Mounjaro, 10st or more to lose, thread two

[Iwouldratherbesinging]

Starting a new friendly and supportive thread, we’re almost full on the last one.
original thread is here https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5226758-mounjaro-10st-or-more-to-lose

Hope it's ok to jump on board - I've read all of the previous thread and think it's great to be able to share experience with those who 'get' the challenge of a lot to lose.

I started MJ at the beginning of January after thinking about it for such a long time - I'm only annoyed I waited so long as it seems to actually work, the first of about 20 attempts to do something about my weight that has done!

I started pen 3 today, having decided to stay on a 5mg dose as it seems to be working and the side effects are not too bad. I've decided to weigh at the end of each pen only, hoping I'll stop second guessing if it works or not - we'll see if I stick to that!

SW: 136.6kg
GW: 62.6kg

Pen 1: Down 10.1kg
Pen 2: Down 6kg

CW: 120.5kg

Posting to get onto this thread - so far 3 1/2 stone lost, down from a size 28/30 to a size 22/24 depending on the amount of lycra in stuff.

@mamabeeboo I totally agree with what you have said, it’s the same for me, I’ve tried countless ways, some detrimental to my health, but MJ still feels like a bit of a dream and I have nightmares that I’m going to wake up and it’s stopped working. I’ve never known ‘slim’.

Playing devils advocate though, we have never known any different so it’s fat or nothing, I suppose for people who have always been slim to then gain weight and the baggage that comes along with it may be a bit of a shock to the system, which is I think, what you are also saying.

l’m really sad for my younger self though, how different would things have been had this been around 20, 30 years ago. I wouldn’t want to live my adult life (child and teenager is a whole other story) any differently, just thinner…
Im very much looking forward to the future, we have exciting plans that will be so much easier now I’m no longer 20 stone!

Weigh day for me today… 1.8lbs off.

some stats:
highest weight was either 20.5 or 21.5 stone (I’ve blocked the memory)
started 5:2 fasting and lost 3 stone over 18 months, fell of the wagon and started MJ in October with a starting weight of 19st 2lbs.

weekly losses have been (all in lbs)
3.7, 2, 1.8, 2.2, 2.2, 2.7, 1.3, 2.6,1.8, 3.5, 1.3, 1.1, 2, 2.2, 2.7, 2.2, 1.7, 2.5, 2.4, 1, 1.8.
total so far 3st 1.9 lbs
current weight 16.02 (waving at you 15s!)

I’ve read so many “the bigger you are the quicker you lose weight” “people that are having huge losses are morbidly obese” quotes recently, I find them quite annoying. So for those of you just starting this journey, the smaller (sensible) losses soon add up and you can start to see that light shining at the end of the long tunnel.
My one regret is that I didn’t start it sooner. ❤️

Well done!

I'm waving at 15 too, currently 16st 1oz.

My next weigh day is on Thursday, as of this morning I'd only lost 200grams since last Thursday. I'm not expecting a big loss this week! I know I shouldn't weigh e every day but I can't help it!

I'm really trying not to weigh every day. I used to but about 6 years ago I said 'no more' to dieting and said I'd never diet again. Yes. Well. That's another story!

But I am desperate for that loss, and weighing every day is really hard not to do! Chasing those feel-good hormone hits innit!!

I might be able to stop doing daily weigh once I'm past the first week...

ANYWAY! I made a really good quesadilla this evening. I've stayed under my 1500ish a day and it was yum!

joining In. I had 11 stone to lose. Now have 10. I did 4 weeks at 2.5 and while it definitely worked I did have some nasty side effects week 2 and 4. I took a weeks break while we were on holiday as I didn't want to be ill on holiday. Im back on week 5 of 2.5 and haven't had any side effects and decent suppression.

Im setting myself small goals. It's my birthday in April and I'm hoping to be 2 stone down by then.

I am really hoping the side effects don't come back with a revenge because in terms of weight loss this is working really well.

Good luck everyone.

