March 2025 starters Thread 5

[TheSpoonyNavyReader]

New thread for all of us.
Thank you for allowing me to rant, share our ups and downs. Our group blows my mind of how we are so supportive of each other.

Some of us are now hitting the 12 week mark, some of us are nearly at their goal, some halfway and some still have a way to go, but we are all losing even if it’s half a pound a week. We have all come so far and are making a difference to our health.

Back off holiday and feeling absolutely awful 😂😂😂. 4 pounds gain apparently according to the scales, although official weigh day is tomorrow and I’m hoping it’ll be a bit less! Did loads of walking, food was ok (probs a few too many breads and alioli but not lots!) but did have wine 😭. Also have only managed the ‘loo’ once in a week. I have had to start antibiotics today for an infection I had before I went away but ignored, does anyone know how this might interact with MJ? I forgot to ask the doc. I would go on prune juice again but from past experience I tend to get the 💩 with antibiotics so will give it a couple more days…..I can’t think of anything worse than prune juice and antibiotics 💩 it’ll be like something from the exorcist! Sorry for TMI. Well done to all with their losses you all seem to be doing great xx

@TheBossOfMe I think we're all past the fear of overstating here, that's a definite NSV! For me, an "incident" with a relatively new partner (after years single) where I felt like I might die/suffocate from my own fat, prompted me to seriously think about starting WLI. Thankfully, I think we as women care far more about how we look in the moment than men do! Can't have been a pretty sight 😂

Just thought I would let everyone know I have changed providers to Pillsorted. I ordered on Friday afternoon and the pen was delivered on Sunday morning around 11am.

I have also emailed them to ask if they provide maintenance doses and they confirmed that they did and will prescribe to BMI 22 and they will allow people to stay on MJ for a year or so. They are also one of the cheapest around.

Start Weight: 15st 0lbs on 1/3/25
Goal Weight: Undecided

Current Weight: 13st 9.7lbs
Loss: 1st 4.3lbs

I’ve not posted for a while and I’ve tried to catch up reading. There are lots of points that resonate and some that don’t, and I am sorry that some of you are suffering so badly from side effects.

I do feel like a fraud at times. I’m still on 2.5mg, still not really doing much other than cutting out biscuits, a surfeit of chocolate (I still have a couple of Wispa bite size pieces a day), and late night cereal, but I’m managing a fairly consistent 1.5 to 2lbs a week loss. When we were on holiday and I’d played around with my doses so my MJ levels didn’t go too low whilst I was away, I was definitely hit with suppression and I didn’t like it at all, so I’m sticking with injecting 2.5mg.

For the first time, I’m seeing unpleasant loose skin, and I really don’t like it ☹️ I’ve become even more aware of protein in my diet, started taking a collagen supplement, and using extra firming moisturiser in an attempt to keep it at bay.

Whilst there are amazing weight losses going on, I’m really in awe of those of you who are having such great reductions from your waist measurement - how are you managing it? Is it just diet or are you exercising like mad - and what exercises? My menopause belly is shifting slowly (2 inches lost) but I’d like it to go quicker!

I've lost all faith in my weekly weigh-in. Having so much diarrhea means I'm probably holding onto a lot of water. Last week I had a "loss" of 5lbs. This week I've "gained" 4lbs. How ridiculous!

I tried pillsorted but they rejected me due to under active thyroid. "We prescribe" price match (almost) to pillsorted so I'm going with them this month. It definitely pays off to spend some time shopping around! I'm going to be at least a year to get to goal and then hopefully on a maintenance dose long term so the cheaper I can get it for now the better!

I used Pillsorted for my latest pen. Ordered last Monday but didn’t receive till Saturday as they were waiting for stock. Their comms to update me were minimal. The order initially said delivery next day, then the order page was updated to say that it would be delayed - then nothing. It took 2 phone calls to get an accurate delivery date.

