Shemed Starters - Support thread.

[FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden]

Hello! Is anyone starting or recently started with Shemed? I think there's a few of us on the boards. I started posting on a different thread when I was looking into MJ but thought it would be nice for us to have somewhere to share our experiences of the journey!

I'm Fatsia. My bmi is huge (22 stone with 11 stone to lose ideally. I'd be happy with less!). I put on a lot of weight after having kids and have tried all the usual things to lose it each time gaining more. We don't have a high income so it's taken some thinking before getting to this place and I'm really hopeful reading others stories of where this can lead. I. Really do want to experience the world in a slimmer body again.

I did the blood test today - stressed out this morning at the app was overloaded with so many starting on 2nd of Jan but the actual experience was great. I'm a bit needle phobic so it was great to have the little device to do the test.

Love to hear from any others interested in sharing experiences.

(Anyone wanting to debate SheMed as a company there are other threads where that is happening)

I've been wondering this about obesity and ND. I teach about interception and not being able to recognise bodily signals and think this is a huge part of it. Others feel "full" and also "I don't want to eat anymore" whereas I don't get that second part or I just get "like this/want more!".

I was interested by CVT and his lectures as he was talking about this in relation to Upf losing that link with feeling full but I think it's not just UPF there's definitely more to be investigated isn't there.

One of my kids is typical beige food ND and overweight and I don't want to pass on messages about shaming body weight at all.

Other one is vegetarian and wants to reduce upf too but is rule driven and if anything in danger of just not eating if its not "right".

I find it so hard to navigate it all tbh.

I can’t seem to find the original one (I’ll keep looking!) this one’s a good read too though: https://www.reddit.com/r/mounjarouk/comments/1er9547/adhd_and_mounjaro/

yes, I discovered that too! Had never heard of rumination before but it made so much sense! When someone told me about it!

In so glad you joined mn! This is giving me so much hope and making me think adhd /MJ may well be life hanging. I really hope so. I've been on and off antidepressants/anti anxiety with not much effect and similarly feel I'm actually, struggling with burnout/overwhelm (hence the reach for quick/processed instant food...).

yes potentially wrt the cv. That's so kind of you. I won't even start as its overwhelming and I'm so scared I keep dropping into lower and lower paid work.

That’s good! How quickly did you notice your anxiety reducing? I’d love to find something that finally got mine in check 😅

About two months, I think.

Welcome! My blood test arrived within a couple of days but I wasn't able to test over xmas.

Its great so many of us are starting at the same time 😁. And so many similarities between us. It makes me feel so much less alone to be doing it with you all ❤️.

Welcome to the party @MummySharkDooDoo 🥳

sounds like you’re doing amazing with your weight loss! I also get frustrated when it takes a while though so can totally see where you’re coming from! I dabbled in slimming world a few years ago but couldn’t get away with- unlimited/free food carbs, they were not my friend with PCOS 😂

My kit took about a week to arrive but that was with Christmas post in the mix- hopefully yours arrives a bit quicker

@FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden

Thanks for making such a wholesome and inviting space! It's rare I join in on threads because, y'know, I don't wanna be perceived 😂

I get that. I felt like I went through all the SSRIs but none of them worked, ever, I didn't even have side effects coming off the highest doses - the GP was baffled.

It's a shame the process takes so long, because it is life changing for people like us. The only thing that surpasses how validated I feel is that the meds actually help me 'do life'. I don't need to sleep 24/7 anymore, I can think, have conversations (and argue) without losing my train of thought, I can work on and finish work projects.

It's been the start of becoming who I should've been all along, and you'll get there too I promise.

With the CV / job, have you tried Chat GPT or Goblin Tools? If not, have a google / browse on Reddit to read about them, they are both life savers for breaking down those huge tasks.

You can dump your CV into chat gpt and ask it to help you format it, or add in info, and I found that takes the worst bit out of it - and I can go in and change it up as I like.

This thread is really taking off! It so nice to chat to you all! ❤

Thanks again for sorting it @FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden 😀

"Start of becoming who I should of been all along" That's so powerful. I really am hoping.

This is such a lovely group of people 😍.

Didn't expect to get emotional on an MJ thread this Saturday eve, thanks for having me!

