Thinking of injections and overwhelmed

[Fatmumslim01]

Hi all

I'm thinking of trying the injections, probably mounjaro as it seems very popular on here.

So many questions!

I'm scared of the side effects, I'm worried about the cost, I'm sad that it's come this stage, but equally I'm excited to be slimmer.

Ive tried slimming world with success a few years ago pre COVID but now I dont "have space in my head" for sw and all the rules and having to cook different meals for me and the kids, we tried family sw meals it didn't work.

GP previously prescribed me otlistat but I was too scared to take it due to the side effects. Im hoping mounjaro will be better.

I eat well and healthy but it's all the crap I eat on top aswell. Typical regular healthy meals but I also eat far too many sweets and biscuits crisps and cakes 🙄

I had photos taken the other day and I was absolutely shocked, I actually cried, I didn't think I looked that big.

I'm 5 foot, last weight a few months ago was 14.7 so I think my BMI is around 39-40. Pre covud it was 29 😱 I have permanent lower back ache, my stomach looks like I've just given birth like a deflated pregnancy bump. I can't get up the stairs without half pulling myself up on the bannister and stopping for breath at the top.

Any advice?

You don't have to commit to taking Mounjaro long term, you can try it and see how you get on.

People seem to really stress about side effects but they are usually mild and short lasting. I've been taking it for 34 weeks now and only had two instances of gastric upset and it wasn't long lasting or unmanageable.

The cost can be offset by a reduction in spending on food, whether that's in your regular shop or on all the extras that you mention. It's also an investment in your health which is worth prioritising.

I found it overwhelming at first, think because everyone is banging on about codes all of the time, so I deliberately avoided medexpress or whatever it's called.

I chose chemist4u as it seemed less pressuring. I'm on week seven and I stayed at the smallest dose and I've had no side effects at all.

What it's done for me is take the edge of my appetite. My dh just said to me as I am writing this post 'do you want a KitKat with your tea' and I thought 'what's he talking about...why would I want a KitKat at quarter past one.' Before I'd have had it without even realising I was having it.

I haven't worked out the costs but people say that it pays for itself because you aren't eating a load of crap all the time.

I was thinking of going with boots or Asda as I feel they are trusted pharmacies, and with boots you get points. But they seem more expensive than online pharmacies

I’ve been on Mounjaro for 4 months and I’ve lost 2 and a half stone. I’ve stayed on the lowest dose, 2.5mg, which has been enough to help me lose about 2lb a week. I don’t want to lose weight any quicker. I have had no side effects whatsoever.

Lots of people seem to feel the need to keep increasing their dose, but low doses work for many people and obviously reduce the risk of side effects (and the cost).

My prescription is mostly paid for by the saving in food costs.

All i can say is- weve all been feeling like you before taking it. All the what ifs it goes wrong but what if it works and you get no side effects. You could be a stone or two down by July! Go for it. This could be the one thing that massively benefits your health/future

Yes, that's exactly what I thought! And there is the advantage that you can collect it. Asda isn't that much more expensive I don't think. There's a chart somewhere.

I went with Asda initially, and used a referral code to get a discount. But they use a company called Zava to actually deliver the consultation and medication, so I swapped to ordering direct with Zava. They are always cheaper than Asda and also have a new customer referral scheme. They also usually have a discount for existing customers, which is why I've continued with them so far.

Boots just seem expensive for no reason, unless the points are worth it for you. I don't regularly shop in Boots so it wouldn't be useful for me.

Have you seen the price comparison site Monj.co.uk ? It's useful to see where companies sit in relation to each other price-wise.

I think @NotebookAndPen hit all the nails on their heads.

You can try it for a month. You might get a bit of constipation, but if you take fibre supplements and avoid fried food, you’ll probably be totally fine.

I felt a lot of emotions starting. One of them was how painful it was to admit to myself that I really wanted to lose weight. Suddenly it was within reach and that felt terrifying.

I started in Dec and am nearly 2.5 stone down. I look and feel so much better. I will take a low dose of this medicine forever or for as long as I possibly can.

Oh @NotebookAndPen I thought you had to increase the dose each month? Do you not need to? 2 pound a week sounds ideal and sensible.