They were cheap though 😀

I'm not sure where I am with MJ at the moment. My weight is still coming off and seems to be around 10.2 which I haven't been for 13 years (bmi 24.4). I am exercising and surprised at how fast the weight is still coming off at 2.5 and wish I understood why. So little is known about Mounjaro as there's hasn't been been proper research into whether staying at a low dose long term makes it easier to maintain (tiratibg down does). Chat gpt tells me that my trembling muscles in Pilates means not enough carbs and so yesterday I had a break day and tried a plate of pasta which used to be my staple. My taste for processed white pasta has completely disappeard and it now feels like chewing floppy rubber. I'm aiming at a pound loss a week now. Had to buy a new pen as I think I froze and then defrosted the one in my erratic fridge by accident. I'm not loving couch to 5k but I'm committed now and yesterday the Pilates instructor told me I had really improved. That was a win. I definitely look better and keep getting compliments. I look younger. (In an AI ego boost chat gpt guessed my age in a fully lit picture at a decade younger).

Absolutely gutted....think i may have to either stop MJ or at least take a break :(
Sorry for long post..
I am on week 10 having done 4 x 2.5mg, then 4 x 5mg and on my second 6.25mg from a 7.5 pen. For the first 7 weeks, I had no negative side effects at all but about three weeks ago I started to get mild stomach cramps and occasional diarrhoea which I could cope with but this made me rethink the 7.5mg increase and is the reason why I only went up to 6.25mg by counting clicks. I would've stayed at 5mg tbh but suppression wasn't great anymore.
Anyway...I had the incident with the manky yoghurt on Friday night (totally my fault) but Saturday, Sunday and all day Monday I felt fine, completely normal. Until last night. Around 8pm I started with awful griping pain and sulphur burps, I felt FULL of wind so I took a windeze, by 10pm I felt worse and took a rennie deflating. The griping stomach cramps just got worse to the point I was nearly crying. The burps were horrendous and disgusting. I fell asleep but woke again about 30 minutes later and spent the next 3 or 4 hours on the bathroom floor holding my stomach. I induced vomitting once during this because I thought it might help and had a few bouts of diarrhoea. But the pain stayed!
I eventually managed to crawl back in bed and get a couple of hours sleep and woke up feeling much better....slightly tender but far better!
Now my issues is, I'm due to go on holiday for an all inclusive on Sunday forb1 week with my whole family, I've been looking forwardvto this for months. Originally I planned to take maybe 5mg this Thursday and then take my next 3 days late when I get back on Sunday but I just can't risk having this again. Ever! Do i stop? Do i stop temporarily then restart at 2.5mg once I get back from holiday and have a break? I have no idea what will help to keep the side effects away cos this is quite new to me. I defo can't continue like this so a little gutted really. I'm over the moon with my loss and the confidence I've gained. Really don't want to stop yet but can't ever go through that again.

@Illbefinejustbloodyfine DP is a relatively new partner as well post divorce - and he definitely cares less about what I look like in the moment than I do! I think that's men in general 😂

@SmallSoupcon That's got to be a water retention issue - your body will be holding onto it because of the diarrhea. Electrolytes might help with that - but there are natural water balance tablets that might help as well, I used to have to take those when I ran a lot to help regulate water retention. You've got to be careful with them because it's surprisingly easy to dehydrate on them though.

@Justformounjaro Re waist measurement, I think reducing sugar and alcohol intake has a significant impact on waist measurement, but for me the reality is that was where most of my weight went on, so it makes sense that's where it'll come off. My arms and legs were never really very fat, my arse maybe a little bit more so, but my torso was just awful. Pilates definitely helps though, it's so focused on core strength.

@Flamethrowers Those are great NSVs, and I hear you re pasta. I'm starting to feel like a lot of the things that I used to fuel up on don't have enough taste or texture sensation for me now. Hopefully that will stay because lots of carbs was absolutely my downfall.

