April 2025 Mounjaro Starters - Thread 5!

[Uninvitedleaf]

Hope I’ve done this right, I’ve never started a thread before.

@qs90 hope you don’t mind me starting a new one for us but thread 4 was full and I don’t want to lose my crew!

@JustPickleRickive been on 2.5 throughout. Last pen I did 10 from a 5mg and am doing the same with this one

Ahh sadly I don't think my brain would let me do 10 doses, I'd just be anxious all the time 😅 glad you've been able to make the most of your pen though!

I'm sorted for now and I guess the 5 can just sit in my fridge for a while longer.

Just "thinking out loud", it might be worth you revisiting what your deficit is / how much you are eating. Only because the math doesn't add up to me; a deficit of 500 calories per day, leads to roughly a 1lb loss per week. So a 100 calorie deficit per day, won't lead to the losses you are describing. Obviously water weight will make some difference early on, but still I would suggest that either your TDEE is higher than you think, or you are overestimating how much you are eating, or there's something else going on (maybe if you've had gastrointestinal distress you haven't absorbed what you've eaten, for example).

What is it that makes you anxious about it?

Not really sure! Think it's just because I know it would be open longer than what is 'suggested'. I know I would start overthinking everything so it's not worth the stress for me at the moment. Hopefully that mindset will change as i'm on it longer

Sorry, yes you're right, i'm confusing numbers 🫠 My TDEE is higher and the calculated calories for weightloss is 1237. I'm falling short each day by about 100ish calories but eating 3 meals a day plus a snack. Haven't skipped any meals since starting.
I lost 13lb in the first week alone so I think thats where the numbers go a bit wonky 😅 been averaging around 2lb most weeks.

Ah ok. Honestly, I’ve been fine for 10weeks use if that helps.

I think other countries have different rules for the same medication too which also helped me.

So lovely seeing all the excellent losses. @QS90 we seem to have a similar trajectory, although I think I’ll keep going for another stone or two. I’m 164cm so around 5’4.5.

HW 224lb
SW 219lb
CW 159lb
TW ??135lb??

Body is in a funny phase where my legs are lean and trim, I still have a pot belly and my arms have great flapping wings of skin where I have lost volume but the skin has remained in my upper arms.

I definitely need to reassess bra size, 36DD isn’t snug on the tightest setting and cups are gaping a little. Wearing size 12’s and they are a little loose so going to go shopping soon and assess the size situation. Wearing all my old uni clothes from 20 years ago and loving being in them but also wanting to update my wardrobe really. Feels mad to be in this territory and still terrified of maintenance!

If you are a size 12 you definitely won’t be a size 36 bra band @ClimbingKilimounjaro

well done 👏 it’s a shame we can’t choose where we lose weight from isn’t it? I’m at target but I still have a belly. Sigh! Never happy 😆

I don’t know, I think I’m probably a 34, I have an annoying body that has a huge ribcage/back/arms and lean little legs with pure muscle. So my hips are almost narrower than my ribs (I looked like a toffee apple when at my biggest as I carry all my weight in my abdomen and back).

My underbust is 33.5in and my bust 39in so probably need to get professionally measured somewhere proper. Am considering a trip to London to go to Rigby and Peller and some proper clothes shops soon to buy some quality pieces in my target size.

Another member of the 12st4 club here. Been a member for several weeks now, despite upping my dose to 7.5 and increasing my workouts. I've noticed my appetite for carbs is back big time and I'm struggling with that. I've decided I'm going to go easy on myself over the winter months, and if I'm still 12st4 in March then it's a win, not a failure, as I'll be at a much better starting point than March of last year.

Hair loss? Yes! Although I noticed thinning temples before I even started mj. It's really ramped up over the last couple of months though - so much that I saw my GP yesterday who's referred me for blood tests. She doesn't think it's the mj as my weight loss is slow, more likely menopause with added seasonal shedding, but I'm relieved to be doing something about it.

