Mounjaro/Wegovy with > 5 stone/30kg to lose - thread 9!

[MooBaggage]

New thread for anyone with more than 5 stone/30kg to lose. All welcome, whichever part of the journey you're on.

We have kiwis, hammocks, weight loss charts, an unhealthy obsession with Vinted and enough water to sink several ships 😊

No discount codes please - there's a separate thread for those.

I am on sertraline too, since before I started mounjaro. In common with a few others on this thread my DS has complex needs. The last couple of years have been tough with increased child to parent violence and fighting for a special school place but things have become a bit easier lately and he has settled into specialist provision well. However, last time I took a full 7.5 dose I found myself unable to stop crying 2 days later. I have not ever experienced that before - I didn't even know what I was crying about. I have reduced the dose and have not experienced the same again so far ..

It's so weird isn't it? Going up to the 5mg dose really knocked me out and made feel rough as rats, so I've been relatively slow moving up since then, but I moved to 7.5mg (from 6.25mg) this week and it's made me feel great - which I didn't expect..! I got a proper 'warm' feeling and feeling of calm and satisfaction within a few hours of injecting. High suppression this week so far, but no nausea which I'm grateful for!

I also take sertraline but mainly for anxiety. I haven't noticed much of a change in that area (the sertraline really has worked wonders), but I have noticed that I'm able to concentrate more on work, I'm such a procrastiniser normally!

@MooBaggagesorry to hear you have had such a tough time. I am not on any antidepressant medication nor have any diagnosis but the point I began MJ, I recognised I was very low, in mood, self esteem and motivation. I stemmed most of my unhappiness about my weight and truly feel people treated me differently because of my size, to the point I was embarrassed.

Within less than a month of starting my dad died and my journey through grief has been/is tough. The strange thing is I know MJ did make me feel more low but at the same time positive about the ease of weight loss. Now I think, if I hadn't have stayed on MJ and continued to loose weight, the grief would be really difficult to come back out from. I was starting to reclouse myself which is not healthy. With a 3-4stone weight loss I felt more confident which no doubtably helped me back to work and life things rather than bidding and crying alone. However, the sadness/low mood still there. Who know is that is MJ doing it or grief 🤷‍♀️
I am worstbin the morning, to get myself going. I can be sad at night and daunted by next day but morning is worse.

It's a strange experience that I think Mj gives on one hand and takes something too although likely subtle. Xx

Can I ask about period cycles please…
Has MJ made your cycle longer?
I am 43 and assume Peri-menapausal by the heavy flow and worse PMT symptoms than I used to get (particularly mood).

Since starting MJ January, the hot flustered feeling I used to get is gone (I don't think these were hot flashes, assumed I run hot as big). I really like the ‘cooler’ version of me as a welcome MJ side effect.

My cycle used to be 27-31 days… gradually since starting MJ in January my cycle has moved to a 30-37 day.
Is this a MJ thing or a progressing peri thing?

I am currently in day 37 and been waiting for my period to start for the last week. Miserable and I think this really effects my eating habits and weight loss.
I have all those pre symptoms, tiredness, moody, hungry, windy 🫣 but still no period yet. There is zero chance I am pregnant.

Another weird thing… I don't get the sore boobs before my cycle anymore… know idea why is that???

Marking my place on the thread as I find you all very helpful.

Quick NSV to report - went to the beach yesterday and it turns out that clambering up sand dunes is much easier 2.5 stones lighter! If anyone knows North Norfolk, you'll know that those gorgeous beaches are all dune backed. Last time we were there (pre-MJ) I really struggled to get up the dunes and was so out of breath. Yesterday, it was much easier and really motivating to see the difference that losing weight is already making to my quality of life 🎉

I'm so sorry things are so hard, @Reginaphalangeeeee.

I can relate to the weight loss allowing things to open up a bit. It's one less barrier. I've lost 2 stone out of 5.5 that I need to lose, and it's made a difference.

