Late April starters - thread 2

[wlinewbie0425]

I didn’t expect to need a new thread in under 2 weeks but here we go!

Thanks for all the support everyone. I skimmed the old thread last night and we have over 80 posters (not a typo) starting in the last 2 weeks! I will work out if I can tag regular posters later but the old thread is close to full so wanted to get this up and running for Friday updates.

I'm not getting my hopes up too much, it's not all going to suddenly disappear but less painful would be very nice please.

So… I took my dose 4 (bit early) this evening, and wanted to experiment with the pen locking issue that some of us have discussed. I didn’t plan having any ‘Golden dose’ so was happy to play with the finished pen to see what happened , before disposing of it.

after my fourth dose, the pen did turn again but only by about 8 clicks…. It allowed me to squirt a bit of MJ out , the plunger depressing normally as it does when I inject my dose, smooth and easily with no real resistance .

After this it then ‘locked’ and wouldn’t let me turn to 1 again normally. So I forced it by turning it really really hard . It didn’t ‘dial’ click by click in the usual way, but did eventually turn almost fully toward 1 with considerable effort.

The plunger then depressed to squirt the MJ out, but not in the usual smooth easy way. I had to press very hard and there was resistance .. and it then squirted out really fast after a really hard press.

in summary, seems you can technically force the pen to work a 5’th time, but it isn’t smooth and won’t be the same as doing a regular injection if you do choose the ‘Golden dose’ extra bit left in a used pen.. via rigging the pen.

I’m not advocating people mess about with their pens at all, just sharing the results of my messing about with my used pen for curiosity’s sake.

it’s helped me decide that I defo won’t be faffing about to get the last of the MJ out of a pen that’s been used for 4 doses, as I wouldn’t be comfortable injecting myself with the force it took to get the MJ out of the tampered with pen. I’d be scared to hurt myself with the needle slipping given the force it took, or pressing too hard in my body… or the MJ shooting to fast into my body when it finally did come out. Feels risky to me.

Just an FYI in case anyone was wondering about the whole locking after 4th dose vs locking after a certain amount of clicks, this was my experience with my pen 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’ve got the capsuals from H&B but I’m not actually convinced they didn’t bung me up more!

I’m really happy to hear people struggling with lipodema may be finding it helps with pain , this is wonderful to hear and I hope it is successful !

This is super helpful, thank you for experimenting and reporting back. I had planned to try the hard twist first and if it didn't work to then extract but I don't like the sound of injecting with force at all. I'll go straight to trying the syringe. Thanks again!

Hi all, hope you all had a good weekend. Didn’t lose anything in week 3, took the 4th dose Friday, Saturday didn’t really feel any suppression and ate too much plus sweets .

Today i took the bonus dose ( so now have 5mg in my system spread over 2 days) My pen didn’t work doing the hard click. I did use a syringe for the remainder and that went fine, just had to press the needle in a little harder but it didn’t hurt.

Suppression is definitely back now, feeling fine, so SE except a bit burpy. I’m feeling a bit disappointed that the 2.5 effect wore off so quickly as i didn’t really want to go up a dose. I do have a new 5mg ready for next week.

Don’t mean to be a Debbie downer already but i do think i will be one that struggles maintaining when i stop taking it as those pesky sugar cravings came back. I can’t afford £150-170 a month long term for maintenance so will have to try something else but sticking with it for now. It’s made me feel a bit shit as this damn drug works so well at the correct dose.

Thanks for the end of pen info @MsRicoletti I had pretty much already decided I wasn’t up for forcing the pen as I was already surprised by the force needed to inject a normal dose and need to get the grip just right to do it one handed (as holding a pinch of fat with the other although I’ve noticed on videos not everyone does that). I will just use a syringe for golden dose. I haven’t tried those Lidl drinks but sounds like they don’t agree with you. Sorry - but lol at your discreet description of the effect! Also - I sent you a PM to ask something if you get a chance to check, they don’t show on app only browser.

@TeatimeForTheSoul I have definitely reduced my coffee intake significantly- I used to have several each day but since starting this it’s been one first thing only, or on nauseous mornings not even that as I can’t stomach it. Coffee is known for that particular property though so it makes sense.

@Brunocatmonwell done for trying to give it longer for your body to adapt, sounds like you have had a rough time of it. For constipation I got fybogel sachets - I don’t love the texture of them in water but just knock it back quickly - seems to do the trick.
ive been taking at least one electrolyte tablet a day, sometimes two every since I experiences a headache from this. I haven’t been aware of any laxative effect from them.