Another one with hair loss here. I had a massive fall last year which i never got to the bottom of, but my hairdresser reassured me that my follicles looked healthy and I got loads of fuzzy new growth that’s now a couple of inches long. Now I’m in the middle of another fall, presuming it’s because I’m losing weight (so not necessarily MJ causing it), and again my hairdresser is saying my scalp is looking fine. So I’m hanging on in there and not too worried - id rather take the short term hit on the hair knowing it will grow back again. The only downside is that the new growth has more grey in it than before!

I broke through the 12 stone barrier this morning, CW is 11st 13.5lb. With that and the new clothes I ordered being too big I’m feeling quite good today.

I’ve just had some new jeans delivered from M&S. Ideally I need extra short and they’ve had no stock in my size for ages so as soon as I saw them online this week I just went for it (sold out again now).

I was brave and ordered a 12 in two different styles even though I think I’m between a 12 and a 14 currently. They’re tiny!!

But ….. they fit 😧🥳 . I’m a size 12 not an 18. I don’t know who I am anymore 😂.

Not caught up on all messages yet but hi everyone, still lurking in the background.

Sorry that you’re having such a rough time @Mumof2studentnurse
i can’t remember if you said before if you’re accessing counseling but could this be an option, my therapist works on the human givens approach and it’s really helped….if you can’t afford the MJ long term maybe therapy could try to heal the emotional eating.

In terms of diet fads, I’ve tried my fair share but I’ve found on MJ that 2 meals a day has helped me stay within calorie limits (I have tracked mostly throughout so I knew what I needed once I stopped the medication)
So I hardly ever have breakfast, just a tea/coffee, sometimes fruit or boiled egg mid morning, I try and have something proteiny like tuna or eggs for lunch (not always though) and then just eat my usual dinners (spaghetti bol, stew, curries etc), this way I can still have a treat like a packet of crisps or small cake occasionally but it doesn’t effect too much.
It doesn’t always work, when I’ve been ill, had busy weeks with celebrations, ive eaten a lot more and haven’t lost much that week but on the whole my general trend has been loss, usually 1-2lb a week(and as long as I keep up with water)

great news on the jeans @Uninvitedleaf! I ordered a 12 too, from H&M and they fit lovely, I was so chuffed, haven’t worn jeans without a muffin top for a long time!

@ClimbingKilimounjaro our losses look similar, I started some lbs less than you but the losses look around the same amount, so have found the same with disproportionate body, but this week my belly definitely feels a bit smaller, it’s still there, I’ve had c sections so I think I’ll always have overhang but it’s definitely reduced from the last few weeks.

on the subject of pot belly has anyone found buying knickers tricky?
I have a much smaller bottom and hips now but I still need a slightly bigger size so that they sit over my belly rather than rolling into my c section scars, but they then feel a bit saggy on the bum!
I currently buy from primark but thinking I need to try elsewhere, any recommendations?
I prefer cotton knickers for day to day but don’t want to spend a fortune, currently between a small & medium in primark

@saxonyv I’ll be honest, one of the pairs is a bit snug so I’m probably still in muffin top territory there 😂. But I’m still claiming the win since they’re wearable, and they’ll be perfect in another month or so!

A win is a win!!
im comfortably in the 12 but weigh a bit less so makes sense.
honestly never thought id fit in a 12 again!
couldn’t even buy jeans from mainstream sections, I lived in leggings and under the delusion that I was a 16 when I was definitely closer to the 18-20 sizes 🥲

In other news this week is the week I have started to look in the mirror and see the change, I mean I know I have lost weight but I still felt like my old self, I don’t know why the mental shift has happened this week but it’s nice that my body looks a lot healthier, I feel like my weight was aging me! (Although would be nice if my neck would stop betraying me!)

I have a similar issue - I have been buying underwear from Tesco @saxonyv and i have liked them. When I get slimmer, I will invest in some really lovely underwear, but right now while im actively trying to lose weight im not wanting to splash out ha ha x

I’ve just been thinking the last few days I might need to invest in some new pants as they are getting saggy. I normally get mine from M&S.

good idea about getting fitted!

