Continuing Mounjaro... Part 24

[Jimmyneutronsforehead]

Pointers for newbies:
Please note: Mounjaro will only be be prescribed initially if your BMI is above 30. If you have additional health conditions you can get the medication with a BMI 27. (Prediabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart problems)
Mumsnet does not allow promo codes. Please do not post any. If you want one, ask and someone will PM you a code or there are now threads on the promo page that have codes for Mounjaro link below:
Promo codes :
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/promo-codes-bargains
For all threads so far, pointers for newbies, weightloss tracker, links to discount codes, tips and tricks and high protein recipes.
Site with all the info :
https://wattnext.notion.site/e880d9342b7a4bab94c244b34e0e5841?v=cc1edc3f1c2b41dab3011c8d9063df0a
Miss Mounjaro UK has the most up to date price comparison charts: https://www.missmounjarouk.com/

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THEIR GOALS WHETHER THEY WERE SMALL GOALS OR BIG GOALS!

Health and safety information regarding the medication:

Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro® (tirzepatide), outlines several potential side effects associated with its use. Common side effects include:
- Nausea
Diarrhea
Decreased appetite
Vomiting
Constipation
Indigestion (dyspepsia)
Stomach (abdominal) pain
These gastrointestinal symptoms are typically mild to moderate and often diminish over time as the body adjusts to the medication.
However, Mounjaro may also cause serious side effects, such as:
- Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis): Seek immediate medical attention if you experience severe, persistent abdominal pain that may radiate to the back, with or without vomiting. - I want to personally add that not all pancreatic pain radiates to the back and can present a-typically in that it can just be present on the front or be hard to locate the source of pain.
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): The risk increases when Mounjaro is used in combination with other medications that can cause hypoglycemia, such as sulfonylureas or insulin. Symptoms may include dizziness, sweating, confusion, headache, blurred vision, shakiness, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, irritability, hunger, weakness, and feeling jittery.
- Serious allergic reactions: Discontinue use and seek immediate medical help if you experience symptoms like swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting; or rapid heartbeat.
- Kidney problems (kidney failure): Dehydration resulting from nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea can worsen kidney issues. It's important to maintain adequate fluid intake to reduce this risk.
- Severe stomach problems: Inform your healthcare provider if you experience severe or persistent stomach issues.
- Changes in vision: Report any vision changes during treatment to your healthcare provider.
- Gallbladder problems: Symptoms may include pain in the upper stomach, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), and clay-colored stools.
Eli Lilly emphasizes the importance of discussing any side effects with your healthcare provider, especially if they are bothersome or persistent. They also advise reporting side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or via the FDA MedWatch website.
For comprehensive information, refer to the Mounjaro prescribing information provided by Eli Lilly.

Please all remember that we aren't medical professionals and so if you do have questions about side effects it is important that you contact your supplier, as well as 111 or your GP as soon as possible.

Another side effect is hair loss, this is normal for anybody new to this discussion. I hope I can put your mind at ease. Our hair goes through 2 phases, the anagen stage, where it is active growth, and the telogen stage where the growth stops. Whenever your body is in a deficit, and is finding it's new equillibrium, your hair is likely to go into a telogen stage, and so an increased amount of hair shedding is to be expected.

Things that can help are making sure that your hair is nourished, and that you're using the right type of hairbrush for your hair so you aren't causing more breakage which then gives the appearance of more significant hair loss, as well as really making sure you're hitting your protein goals for the day.

Protein isn't the only important thing you need to focus on. You need fibre. Natural sources of fibre are going to be best as in vegetables and fruits, but if you have to supplement that's also fine. Fibre intake is important for bowel movement regulation, as Mounjaro does slow down the digestive system.

Lastly, make sure you're getting in enough liquid. It's very easy to dismiss thirst if your appetite is suppressed. It will stave off a lot of the headaches that are common with Mounjaro, keep you feeling your best, and will also help with any constipation you may be having.

