No appetite suppression but can't eat

[ChidisGardener]

Right it may be I am misunderstanding what is meant by appetite suppression but I don't think I have any.

I am on 10mg of MJ. I am hungry and I have not lost my sweet tooth at all. In fact I crave high fat high sugar foods largely because I can't eat. I feel full after a few bites of anything and can't really force it down. So it's successful as a weight loss strategy but miserable as I am still hungry so I don't think I have any appetite suppression.

I am very stressed at the moment which might be confounding matters. I haven't felt appetite suppression on any lower doses either.

Am I expecting too much?

I’m on 5mg and could happily stuff the contents of my fridge into my face! I feel your pain.
To be honest though, after re-reading your post, I’m not sure I understand it. Surely you must be getting appetite suppression if you’re full after a few bites.
Sorry if I’m being thick!

I know - it may be my expectations are wrong. But reading so many people saying it's easy I don't think about food etc that is the suppression I was expecting - this is not that.. I am hungry just physically can't eat. So it's miserable

When you eat a little bit and are full, are you also then still feeling hungry at the same time? Is the hunger between meals physical, or is it more of the mental "food noise" type hunger?

Yes still feel hungry not satisfied. I am not sure I ever had much food noise.. but I do like a.chocolate bar about 3 on afternoon. Still have that.

Would eating little and often be the right approach for you? As you are hungry often but feel full quickly.

Are you eating plenty of protein? E.g. you will feel hungry more quickly after a packet of Crisps than a chicken meal.

I must admit I’m finding it hard to understand feeling full and stopping eating after a small amount, whilst also being hungry still. No wonder it’s frustrating you.

Before trying Mounjaro, I had an appetite that was literally insatiable (I never felt full, although could eat enough that I eventually felt sick) and found it particularly difficult to resist sweet foods. Whenever I went to a shop it was like there was a voice screaming at me to eat. I tried to watch I ate as much as I could, telling myself to calorie count and eat healthy food as I wouldn't be satisfied anyway, but my weight still bounced between about BMI 25 and BMI 30 most of the time.

Now, on 2.5mg Mounjaro, I feel like I have a normal appetite and can eat healthy amounts. Sweet foods don't hold the same lure that they did before. I still like to drink a Pepsi Max for example, but it feels like it used to make my brain light up and now all the rewards have been dulled. I can still enjoy the occasional sweet food too but it's in a much more detached way. I can easily resist as well if I want to now. I have felt full after meals for the first time in my life.

It feels like for me I have been lacking this my whole life. I also had bad blood sugar issues before (frequently going hypoglycaemic unless I was careful with what I ate) and haven't had one since starting Mounjaro. So I think this might explain why I always struggled with my weight - there was something off with my hormones I suppose.

But perhaps there's something else that's led to you struggling with your weight and your sweet tooth, and Mounjaro might have an effect but isn't the wondrous solution that it has been for me. It could be something biological though or perhaps something psychological?

I don't know how helpful any of this is though because it really depends on why you still are drawn to sweet foods etc.

Thanks really interesting to hear the different perspectives. It is going to be a bit different for everyone. I could eat more healthily - maybe I'll try that - more protein.

Of course obviously after posting this I've had a normal size dinner - salmon, potatoes, lots of veg and ate it all. So maybe also I'm catastrophising it's not all the time! Maybe a couple of bad days.

Still hungry though :-). Wonder if I have any healthy snacks.

Sounds like no appetite suppression. The feeling full is due to the action of slowing the stomach emptying down so you feel full quickly.

If you're still eating chocolate and maybe other high sugar foods every day you're actively counteracting the effects of the medication. It's going to be less effective if you work against it.