Scared to start … Mounjaro fears?

[mefornow]

Hi,

Ive looked so many times at Mounjaro and want to start injections as I’ve failed with any other weight loss (slimfast, weight watchers, slimming world, oviva, over the counter weight loss supplements) but I’m scared to try Mounjaro for fear of side effects. Can anyone reassure me so I can take the plunge?
my weight has gradually gone up and up until I now sit at 16stones (5ft6) and appalled with myself but can’t seem to stop getting fatter!

help

You might get side effects. Usually they are manageable and not severe if you do get them. The most common side effects are gastric, so feeling nauseous, constipation or D/V. Manageable with OTC treatments or small adjustments to diet, drinking more water and so on.

Can I ask why those kinds of possible side effects would stop you even from trying it out to see how you go?

You might get side effects, you might not! You won’t know until you try it. My biggest one has been tiredness. I’ve had one rough day due to delayed gastric emptying, apart from that it’s been fine.

Those wouldn’t stop me I don’t think. I guess I’m just worried about anything more severe and still kind of beating myself up for not getting it under control myself 😟

Go for it. You won't know how you'll get on until you try but I don't regret it for one moment.

You'll get lots of support on here. When you do start join the thread for the month of new starters, it's so good to talk to others at the same stage as you.

I started in May 2024 and have lost 5 and a half stone.

What’s worse….

Maybe having side effects
or
gaining more weight, self loathing, feeling guilty, clothes too tight, aching joints, unfit, high blood pressure, not sleeping, people judging you, low self esteem and no confidence.

It’s a no brainer, you have nothing to lose apart from fat, weight and inches.

You can do this💪

The more severe side effects are very rare, you'd be exceedingly unlucky to get something like pancreatitis or similar. You've got to factor the very small risk of serious side effects against the actual increased risks to your health of remaining obese. Those are happening to your body right now. Losing weight will reduce those risks and Mounjaro is a tool to help you achieve that.

There's no point beating yourself up for not being able to lose weight via other means. There are many reasons for that, and despite what society (and some goady posters) likes to suggest, "lack of willpower" is not the issue. If it was that easy to lose weight then there would not be such a large percentage of the UK population who are obese.

If the risk of side effects was greater than the risks of being overweight then the medication would not have been approved for weight loss.

Some side effects are to do with rapid weight loss so you can mitigate these by aiming for healthy sustainable weightloss of 1-2lb each week. You might lose more at first as if it is the start of a diet you tend to lose water weight also.

To help avoid gastric issues avoid greasy food and overeating - in the sense of continuing to eat when you know that you are full. I've found that out from experience!

Good luck!

Thanks all. Any recommendations on best place to get them? Would feel so much happier if there was a way to source via gp… think buying meds online also makes me nervous as it makes me feel like I’m doing something dodgy lol!

Im in the same boat as you @mefornow and scared! But I’ve decided to go for it. I’m on holiday, and am going to order when I get home. I‘m going to go slow and steady, eat well, and keep up my exercise. Hoping it will help with wine cravings too

There is a low risk of some severe side effects. But that's the case with any medication. I'm one of the unlucky few who had a pulmonary embolism from the pill, but I still think the pill is incredible, ground breaking, life changing medication.
On the flip there is also a higher risk of side effects of the obesity itself. Higher risk of cancers, heart and circulation issues, type 2 diabetes - those are your current risks at a BMI of 36.
My BMI was 43 when I stated on mounjaro and is now 38. I'd been thinking about the jabs for a while but it was needle squeamishness that mainly put me off. It was only when I looked honestly at what my risks had become and how much I might be shortening my life that on balance any risks from the jab were worth it.

Look at https://monj.co.uk/discount-mounjaro-price-list/ for a list of GPhC registered providers. Big names like Asda, Boots, Superdrug, LLoyds, Ashcroft, Morrisons, amongst lots of other popular but less well known suppliers. Online prescriptions are a normal part of the UK model of healthcare, you can get lots of different medications and services from these kinds of suppliers, nothing dodgy about it at all.

I have only had side effects when I eat poorly, especially fatty foods. Apart from that it's been fine and I'm really glad I started. I use medexpress and they are very professional and are fully regulated. Get a discount code from the discount code thread. Good luck.

Also, you don't have to increase your dose as normally set out. I'm still on 5mg dose after 3 months and still averaging a pound a week. So you can really pace yourself.

I want to start too but feel worried about the unknown long term impact

You really need to compare the risk of taking no action. Steadily increasing weight. The impact that will have on your heart, your joints, your poor body.

I have felt cold, tired, and been constipated. Really bearable and treatable side effects compared to the alternative.

The medication (Mounjaro) has been developed and in use for years now, and the type of medication (GLP-1s) have been developed and in use for decades. There has not yet been any unexpected long term side effects of taking these drugs.

The long term effects of being obese are well known. If other means of losing weight have not been effective then using Mounjaro is a reasonable next step.

Do give it a go,I have just finished my fourth week. I was also 16 stone 5ft 5” tall.
The first time I injected myself I was anxious but it isn’t particularly uncomfortable, the area afterwards is slightly sore, I do my jab before bed which works for me. The next day I have slight nausea but this doesn’t last I have developed constipation but this is solved by eating natural yogurt and prunes for breakfast!

I spent most of last year telling my son I wouldn’t try the injections due to the risk of side effects, even though he read the research and was telling me how rare the serious ones are. I did my own research over Christmas and decided to give it a go and I’m so pleased I did. With a BMI of 53, I had side effects from being so overweight which would most likely cause a premature death. I was shaking and feeling so anxious doing my first injection (which doesn’t hurt) but I’ve had hardly any side effects. Cold and tired for 2 days post injection and reduced inflammation (which is a welcome effect!). And I’ve lost a stone in 6 weeks without difficulty. My advice is try it, if after a few weeks you decide it’s not for you, don’t continue. Everyone is different and has different side effects but mostly minor from what I’ve read.

Ok. Have just placed an order. Slightly terrified, not of the injections. I’ve done IVF so can definitely do the injections, just worried about side effects but if I don’t try I’ll never know I guess. Fingers crossed this works

I'm the same as you OP, I really need to do it but scared to take the plunge! But I need to..

One question I am hoping someone can answer.. what happens if you miss a couple of weeks of injection? I am going on holiday in April and really don't want to take the medication half way across the world with me.

I don't mind if I put weight back on during that period, what I mean is, does stopping the medicine cause any horrendous side effects/going to make me seriously ill?

I keep saying 'oh I shall wait until that holiday is over' but then I just know I will find another excuse. I need to get on with it now.

@SeaBaseAlpha if you decide to stop taking the medication for two weeks nothing terrible will happen at all. The amount of medication in your system simply falls lower and lower. It's not going to make you seriously ill.

But, plenty of people take it on holiday with them, and continue to take it. Just as you'd do with any other prescription medication that you take. I started in July last year and didn't take a break from the medication for a summer holiday. I didn't want to miss out on a week or two's worth of weight loss. Having been on Mounjaro for 7 months plus now it's my new normal and I wouldn't think of stopping taking it for non-medical reasons.

Thank you!

Join me…. Be nice to have someone for support

I'm on week three. My side effects have been occasional sulphur burps, remedied by taking peppermint capsules. I am also ridiculously thirsty so drinking at least 3ltrs of water a day. As a consequence my skin looks amazing!

I've been on it 4 months, no side effects at all!