the first month is about getting your body used to the medication and less about seeing effects? Perhaps that is the case for you?

Fifth day today, and have started my period, so am not weighing yet as I am bloated and it won't show a true reading.

Happy new year all!

Injected yesterday evening and all fine so far. Woke up in the night needing to burp a lot (sorry gross but sort of felt like I might burp up acid etc) and feel a bit weird today but ate breakfast as normal (high protein thin thing) and will see how the day goes. Think it takes a good 24 hours to peak in system?

Yes absolutely @Thelittlestranger , very early days yet. I think I am coming at this fairly differently from a lot of people as I lost over 100lbs and maintained for 2 years before taking a drug pre hysterectomy and regaining 33lbs in 11 weeks with no change in calorie consumption or exercise which had been carefully monitored for ages resulting in in the original loss. I then took HRT to try and help with joint pain and ironically triggered a massive flare of what I know now is psoriatic arthritis( which in hindsight I had for years) and piled on another 1.5 stone and kind of went fuck it on the food and exercise front at that point as had had enough and couldn’t move and needed a hip replacement as it turned out I had hip dysplasia and my hip was knackered.

I take medication for my arthritis which is having some affect but not fully controlling it and felt really sick when I tried increasing the dose before Christmas. I’ll probably need to change at some point. I didn’t really want to try another drug but have taken the plunge and started Mounjaro as had stalled badly losing on my own since my hip replacement last year. Part of the reason of going for it is as some with psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis have seen a reduction in inflammation and I am hoping that might happen to me.

If it doesn’t I don’t know if I can justify the cost as know I can lose on my own in the long term so need to see value for my money if that makes sense ie. It needs to make it feel significantly easier than going it alone or an additional health benefit. Sorry, that is long. Short story is yes hopefully in time will see more benefit and I know it is very early days yet. I was a researcher (psychology background ) in a previous life and find it all very fascinating!