Thanks @FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden and @Lotusbug I was feeling so overwhelmed at the thought of 'finally doing it!' and signing up for the whole year, it feels so great that we are all starting together at a similar time.

(Love that movie 🤣)

What an excellent bunch to be starting this journey with! 🥂

I'm nervous about diarrhea now. I think my brain is fixating on all the potential side effects but I wouldn't be able to do my job if I had diarrrhea. I am a bit envious of wfh jobs currently!

That one hadn’t even crossed my mind! I wouldn’t be able to do my job either.

The one I’m worried about is heartburn. I’ve got a hernia so can get some awful acid reflux at times and I’ve read mounjaro can make this worse. I’ll have to go and stockpile rennies 😂

This is a concern of mine too although I am lucky and do wfh - I am reassuring myself that there are the regular check ins so hopefully if I do have those side effects they can suggest something to help.

I had the worst heartburn when pregnant, so much so I really couldn't eat much and did lose weight that way 🤣 so brilliant suggestion to stock up on rennies!

I think the check ins will only be to supervise taking the drug - a bit like the test was. I read somewhere it's a 60second thing.

I had initially thought it would be more of a personal check in but I think we report side effects via the form.

I did see somewhere they supply a starter pack of otc meds to help and it does seem they would offer advice I'm just not sure how. Or if it's via the chatbot/phone Mon-Fri.

I had been wondering how the check in works and what they actually do- whether they watch you do the injection and ask questions or whether it’s literally jump on the scale and you’re done kind of thing!

I’m sure I saw something in the app for reporting symptoms I think, the clinicians seem to review the blood results quickly so I’d like to they would be the same if any side effects cropped up.

Is your pen arriving today @FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden?

Ah that's true. Yes they did so the forms should get reviewed. I did get a phone back on the 2nd same day when I left a message and that was their busy day!

I'll just check the delivery but I think so!

I even ordered a fridge thermometer to check my fridge temp...

I think it's see the scale and scan bar code for the medication. I think first time they talk you through taking it too? We will find out. Maybe first person who does it can tell the rest of us! I am thinking I'll be Friday around 1 or 2pm.

I think I’ll be a similar time to you on Friday, maybe a touch later! I hope they do talk us through it- at least for the first one anyway, I’m a bit nervous I’ll somehow muck it up!

We have a fair bit of snow where I am so I’m hoping that doesn’t impact my delivery 😬

Looks like I missed a ton on this thread last night! In terms of other positive effects of Mounjaro, there’s some observational research that people on it had 40% fewer asthma attacks and had more controlled asthma, which I would be super grateful for.

I’ve always been on the larger side - PCOS - but my weight was fine until my asthma spiralled out of control 12 years ago; and I spent the next 8 years being hospitalised constantly, unable to walk more than 5 mins before having an attack, and on repeated courses of high dose oral steroids. We finally found the right combination of meds, and things stabilised, I was getting fit again, and had lost almost 20kg without working too hard on it… and then Covid lockdowns hit and I had to shield. Once those lifted in 2022, I started a new job and promptly started working 80+ hour weeks, going through some v stressful personal stuff at the same time and not cooking or eating regularly, and that’s what’s pushed me over the edge.

I’ve had another 50 days of steroids this year for the asthma, and that combined with everything else has got me to 167kg and verging on a size 26, which is so much more than I’ve ever been before and for the first time since my lungs got better, I’m struggling with behavioural changes myself, so hoping Mj will act as the first step for me.

Snap @DandyCyanFinch! the last few years I’ve been on sooo many courses of prednisolone for my asthma which inevitably means I gain weight because the PCOS seems to mean I gain weight from literally anything and then the gaining weight makes the asthma worse so more steroids. It’s like a vicious circle! My respiratory consultant has just changed my inhaler to duoresp following a hospital admission in November so hoping it makes some sort of difference coupled with the mounjaro!

If you're worried about diarrhoea, make sure you have some loperamide in. They're the same as Imodium but much cheaper. Here's a link to get them on Amazon.

48 Diarrhoea Relief 2mg Capsules Loperamide Hydrochloride Tablets (8x6) https://amzn.eu/d/8O5329V