Mounjaro February to April 24 starters - Thread 4

[ObsidianTree]

4th thread!

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5207564-mounjaro-february-to-april-24-starters-thread-3?page=40&reply=141722167

@RagzRebooted I've been googling dexa scans but sadly none near me without a GP referral.
@Soukmyfalafel yes, I'm going to start classes or join a gym in the winter (we spend most of the summer in our van on Anglesey so wouldn't get consistent use at the moment). It did strike me that if I had so much more muscle when I was Obese and very unfit, it just doesn't make logical sense that it's a big problem being apparently low on muscle now or that it won't re-build in time. I need to be mindful of having unrealistic expectations of myself (and not make Renpho stats the latest reason to beat myself up), and remember that doing a 2min plank and 100 squats every day is pretty damn good for a 58 year old! Onwards and upwards....

I just don't think you can get a very accurate reading from the Renpho scales, so I definitely wouldn't use it as a stick to beat yourself with @KrankyKumquat.

I think if you're getting a good range of exercise and if you feel good in yourself that's the main thing. I've no idea what my muscle percentage is, but I can feel myself getting stronger in the classes I do and that's good enough for me. The woman who runs my classes is a very practical type who says ignore the fads and the insta reels and do what you enjoy, because it's the only way you'll keep going. And the most important thing is to Do Something.

As long as we can all get up from a chair easily, we're doing fine.

I was going to say the same. Renpho scales cost under £20. If they were all that was needed to have an accurate sense of body composition none of the most expensive options would be commercially viable! I see them as a guide really. Losing just fat when you lose weight is not really possible but building muscle back up again is far harder than adding that fat back sadly.

I'd also say that body fat under 20% is really, really difficult to achieve even for professional athletes, and as women, and older women, even harder to reach. Under 25% is pretty amazing to be honest. I have a BMI of 20-something now and my Renpho still has me at a really undesirable percentage of fat - what Renpho isn't picking up I don't think is how much loose skin I now have (lovely).

Morning all
Just back from pilates (benefit of a kid who's finished GCSEs so can babysit the little one who's off school with a vomiting bug, hence my not being in work today). It's so much easier fitting exercise in when you dont have to fit in a full day of work too!
I found a video I'd recorded 3 years ago to practice a presentation, and it reminded me how far I've come and how grateful I am for the support to have achieved this weightloss. The vid was from the year before I started on hrt, I'd gained a stone on top of my usual weight that I'd been at for about 10years and I hated how fat my face was. I started hrt and dropped that extra stone in 3 months without trying. I then put in loads of effort, felt starving all the time and managed to drop another half stone, but only managed to keep it off for about 2 months as I just couldn't sustain it when I was so incredibly hungry all the time.
I am worried about what happens once I do reach goal weight, I really don't want to go back to heavy me but am definitely scared of my binge eating disorder returning without the support I get from MJ. Having a regular appetite is wonderful, I wake up hungry and definitely feel hungry at meal times but am full on a very small amount of food compared to the old me. I never have the urge to binge eat any more and that is a wonderful thing. I can't afford to take MJ forever but will keep going for as long as I can, it has been life changing.

I think I'm very behind on the physical activity needed on this journey, haven't really done any exercise but now I've been at goal for 6 months I need to stop talking about it and DO SOMETHING! I was previously a jogger so I think that's what I've feel happiest doing, I just need to get those trainers on one morning and go for it!

@ThirdStorm
🤣 I hear you, just noticed the latest excuse I slipped into my comment. I've committed to doing my little bit while watching the 6 o'clock news and it doesn't even involve a change of clothes or leaving the house....

Well done all the MJ exercisers! It is so important. I still have some podge in the middle & my BMI now hovers around 25, plus or minus, but I am going to live with that to avoid getting too haggard in the face.
Speaking of which, I accidentally got a makeover today. I wandered into Boots looking for tinted moisturiser & a few bits, & the chief make up artist, little pouch of brushes & sponges, swooped in. I actually didn’t mind, I haven’t had one of these in about 10 years (last one at Space NK). I came away with my wallet considerably lighter, but she was good & had some useful tips.

@Moanranger O
Oh I would love to get swooped on. Never had my face done.

@Smallsalt what I really wanted to bring home were the mirrors-so flattering!

After 14 months I seem to have started getting painful post injection sites - anyone else?
moderate swelling over quite a large area, I’m wondering if it’s because I’ve lost so much natural padding now?

Yeah I had that. It goes hard, red and itchy now. But it seems to have become less severe eventually.

Great to see everyone's updates! I know I've lost muscle but only because my ass has completely gone and it's always been large!

I've been dealing with the MS diagnosis. Having nay appointments etc. Finally meet my nurse in a couple of weeks, so can start meds.

I said sod it and spent not a small amount on a weekend away to Crete next weekend. Been buying clothes and swimwear in a 10!? Which sounds insane and I get anxious about it. Sadly the swimwear doesn't fit my chest (now a 32hh) so will have to get some bikinis bra sizes instead.

But I'm feeling incredible.

That’s so lovely to here!

I’m just experiencing the novelty of it being warm and not worrying the whole time about what I look like. Last summer even though I was slimmer the weather was so awful it didn’t really happen. My only issue is having so few clothes that I really want to wear. I keep buying things off Vinted that turn out to be slightly wrong.

