Starting Mounjaro with BMI 27/28

[NotALotToLose]

Keen to hear experiences of any Mounjaro users who had a lowish starting BMI. Obviously this only includes people who have other health concerns. I have high cholesterol so pharmacy were happy to prescribe to me with a BMI of 28.
I've lost 4lb in week one which I'm very happy with after many other unsuccessful attempts to get back to my previous size.
Any advice for those of us in the 'not a lot to lose' camp?

Welcome to the thread! Glad it's all going well so far.

Thank you! I haven't done much exercise just a small bit of walking. I'm hoping next week to introduce that but my DH has to go in for a procedure to hospital and it's also my sons birthday so we'll just see how it goes!

Have you much to lose?

Lack of food noise is amazing. I described it to DH - he is very slim and eats what he wants, and he always feels like I do now on mj. He does not think about food - maybe half an hour before mealtimes, but not otherwise.

While I think about food all the time. I wake up planning what I will eat. I snack. I see food and imagine what it will taste. All the time. Like probably many of us on this thread, I've been average to slim most of my life, with a few heavier episodes. But I've been restricting my food intake since I was about 15. Battle every day.

And people who do not have that battle tell GLP users that we are just weak and shoud 'just' eat less?

@Sockmate123 I'm trying lose a bit more than you. I'm:

SW: 10st 10 at end of December 2024 and start of MJ
CW: 10st 5
GW: 8st 10

I'd be happy with 8st 10 - 9 stone though, that was my pre-covid (and most of my life) kind of weight.

I lost 5 pounds in the summer so overall I'm 10 pounds down including the MJ loss, it's the lowest I've managed since 2022. It feels like such a long old slog, I swear I'll try hard to never put it on again if I get to 9 stone!

Great that you've reached healthy BMI already.

@HeavyHeidi yes restricting food intake has always been a thing for me too. I grew up with my DM noting her weight on her chart every day (she still does at 85) and calorie books, cabbage soup, Cambridge diet etc. it's a bit of a battle against nature, all my DM's side of the family lean towards the curvy.

Menopausal insomnia did a number on my weight in my late 40s, huge carb cravings, eating just to try and function. I got it under control by doing a high protein diet and got down to 8st 12 but then covid came along and I found a bit too much solace in eating.

@Tinydancer123 how are you feeling today?

Hi @Dunkou how are you ? So far I just feel sick ! I slept from 9pm -9am. No chills yet. Xx

Ps food noise seem less reduced

I hope the sickness wears off soon,

I'm fine, just struggled to keep within my calorie allowance today because i was hungry. I really wish I could tolerate a higher dose so I'd get suppression for more than 3 days. I'm doing next jab Tuesday or Wednesday so just have to try and make it until then!

My starting BMI was a little over 28.

I lost a stone in the first month before slowing down a bit. Once my BMI reached around 24 it slowed significantly and now I lose maybe a pound a week. Fine by me as that initial loss is felt too fast. So far I have lost around 3 stone 2 pounds since mid September. The highest dose I reached was 7.5mg but it made me feel shit so I stepped back to 5mg which I will take for a bit longer and then will come off.

W1D4 for me and I can't believe how much slimmer my face is already, so pleased not to look like a puffer fish. And pretty sure have lost at least a cup size :D

Yes I noticed my face looked better quite quickly. I think it was mainly due to so much water. My eye bags don't look as bad and skin is pretty clear. Not sure it's actually thinner yet though.

The majority of the 6 pounds I've lost has gone from my top half, my bra feels looser, my jeans don't really by much. Sod's Law, it's my bottom half that needs to lose more. It's always the top where I lose it from first though.

Amazing ! Well done !
How long did you stay on each dose ?

Does every pen have a bonus dose ?

I’m not on mounjaro but reading this thread with interest as I’m thinking of trying to get it. My BMI is 28.5 and I’ve been trying and failing to lose a stone for nearly 3 years. Ideally I want to lose 2 stone to bring me to 9st 12lb which I was about 5 years ago. I’m 5ft 4. Covid plus pregnancy / tiredness / breastfeeding has made my weight creep up and I just don’t seem to be able to lose it.

My question is, is everyone at this BMI able to get the prescription because they’ve also got high cholesterol? How did you find that out? Did you ask your GP for a blood test or get one done privately?

There are a number of health conditions, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol and yes, diagnosed via gp’s. Also certain ethnicities.

The nurse who gives my HRT sends me for annual blood tests, not sure why, think because I mentioned one year I felt tired all the time. That picked up the high cholesterol.

You can get private tests done as well.

Yes, they are all the same.

I don't really understand the point of a bonus dose either. The pen lasts 30 days. So are people shortening the time between doses? Ie injecting every 5 days not 7?

@happycolahappychildren a full dose of 2.5 would be 60 clicks so a 3.75 would be 90 I think. But obviously you'll then need to get your new pen earlier.

My maths is rubbish so please wait until someone more numerate responds as well!

If you work it out.

first dose - day 1
second dose, day 8
third dose day 15
fourth dose day 22

fifth bonus dose, day 29. Still within the 30 days

there is an extra dose in there for priming. You can withdraw with an insulin needle.

as such, making the pen last 5 weeks and not four. And still within the 30 days

No. If you take a dose every 7 days, you take your fifth (bonus) dose before the pen expires.

@ThatCoralShark thank you. That makes sense!

How do you know there will be enough medicine left to make a full dose?