My SheMed journey

[Kebabo]

I gave signed up and am now waiting for the blood test to arrive. I'll post updates on here so you will know if it is reputable or not. Hope it will help others.

@LazyArsedMagician you are doing fantastically well and have lost more than me - you are 23.1kg and I'm 20.68. In old money that's 3st 10lbs which is a great loss. This week will mark jab 29 for me.

I seem to have a pattern of bigger, then smaller. My last few weeks have been -2lbs, -0.4lbs, -1.8lbs, -0.6lbs, -1.2lbs. I do nothing differently from one week to the next so just have to accept it. I am not calorie counting nor am I following any specific plan. However, I do stop eating when I feel full which is a first for me. I might have a few crisps or a piece of chocolate which in the past would have a full bag (big bag) of crisps or a whole bar of chocolate. I eat pizza, pasta and curry but have swapped out white rice, bread and pasta for wholewheat.

I've been having a problem with constipation so bought some inulin today after seeing so many people raving about it and have started having a bowl of cereal for lunch, something high in fibre like shredded wheat or fruit and fibre. Hoping that will sort the 💩 issue.

Good news for me is that I rarely get indigestion now. Very odd times after a meal but nothing like the early days when I was eating Rennie and Gaviscon like sweets!

@GoldLeader the flabby skin is the pits isn't it? I've bought a few new tops recently and all have sleeves to the elbows to cover the bat wings. Hubby is trying to make me do some exercises but I'm just too lazy! My legs don't appear to be so bad but I walk the dog every morning and at the weekend went out on my bike too. My triple chin has been replaced by a chicken neck, but given the choice, I know which I'd go for.

Great to hear your updates @BestDIL and @GoldLeader and @LazyArsedMagician
I have just done jab 29.
Moved onto a 10mg pen 2 weeks ago which is much needed (now on week 7 of a stall).
I guess one benifit is its given my skin time to adjust 🤷‍♀️

Oh and to add…. The 10mg began constipation which I haven't really suffered before. Magnesium supplement from nutrition geeks helping a lot!

Interesting that the constipation only appeared with 10mg. Now I think about it, it’s the same for me. Pleased to report that the inulin seems to have done the job but I’ve been quite windy this morning. Hubby thought it was hilarious when we were walking the dog. 🐶

😆 at least you can blame the dog?

The magnesium supplements are actually meant to improve sleep/reduce tiredness and fatigue which is another side effect MJ I have noticed.
It's an added bonus that it gets things moving in the morning 😉

Also trying the Ashwagandha and biotin supplements too. I’ll
Report back.

Just seen all the news about the price increases to MJ. I think those on the study should be ok until January. Looking at the T&C's there is no wiggle room for SheMed to increase the price from £99 but after that, who knows.

I hope to be at target way before January so am planning to titrate down by micro-dosing - shhh don't tell SheMed. That way I will be able to stockpile a few pens and then for maintenance I may switch to Wegovy which is cheaper than MJ anyway.

I was also reading about the new tablet in trial - orforglipron - that should be a lot cheaper and may work better for maintenance.

Whatever happens, I am refusing to panic (much)!

Yes I am a bit worried about it. I will not be at maintenance by End Dec. I think I will likely still have 10-20kg to loose.
I may even be in 15mg by then.
I simply will not be able to afford it. It's so sad they are pricing people out who are just trying to get healthier. So unfair to implement this during treatment too which ultimately will see people fail because they catncarry on.

Just thought I would update with what I know so far. Those on the study and paying £99 a month, this will not change for the duration of the study, i.e. 12 months (13 pens).

SheMed have put out a notice today on the FB group saying they are currently negotiating and as soon as they have further information, they will let us know. If I see this before anyone else, I will post it here.

Thanks for that @BestDIL - I did get an email which said similar, it unnerved me a bit, even though I understood my contract to be £99 for the duration.

In other news - weigh in is Saturday, but I have FINALLY found a physical activity that doesn't make me annoyed and that I can do regularly, and that is climbing. My youngest son is mad on fitness and mentioned he'd like to give it a go, so we went and we both loved it. We've basically been every other day the the past 4 weeks, and I'm hoping we'll continue for a long time.

I'm glad I've started doing it, and I'm also glad I didn't start when bigger - I would have found it much harder and quite possibly wouldn't have wanted to go again. I'm actually actively making arrangements to go I'm loving it that much. I've also booked myself onto a six session Pilates reformer class starting September - I used to love Pilates and the reformer class looks amazing. I'm 43 in October and I just want to be healthy, flexible, and confident I won't be crippled in old age because of my own laziness!

Another bonus is that it has definitely bolstered my weight losses - 1.6kg off last week, and I'm on track for another kg at least this week.

So - weigh in this morning!

Don't you hate it how scales can be such bastards?! Weighed myself - 81.7kg. Get on call - 82.1kg. I mean, ok, it's not that different. Get off call - 81.7kg. Twice.

Honestly don't know how I manage it, it's every week practically!

Height: 164cm
Age: 42
Start weight: 108kg
Current weight: 82.1kg 🙄
First goal weight: 80kg (that'll put me into Overweight BMI)
Actual goal weight: 60kg (ish)

It's my birthday in five weeks so would be nice to be 5kg down. Everything crossed!

@LazyArsedMagician that happens to me every week! I can’t understand it. Below are last 3 weeks. I’ve religiously weighed myself every day and look what’s happened. Always go up on weigh day. I’ve not really moved either.

