Mounjaro what's stopping me?

[Antsinmypantsneedtodance]

I need some straight talk and experiences on Mounjaro.

I'm 40, mother of a 4 year old. I currently weigh 274lbs at 5ft 6. I know logically I need to lose weight and have seriously considered mounjaro. But something is stopping me jumping in. I have dieted in the past and can have incredible will power. But eventually something pops up to break it. Having lost only 10lbs since January and knowing the risk of my weight on my health and ability to parent how i want to, I really want to do something about it. I stumbled accross a mounjaro account on instagram this morning from a mum of a similar age and not disimilar starting weight to I am now and its clearly been life changing for her. Shes lost over 100lbs and is living the life I dream of.

I was part of the clinical trials for wegovy (as in the management of the trial) so I know how it works and that there's extensive research done on GLP 1 inhibitors. I also have seen the sucess and a few of the side effects. I have no fear of injections (previous gestational diabetic who took insulin). Financially I can afford it. I have a supportive husband. So what is stopping me! I think the fear of side effects/death/illness/gallballder issues requiring surgery are the main fears.

Could anyone shed some light truthfully on side effects and maybe talk some sense into me? But also the positives may help too.

Hiya I'm similar but I am scared of dying, which is irrational but I did read about that happening to someone who lived near me.

Op, I’ve been on it since March 5th, the only side effect has been injection site reaction and I’ve lost 12kg as of today. Start weight was 114.4kg. It’s been life changing for me.

Talk to your GP, side effects are mainly
minimal for most. I decided enough was enough now I’ve been on it for 4 weeks and lost a stone! If you want any other info please send me a message xx

I’m 5ft 6 and started Mounjaro in October at 282lbs, so barely anything between us (well 21 years because I’m 61 😁).
I’ve lost 84lbs so far and I’m feeling fantastic. So much more energy, aches and pains gone (snoring greatly reduced according to a grateful dh).
I’ve had mild nausea a couple of times, as in felt a bit queasy but never got near actually being sick, and that’s been it by way of side effects. I’m happy to put up with this occasionally for the life changing positives it’s brought.
In the kindest possible way…give your head a shake woman and get on with it!

Ah I’m the same, I’m 5ft 4 and weigh 180lbs. I wish I could do it, so many around me are on it, but I’m too scared. I have terrible health anxiety and I worry something will go wrong and I’ll die and leave my kids all because I wanted to lose weight. I get cross with myself thinking I should be able to do this myself!!

This is mine too. Doesn't help with the sensationalidt headlines i cant help but wonder if are sponsored by the likes of slimming world etc. Logically I have a family history of cancer, heart disease and stroke which also kill and risks increased with obesity. So not sure why this scares me but that doesn't.

I wonder if it is t the side effects that are stopping you, but rather the changes this will being to your life? Change is always uncomfortable and maybe for you that may mean that some other things will have to change in your life if you do start losing weight/prioritise your health? That can be scary enough…
(week 3 for me and absolutely loving it)

@Antsinmypantsneedtodance I don’t know what’s causing you to hesitate either, especially as you are clear that obesity is not a neutral position and comes with many of its own risks.

Also, it’s not a once and final decision. You can start and if you don’t like it, you can stop. You can then choose to start it again later if you like. It’s not like you’ll be forced to continue if you have unmanageable side effects or if it makes you too worried.

Ive been taking Mounjaro since July last year, I’ve lost 113 pounds or so, taking me from just about 22 stone down to 13st 8lbs ish and still losing weight. It has been life changing for me.

@Antsinmypantsneedtodance this could have been written by me l have been researching all week and something is making me hold my breath. After reading @tostaky post l think this may be the reason l am holding back.

It's probably the fear of the unknown as to the side effects you may get. Not everyone reacts the same and you need to consider the impact your current weight is having or will have to you and your ongoing health.

I happened to go to the GP about something late last year and they were so blunt and said I was a heart attack waiting to happen and if I continued I wouldn't see my kids grow up. Harsh, very harsh but it gave me the kick up the backside I needed.