Id love to be able to run around with my children. When we go the park my little ones run off with daddy and I'm trailing behind as I can't run 😞

We swim alot as a family as I can do that and I regularly swim (on my own). My back stops aching in the pool and I think imagine if that was the case permanently. If I lift my stomach up my back pain stops 😭

I got my first pens from Asda as I could pick my prescription up with the shopping and chat to the pharmacist. It felt safer and like the PP I also avoided Medexpress as I didnt want to be chasing discounts online.

No regrets.

Im 23lbs down in 3 months and have had no bad side effects so far. Ive worked out it costs me £32 a week and I save that on the weekly shop alone as Im buying far less "treats".

Try it for a month. See how it works for you.

I have stayed on 2.5mg for around 4 months too, you don't have to increase if you are happy with 2.5mg. I have never had any side effects either, I eat very clean though.

The dose totally depends on what works for you. I started 2.5 and then went up to 5 after a month as advised. That killed my appetite completely and I am struggling to eat enough, I literally feel like food is irrelevant, which is obviously not healthy. I also lost weight scarily fast (up to 2kg a week over the past month) without trying. I think i am going to try 3.75 for a bit and see. You can easily just adjust the dose downwards if you want to, to suit your body and goals.

I understand your concerns but you need to remember you are totally in control of it. Try it if you don't like it stop. You definitely don't have to go up each month in fact the longer you stay on each dose the better as eventually each dose stops working.
I've taken it since the end of August.
I've lost a pound shy of 4 stone and I'm very nearly at target.
I dont have any negative symptoms now. At the start I would have some mild queasiness usually the day after injecting but completely manageable. A bit of constipation and sometimes a bit tired but to be honest I couldn't definitely say the tiredness is due to the jab.

It's been a game changer so much so dh is now using it. He is 2.5 stone down since the start of jan although the weight loss has understandable slowed now.

@Fatmumslim01 all of the pharmacies on monj.co.uk are registered pharmacies and safe to use and there are many cheaper than Asda and Boots and just as reliable.

I find most basic questions are covered in the patient leaflets and if not you can get answers to and a quicker response on MN - how to use pen, needles, doses, when to move up etc and you will quickly become more informed. More medical questions you can speak to your local pharmacist who can prescribe to you - such as managing common side effects like nausea, D&V, sulphur burps (if you get them, not all do). You only really need to be able to contact your Mounjaro provider for uncommon Mounjaro specific issues - which for most people with straight forward medical histories isn't often.

@Fatmumslim01 no, you don’t need to increase your dose each month although I think a lot of the suppliers push this as the expected process. I use MedExpress who did suggest increasing but when I reorder I just stay at the same and they are fine with that.

I really don’t understand why increasing doses is pushed so much. You have to order your next dose a few weeks after starting the one before so haven’t really had time to see the effect and whether it’s enough. My thinking is that a lower dose should also be easier to wean off when I get to my target weight (but that’s all a bit of an unknown quantity isn’t it, and I would consider continuing on a low dose for maintenance if necessary).

I’m another whose DH has joined me having seen how successful it is for me. He’s also staying on 2.5mg and losing as quickly as he wants to, and no side effects.

It's not so much that increasing your dose is pushed, more that it's the expected and researched dosage schedule. And the research shows that people on average lost the most amount of weight at the highest dose of 15mg. They also have data on the average weight lost at 10mg and 5mg. But all the providers should make it clear that you can stay on a dose or move down if you want to.

Thanks all

I also have under active thyroid but I'm in medication and it's stable at the moment.

Do I need to get my GP approval before I order the injections?

@Fatmumslim01 no need to get GP approval before ordering. They can't anyway as they aren't the ones prescribing. You declare everything on the online consultation form and then the online provider makes a decision after reviewing the order. Most will then notify your GP by sending them a letter, or by generating a letter that you can download and send to your GP. All that means is that the prescription is then included on your NHS record. If you have the NHS app you can see it listed in the section "Your GP health record", shown there with any other prescriptions that you have.

There was a short thread a while back about taking Mounjaro with an underactive thyroid you may find of interest

If it helps I am having all the same feelings as you. I’ve had enough, so want to be slimmer which is only going to happen if I turn off this food noise.

im also terrified of side effects too, was supposed to start last night but put it off until tomorrow night as i was so anxious

the way I’m looking at it, is I try it for a month and see. I can always stop after that if it’s not for me, but unless I try I’ll never know.

Good luck in deciding, join the March group if you do decide to go for it x