New thread, how exciting! I started early January at 22 stone, currently 20st 12lb, definitely slow and steady here. I’m on week 3 of 5mg and am finally getting some side effects, I can tell my bowel has slowed down and I’m resorting to lactulose which then gives me the runs. Hoping it’ll settle down soon.

I’m not one who’s always been fat. I was curvier than most, around a size 14/16 but in proportion. It was pregnancy in 1999 that did it for me - I could finally eat whatever I liked and not worry about getting fat, I was pregnant not fat! Or so I thought 🤦‍♀️🤣 By the time I gave birth I was 5 stone heavier, going from the 11 stone range to 16 stones. I lost some of it but then had health and pain issues, which lead to me regaining the weight. Somewhere around 18 stones I gave up, decided to be “fat and happy”. Continued gaining, odd attempts at WW, SW, failed due to binge eating and just inability to stick to a diet for long enough to lose anything more than a few lbs. And the task ahead was just too great to get my head round. My son, now 24, spent last year telling me I should try the weight loss injections but I resisted from fear of side effects. End 2024 saw me hitting 22 stones, rapidly growing out of my huge bras and 28/30 clothes and health and mobility declining, I decided to give this a try, and I’m so pleased I did. I still don’t know what weight I’m aiming for, I’ll know when I get there. It’s more important to me to get healthy and maintain my weight, even if that is higher than some of the BMI charts say (9-10 stones, I haven’t been that since I was around 13!). I think somewhere between 11 and 12 stone will be fine for me. And that’s half of my start weight, I try not to think about that otherwise the task becomes too great again. Focusing on half a stone at a time, my next target is 20st 7lb.

@TragicMuse and @Lds1 I’m another who can’t stay away from the daily morning weigh ins, but I only officially record it on a Tuesday. The fluctuations don’t bother me now. I keep telling myself to stay away from them but they look enticingly at me every morning 😆

hello @HelpMebeok, glad the side effects haven’t returned for you.

@PinkArt I hear you with the huge bras (how expensive are they!!) I just sold a few Elomi bras on Vinted and they were snapped up! Annoyingly I spent a small fortune on Snag knickers last year, they are so comfy, I have about 12 pairs and they are now all too big, it’s quite bittersweet, second hand pants anyone? 😂 seems such a waste to throw them all!

I started MJ on Saturday night (I was at a friends for dinner that night, so decided to start when I got home after the meal!). It’s now Wednesday and have had no side effects apart from not wanting to eat a thing! I have been living on 3 protein shakes a day, lots of juice, coffee and tea. Yesterday I managed a yoghurt and apple. I’ve been pleased that my appetite is suppressed as it means the drug is working, however, this is not a sustainable way to stay well and healthy! But evey time I think of food or go into our work canteen I feel on the verge of gagging. I’m going to get some proper nutrients down me today - the thought of eating a salad doesn’t absolutely repel me, so I’ll start there.
I don’t have any weighting scales so no idea what’s going on, but I’m looking forward to fitting back into my clothes that haven’t been worn for years….
My only real concern is that I haven’t told anyone I’m doing this (I don’t want to hear everyone’s POV), so have pretended I’ve got a stomach bug, hence not eating! That’s not going to be sustainable either!

Just realised there's a new thread so reposting. It’s good reading your posts & progress. Thank you for sharing.

I am on W6 and took my 6th shot yesterday - 5mg now.

In 5 weeks I have shed just over a stone - > - 6lbs I - 3.8lb I up 0.9lbs I - 2.1lbs I - 3.6lbs - and am now 21stone 1lb.

I’m not sure why I went up one week. I daily weigh and the scales sometimes go up as well as down. I’m pretty consistent in eating protein rich meals twice a day, sometimes with a meaty snack as I eat carnivoreish. I’m just not interested in breaking my fast until after midday.

The side effects have been manageable and doing the jab has become routine. I have been a bit cold - especially in my hands. Strange as that normally doesn’t happen to me until I’ve lost 3 or 4 stone. I’ve had 2 days with very loose bowels, and often need some gaviscon. I have sometimes wanted some digestive biscuit as I’ve felt acid but not hungry. I do notice less suppression on days 6 & 7 of the week - feeling a glimmer of compulsive eating. I must avoid supermarket shops on those days as on other days I don't even think about putting sweet stuff in my basket. It's a rare strange feeling that I'm consistently not interested in chocolate, biscuits, donuts, cakes and/or ice cream.