Do you put your phone down when weighing - that could be it!

I’ve asked to go up to 12.5mg but looking at posts on FaceBook, I’m unlikely to be moved up. I filled in my questionnaire on Thursday and still not had notification that my prescription has been issued.

Loads of people have been bulk buying to beat the price increases plus Eli Lilly have withheld stocks to the UK and now there is a shortage of MJ. I’ve still got one dose left - might have to resort to the golden dose if it doesn’t come in time but really don’t want to do that!

Morning! Weighed today, 1.5lb down... or up or 3lbs more or less. Scales are weird, however NSV is definitely improving, the amount of clothes that hang off or fall loose is more often than not and people are noticing more.

I want to be in a different 'stone' number by September an then same again by November, Ive also noticed I need to get toning sorted out, so strength exercise and walking is getting increased too.

Feeling so nervous about stock shortages and what SheMed will decide for us.
Apparently new members will get wegovy?

Why have Eli stop releasing stock to UK. I just don’t understand.
Bloody typical that after a lifetime of obesity and battling, I found a way and found a way it is affordable and they this happens. Feels like teased Hope ☹️

Are you on the study? They will have to keep those on the study on MJ or they risk ruining the whole study. Looking at T&C’s, we pay a fee for the study not a payment for the medication so the fee stays the same for the duration.

as for why Eli have stopped sending stock, well that’s just greed, pure and simple. Withhold stocks at the lower price and then make a killing on new stock. Except that they are going to be in for a shock. Soooooo many people making the switch to Wegovy. Yes, a load will remain on MJ but I think profits from the UK will be greatly reduced and serves them right. It costs around £15 to manufacture the pen. I heard that Trump, the cause of all this, has shares in Eli Lilly! Don’t know whether that’s true or not.

I’m already thinking about next steps. I have until January to get to target and then will probably switch to wegovy for maintenance.

I had asked to go to 12.5mg for my latest pen but got an email today to say that owing to stock issues I will be kept on 10mg.

I have had a strange reaction with this latest pen. Around the injection site, it has been raised and red and itchy. I’ve reported it to SheMed but find it strange that I’m now having this reaction and suppression is greatly reduced. I’ve looked carefully at the liquid in the pen and it’s perfectly clear but wondering whether I have a duff pen this time. Only one more dose left in it so I guess I will see with the next pen as to whether I continue to get a reaction. I think it has to be the pen as otherwise why get this on jab 29 and never before.

Anyone else had this?

My NSV’s have been tremendous for clothes. After being a 22, I am now comfortably in 14’s. I feel amazing. Lots of comments from people as I am now wearing clothes that show off my new body rather than oversized ones to hide the flab!

My aim is to be a comfortable 12. I’ll be happy with that…

@BestDIL thank you.

My pen I needed to take on holiday was delivered Thursday by Royal Mail and left outside my property somewhere. I haven’t got it and raised it with SheMed. There is no way they will be able to replace before I go away now. So worried this will mean they may remove me from the study & it’s not my fault.

As for reaction, yes I have had.
i think as my tummy was shrinking it was harder to miss stretch marks. I was also not changing location enough (sticking to Lower B belly and always about same distance from belly button but alternating sides).
I have since moved to upper B belly too and experimented with further distance from belly button. Effects much stronger and no reaction since. Maybe try a new site?

Oh that's rubbish @Reginaphalangeeeee It does look like you will miss out on the pen for your holiday. They shouldn't kick you out of the study for that though. What have SheMed said? Will they replace at their cost or have you got to pay for another?

I've had problems with Royal Mail too. I now ask on the refill questionnaire for them to use a different courier. They used DPD last time and absolutely no issues at all. As for where your pen has gone, was there a photo on the tracking? Do you have a Ring doorbell or security camera?

On a different note, what does everyone think about the "golden dose"? I've always been dead set against it but wondering about using it to prolong my MJ journey. I'd have to buy some syringes as I don't have anything suitable. I'm really nervous though...

Morning, I’m a lurker on this thread but am on the shemed study and in the Facebook groups. I’m on 15mg and worryingly saw this post in the shemed warrior group yesterday. I’m loathe to move to WeGovy 🙁

So they are offering to stay on existing dose of Mounjaro or swap to Wegovy? I'm not sure what I'd do given that choice.

Looks like it and if you stay on Mounjaro then the £99 will no longer apply and we’ll pay whatever their new Mounjaro rate is

I don't think they can do that. Screenshot of the terms for Adherance Programme.....

Here is the screenshot

One problem I have with SheMed is their lack of clarity in communication at times. When it is a personalised answer, it all reads like my emails that I write on my telephone, open to so much misinterpretation.

I'll see what they say to me next week, as that is my week 3 and I haven't lost much this month at all. It is after the 'change' in pricing.

I've just had my latest prescription filled at £99. I don't see how they can break their own terms. This could derail the whole study. If they can put the price up, we can leave, surely! Not that I'm going to.

@kittykarate you are so right, so many conflicting emails sent from SheMed. Different replies to the same question. Nobody has a clue what's happening and it's being made worse by these emails.

Fingers crossed that the writer of that email is wrong.

I mean, their terms do not say that you will get Mounjaro on the 'study', but as you initially signed up on that medication for them to swap you to Wegovy seems a bit tricksy.