@Crunchymumand @ymemanresusounds like you are both just people who need the advised schedule of moving up the doses until you find the one that keeps you suppressed across the week. Also, every week gets higher with lower lows due to the accumulation, even on the same dose so don’t think it won’t happen. It wasn’t expected by doctors to work at 2.5 at all, they’ve just discovered with more widespread use that a lot of obese users are responsive at the lower doses. All our bodies are so different, just like the naturally slim people never had the hormone issues causing food noise at all. Hope you feel the benefits soon.

Hi, I've not been on for a week so a lot of catch up for me to do.

I'm about to take my 4th dose from my first pen this morning. I weighed in and in total I'm down 7lb from starting. I know I should be happy with that but when you see other people losing that on their first week it can be a disappointment. I must admit I thought it was going to be a bit of a miracle cure, but if I'm realistic it's because I can't exercise much due to mobility issues. I am exerting myself with lots of gardening, but I just can't walk lots as I'm awaiting a knee replacement (running is out of the question).

As I mentioned in my last post, MedExpress refused to up me to the 5ml dose on a second pen. This is because I delayed starting the first one until I'd had some medical tests and received the results. This meant it was over 8 weeks from ordering my first pen and they wanted to restart me. It's a lot of money to stay on the same dose. I'm trying with another supplier now. They've asked me to provide proof of the pen I'm on and I had to send a photo of the details on the medication box, which includes prescription date. I've explained why I've had the pen so long and I'm awaiting their response on whether I can have the 5ml. I'm not holding out hope and will be upset if I have to have a second month on 2.5ml. I'm finding the suppression ok, but the food noise has been creeping in.

Other than that, my only issue is constipation, but from this thread there's some good advice on things to try to get that sorted.

@Nearlyhadenough
I bought the powdered one as my mum apparently tried everything and found this worked amazing. It's on amazon, it's 'NKDLiving psyllium husk natural soluble fibre'. I put 7-9g of powder in a glass with a good amount of water that I can chug without stopping. I measure the powder, add the water, briefly whisk it with a mini whisk and chug it in one quickly before it thickens. It tastes like wet mud, I sometimes hold my nose to drink it and wash it down with some squash straight away ❤️

@SparklyGlitterballs hope you get to go to 5mg 🤞7lbs in 3 weeks is fantastic but I understand feeling underwhelmed when others lose more. That's over 2lb a week though. Bang on for fat loss. If you carry on like that you'll be a stone down in 6 weeks!

@MsRicoletti thanks for checking your pen for us 😊 you've paved the way forward for us 5th dosers! I definitely will be going straight to using needles to get the dose out 👍

Morning!

More congratulations on losses. @SparklyGlitterballs 7lbs over 3 weeks is brilliant - well done!

As a nurse if people are really struggling with constipation I would use a suppository as others have suggested.

I'm doing a Zumba class today. I've not done it in well over a year because I got so big it just became too much. I thought as I've shed almost a stone I'd give it a try as I used to really enjoy it. If you don't hear from me tonight send help! 😂

Thanks for testing @MsRicoletti - that’s definitely put me off trying to do a hard turn/twist, and I can test on Thursday if you can any remaining turns out of a pen if you’ve taken under a full amount on one dose, and then we’ll all know what’s what!

@Nearlyhadenough I ordered these from Amazon - can’t say they’ve been amazing but constipation is something I suffer from anyway and especially when eating healthily so I’m probably not the best to comment. One of these a day plus a glycerine suppository when needed is just about working. Psyllium Husk 750mg 120 Capsules... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09TDRJFPB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Well done on those that have lost big or small amounts, it all helps and is better than the weights we were before starting. And hopefully 5mg will work for those whose effects have worn off/never kicked in!

We’ll be on standby @Sunshineandpool 😂 …good luck and I bet you’ll feel fantastic afterwards!

Thank you @Chunkysewist and @Sunshineandpool for your kind comments.

@Sunshineandpool , I hope the Zumba goes well today. Enjoy!

Morning all
Well done on the losses! It looks like a fair few of us are looking to move up/ have moved up in dose to the 5mg for the next pen. I have decided on this too as if SE are bad, can use less than a full dose for subsequent.

I had a bit of a test yesterday to see how my weight responds to a day out. All was well in the day as I took myself healthy food, however I did have my first packet of crisps (light ones).
But I drank only about one third of my normal liquid intake due to the nature of the day out.
On the way home it was decided that we would stop off to eat. I had a children's chicken bites and chips (didnt eat all, but it was fried food) and about 4 mouthfuls of mac n cheese.
I would still have been in a calorie deficit for the day as I also met all exercise goals (steps,calories and time).
Having weighed yesterday and today, I have 'put on' 1lb. I would guess that my body has retained much of the water i drank towards the latter part of the day as it wasn't getting enough. Also despite the fried food, it would appear my body is holding on to it (despite how it protested afterwards)!