Weigh day a day late this week because of weekend away. Bounced a bit from the weight pre-weekend, but overall still a loss which I'm really happy with, especially given the Hakkasan meal mid-week.

SW 10st 4.6lb/144.6lb BMI 25.7 (prescribed MJ because of diabetes risk and hideous waist measurement)
CW 9st 1.2blb/127.2lb BMI 22.5 - 17.4lb down, 77% of target achieved.
GW 8st 10lb/122lb (22.6lb total target loss, 5.2lb to go) BMI 21.6

Loss by week:
W1 (2.5) 5.5lb
W2 (2.5) 1.3lb
W3 (2.5) 0.7lb (ate out loads)
W4 (5) 3.3lb
W5 (5) 0.5lb gain (ate out loads)
W6 (5) 3.8lb (Post Easter weekend plus period)
W7 (5) 2.6lb
W8 (5) 1.5lb gain (BH weekend away, ate out loads)
W9 (7.5) 1.1lb (NY trip)
W10 (7.5) 1.1lb (Hakkasan and weekend away)

0.5lb-1.5lb a week feels like a good loss pattern now that I'm so close to goal. I'm definitely going down from 7.5 on the next jab - whilst I made sure I ate properly, I didn't enjoy this level of suppression, it felt uncomfortable and disrupted my sleep a bit because I felt really over full even if I didn't eat very late. And I'm absolutely freezing - which I hate. So I'd rather lose slower on a lower dose and feel satiated rather than over full, and be warmer!

I feel like I've got the hang of how to manage my social/work eating out life better as well - which was always a problem for me before. It requires a bit of planning - looking at menus online in advance so that I don't panic at the table, and not being embarrassed to ask for things to be served on the side, or for things just to be omitted. I had really lovely lunches and dinners whilst away this weekend, but asked for changes to quite a few dishes (mostly leaving out fries/potato, asking for dressings to be served on the side and ordering extra veg). Nobody batted an eyelid. I'm guilty of worrying too much about looking odd about food - I really should let that go.

@Amjam2025 You poor thing, that sounds awful. No medical expert but I suspect you may have irritated your stomach lining with the manky yoghurt incident and last night was a delayed reaction to that. First thing I'd do it go get some kefir and drink it to help rebalance your stomach (I have it with a bit of salt, cumin and pureed cucumber, its much nicer like that).

Given the upcoming holiday, I would be very tempted to skip your pre-holiday dose completely and just restart on 5mg when you're back. Or do a 7.5 split into two doses over the week when you're back even? It would be awful if you felt like this on holiday.

@Amjam2025 That sounds awful. I think in your position I would skip the next dose for the holiday and then go back down to a lower dose When I restarted. A week might be a good rest for your stomach and remove all potential anxiety. You'll still have MJ in your system when you're away so the full hunger won't roar back.

It might have been the manky yogurt triggered you stomach ache which was the. exacerbated by the higher dose MJ. I thought my diarrhea was caused by manky chicken but looking back it could just be side effects. I found that dairy absolutely triggered violent diarrhea and I now largely avoid all but very small portions (and even though my stomach has settled Greek yogurt and mozzarella triggered a bout last week). Avoid all processed food (in my experience this can be super triggering) Make sure you electrolyte up and drink a lot of water!

re poor suppression: I'm on 2.5 and it's working for me - sometimes I even feel a bit hungry and the suppression is way less than when I started. but I've noticed that even when I think I've eaten loads it barely touches maintenance. I'm still partially suppressed. Are you in a position where you could think about slower weight loss on a lower dose? You don't have to go up! What about 5mg?

@TheBossOfMe I see that you have followed the same path as me regarding dosing I've just taken my 3rd 7.5mg and was on 2.5mg & 5mg for 4 weeks each. I need to order my next pen but I'm unsure whether to move up to 10mg or stay at 7.5mg for another 4 weeks.

