Another lurker, unlurking. Thanks to all who have posted here and to @MargoLivebetter for starting the thread - reading back through everything has been so helpful.
I feel guilty for saying that I haven’t had lifelong or long-term weight issues - my “issues” (hate that word) are chronic migraine and treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. As you can imagine, both have required multiple medications/treatments, and in H2’24 my weight was increasing at a rate of ~1kg per week. Despite me telling this to all the health “care” professionals, no one cared.
In January, I volunteered for the NHS Our Future Health study, and weighed in at 80kg, height 162cm, thus a BMI of 30 - and clinically obese.
I also have PCOS, and high LDL cholesterol (as long as they have been doing tests - referral to a lipid clinic made in July’24 has just sent appt for end of Sept 🤞🏻).
I didn’t think it was possible to feel shittier about myself than I already did. The nature of migraine/depression for me has major components of self-blame, low self-esteem etc; and practically, fatigue, isolation, lack of self-care, inactivity etc.
I didn’t/don’t have the funds for MJ, and shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t cope with another diagnosis/label (clinical obesity) and the consequences, so purchased from ever dwindling (on sick pay) savings.
I’m now in the middle of the healthy BMI range. My last pen was a 12.5mg, which in theory I didn’t need to use but am tapering on it by counting clicks - not with the need to loose more weight, but to come of MJ slowly, and taper rather than full on cold turkey - 48,48,36,36,24,24,12,12 is the plan, and I’ll figure the calculations in mls for the “golden dose” when the get there. Yes, this is way beyond the 4wks recommended shelf life for an open pen, but I keep it in the fridge, my injection practices are as careful and sterile as I can be, and I have a science research background so am happy with this level of “risk” for myself.
Of course, being back to a normal BMI hasn’t fixed the other shite……but it is one less thing to worry about. I am extremely fatigued, and it’s impossible to tell if that’s from any of my diagnoses, or side effects of those medications, or from MJ. It was in all likelihood the recent posts about people feeling like they have no energy on MJ that ultimately prompted me to share. I’m hoping that as I taper down, I might see an improvement in energy.
I was definitely eating more take out and ready meals prior to starting MJ - no interest or energy to cook - and have found since starting less interest in eating at all (realistically, I was likely undereating, even with minimal daily activity). However, I’ve made the effort to substitute the take out and ready meals with fast, protein rich meals, and batch cooking things like bolognese (half beef, half lentils) on the days I really have energy and freezing.
I can’t say I’ve had any major side effects aside from constipation, and heart burn…managed with kiwi fruits and gaviscon (not at same time! 😂), and really focusing on water intake. Summer food is definitely easier for me - a plate of Parma ham, tomatoes and mozzarella takes seconds to make.
While I’m back at healthy BMI, I’m totally unfit, and feel soft and wobbly. I didn’t exercise or lift weights - I know I should have, but I don’t have the energy/stamina….i need a nap after doing anything. That’s the next thing to address while tapering.
Anyhow, the point of this monologue is to share a slightly different story from what I’ve read here so far, and my tapering plan.
And most importantly, to thank you all, wish you luck on your maintenance/post MJ journeys, (hoping today’s news about the Sept 1st price increase isn’t causing awful anxiety), and again to acknowledge @MargoLivebetter for setting up such a helpful thread.
Sincere thanks.