Could I have some advice please? Even just some sympathy? Or shared experiences?

[Mounraine]

I'm feeling really low.

I won't go in to all of the ins and outs of the last five weeks but I have had five weeks of constant vertigo or dizziness. I'm so sick of feeling ill and fatigued and struggling to get a doctor to take me seriously. I don't know if it's the MJ or coincidence, but when I finally got a GP appointment he wouldn't discuss it anyway as it's a private prescription. And the pharmacy hasn't replied to my email.

Also my period has started this morning, about 4 days late, and I'm hitting the biscuits and caffeine again for the first time in about 6 weeks. This could be the reason for my weepiness and self-pity today.

After two years of overhauling my diet and IF and getting nowhere, MJ was really giving me some hope. I could even hit my goal by Christmas. Unbelievable

I'm not sure whether to:
A) push through and get the weight off for the sake of a miserable few months OR
b) leave pen #2 in the fridge, take a good few months off and start again if the pharmacy will support a break (I'm now below BMI 30 after losing 11lb with my first pen).

Please be kind, I'm really not feeling robust today :(

I had a bad week on week 2 of 2.5 but I've been fine since.

If your period is making you hungry I give you full permission to eat. It's only a few days a month. You've already lost loads and your body is asking for food so I just listen to my body.

I would be monitoring your sugar levels and blood pressure as it could be either. Hopefully your provider can sell you something.

I carry around some sweets just in case my blood sugar drops, haven't needed them yet but I think you should be carrying something around just in case it is that.

I'm with Livewell and I'd definitely give them a ring tomorrow, a pharmacist will answer the phone and you could talk through all your concerns. I really felt like they had time for me whereas the other pharmacies just try to rush you through.

Firstly, if you do stay on it switch pharmacies ! That is awful that they aren't responding to you, they prescribed the medication, they need to be the one giving you advice.

I always eat more around my period and my shotsy graph tells that tale. But honestly, this is a long term thing. A couple days each month of eating more calories is fine.

I personally found side effects lessened as I went up doses. I no longer feel tired for example.The body gets used to the medication over a few months. I wouldn't suggest moving up doses though if you symptoms persist. Really your prescriber should be giving you advice. Who are you with?

Sorry you are feeling so crap. Who is your provider? Poor show from them if they are not supporting you.

1. I would consider changing provider if it has been a while since you emailed them, some of the bigger providers are not really interested in supporting patients.

2. Most importantly, are you eating enough calories / tracking? Also hydrated enough? Electrolytes occasionally can help with hydration.

3. I am feeling constantly tired, and have convinced my Dr to do blood tests but they have mainly agreed as I have also started HRT recently too and I asked if we could do it to rule out any deficiencies before changing HRT as my hot flashes are gone and the tiredness could be something else. Depending on what the results are from the Dr's bloods I might get a bigger blood panel done privately through a home test as I don't think Dr's do active B12 normally.

4. I monitor my blood pressure at home and have noticed it low at times which can make me feel wobbly, I have recently come off high blood pressure meds too as my BP was low. Might be worth monitoring yours to see if it being low coincides with dizzy spells. Then look at ways to resolve that.

5. If none of them show up anything my last resort would be to consider a blood sugar monitor, but I haven't looked into that much yet as sorting out the others first.

Another thing to check is if you have started taking anything else new alongside Mounjaro - too many vitamins, daily electrolytes etc that might be causing issues?

Are you faint dizzy feeling or actual vertigo experiencing the room spinning (other people would be able to see nystagmus/your eyes flicking) or lurching?

I have more experience of vertigo than I would like & fwiw it always makes me hugely tearful - I think it's the totally out of control aspect.

Regardless of taking a privately prescribed medication your GP should be investigating your symptoms

Thank you kind strangers

To answer points raised:

BP fine (first time it’s been in normal range for years). Have a monitor at home I use about once a month. Paramedics also took blood sugar when I was in crisis and that was healthy too. All my obs in hospital were.

Had 3 weeks of vertigo (and the eye thing for about the first week) and then two weeks of dizziness. In both cases they are persistent and worse with movement, eg turning over in bed. I think the most likely cause is some kind of vestibular condition/viral infection as I’ve had lighter episodes all my adult life. Can’t seem to get a doctor to listen to me though. Latest GP detected an arrhythmia and diagnosed me with anxiety and prescribed beta blockers. Wouldn’t discuss anything else. I don’t think I am experiencing anxiety, although Fitbit did show a spike in heart rate during my appointment! Peak cardio.
However I’ve just this morning learned that collagen can cause arrhythmia and I only started that about three weeks ago. Have stopped that today.

Pharmacy - Was brilliant at the start and I replied to these previous emails. I shouldn’t expect a reply over the weekend, and I should use their proper contact form, and I should just contact them with one issue at a time. Otherwise I think I come across as neurotic. Maybe I am? I am not used to being poorly.

i have had a Pepsi Max and some biscuits and fully indulged the UPF itch 😬.

All things being equal I will start second pen next week and give it another go.

I don't understand why your GP isn't looking into your vertigo - unless it has fully resolved?
Vertigo is really miserable 💐

If I were you I'd look at Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo - there are a couple of different manoeuvres that you can do to move the crystals to fix it. (A GP will often do for you but there are DIY versions too) Also Ménière's disease.

Lots of my vertigo is actually migraine so that's worth a look, it took me decades to figure out! Magnesium reduces the frequency hugely.