On 2.5mg I lost 13lbs, on 5mg I lost 10lbs and so far on 7.5mg I'm down 3lbs the first week and looks like 2lbs week 2 (weigh day is tomorrow). Moving up through the doses seems to be working and I'm having minimal side effects. ( I have a little over a stone left to lose). I'm really unsure what to do!

If anyone has moved up and regretted or stayed on the same pen and wished you had moved up please let me know.

@EchoNova you could always order a 10 and decide whether or not to give yourself the full dose?

After the thread that freaked many of us out about weight regain after stopping Mounjaro I would personally err on the side of caution as faster weight loss is apparently associated with faster regain. You could continue on 7.5 and then tirate down as you approach your goal which isn't very far off. Even at 1.5 lb a week you'd be there in two months. That probably isn't very helpful as it's not really what you asked!

After being disappointed with my weight loss of the last 3 weeks. I am having a woosh if things carry on they way they are I maybe 6lbs in a week while it’s taken me 4 weeks lose 4lbs.

Hi all, marking my place so I can find you again! I've been away so have lost track of where everything is.

@Illbefinejustbloodyfine we have similar starting stats/goals I think and like you I am worried about wibbly loose skin when I finally get to where I want to be (11st 4, which is just inside the "normal" BMI weight range for my 5ft 7. But I have been v happy at 12st before so we'll see)

Weight loss is slow but steady, 1 or 1.5lbs a week. My eyes have yet to catch up with my appetite- I should be having smaller portions I think, but I don't get the "over full" sensation that lots of people have that tells me I'm done. I do find that whatever portion I have eaten- even if only a quarter of previous- is enough to mean I am not reaching for more though, so I need to be a bit more mindful of that I think. My eyes aren't satisfied even if my stomach is! I've stopped calorie counting as I was concerned that I'd replaced the food noise with a different obsession around calorific values- how best to "spend" my calories etc. Glad that I have still been able to lose weight. I went away this weekend and had lots of delicious food and wine, ate out loads eg- and scales haven't changed which is brilliant, before it would have easily been a 3lb gain.

I have just ordered my first 7.5mg, will be doing in between doses for a while I think as last week I did 6.25mg via golden dose and I've had diarrhoea ever since, so maybe I need to give my body longer at that dose to get used to it.

I'm also starting on ADHD soon which can have an impact on appetite so my Dr has suggested that I might want to consider pausing MJ until I know what that is like- so I know whether the Elvanse is the drug causing the appetite suppression or whether it is MJ in order to determine the right dose of MJ. I am a bit nervous about the Elvanse tbh so will just see how I go this week on 6.25mg again and decide from there when I want to start the Elvanse.

Although the food noise has gone (yay!) there are so many other things to think about instead!

Haven't caught up on the whole thread/last part of thread 4- but hope everyone is feeling well and getting the weight loss we all want.

I have an ADHD diagnosis too but refused medication (I have a lifestyle that allows me to self manage). I think the Mounjaro affects my adhd and I have looked up the minimal research there is on it, which is mainly to do with the way Mounjaro impacts dopamine receptors (stopping cravings and impulsive behaviour towards foods). I find MJ dampens my impulsivity overall and also makes me steadier but at the same time it has robbed me of much motivation - I've lost that up and down drive which while erratic did get me from place to place! Has it had any effect on you?

@EchoNova Echoing what @Flamethrowers said, there's a lot of evidence that suggests slower weight losses are more likely to be sustainable in maintenance.

@TheSpoonyNavyReader That's quite a whoosh! When I talked to my doctor about my weightloss journey, she suggested that whilst daily and weekly weigh ins are great, it's actually more helpful to think in terms of 4 week increments because its easy to get a bit disheartened with slower weekly shifts, and whooshes happen. So if I look at my pattern, weeks 1-4 saw 10.8lb come off (which is really normal at the start of a diet), 5-8 was another 4.4lb off (more normal pattern), and 9-10 has been 2.2lb so far, so probably more like the 5-8 week loss by the end of week 12.