My size 26 jeans are getting baggy - but not yet into size 24s. I want to be size 14/16 at goal. I’ve ordered some clothes from Vinted - which I hope will fit by the end of the month. I’m off on a long weekend to London for the first time post Covid, and will be catching up with friends, so don’t want to slop around in my rural clothes of fleece, jeans & a t shirt.

I’m really pleased with my results. The difference between doing mounjaro and a shakes diet is that I am not constantly thinking about when can I have the next shake. The difference with Slimming World/WeightWatchers is that I am not hoarding points for sweet treats nor eating too many SW bars.In other words, my eating isn’t disordered and compulsive.

I’m looking at the thin people I know and wondering at their life experience. How much easier to stay slim if you don’t have food noise and compulsion every day all day.

I know that I will feel so much better and be so much more mobile when I am 5 stone or more lighter - and by the next summer, I'll be at goal. I'm not sure what goal is as I have lipoedema. I know I felt good last time I was 14 stone. The top of a healthy BMI (24.9) for a 5ft 6 woman is 10 stone 8lbs. I was 12 stone when I was 18 so I doubt I'll get there! There's also the issue of loose skin. I'm in my mid 60s so don't think my skin will retract as well.

So it’s glorious spring here. I am grateful I started mounjaro and can afford it. I couldn't a year ago. I'm using SheMed as it was the lowest cost. I'm saving money when I shop - but I pay those bills with DH's card, so it doesn't cover my mounjaro bill! I haven't told him as he was ill when I started. So I'm now waiting to see when he'll notice. Being so fat, it usually take 3 or 4 stone before anyone comments.

I want to start swimming but am not yet strong enough to manage the pool ladders. I hope I will be when I shed another stone or too. I have arthritis so swimking is a good exercise that I enoy,

The weekly SheMed check in is fine - a bit of a hassle but it means I'll always remember to take my shot on the right day. I am feeling hopeful that I can sustain 10-14lbs a month through the summer and am generally more optimistic.

@SeaStoat that sounds great, really positive.

Avoiding the supermarkets only on days when you know suppression may be a bit lower may not even be a long term thing. As much as anything you may find that just breaking the habit of buying sweet treats is enough. Apparently it takes around 3 weeks to make or break a habit.

I get what you mean about skin elasticity. I'm 58 so not sure what I will look like if I get down to my goal weight. I might develop a 'mounjaro face lift' and tie all the excess skin into a topknot on the top of my head.

@SeaStoat I rang around local swimming pools until I found one with gradual steps in rather than ladders, it might be worth you doing same, depending on where you live. I found a small pool in my nearest Marriott Hotel leisure club, and it’s no more expensive than going to any other private gym. It’s about 25 mins drive, but so are most places from the village I live in. Nice and warm water, open 365 days a year and suitable for exercising/walking in. The lack of a voice saying “eat me” is amazing isn’t it?!

I'm another who would love to swim, but the public pools near me are only open for public swimming during working hours or too late for me. I am not going swimming at 9pm! No hotels with pools, and gyms are all well out of my price range these days.

So, week before last, on holiday, I missed that weeks dose as I forgot to take needles, and trying to get some from pharmacy was quite the headache.

But since coming back and restarting, the appetite suppression just hasn't been all that much. Today would normally be the way I don't think about food at all, but damn, I have that hunger. Really worried I have screwed it all up by missing a dose :(

@justteanbiscuits it's just that the amount of Mounjaro in your system has fallen lower than it has for a while because of the missed dose. It will rise back up to what you were used to. Do you have a dose plotter app? I find it helpful to be able to visualise what level of medication is in my system each day.

Re not thinking you have lost any.

I started at a size 24/26, and it took 2 stone and 3 months for me to start feeling that clothes were loser. Took 3 stone to drop 1 size, and 4 stone before anyone started commenting on it! But at just over 4 1/2 stone gone, I am a size 20 and everyone is commenting on it! It's weird as weeks when I barely lost any weight were weeks when my body shape seemed to shift and I noticed actual physical changes.

