Diary of a Mounjaro User

[MounjaroDiary]

This is for anyone considering taking a weight loss jab, or maybe they’ve already decided they are going to do it or not. I’m not looking for validation, there are numerous threads on here discussing the pros and cons of these. This will be a day by day diary of my experience, for your interest or assistance.
I also need to post a few days straight away to catch up with myself.

The Decision
I’m mid-fifties size 14.Just about to reach my ‘action needed’ point of size 16 as there are too many clothes in my wardrobe I can’t fit into.As an adult my weight has varied +/-3 stone. A story familiar to a lot of people, lose it, put it back on, lose it, put it back on etc etc and on and on. I’m not quite at my heaviest, but was heading that way.
I’ve tried WeightWatchers twice, Slimming World twice, some pills when I was in my twenties that suppressed appetite but which are no longer available, and most recently Keto. So I’ve done it the hard way numerous times.
I decided on Mounjaro, as opposed to Wegovy or Ozempic, after reading a number of articles and some threads on here. I’m not aware of anyone IRL who is taking them.
I have not discussed this with my DH, he is unaware of my intentions. I don’t think he would approve, and I don’t want to have to defend or justify my decision. We have shared and separate money, and this will come from my own money, so no financial impact on him whatsoever.

Day -14
Having read about the demand for these drugs, and the wait for them, I decided to order before Christmas, so that I would be ready to start in the New Year. I chose a high street pharmacy, mainly because logistically I would only need to drive to my nearest town (4 miles) to pick it up.Some of the other providers I would’ve had to travel to my nearest city (25 miles).
I filled out the online form, answering honestly about my height and weight and my BMI calculated as 33.4. Firmly in the obese bracket. You have to take a photo of your ID. The difficulty comes when you have to provide two photos, one from the front and the other from the side profile. You can’t load a photo previously taken, and have to do them in the webform. The first two sets of photos submitted were rejected as not complying. A real person checks these, so you can’t cheat. In the end I asked my beautician to take them when I was there having a treatment. She didn’t ask why although I suspect she knew. These photos were accepted and a couple of days later I received a message to say the prescription would be issued and I would get another message when it was ready for pickup. Starting dose 2.5mg Mounjaro.
After a week I went into the store to discover they’d been sitting on it for 5 days while fannying about a sharps bin. I left with everything I needed.

Day 0
This is the day I have decided to start. We had already both talked about trying to lose some weight after Christmas. Today is my DH’s hobby day, he’s gone most of the afternoon and evening, so I had uninterrupted time to do what I needed to do.I decided to eat dinner after having the jab, thinking it would take a little time to start working.
The jab itself was ok to self administer. You have to put it into subcutaneous fat, so the belly is fine. I followed the instructions in the box to load the pre filled pen. When it was ready, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes before injecting it. Didn’t even feel it. Had to check there was a mark.
Weighed myself. It wasn’t as bad as I thought, but was still bad.I will aim to weigh myself once a week on the same day at the same time.
Went to eat dinner but really struggled with it and most of it went in the bin. I then researched how long it takes to take effect and it says immediately. Probably should’ve read that before preparing dinner ☹

I’m reading,in case you think you’re whistling in the wind. Although I’ve been on it nearly 13 weeks. You can also maybe join the Jan starters thread.

I'm following... my first delivered today bur haven't taken yet!

Day 1
I would say overall the effect was subtle. I ate breakfast as normal, we had lunch quite late as we were both busy with chores, and ate dinner as normal. What I noticed though, was that I wasn’t thinking about food. I wasn’t looking at the clock for meal times, or snacks. GenerallyI didn’t feel any different, almost wondered if I’d administered the injection correctly.
Breakfast: 2 eggs and 2 bacon
Lunch: bowl of soup
Dinner: salmon and roasted vegetables

Thanks for posting! Really interesting!

Following you and wishing you well.

It sounds like we are on similar journeye in similar circumstances. Ii am just a few weeks ahead of you.