Sorry about my very long and rushed post earlier this morning - I've re-read it and noticed all my SPAG mistakes lol!

Well done everyone on the great losses and NSV's - big and small!

Well done @TheBossOfMe you are doing so well, you are managing everything brilliantly and maintaining a very steady loss even with all the work and family things going on! Thank you also for the advice, ill definitely try some kefir later on and yes I really do think i'm going to skip my dose on Thursday and take a break for a couple of weeks - let my digestive system 'reset'. Think ill go back to 2.5mg when I restart again as i've heard once you stop or go over 3 days late with your jab you have to start from the beginning?

@Flamethrowers thank you also for the advice, yes, I think I am ready to slow weight loss down, i've lost quite a bit recently whilst doing the 6.25mg but its not worth the side effects, i'd rather reduce dose and reduce weight loss speed but get less negative side effects. As I said to TheBossOfMe - I think my plan is to take a break whilst im away and then re-start at the 2.5mg and gradually work up to 5mg and see how I am then.

When we all started, a few people experimented with different injection sites. I didn't suffer from negative side effects and had good suppression so I have always suck with my belly as the injection site....did anyone find that changing the site did actually reduce side effects? I've heard arm or thigh is good so considering changing...anything to never have that stomach pain again! Also wondering if some of the nausea and stomach pain is because im not drinking enough, not sure if its related!?

hi all , agree with the slow but steady weight loss has an impact for maintenance.

I lost 9lb w1-4, 12lb w5-9 , 3lb w10-11 (currently at week 11) . This is a better measurement as I felt I have hit a plateau since last couple of weeks but I actually haven’t especially as my goal is 5kg /11 lb per calendar month which I am tracking slightly ahead .

for me daily and weekly weigh ins keeps me accountable and also gives push for the days or week ahead when I loose “less”. Of the 10 weigh ins I have had 3 whooshes and 4 weeks of less than 1lb losses and 3 weeks of 2-3lb so not linear

happy to say the lump in my throat is gone and feeling better today so deffo MJ triggers yesterday also not feeling as cold ☺️

I haven't noticed any change to my ADHD symptoms @Flamethrowers. I'd hoped that the difficulty I have with interroception and interpreting what my body needs would be improved with MJ but nope, I still can't really tell when I'm thirsty/full up/need a wee! Maybe Elvanse will help this. Interestingly a friend has noticed that MJ has really helped her curb her impulsive online spending though.

Other benefits that MJ has been reported to have include improving levels of inflammation- anyone experienced this?

@Bipaloss - I really like my daily weigh in because it helps me track where I am, and one of the strategies that I'm trying to deploy is banking an extra pound early in the week if I know I'm eating out a lot at the weekend, or with work. So I was 2.2lb down on Friday, which left me room to end the week 1.1lb down, rather than going into the weekend with my target 1ishlb down, and then ending up flat or having a gain week. Who knows if there's any actual science to that, but fuck it, I'll try it and see if it works!

@Amjam2025 I think some people experience worse SEs when injecting in the stomach, but also experience less suppression when injecting in the arm or thigh

@ShineyGreen omg I didn't even know that interoceptive awareness was a thing till I read your post ! I have always lacked that and it turns out my headaches for the last two decades were dehydration /l- I only knew because I started consciously drinking two litres a day on Mounjaro - and they disappeared. I don't get the same thirst triggers now (I had them with Mounjaro for the first month for the first time! ) and so I now make myself carry the bottle around to drink it! It's worth a try!

@Flamethrowers @ShineyGreen I don't have ADHD but have always had enormous issue with telling when I'm thirsty or full or need a wee. Sadly not ever had a problem feeling hungry though! I've been really badly dehydrated many, many times over the years because I haven't drunk enough - so I now have one of those bottles with time of day marked on it as a visual reminder to drink. And to go to the loo!

I'll give that a try. It's so lovely not to have headaches!