There are so many accounts of women's menstrual cycles being affected by MJ. One theory is that as fat is broken down the oestrogen stored in it is released. So that could offset the usual drop in oestrogen that happens before your period, which causes breast tenderness. I'm just guessing here really. I very much hope it's being studied.

💙

I have no experience of low mood issues but remember Johann Hari saying in his book that he became quite low and one point but then recognised that this was an issue he had had for years but had masked with coping strategies of food and alcohol.
I do suspect that MJ may have more of an effect than just though as it seems to be quite widely reported on social media.

When I went through menopause I had a relatively easy ride of it and used to joke with friends it was because, at size 24, I had my own fat storage system that was slow releasing oestrogen so, whereas my skinny friends plunged off a hormonal cliff edge, I cruised down gently

@Reginaphalangeeeee Yes I completely know what you mean re: the double edged sword, as I do feel soooo much more happy having lost the weight I have so far. My clothes are brighter, I'm more confident and so thrilled with how it's going. So strange to be happy and low in parallel...!

I was already well through the menopause, being 56 and got through it about 5 years ago. It has, however, caused a period, so I have a hysteroscopy booked for 21st July, which I'm not looking forward to... thankfully I have full strength cocodamol left over from a previous shoulder op, so should be able to take the edge off it 💪

@Reginaphalangeeeee at the risk of being wayyyyyyy TMI, yes MJ has changed things a lot for me. My cycle has got longer and has changed. Nowhere near as heavy as it used to be. Just to clarify when I am talking about heavy I am talking about incontinence pads heavy. I'm 41 (and feel about 141 tonight) but have suspected for a while I might be peri.

Thank you so much for the info on the split doses to help my sickness, I am going to try this next week and I will report back!

I'm also taking sertraline and have been doing so for a few years now. It just evens out the worst of the lows and stops me getting unnecessarily anxious. Having said that though, I still get days when my mental health does a bit of a 'fuck you and the horse you rode in on'.

I know there are a few of us on this thread with children who have complex needs/behaviours that challenge/have experienced child-on-parent violence and abuse. Including me. I'm not going to tag anyone butI just want to say you're not alone and my inbox is always open if anyone ever needs a listening ear/shoulder to cry on/a damn good rant. Totally judgement free.

I'd also thoroughly recommend a charity called Carefree. They donate unsold rooms in hotels for unpaid carers. I had a lovely 2 night stay in London earlier this year- and even got upgraded to a suite 'compliments of the manager'. I've been doing it for a few years now and have had some lovely hotel stays. You can't bring the person you care for though.

This seems like a really random piece of advice... I'm currently going through counselling, and one of the tips I've been given is when you're in bed trying to sleep, and the thoughts consume you (we've all been there) focus on saying/visualising the words 'i wonder what my next thought will be'. Saying it on repeat stops any other thoughts from breaking the 'barrier' and helps you sleep without falling down the doomsday rabbit hole. Hope it helps 💕

Checking in, can’t sleep, menopause, too hot 🥵🥵

Can't sleep tonight I think it's because I went to the gym quite late! I then had lasagna,chips and garlic bread. I know,so many calories but I haven't had anything like that for 7months so I'm not too bothered,back to my usual diet tomorrow!
Nsv- I now fit in XL tops,I'm so pleased.
Cw-99kg
Tw-75kg
Tl-22kg
I think I'm looking at reaching my target weight about December.
@MooBaggage I had a hysteroscopy last week it was bloody awful! However,I was told everything looked normal and healthy. I hope yours isn't too bad!

Hope you got back to sleep! I was up opening windows at 4am, but managed to avoid looking at my phone and got back to sleep in the end.

I'm off on holiday again today! Back to the same seaside place I was at 3 weeks ago 😀 This time with my lovely boys...!