Yes there's side effects but what you eat/drink will more often influence them. So fatty food, high sugar food and even alcohol may make you have gastro type ones. I did my research and took it as an opportunity to knuckle down and change my life.

Try it and if you feel foul after a couple of months then stop but not trying it and you'll never know.

I'm in week 10, still on the lowest dose and I'm 1 stone 11 down. I procrastinated worrying about how I could do it with the kids in the house but they're small ish and don't bat an eyelid when I have different/smaller portion to them.

I am in my mid-fifties, 5' 8", I have lost over 3.5 Stone, at least one more to go. For the first time in my life I believe I can get to a healthy weight and maintain it.

I have had weight issues my whole life, twice lost over 4 stone with WW or Slimming World, then slowly put it back on again as life events have taken over.

I now feel fantastic both physically and emotionally! Yes there have been moments of a bit of nausea or indigestion, but easily bearable.

I have absolutely no regrets abut taking MJ, it has changed my life so much for the better.

Back in November I was in exactly the same position as you. Desperate to lose weight but very worried about all the scare stories. Also, to be honest, I love my food and wine, I didn't want to be put off it!. So I forked out extra money to see a private weight loss consultant at our local private hospital. He was extremely knowledgeable, reassuring, and supportive.

I wish I had had a friend to do it with, but then I found a group on Mumsnet who started at the same time as me and we have supported each other all the way.
There is already a link to the June starter group on the weight loss injections page if you do go ahead.

These 3 links were extremely helpful when I started, all recommended by Mumsnetters::

Oprah's podcast on the subject:

How to do the actual injections:
https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7bYdphKtEng&data=05%7C02%7C%7Ca77a804978ce46a8da3408dda02d8287%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638842839508605362%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=8F1p%2F9aF5E4E1uFc37nJXZaGFjroDAHh71ZOpERJUfM%3D&reserved=0

Mel Robbins Podcast
https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-281/

I also read though lots of posts from mumsnetters who had already started. I realised I was not alone in wanting to do this.

There is also a recent book, Food noise by Jack Mosley, (Michael Mosley's son). It has lots of information about weight loss injections and practical advice. I think it gets a bit preachy at the end, but 80% of it is very good.

Personally I found the above podcasts a lot more helpful though.

I do wish you well on your journey.

I have a family history of T2 diabetes, liver disease and hypertension. I was heading on a train straight for just that if I hadn’t done anything about it. Been on Mounjaro for 2 months and have had minimal side effects while losing nearly 2 stone so far. Incidentally, it has also pretty much cured my anxiety which has been just as beneficial as the physical effects.

Every drug comes with risks, of course, but so does obesity. You say you’d never forgive yourself if you experienced severe complications from a weight loss medication, but the much likelier scenario is that you’ll begin to suffer chronic ill health and increase your risk of premature death if nothing changes.

Because nothing tastes as good as slim feels?

Because all the things that make dieting hard - temptation, boredom snacking, overeating because it tastes good - will simpy disappear.

Because life is too short to be fat for any longer?

Because you’re only 40. Do you want to spend your 40s cringing at photos of yourself, never looking nice in anything you wear?

I am 5’8. I’ve gone from 188 (13st 6) pounds to 136 (9 stone 10) and I’m m still losing. So, if you’d seen me, you’d not have thought me fat (unless you were unlucky enough to see me naked). I was still stuffing myself into size 14s. But I hated, HATED the way I looked. I was repulsed by myself and the fact I’d let myself go, having been reed slim until about 4 years ago.

My lovely husband has (under extreme duress from me) admitted he didn’t like the way I looked. I’ve made him swear to tell me if I ever put on weight again. I’m not blaming him, but if he’d said even once that I was looking chubby, I might have acted sooner 😂

Mounjaro has been an absolute gift. It’s brought me back to me. I have not had one side effect. I’ve banged a drum for it so now have several friends on it. Not one of them has had a side effect either. Any aches and pains I had have gone. My clicky knees are silent. One friend reckons it’s calmed not just the food noise, but her anxiety.

Do it! The worst that can happen is you don’t like it. And that’s unlikely.