Happy thread 24 everybody, and the first thread of 2025 in this series. It's wonderful having you all, and I can't wait to see what this month brings us all.

@Jimmyneutronsforehead that sounds frustrating. I've been thinking about the future post-MJ as it starts to seem real that one day I might actually be a healthy weight. I'm almost 56 and have been obese since I was about 27. If I'm honest I can see myself gaining back everything I've lost in a few weeks as and when i stop. Dp has noticed how much less we are spending on food, which is frankly a really significant amount - very telling, because i absolutely love food and normally eat well, just far too much. I don't want to regain and I'm thinking about more positive plans, but the fact is that this is a medication. I don't feel virtuous for losing weight (pleased but not virtuous) and I will be unhappy if I regain, but it won't be a terrible failure unless I think of it that way.

I'm really struck all over again, especially since the smell of fatty or sugary food makes me feel sick on MJ, by just how easy it is to buy about 1000 calories as a snack in this country (say a latte and croissant). And to go a few feet down the road and buy the same again. I grew up in a town where there was one tea room, and a long-established Italian restaurant. There wasnt even a chippy.There was the odd pub that did a Sunday roast but it was quite a rarity then and pubs were mainly for men on their own or some younger people going to drink. You might get a Scotch egg there. You didn't see people eating in the street, nobody thought snacking was necessary, there just weren't any coffee shops, the bakery sold a few cakes to take home. It was so different - and so much easier not to gain weight.

The problem in our house is we're overcrowded, we've a tiny kitchen, we've got a chest freezer that supports 2 households and there's not much storage space left for food or meal prepping.

Everyone else in my family has hollow legs. They can eat and eat and not gain weight and they happily subsist on high sugar high carb foods, so that's what is readily available.

That usually means that I can only buy food for me for a day or 2 at a time, I can't go shopping every day, and ordering shops for a couple of days of food at a time is expensive.

So whilst I've not been eating a terribly huge amount, like you have noticed, it's all quite high in calories, and I've been super stressed so I've not made conscious choices to care about the calories I'm eating.

I think I am going to use this pen, and order another because the chances of being offered mounjaro compared to ozempic are quite low. My blood pressure was fine and I've not had a call about my cholesterol, so assume that is now also fine, so I don't think I qualify for mounjaro on the NHS, and I've got to do what's best for me.

But starting today I'm going to be doing weekly weighs again, and regular updates, as well as tracking my calories again.

@InspectorGidget sorry about thur step dad

@GlueNoGlue you look amazing and over 7.5s. Wow

@QueenOfHiraeth overweight is great. Another bracket into

sorry struggling with 15. I’m on my 2nd pen of 15 and no issues

@Jimmyneutronsforehead sorry you have gained

@Paperwhite13 over 100lbs is such an achievement

I’ve hit 5s. 5s and 1lb

was 17.4 - bmi 37.9
now 12.3 - bmi 26.78

still have another st+ to lose

Wow @Blondeshavemorefun that's fantastic! Congratulations! 🎉

It is really heartening to see your success stories.
I'm just about to start 7.5mg. (it arrived 5 mins ago)
2 months and I've not lost anything at all!!!! I'm hoping this dose helps as I am desperate and this was my last hope (5 stone to lose) 😔😔😔

@Jimmyneutronsforehead Sorry you are having such a hard time. Try not to worry about the benefits thing, I know it must be hard but I'm assuming the changes will hit those claiming spuriously rather than those who genuinely need them I read somewhere that a good way to improve diet is to add more healthy stuff in rather than totally change so have started buying those frozen SteamFresh veg on the recommendation of someone here. Would that help you? If I don't have a proper healthy meal planned I can just take the best bits and add veg
@Elboob Have you followed all the guidance about calorie deficit, etc? There's some useful info at the start of this thread. Good luck

Good luck @Elboob. I only really started losing (I think on 7.5) when I accepted that my calorie target level was simply too high. I only had to drop it 200 calories, and to start to focus on a basic 10k steps plan, and things started shifting. Initially I was happy just to stop gaining, but yes at this price you do want to actually lose...

