Newbie and nervous - help?!

[taylorswift1989]

My first order of Mounjaro arrives tomorrow. I'm super nervous about taking it. Worried about side effects. Worried it won't work at all. Not sure if I should start immediately or wait until after the weekend. Worried about where and how to inject, if I'll need to get more needles, how to store it... Just a bundle of nerves really.

Could anyone give me a bit of advice/reassurance please? What do I need to know and what should I be looking out for?

The package comes with a good patient information sheet, please read it and read read it if necessary as it gives detailed instructions and images. There are also many videos on YouTube on how to inject. Depending on where you got it from, it may have needles and swabs so you shouldn't need to buy anything extra.

Please try not to worry about anything, you sound like you are assuming the worst but having a positive mental attitude can really help coping with anything unexpected that may arise.
The drug doesn't reach peak levels for up to 3 days, for me it's usually inject on a Saturday and I feel it Monday.

Some people find they are more sensitive to some foods and have food for through them. Common triggers are heavy carbs like pasta, pizza and bread, fatty fried foods, red meat, alcohol, spicy food. For me I've had food dumping I.e. rushing to the loo twice in 5 months, both was with fatty processed meat, half a meatball pizza and a beef burger. Other than that I'm on 10mg and mainly feel cold, which is also common.

I'd advise eating little and often, focus on protein and reduce carbs, drink plenty of water to avoid water retention and constipation as well as severe conditions like kidney disease which is usually caused by severe dehydration. Try to calculate your TDEE and calorie deficit and stay within it.

If you type in Mounjaro newbie in the search bar there are loads of threads to read with lots of advice. The “continuing threads” are good to have a read through too.

Taking it on a Friday is a decent plan, it takes between 8 and 72 hours to reach a peak in your system, so that should be over the weekend. You likely won't get side effects immediately, or mild ones if you do.

When you get the package, check that you've got the medication - it comes in a cardboard box with just the injection pen inside. Check it's the 2.5mg dose and is in date according to the expiry date printed on the pen - it will be, but I always like to double check. Then read the two paper leaflets that come with it. One is about the medication itself, the other is about how to use the pen. Nearly all your questions will be answered by those.

Also check that you have the separate needles, they are quite small and easily missed as they are not in the cardboard box with the pen. Most pharmacies also supply alcohol wipes, needed to clean the end of the injection pen before attaching a needle. If the pharmacy didn't supply any you can buy some online eg from Amazon. They should also have sent you a sharps box. If they didn't, you can also order one from Amazon. Small ones are only a few pounds.

When you decide to inject, get everything you need laid out, and follow the instructions in the paper leaflet step by step. If you are unsure about a step, you can always ask a question on here. I always inject into my stomach, lots of flab to choose from and easy to reach. Some people prefer using their thighs, you can also inject into your upper arm but given where you are supposed to inject it can mean getting another person to do it for you. The paper leaflet has diagrams showing you where you can inject. The needles are so short (4mm) that you are in no danger of hitting anything other than subcutaneous fat.

You don't need to worry about extra needles at the moment, the pharmacy should send you at least 4. The leaflets will explain about storage, but once you have started using a pen, it can be stored at room temp or in the fridge, the choice is yours. But you then have 30 days to use it, which should be plenty of time for the 4 injections even if you have to delay one. Unused pens must be kept in the fridge.

That's really helpful advice - thank you so much!

I've been reading through lots of threads here but it's honestly so helpful to have it all set out so clearly. Thank you so much!