Can't wait for a week of being Mum and listening to them bicker, argue, be silly and annoying 😍😍😍

Enjoy your holiday , moo., and being Mum again. I think we are in very different places . Did your relationship breakdown bring a settled family life to an abrupt end?
I have 2 at home and both are moving out this month. It’s chaos here right now, stuff everywhere, last minute hitches, help needed with visas/ buying furniture, tickets , van hire . They are nos 4 and 5 and frankly, I can’t wait, I’m planning to decorate and declutter. The idea of a clean tidy calm home is all that’s keeping me going .
One has a food addiction, morbidly obese with type 2 diabetes high blood pressure, apnoea etc. I was hoping that by overhauling my lifestyle, they would get inspired but if anything it’s ramped up. We don’t talk about it but it is awful to watch. I am wondering if it would be better to open the conversation and name the issue. I’m so worried that this new start in a lovely home is going to quickly become a squalid swamp of packaging and endless fry ups.

@Zebracat that sounds really difficult 😔 Seeing your kids in pain is so horrible - I'm sorry. Might be worth talking to them re: health issues, rather than the obesity - knowing how we all felt when our parents/others would judge us over the years? Really hard to call it though and awful for you to have to witness it but not be able to fix it 😔

My two are 23 and 21 - the older one lives in London and the younger one has just finished Uni and lives with my ex. I miss family life so much - for transparency, I was the one that left, but the pain of not living as a family unit or having e.g. Christmases together is huge - a physical pain in my heart.

I'm very lucky we (separately) both still have an amazing relationship with our boys - it's been an incredibly difficult past 3 years, but they have been amazing and we always try to keep them 'neutral' and obviously prioritise them.

So my 1 x week summer holiday a year with them is so special - a week of happy hormones for me! 😍

@MooBaggage have a lovely break! Or maybe you'll need a break when you get home 🤣
@ZebracatI feel for you. My daughter is nearly 19 and has put on so much weight since she left school. She barely leaves the house unless she's at work. I've definitely passed down my food addiction 😔 I'm not sure where she would be on the BMI chart but she's deffo got up to a size 22/24. I was hoping that me starting mounjaro would give her a jolt, and I think it has. She's mainly happy with eating my healthy meals (I generally do the same for myself and partner and daughter, but would add rice/new pots to their plate). I think mounjaro would be excellent for her, because her prob is food noise. But to take it seriously (she's spoilt, broken home, only child 🤣) she would need to pay for it herself. I wouldn't mind paying for it for her, but she thinks I've got a money tree outside, and respects her own money more, if that makes sense??

I have a delightful NSV to share..!

I can now pluck my neck and chin hairs way more easily as I have far fewer chins 😀 I can see them all now 🙄😬

I love this 🤣 I'm haven't quite got any facial hair as yet (42) but my mum's has had the odd one ever since I can remember, so I'm sure it's in my future! Good to know that it's easier to manage with less chins!!

Does anyone else keep a pair of tweezers in the car for chin hair emergencies? I always seem to spot them when the sunshine causes them to glint in the rear view mirror 😂

The only bonus is that chin hair increases as vision decreases. I have to use a light up mirror on the window in full sun, but I find I care less these days.

Aah but maybe I will start to care more. I am paying a bit more attention to my appearance now.

My daughter is also nearly 19 and obese. She's well aware of her size and she has now joined the gym with me. When I started mounjaro last December I was very open with her about being obese myself. This seems to have been the catalyst she needed! She started mj but only lasted a month as it was making her quite ill.
She hasn't worked since leaving school because she had no self confidence,I'm a single parent so it's been tough trying to support her but she was badly bullied in school because of her weight which I obviously have to take the blame for,so that's why I financially support her.
However,she's said as soon as she loses some weight she'll look for a job. She's doing really well and eats a healthy diet.
I suppose what I'm saying is being open and honest about my struggles re the weight and lack of exercise worked for my daughter. Perhaps you could try something similar with your daughter(if you haven't already) best wishes to you!