Thank you @JoyousSwan

Please excuse me copying my post from another thread but may be helpful. There have been rumblings of shortages of 12.5mg and 15mg looming for a while and it does seem like it is starting to bite now.
The thought is that maybe Lilly switched production over to low doses to cope with the post-Xmas demand but, by yesterday, about 10% of suppliers were out of stock of those higher doses and they don't all update their stock openly so it may be more widespread.
I saw some posts on FB complaining that Oushk were out and had accepted orders as they had been told a delivery would come in this week but it didn't. They are now saying 2nd April but no idea if that is guaranteed.
I'm sure I read somewhere it may take a while to resolve so it may be worth ordering sooner rather than later if you may be affected.

@Blondeshavemorefun You look amazing! Well done!

Afternoon all. Hope you're all looking forward to some sunny weather at the end of next week, that's what's in our forecast.

Doctor said it could be weeks to months before oviva get back to me so I ordered another pen and decided to use up my last one.

It's so noticeable but almost overnight all the aches and pains I get in my feet seem to just disappear when I'm on mounjaro compared to not.

I am looking forward to the good weather though because we have a lot of Mediterranean style salads and grilled meats outdoors when the weather is nice and I just overall feel healthier except this is the first spring/summer I'll be on mounjaro too.

It's given me the kick I need to finally get the garden looking nice so I can enjoy good healthy food in a good garden for the good weather so feeling very motivated right now.

That's a great idea @Jimmyneutronsforehead, I need to get our garden sorted too.
One of my favourite things, when the weather is nice, is to take my first cup of tea in the morning outside and drink it in the garden. Starts the day off well.

Last year I had to dig up this beautiful giant silver cardoon it had 30 blossoms on it last summer and I loved nothing more than sitting watching all manner of bees come and nestle into the blossoms.

Someone on a gardening thread said that because the flowers point upwards the water and nectar ferment so the bees get drunk on it, and I can totally believe it because some would bumble off clumsily and others would just hunker down for a nap.

Sadly it was planted too close to our conservatory foundations and was putting out pups like crazy so it had to go but I've sowed some globe artichoke seeds in pots this year so I'm hoping that by next year the drunk bees will be back.

Had a trip to b&m as we're in need of a new bbq, and our last b&m bargain has done us amazingly.

Salad leaves are already growing, so I'll have fresh greens growing all summer long which is a lifesaver because I don't have to rely on fridge space.

Hello everyone. I have been on these threads since very early on, but haven't posted for ages. I'm just feeling a little bit flat today, and wanted to talk to everyone.

Started last June, lost 4 stone and a bit. BMI now 29ish, so could do with losing more, but it's very slow now. I've accidentally got ahead with my pens at some point, so need to order another one to keep to the ordering window, despite having one and a half pens of 12.5 in the fridge. I don't know whether I'll want another 12.5 or to move up to 15 at that point, but I've got to decide now. And, to make it more complicated, the 15 is out of stock at IQ pharmacy too! Is anyone else affected by stock shortages?

I'm so worried about maintenance. I don't want to stay on it indefinitely, and my plan was to come off it and then go back on if my weight rose above 27 BMI again (I have high blood pressure). But I keep reading about the medicine not working as well the second time round, so maybe this won't work? Has anyone tried it?

Sorry for the braindump and thank you if you read this far. It's just been so positive while losing, and now the reality of maintenance is terrifying.

@Porlocks I went all the way up to 15mg to reach my goal weight in November. I then slowly tapered down and now just have either 2.5mg or 5mg every 9 days or so. I’ve got a couple of doses left and will then probably stop completely (although I am with Oushk on one of their maintenance plans so that’s peace of mind)

Like you, maintenance was initially scary. We’ve put so much effort (and money) into losing this weight that the future is bound to cause anxiety. I completely understand and appreciate your concern.