I won’t dwell on my health conditions, I already feel a bit exposed by saying so much. I have a plan of action and will pursue the vertigo diagnosis. I think dizziness is more likely to be related to that than the MJ, which seems to be more intermittently experienced.

I hope you get answers & a sympathic GP 💐

Thank you. I'm so glad I started the thread. I'm a secret jabber and it's difficult not being able to talk my worries through. (Apart from DP but he must be wanting to strangle me with me going on about my worries).

I heard back from my pharmacy and they've recommended I take a break from the MJ. So, my MJ experience is postponed, or possibly even over. I feel deflated but I will focus on my emerging health issues. MJ at least gave me hope and got me over a set point that has plagued me for over a year.

Can you have a chat with Livewell and see if they have any suggestions? It would be a shame to cut your journey short if it's something that could be treated.

Thank you @Mumconnect I'll think about it. I think I'm getting to the point where I want a break from drugs and medicines.

Just got off phone with GP. She listened to my full history, unlike Friday's GP who wouldn't let me talk. She was surprised at the duration and extent of the vertigo and thought this was a severe attack. She is making the referral I was hoping for, to a vestibular specialist.

I'm on holiday this week and have hit the biscuits and Pepsi Max a bit, so I'm prepared for a bit of weight on the scales when I get home. Then I'm hoping I have the momentum to hit my next stone.

Good luck! If you write a thank you letter to that GP it goes as evidence in their yearly review. We should definitely give praise when someone listens to us.

I'm not having fun with migraines atm (but I had them before mj too, I get them every month) so I completely sympathise.

I'm sorry to hear about your migraines, I have had them monthly since starting HRT. Tinkering with the dose and diet seem to have improved things for me, but it could well be that my vertigo is a vestibular migraine. Migraines are rotten and I'm sorry to hear you're suffering with them.

Am I crazy to be considering just continuing with MJ on Thursday as usual?

I would continue personally, it might be completely unrelated 🤷‍♀️

If you decide to continue, I'm not sure what dose pen you have, but I wouldn't increase to 5mg at this time and stick with the current 2.5mg.

Did you discuss continuing MJ with your GP?

I wonder if you are experiencing low blood sugar. How much are you eating? Don’t hit the sugar. Try some protein, fats and complex carbs. Make sure you have at least 1500 calories, and use electrolytes. people who eat 3 meals a day with a focus on protein, health fats and complex carbs seem to suffer far less side effects. If this is just obvious , and of course you are doing this, Sorry.

I tried but neither GP would discuss it because it was a private prescription. The second GP also said she didn’t feel informed enough about Mounjaro. A bit frustrating after five years of lecturing about losing weight!
My pharmacy didn’t seem too worried either way, but yes to take a break if I felt I had a lot going on anyway.

I’ve done 1x pen at 2.5mg and have an unopened 2.5mg in the fridge. Initially it was a relief to consider taking a break, as I had been reading about hairloss. Have stopped taking collagen as it may contribute to heart arrhythmia, but now I’m thinking that was just caused by a very stressful appointment with the doctor.
I’m not tempted to up the dose as I was so pleased with the results.

Writing this I’m wondering if I’m just not cut out for medication this serious. But then I think obesity is also a serious situation.

What about switching to somewhere like pharmulous where they have a GP who prescribes?

For the first time I was able to stick to my goals of low UPF and two or three meals a day full of plants, fibre, whole foods and protein. The last two days I’ve hit the Pepsi Max and biscuits ☹️. I feel so disappointed in myself.

Yes, I think I will approach some other pharmacies to explore options.

My dad has atrial fibrillation which is a heart arrhythmia, he gets these dizzy spells with that. Wonder if it could be related to your heart problem.

Arrhythmia, a heart rhythm disorder, can be a cause of vertigo (dizziness), especially in cases of structural or ischemic heart disease. Both bradycardia (slow heart rate) and tachycardia (fast heart rate) can trigger dizziness and vertigo.

How Arrhythmia Can Cause Vertigo:
Reduced Blood Flow:
Arrhythmias can disrupt the heart's ability to pump blood effectively, leading to reduced blood flow to the brain and potentially causing dizziness or vertigo.

Pre-syncope and Syncope:
Some arrhythmias can cause pre-syncope (feeling faint) or syncope (fainting), which can be accompanied by dizziness.

Underlying Heart Disease:
In some cases, arrhythmias are a symptom of underlying heart disease, such as coronary artery disease, which can also contribute to vertigo.

Specific Arrhythmias and Vertigo:
Ventricular Tachycardia: This is an uncommon but potentially serious arrhythmia that can cause dizziness.
Supraventricular Arrhythmias: These are more common and can also be a cause of dizziness.

Other Causes of Vertigo:
It's important to note that vertigo can also be caused by issues with the inner ear or vestibular nerve, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

Diagnosis and Treatment:
If you experience dizziness or vertigo, it's essential to consult with a doctor.They can perform tests to determine the cause and recommend appropriate treatment, which may include medication or procedures to manage the underlying heart condition or arrhythmia.

Key Points:
Arrhythmia can be a significant cause of dizziness and vertigo, especially in individuals with heart disease.
Both fast and slow heart rates can trigger dizziness.
It's important to seek medical attention for dizziness or vertigo to determine the cause and receive appropriate treatmen

Thank you for taking the time to post this suggestion @Orangesandlemons77. It's not so much dizzy spells as constant dizziness when I'm doing anything other than lying still.