Ive been selling bits on Vinted as well as buying so it doesn’t feel like I’m spending. That’s a bonus.
Im one of those super slow losers, down to about half a pound a week now even though I’m on 15 and still at bmi of 25.7 so got about a stone to go. I’ve been feeling so rough on 15, I was starting to dread injection day and the loss in minimal as well. So this week I decided to give myself a half dose of 7.5, I figured if it was useless, I’d do the other half later in week. Well, it’s been great. No side effects at all, no nausea. Suppression is fine and manageable.
I think like some others did last year, is I rushed through the doses like we were told, as 15 was supposed to be the aim. Wish I’d slowed down now and took my own time. Also, it’s cheaper too- are Asda going to question why I’m ordering a 7.5 after being on 15 do you think?

@TryingToHelpBut I have been taking 7.5mg from a 15, but obviously that means I'm using the pen for longer than the licenced 30 days.
I'm sure if you tell them you're having side effects they would be okay with it, but you could always message them and ask first?

I’ve just come back from a weekend with some friends and strangers and wore my bikini around them, twice! I didn’t tell them straight off that I was on the jabs, and i was in a week off because I wasn’t well last week when it was jab day, it took a few days to recover and I wanted to see how I got on without it.

I did ok. I could recognise when I was comfortably full at meals but dear me, there was so much food around and I picked quite a bit 😳 First thing I did when I got home was jab! I haven’t weighed yet but I will do in the morning and see what the damage is.

It was so lovely being able to wear normal size clothes, do the walking without needing additional oxygen and be comfortable in myself generally. I need to keep on doing that I think

@guestusername - well done. You must be so proud of yourself. It’s not going to ever be easy, but you managed yourself. I hope the scale was kind.

@TryingToHelpBut- I’m sorry, no advice as I am in the US and our pens are one-use, single dose. I have seen a lot of videos about adjusting doses, and people moving up and down with success, finding their ideal dose. As @RagzRebooted said, maybe talk to them first about what you are dealing with.

i had a side effects experience yesterday which kicked my butt - after 18 months of use, it just showed me that I cannot get complacent. We went to a brewery in the evening, and I had a quesadilla, instead of my usual order of chicken skewers. Too much cheese! OMG. I had cramps and terrible diarrhea. It was a harsh reminder that I am still on the medication and cannot ignore the effects. Small diversions are ok, but all that cheese was obviously too much fat in one go.

But in another development - I bought a bikini, and it looks nice. Very high bottom, to cover my loose skin in my stomach, but still - I love it. And the skin in my arms and legs is looking better every day. I do so love wearing nice clothes again!

I went on a solo holiday to Greece this week! It was amazing! I dated a greek guy while there 👀🤣

Was a lot of fun and I felt incredible!

Clothing size 10 now! Which is crazy, I can just order and it will fit! Clothing sized swimsuits don't quite fit my boobs, but they looked great 😆

Hi friends!
Nice to see a bit of activity here again. Or in the case of @Flapearedknave , some 'activity' 😅. Go girl!

I have to admit I'm struggling at the moment. I've been titrating down from 10mg, now at 2.5 for 2nd week. Still got very little appetite, and no noticeable impact from reducing dose so much. Weight is continuing to drop - I'm now hovering at bmi 20 and have dropped into the 19s a couple of days which is too low for me.

Two worries - I'll get cut-off by prescriber (I've got weight verification video this week, weight will be 4 or 5lb less than my last declaration), and that I will continue to lose and have to come off.

Maybe it's the heat - I'm not comfortable in hot weather although, this year, I have no swollen ankles, etc. But it really kills my appetite, always has but I have upped my calories this last month or two with no real impact on weight loss.

I don't know what I'm expecting in the way of advice from you, but I am getting increasingly concerned.

@KrankyKumquat are you planning to never come off completely or do you just not feel ready?
You could spread the gap between doses out, some people in USA MJ groups are taking one jab a month for maintenance, though obviously this doesn't work as well with our pens. But if you're still losing on 2.5 a week at that weight, I can't see what else you can aside from come off.

I don't think I want to stop MJ. I originally assumed I would and nearly did but felt I'd not done enough with my habits to cope. I feel so good taking a lowish dose now (2.5-3mg), I've maintained for 6 months. I was taking every 10 days but I've resumed every 7. I'm with MedExpress and I think their cut off is still 23.5 and 2 years?

Ignore that, "According to the latest guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), you can continue using Mounjaro® as long as it’s working well for you and you’re not experiencing any serious side effects" and their policy is still 23.5.

https://support.medexpress.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/18457663452317-How-long-can-I-use-Mounjaro

@RagzRebooted I'm hoping to stay on very long term due to my age and high risk, based on family history, for dementia, etc. I know, looking back, I was a very strong responder from day 1, no plateaus, minimal SEs, etc so can only imagine this is still the case on even a low dose, hence continued weight loss.

I've been with oushk for over a year and believe their cut-off is 19.5 but I've never seen any discussion from anyone who's actually experienced this happen in practice with them. Today I'm 19.6, so with my weight verification video tomorrow, I'm panicking a bit. The only thing I can think to do is eat carbs today! I'm not looking to deceive them in any way, so will maybe try booking another maintenance consult to talk through options which don't involve coming off. I'd be happy to go below 2.5 but would prefer to be open and honest about that.

@ThirdStorm Yes i feel great too, full of energy, strong, healthy which is why this damned weight loss is so annoying. In 8 months of maintenance, I've never managed to get it stable and at such a low weight, even just a lb or 2 loss a month has really added up.

I’ve been back up to 10mg for 3wks now and the weight still isn’t reducing and I’m hungry all the time 😣
The need for chocolate has unfortunately come back with a vengeance over the last few weeks too and I’ve eaten a whole pack of biscuits in less than 24hrs. It’s as if the jab just isn’t working anymore.

Oh god that’s awful. Maybe try switching to Wegovy if it carries on?
that said less than 24 hours isn’t that bad. Back in the day I’d have a pack in a few minutes.