Your BMI is around the same as I was (BMI 45) when I started 11 months ago. It is now 29. I am 56 and now off the medications for acid reflux and high blood pressure I started in my mid 40s.

You are 40 now. You might find your obesity is not debilitating or very significantly affecting your health yet, but it will especially as you get older, it creeps up on you and by the time you are in your 50s you will be feeling it and you'll never get your 40s back.

You've been involved in the trials you know this is not a failing of you. Obesity is a disease, it kills and there is a treatment for it. I expect to need that treatment for several years, or even forever.

You need to do something to start healing your body. If you can't do it by non medicated means the benefits of medication far outweigh the risks of continuing morbid obesity (picture).

Perhaps start your journey this weekend by trying the tradition methods for one last time, plenty of protein/veg, reduced carbs, lots of hydration. Calculate your TDEE and track a calorie deficit in an app to aim for 2lb loss a week. There is a supportive weight loss board on MN, I'm sure the thread for those that have a lot to lose are still running (I did it a few years back and lost 5st but "something popped up to break it" and I put it all and more back on).

If it works, fantastic - it is preferable to medication - none of us actually want to be taking this. If not, and you feel you can't stay on track without support from medication reflect again that dieting by conventional means might just never work for you and what that means for your health and if you want to lose your 40s to growing obesity.

Good luck 💗 many of us have been where you are now.

I have been on MJ since January and the one and only side effect has been constipation, easily remediable once you hit the right combination of fibre tablets and fruit such as dates. It's not a no going back" decision like surgery for example. You can decide to stop at any time.

Your stats are very similar to mine when I started - 45, 5'7 and 275 pounds. I'm now a whisker away from 4 stone lost, in 6 months.
I had spectacular diarrhoea in the first two weeks but not since. Instead it's massively settled my IBS so I'm no longer planning every trip out around toilets. My blood glucose is down to the top of the normal range and no longer prediabetic. I don't get exhausted going to the local shops any more. I haven't had the sulphur burps or any nausea but have had the being cold (looking forwards to that if it's a hot summer) and some hair loss. My blood sugar no longer tanks in the late afternoon if I've had a small lunch.
Full disclosure I do currently have blood clots. The hospital have had a couple of people with them who are also on mounjaro but it's not a listed side effect and they're happy for me to stay on it as I'm on anticoagulants now - in contrast when I had them over a decade ago they told me to stop taking the pill immediately. Given both obesity and IBS can be clot triggers in happy to continue taking it as the overall improvement to my health has been so amazing.
One of the last nudges I needed to start using it was posted by someone else here. It was the reality of what morbidly obese meant:

Some mortality statistics on obesity to compare against the risks of weight loss injections.

Baseline age 46, probability of living to age 70

BMI 22.5 to 25 c80%
BMI 35 to 40. c 60%
BMI 40 to 50. c 50%

Source: Prospective Studies Collaboration, Whitlock G, Lewington S, et al. Body-mass index and cause-specific mortality in 900,000 adults: collaborative analyses of 57 prospective studies. Lancet. 2009

I've lost a stone in weight since starting Mounjaro in April after finally being offered it for diabetes type 2. I had the side effects diarrheoa at first, but now its the other way constipation. I started eating normal shreddies in the mornings but if anything the more fibre I have the more it constipates me. So I'm going to try and vary what I eat. Sometimes I simply fast in the mornings with just a coffee and a yoghurt drink, then I'll eat more food at lunchtime.

My guess it that as with everyone I know in clinical research you keep medications to an absolute minimum.
I went back & forth for ages but this was the graphic that made me order https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/WHC-Infographics-JANUARY-2023-BreastCancerRisks.pdf

(6 months in nearly 4 stone down with a lot more to go)

@Arglefraster I love that graphic! Especially as I have changed three of those things in the past few months. I have lost weight, come off HRT and stopped drinking. All directly related to taking MJ.

Hi there and congrats on your weightloss 👏 I am starting today after procrastinating the last 2 days , but my life changes today. Reading your message was the push I needed so thank you for the inspiration 🙏