I think those measurements give you at 34DD

Happy Sunday everyone! I’m making the most of the extra hour in bed this morning 😜

A quick update: Ive been maintaining weight at around 9st 12 for the last three months and just eating intuitively, so not counting calories at all. But I’ve decided to get this last half stone or so off (BMI is 24.4 and I still have back fat) so Ive increased my dose from 2.5 back to 3.13 (30 clicks from a 7.5 pen) This was my good dose for weight loss, and I also injected in my thigh today rather than my stomach to see if the side effects are better. I’ll keep you updated. I’m loving my running at the moment and just bought a few pairs of lulu lemon leggings from Vinted that are soooo nice! All my winter clothes are too big now and look a bit ridiculous so I need to get them packed off to the charity shop. I’m trying to commit to only replacing them with Vinted or charity shop purchases to try and be a bit more sustainable (and wallet friendly!)

I also have thinning hair 🥺 I’m not sure if it’s menopause or MJ. I’ve taken collagen and HRT for years, but still have thin hair on the crown. I’ve just ordered some Plantur 39 hair tonic (plus still using rosemary oil a couple of times a week) -anyone who has found something that works please do tell us! I’m following another MN thread about hair loss and the Plantur products were recommended.

On the subject of calorie counting I listened to a really interesting Zoe podcast this morning… I’ll put the link below… loads of information from a bariatric surgeon about body weight set point, insulin and leptin resistance and how genetics are a much more important indicator of weight than I ever appreciated.
One of the things that made me stop and think was that he said was “It’s not the calories in the food that make you gain weight, it’s the food in the calories”

Im definitely going to start to
follow his advice… I’m eating too much sugar at the moment which I think the MJ is managing for me, but not good in the long term!

“Dr. Andrew Jenkinson is a consultant bariatric surgeon and the author of Why We Eat (Too Much): The New Science of Appetite.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why the idea that weight loss is simply about willpower is a damaging myth.

The science of the "weight set point" and how your brain fights to keep you at a certain weight.

How your metabolism acts like a "dimmer switch," slowing down to prevent weight loss when you diet.

The crucial role of hormones like leptin and insulin, and why our modern diet causes "leptin resistance" — the reason your brain can’t tell it’s full.

How yo-yo dieting can actually raise your set point, making you heavier in the long run.

A practical, step-by-step plan to lower your set point by changing what you eat, not just how much.

The truth about new weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and their long-term effects.

How managing stress and improving sleep can be as important as your diet for sustainable weight management”
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/zoe-science-nutrition/id1611216298?i=1000730987257

Anyway - enough from me! Well done everyone for your losses - hugs to you all 🤗

That podcast looks really interesting @Pepperwaggytail, thanks. I got mixed up with the clock change this morning (half asleep, forgot my bedside clock doesn’t adjust automatically) so I’ve been up since 5am 🤣 . A lie down with a podcast this afternoon might be just what I need!

Well done everyone- great updates!

Checking in.

SW 94kg
TW 70kg
CW 64.85kg BMI 23.1

Happy at this weight plus shedding hairs and feeling the cold. Reduced dose from 3.75 to 2.5. Will stick at this for a month then drop to 1.25. Will try to come off in the new year as Christmas is a bad time for relapsing!

Just checking in with an NSV or so. I have a ribcage! OMG it suddenly appeared overnight, to join my lovely clavicle which made an appearance a stone or so ago. I've got rid of the 13 stone bracket, only just in the 12's, but the last time I was there was 1993! Finally, bought a clearance pair of curvy size 16 Levi's and they're baggy - so the weight must be coming off my lower half. Hallelujah. Currently in a normal pair of size 16 jeans.

Not so good, the hair loss is continuing but a lot slower now. I'm running out of money for new clothes, a massive wardrobe is all but depleted now as everything is needing to be replaced.

Need to catch up properly and listen to the podcast, but you're all doing brilliantly from what I've quickly seen. Happy Hallowe'en week everyone.