Havent told my DH either......well I did... but I know he wasnt reallly listening because as soon as he hears the words "hormones" and menopause he swirches off 😀

Day 2
Felt generally well again this morning. DH made a snack of the final mince pies in the house at midday. I hadn’t thought about food and only ate half a pie, chucking the rest away. I suddenly had an urge to go to the toilet, and had diarrhea.
I have my own hobby in the afternoon, and I eat lunch before I go.It’s usually quite rushed to get out the door on time and the mince pie meant I wasn’t hungry before I left. I did feel hungry on the drive there though, and later when I was coming home.
Had to resist weighing myself. You know, when you feel like your weight is going downwards and you want the scales to miraculously say minus half a stone in 2 days.....

Breakfast: 2 eggs
Lunch: ½ a mince pie
Dinner: sausage, mash and beans
Snacks: one chocolate

Day 3
Feeling well again today. Maybe all the talk about the side effects was exaggerated, it was probably what put me off for weeks. Had diarrhea again at midday, not severe, but otherwise no other side effects.

Breakfast: 2 eggs
Lunch: ham, cheese, tomatoes, salads
Dinner: Pan fried fish and salad
Snacks: one chocolate and a chocolate digestive

Can you talk more about exercise in your diary if possible? I've been following the "what I eat on Mounjaro" threads, and I can't see how those low calorie intakes are compatible with exercise - running 20-30 miles a week, cycling approx 5 hours a week + strength and conditioning. I do IF, and already struggle to exercise properly on fasting days.

It's the big thing that puts me off trying WLI (even with the exercise I would fit into a prescribable category).

I looked at those threads, and few people mention portion size, sure there are a few under eaters, but most is a breakfast lunch and dinner, so very hard to understand how people know it’s low calorie intake for the majority? Most people looking at other threads seem to eat between 12 and 1400 cals a day, depending on their tdee.

im the latter and exercise in the gym 5-6 times a week,

Yes sure I will add it in, though it's likely to be shaming. I am not intending on doing any additional exercise per se. My standard week is usually a couple of dog walks 2-3 miles and an hour's exercise class on one afternoon. I don't have a desk job so am not sedentary all day, probably spend a couple of hours a day being active, moving, housework or whatever.

Also reading, with great interest. Expecting my first dose tomorrow so will be close behind you. Thanks for sharing this.

So interesting. I am trying to pluck up the courage to order.

This is fascinating, thank you for sharing. I'm almost tempted but can't quite justify the spend.

Yes, it's something you have to be sure about, as it's supposed to be something you take for a longer period of time. It was £219 for the first pen, in itself not so bad, but over a year £2,500 makes me wince - that's a holiday or two!

Day 4
Generally well again today. My sleep is not being affected, and I am not having any nausea, which I was concerned about before I started. No urgent toilet trips today.
I’m enjoying my food still, but yes my appetite is suppressed. I certainly have not had those gnawing hunger pangs which I could previously get if I’d only had such a light lunch such as soup. I’d be thinking about dinner from about 4pm, trying not to snack. DH would eat at 8.30pm every evening if it were up to him, so I’m always trying to chivvy dinner along. If I eat after 7pm I find it affects my sleep, as well as dying from hunger from 4pm-7pm. I’ve really enjoyed not thinking/worrying about food.
Breakfast: 2 eggs ( this is from doing Slimming World, as eggs were ‘free’ foods. I still have them almost every day)
Lunch: soup ( I made loads with the 8p vegetables and freezer is full)
Dinner: jacket potato, cheese and beans
Snacks: one chocolate
Exercise: not much

Day 5

Felt normal today. Sorry if it’s tmi, but normal toilet routine too today. I don’t need to go into too much detail, but feel I want to share any side effects, or anything out of the ordinary.
Had to be up early (ish) and breakfast a good couple of hours earlier than routine, so was wondering if I would be feeling peckish around 11, which may have been the case before. I wasn’t, and waited until 1.15pm for the soup. I’m not having anything with the soup, before I might’ve had a savoury scone, or crisps.