Once I’d reached my goal weight I set myself a ‘weight window’ of 5 pounds. I’ve stayed within this range since November, including over Christmas and a holiday in Las Vegas earlier this month.

I also go to the gym 3 times a week - 30 minutes cardio and 30 minutes resistance training. On top of that I also walk a lot.

My eating habits are superb in relation to pre MJ - realistic portion sizes, plenty of protein, salad, fruit and vegetables but I also enjoy treats. I think using MJ for almost a year now has really given me the tools I need (especially mentally) to stay at my healthy weight and never, ever, ever regain. EVER!

There are so many supportive people on these threads - keep reaching out x

@Porlocks Sorry you are feeling stressed with it, it is a mental minefield!
There's a few companies out of stock of 12.5 and/or 15 so good that you have some in hand.
I only read recently about the medication sometimes not working as well second time around but it seems there is no real evidence or explanation of this, just some reporting from some patients. There is a maintenance thread on here somewhere, folk on there may have some thoughts.
You and I are at a similar point, I am BMI 30 but don't want to go too much further as I am older and already look like a deflated, wrinkly balloon! Main difference is that I don't mind continuing it if I need to as it may have good effects on heart health which is a risk for me.

There was an article in the Mail recently about someone who had been on Ozempic, stopped due to shortages, regained weight, started Wegovy, stopped at goal then regained again. She was now approaching goal on MJ and had been advised to figure what was her best/favourite dose, where she had felt best or lost most weight. She was advised to reduce her MJ dose monthly until she reached half that dose and then stay there for 3-6months while increasing her calories by 200 a day each week until her weight was stable then decide whether to reduce further or stop. Her provider suggested people rebound when they stop too quickly and doing a very slow withdrawal lets the body adjust itself.
I don't think there is any real evidence either way, we are all one big experiment!

Thank you for such a helpful reply. Can I ask which maintenance plan you are on with Oushk please? I keep looking at them, but I suppose it might be more difficult to switch now my BMI is slightly better below 30?
Your positivity is really inspiring - thank you!

Thank you so much for this! Mental minefield is exactly right. It was easier at the beginning to just not think about it, but I've got a few more months on it, at least. I suppose I don't feel I can stay on it long term because I feel guilty about the money which could be spent on other things, but my BMI was 40 when I started and it was really impacting my health. The investment in my wellbeing is definitely worth it, but I can't shake the guilt somehow!

I'll look for that article now - it sounds really interesting, thank you!

Hi everyone. I've not posted much lately but nice to see you are all doing well.

I've officially been cut off by MedExpress. My BMI is 23.4 and I wanted to keep on for the last couple of pounds and some time on maintenance. So annoying. Hopefully I can find another provider.

That’s annoying @BellaCriesAndThatsAlright! I moved to Oushk when my BMI was around 23 and didn’t have any issues, just had to send photos of my previous order.

I'm glad to hear that as I've just put an order in with oushk 😀

Did they want to speak to you at all?

@Porlocks I’m on the Taper Plan with Oushk. I had previously ordered with them and made an appointment with them for maintenance (I think this cost £5)
The video consultation lasted about 7 minutes. I was then immediately sent an email containing 3 codes for future purchases - 15% off each pen and free P&P

Another thing that constantly motivates and inspires me is opening my wardrobe, looking at the lovely new clothes that I’ve bought (I sold 90% of my pre-MJ clothes on Vinted) and feeling so happy and confident about myself.

Keep going, have faith in yourself and you’ll get there x

@BellaCriesAndThatsAlright. Nope, didn’t need to speak with me but I did have to send photos I believe. This was before the recent ‘crack down’ on providers though… idk if it would change anything.

Once I was nearing my maintenance weight I did have a video call for a maintenance plan which was around 5/10 minutes which was also approved.

I find they’re quite quick to approve orders so hopefully you’ll be accepted soon.

Thanks. The consultation asked for a full photo of me, ID and a photo of the label on my previous box. I sent it all to hopefully they have enough. I like that you can choose the delivery date.