I haven't looked at anything like a dose plotter, do you have one you would recommend?

@TragicMuse There's the GLP1 plotter website which is free but I find it hard to use. https://glp1plotter.com/

There's Shotsy which is an app, there's a free version and a paid for version. I've used the free version, it was too expensive for the paid for version for me.

I'm currently using DoseDiary which is a website and mobile web app, and I have the premium version as I got a big discount on the one off cost. The free version didn't let you put custom doses in, which I needed to as I did some click counting on my first 7.5mg pen. Irritatingly they changed that so the free version does let you now, so that makes the free version more useable imo.

So I don't know which I'd recommend! They've all got pros and cons, but you could try the free versions and see what you think.

The last time I lost a lot of weight was on lighter life. I noticed then that during weeks where I lost very little, the fat on my belly would feel different, more liquid. Then the following week I would catch up with actual weight loss. It was like my body had to gear itself up.

I have realised in the last 24 hours what a piss poor relationship with food I really have. I'm on 5mg and at day 4-5 (today) the surpression starts to wear off.

The food noise is DEAFENING.

My appetite has shrunk massively, so I can go by on a lesser amount of food than before, but the constant need to snack, is crazy. It's taken me going on MJ for me to realise how abnormal it is and that what should be happening is thinking of food maybe an hour or so before the next meal when you start to feel hungry, not a constant food ringing in my head all day.

I'm around 20% of my journey but I'm really nervous about coming off the meds because honestly, I will feel so ashamed and highly embarrassed if I'm one of those who just gains it all back within a year.

@SilenceInside thanks for those links. I’ve put my stats in Dose Diary, seems to be the best. I couldn’t find an App though, only the website. It’s interesting to see how I’m at my highest point of MJ even though I’ve been taking 5mg for a few weeks, which explains why constipation has only just kicked in.

@mamabeeboo Sounds like you need to go up a dose? I haven’t had those food voices since I started. Even 2.5mg gave me silence after a day, nothing short of a miracle. I started wanting to eat “nice” food last week but was able to resist. I was having a bad week pain wise and usually would have comfort ate. Are you able to go up for your next pen?

Thanks @SilenceInside I will explore those various options!

mama - are you eating enough at meal times? I'm hoping to retrain myself to eat enough at the 3 meals that a I don't feel the urge to snack. My plan is protein at each meal and I so want to build habits I can use long term and so far I've found mounjaro is making "Intuitive eating" so much easier!! Its crazy to think this was what was missing and we just couldn't do what others were doing as our brain wasn't working like theirs was.

It was fab reading the end of the last thread and seeing people's successes and people's dreams. I really want to do rollercoasters - maybe end of august to give max time to enable me to fit! Im not even sure I'd still enjoy them I just want to join in with my kids.

I have been thinking we go camping with friends in August and I am excited to be more mobile BUT even if I keep losing at the rate I am I will still be 17 stone. It's shocking to think that's higher than most people's starting rate out there on other threads! I think on the last thread someone was talking about people who use these drugs just to get rid of a couple of stone. It's mindblowing to me too that you would for so little!

Like some others I'm sticking through the unpleasant side effects and fatigue as this is it. It has to work.

I have some exciting news to and I think you guys might be the only ones I can share itwith who will get it> For the last 4 or 5 years I've not really been able to walk more than 10mins without sitting down. Either out of breath or more often my lower legs start to ache.

IVE JUST WALKED AN HOUR. literally first time in years. And I really enjoyed it. I have been asking chatgpt as I have no idea how I am now so much more mobile. IT suggested reduced infmalation from the mounjaro and increased circulation and oxygen to muscles due to insulin regulation. I am truly amazed. I'm going to try again a short walk tomorrow but don't want to jinx it. This is truly lifechanging alraedy if this isn't a one off. I am in awe.

That's wonderful @FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden

I asked ChatGPT to make me a walking plan as I get out of breath very quickly. It's a good tool for stuff like that.