Breakfast: 2 eggs
Lunch: soup
Dinner: prawn paella
Snacks: crisps, 4 squares of chocolate, 1 choc digestive we still have a lot of Christmas chocolate hanging round the house. This must've been a record year for people giving us food as gifts, to the point where it's not enjoyable, and almost nausea inducing in itself.
Exercise: not much

Day 6

Not much to report today, was busy doing deep cleaning in the house, so fairly active all day. Felt normal again. We had lunch quite late, 2-2.15, and I had to drop off DH somewhere around 5, I was quite hungry at that point and looking forward to the fish and chips. I never eat many chips though as they always give me indigestion, so it was hard to say if I felt fuller than normal. Enjoyed the 4 squares of chocolate, but didn’t think about anything else to eat for the rest of the evening, even though I was on my own (good chance for secret eating).
Tomorrow is weigh in day.

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 bacon and toast
Lunch: soup
Dinner: chippy tea
Snacks: 4 squares of chocolate
Exercise: dog walk 1 mile

Please don't feel like you need to post if you're finding it shaming! I don't want you to feel that way at all - it is only for my own interest as it's something I've struggled to find clear information about!

Enjoying your updates. Been on it 12 weeks, am 58 and now lost 28lb, I can definitely relate to your first week. I had diarrhoea for first couple of weeks, though manageable. You don’t feel any different but all of a sudden eating less.
Re exercise - on one of my health podcasts it says at the very least try to do some resistance training, that can be body weight squats and press ups on knees so as not to lose muscle.
Think as I am getting older I am really worried about muscle loss and the complications that brings.
A lot of us shop around for cheapest Mounjaro, there is a comparison site of registered pharmacists and prices start from £99. Monj.co.uk - just click on discount table for prices. Though appreciate some prefer to buy from high street pharmacies.

Good luck with your weigh in day, some lose fast and some slow but amazing how quick it all adds up.

Day 7

Today is first day I felt like my appetite had started coming back. Makes sense right, as the injections are supposed to be weekly, and today is one week on and time for the 2nd dose.
I was medium hungry for breakfast, and then we took the dogs for a walk. We’d booked to go out for lunch at 2.30pm and on the way there my stomach rumbled a little bit. This is the first day this week it’s rumbled, so it’s definitely time for a re-up.
In any of the other weight loss regimes I’ve followed, I think -3lbs has been my best week. I was always a bit jealous of people who joined SW and rocked up the first week losing 11 lbs, even though they were pretty enormous and certainly not a size 14. But that sort of weight loss in a week would involve limb amputation for me.I have lost 2.5 lbs in the first week.I’m pretty happy with that, considering I haven’t really changed too much. I’m still eating the same foods, just less snacking and in between meals eating.This, of course, has made it easier to keep a secret, as I’m not radically changing behaviour or routines, or missing meals completely, just ‘being good’ if challenged!
2nd dose injection went ok, followed the instructions step by step again, although last week I closed my eyes before injecting, and this week I looked, so felt it.Anyone who is concerned about this part of the process need not be worried, I had a wood splinter in my thumb last week that hurt more.

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 1 bacon , toast and avocado
Lunch/Dinner: roast dinner out
Snacks: 4 squares of chocolate
Exercise: dog walk 2 miles
Weight loss: -2.5 lbs

@Bluenose1966 yes, I'm worried about the muscle loss, that's our age. I can't crouch down and get back up currently, but am hoping losing a good stone will at least help me with that. A similar-aged friend told me 2 years ago to do strength training, but I can't think of anything duller.

Thanks for the tip on the discount website. It's peace of mind I suppose that I'm using a high street brand. Plus also logistically I can go in to pick that up on my own timetable without it being delivered to the door and raising questions.

Hey 👋🏼
I've just had an appointment with a dietician and have been prescribed mounjaro so very interested in this thread, it's making me feel positive about what's ahead.