Has anyone started MJ who has existing digestive issues/reflux? Scared of them getting worse!

[redcherrybottle]

I really want to try mounjaro but I’m scared to aggravate my existing digestive issues.

i get regular bloating, heartburn and bouts of nausea - I think probably GERD or similar. Have had a prescription of lansozprazole which has reduced the symptoms.

would love to hear from others with similar symptoms.

Yes I had terrible indigestion and would often be sick prior to taking Mounjaro but all that stopped immediately afterwards. Losing 4 stone has made such a tremendous difference to my health.

Losing weight with mj has significantly improved all these things for me

Yes, I previously had a gastroscopy because I suffered from such severe heartburn and acid reflux. To be honest since starting Mounjaro I've found it much more manageable and I think that's because it's been easier to implement an actual lifestyle change - it's easier to avoid quite a few trigger foods. I still get heartburn but I can easily deal with it with a Gaviscon tablet or a bit of Pepto Bismol, whereas before I was taking Nexium pretty much daily. I think the weight loss in itself also helps.

Yes, and my symptoms improved very quickly after starting MJ.

Different digestive issues to you but mine have hugely improved with mounjaro's help. I have IBS and have had diarrhea more days than not for 15 odd years. It's almost completely stopped now.

Coeliac, which is obviously fine if you avoid gluten but I was nervous of being glutened while on MJ. It’s been largely okay. I made sure to get a LARGE stock of pepto-bismol and Immodium in before I started, though.

Wow this is so encouraging , I kept thinking it ruled me out as I would expect that I’d get terrible gastro symptoms because I have them already

This is really interesting because this is what has put me off from starting!

One thing I would add though, is that I had terrible symptoms in the first couple of weeks. It was like I was shitting explosive water. Given my history of tummy problems I thought that might mean I had to stop, but since the first couple of weeks everything has been fine.
Don't judge how things will go long term on how they go when your body is getting used to the medication.

I found that it made my indigestion worse fpr a few days after each jab. I am currently on 20mgs of omaprezole which has been prescibed by a doctor. This was pre maunjaro and has been in place for a number of years. I manage the extra symptoms with Rennies. Its a bit annoying not unmanageable.

Overall my digestive symptoms have improved while on MJ.
I was also worried about it making things worse but actually it's better - much less bloating, only one episode of mild indigestion in 6 months of MJ which is unheard of for me! I am eating much more healthily though, and am now also much slimmer (3 stone + down), so that's probably why.

I often get acid reflux and was a bit scared the MJ might make it worse. I'm only on day 3 but so far so good.

I have been on Mounjaro for 10 months and have lost 7st.

When I started I had been prescribed daily omeprazole for acid reflux for 7-8 years. I couldn't go a day without taking it without being very uncomfortable.

4-5 months into Mounjaro after about 3-4st loss I tentatively stopped and haven't taken since. Obviously that is only anecdotal, for many people it does cause GI issues and/or worsen symptoms, you won't know until you try.

With existing acid reflux try to work with Mounjaro by having smaller meals, avoid late meals, chew slowly, avoid trigger foods (for some that is fatty, spicy, fizzy, citrus, acidic foods such as tomatoes etc), drink plenty of water, etc. I think Mounjaro changing and simplifying what I wanted to eat has removed triggers, and of course the weight loss will have helped too.

As a watch out, lots of people on Mounjaro, especially facebook groups, recommend peppermint oil capsules for any GI issue. Be careful if you take them with acid reflux especially if using antacids too. The antacids can cause the peppermint oil capsule coating to dissolve in the stomach rather than where they should in the intestines. The peppermint oil then relaxes the sphincter muscle which should keep acid in the stomach, making it easier for the acid to escape leading to worsening acid reflux.

I have gut dysmotilty/IBS/gastritis and was declined MJ due to this.

Are you declaring this and if so where is still happy to prescribe? I tried Med Express. . .

Please don't take it if you shouldn't be on it.

Please don't take it if you shouldn't be on it.

Please don't take it if you shouldn't be on it.

Please don't take it if you shouldn't be on it.

I did. I have pretty bad reflux and took Guardium regularly plus Gaviscon all the time. I hated takin PPIs.

I am now almost 70lbs lighter and over the last couple of months slowly weaned myself off the PPIs (skipping 1 every 3 days for a couple of weeks, then one every other day, then only taking one every 3 days and then stopping).

I do occasionally still reach for the Gavsicon but it's way, way better than it was.

I had intermittent bouts of diarrhoea and stomach acidity/heartburn prior to MJ. Have had some constipation (opposite to my usual), nausea and heartburn since starting last October. Have been careful to titrate up slowly (over at least a month) when increasing doses. I stayed on 2.5mg for three months until Jan 25 when I gradually titrate up to 5mg. I’ve only just gone into 7.5mg. This isn’t what is recommended, but it worked well for me.

Lots of water has helped a lot. as has daily long walks to get my digestion moving! All I take is the occasional gavsicon if I get heartburn, especially in the evening. I find you do have to follow the advice of what to eat on MJ - fruit, veg, whole grains, nuts, pulses, protein (fish, chicken etc). I avoid fatty foods (other than whole milk yogurt, cheese and olive oil). I also avoid refined carbohydrates. It’s been fine and I feel so much better for taking it! Any side effects have been minimal and very manageable.

I have a haitus hernia, so regular heartburn and am on lanzopralole - I started on MJ in January and my pattern tends to be that I get slightly worse heartburn for the first couple of days after injecting - so I might need 2 x lanzopralole a day for the first couple of days. Then it settles down and I'm back to 1 x daily.

But everyone's different and as others have said, it might improve your symptoms! My IBS symptoms have disappeared completely, which is amazing, after years of struggling with them.

Good luck and I would say definitely give it a go and see how the first month goes.

It must be the slower digestive transit. I had lactose intolerance (as well as coeliac) before MJ, and that issue has gone away. I’m fully back on normal milk and cheese.

oooh that's interesting because I'm coeliac and have been lactose intolerant for the past few years - haven't tried 'normal' milk yet, but I did wonder whether it might make a difference...

Might give it a go when I'm not at work! Would be really good to be able to buy coffees when I'm out and about - and not have to fork out for LF milk...!

30 years of IBS - gone. A miracle.

I think it’s got to be worth a try for you, if you eat sensibly (which you should on MJ anyway!). Good luck.

Oh yes try it @MooBaggage, but gingerly, I don’t want to be responsible for you being ill!