Prior to MJ i would have been disheartened at seeing the gain and possibly it would sent me on a day of sabotage (knowing i was still in calorie deficit with a weight gain).
However I will resume normalcy today and I will see that weight drop back off with more besides!! (Loving the new mindset)

Enjoy the sun all of you (oh and its true about skin sensitivity, I definitely have a bit of a red face from it yesterday)!!

@Sheldon4k could be a bit of water weight. Hot day, less fluid and salty food? I'm sure it will be gone soon ❤️
@Sunshineandpool enjoy zumba! I used to love doing zumba at home when I had carpets, now I have laminate flooring I sound like a horse clopping around and it really puts me off 😂

Morning! Weigh-in day for me...

W3 D7
SW 87.65kg
CW 83.55kg
GW 65kg

So I only managed to lose 0.7kg this week (vs. 1.7kg on previous weeks) but a loss is a loss so I'll definitely take that...

Plus, it's been a tricky week: I've had the mega cold so I had to put all exercise on hold, it was my partner's birthday so I had to make + eat cake and we went to a friend's 50th birthday party so I had a night out on the booze... Lots of factors that would ordinarily have caused me to PUT ON weight... So I think it's a victory of sorts! ✌️

Definitely a victory @PeachSnail , we have to live.
I wanted to say, knowing I risk sounding like a smarmy suck up, that we are very lucky, I think to have @wlinewbie0425 as our op. You are so responsive, keep track of us and post helpful information on a very busy thread. Thank you.

@wlinewbie0425 My instructions didn't say to hold a pinch of skin to inject and I ended up with a small bruise, so I'm going to definitely do that next time as I worry I'll be covered in bruises in a few weeks!

@PoisonIvy89 I'm feeling ok so far, except for a dull ache under my left rib. Not even an ache, more like wind trapped there. Now I had this before starting, but put it down to being fat and my bra digging in. Now super aware of it and googling it didn't help as it could be pancreas or spleen. I feel extremely bloated, all my trousers feel tighter than before I started but this morning the scales suggested a 1.6kg loss... I'm dubious though, as I've just followed a 1000/1100 calorie diet and this normally doesn't produce more than 0.5kg loss - Being short is rubbish.

Thanks @MsRicoletti I definitely won't try that.

Thanks @Zebracat- agree - this has to work alongside life's ups and downs

Just sharing another Guardian article with some good news about how GLP-1s can reduce risk of cancer

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/11/weight-loss-jabs-could-halve-risk-of-obesity-related-cancers-study-finds

Typically, the media just focus on SE scare stories and the terrors of 'Ozempic face'... So it's good to have some more balanced stories about how these drugs can actually improve people's long term health! ♥️

morning all and well done on all the losses 😁

W3D1 for me, just about to jab, 1lb off this week which means 7lb in 2 weeks, slower than others but I'm happy with that as its also TOTM

Shame to hear about extra dose difficulties, when people say they will use syringe to extract and inject, what have you bought to do this?

I'm thinking I'll move up to 5mg, need to order pen end of this week, I have one friend telling me not to as if I'm loosing on 2.5 I should stay at it, and another friend who went up every month and is now on 15mg - tbh, neither of their losses have been amazing, it has been very slow and steady for both - from reading the thread it looks like most people stay on 2.5mg but i'm worried it'll stop being so effective part way through the month?

Argh, decisions......

@Caddycat@wlinewbie0425im a wuss so hubby does mine. This week i noticed he stretched my skin kind of, so I said wooah you are supposed to pinch the skin and he said well i didnt the last 2 times.
Anyway, he did pinch the skin this time and its the only time I have bruised! Lol 😂
I don't recall if the instructions said it but a video i watched did say that.

Morning all! Week 3 weigh in for me before heading on to 5mg next week.
SW 221.4
CW 210
Thats a loss of just under 3 pounds this week which I am thrilled about since I have so very far to go. I haven't had too much in the way of suppression so am relying on willpower to get me to the next pen and hoping that it will make the difference.

I have been feeling hyper aware of any ache or pain through my body and as a health anxiety sufferer it's been a bit tricky to just keep my head down and not google what they all mean.

I love following along with all of your triumphs and thank you for all the supportive updates, congrats to everyone on this journey!

I agree 😁