January 2025 Starters - Thread 10 - Onward & Downward Losers!

[meatyryvita]

thread 10 already!

@BreezyPeer 😍. I’m pleased you’ve got a bit of a stockpile. We can all carry on supporting each other regardless of who stops or continues 💉.

I’m actually going to try to semi retire in the next three/six months 😳, decision made, I’m just lining everything up.

I’d never planned on a lengthy maintenance regime so actually I expect I’ll be ok about three more pens (if I get the two I ordered today). I’ll probably just pay 💸💸💸💸 the new price if I need another one. Or maybe I’ll switch @hunkydory54. I bet we’ll see the same advice from other suppliers tomorrow.

Oh balls on the price rise. I’ve just scraped together for my latest one. Def won’t be able to carry on if it goes to £250 for 7.5mg. Can you order two pens in one 4 week period? Just wondering if I can get one on 31 Aug on payday and before price rise.

Well my second order for 2 pens just went through and I’ve had an email to say it’s confirmed so fingers crossed. I’ve ordered for later in the month so anything could happen. DH has transferred some money to me because he’s a treasure. 🤣

I’m carrying on regardless - MJ has quite honestly changed my life! I didn’t realise just how debilitating and restricting my combination of bowel conditions were until they stopped. Hopefully the tablets will have the same impact and be cheaper

Ah interesting. So you can have two orders pending for a total of three pens? If that’s the case I’ll do the same, but I’m out of maintenance codes so I’ll need more of those!

Big news @PenelopePerseveres on the retirement decision! Good for you!

@DGonMJ i used Coupert to find a code pre maintenance and did ok with one from Xmas. I’ll see if I can find it

@PenelopePerseveres i highly recommend retirement. I’m poorer but so much happier

@DGonMJ the best I can find is £15 off with Emma. They aren’t very quick at replying at the moment but it’s worth trying to get your next 3 codes. 12.5 and 15 are sold out at the moment.

Thanks Jins I’ve emailed to ask for another three maintenance codes. I’ll call them tomorrow if I don’t hear back. Ordering 2 or 3 pens with a 15% discount and free delivery will save quite a bit.

@PenelopePerseveres that is really exciting news! o hope you have lots of fabulous plans….

so I ordered 2 pens of 10mg with IQ dr tonight. They seem to have removed any discount codes but otherwise no messages to say out of stock or whatever like others seem to have so fingers crossed it goes through even if I have to wait for it to be restocked. I am not in a hurry as just starting a new pen today. Price worked out at 165 so not awful awful and probably 75 quid cheaper than ‘new’ prices (I saw one provider has released estimates and they had 10mg at 230).

I am lucky that in theory I could afford 230 if I have to but I don’t really want to as I’d need to cut back on some other wellbeing type things (my swim
membership although that ends for autumn soon anyway, stuff like my vast supplement bill, virtual PT etc). So I think the zen plan has pivoted a bit. If I can get to under bmi 30 with the next couple on pens then I may start titrating down and making peace with a very slow loss through overweight until I hit a stable level.

Thanks everyone, slightly terrifying but I’ll be ok. Plan is to downsize to a three bed cottage. Take a pension early to cover my mortgage and probably build to three days max consulting a week (currently do one), so not completely retire but leave my job behind without a backwards glance. The kids (well fully grown adults actually) are excited, in fact so excited they were arguing about who gets the biggest room earlier! Me of course!

No other specific plans as yet, but I’m sure that I will come up with something.

I’m with Voy who are expensive anyway - they’ve said next pen will be same price. I’ve think I’m 2 pens away from goal but was going to stay on for a few months. I’ll probably just pay and annoyed about it.

I’m not sure Oushk will let me order three pens at the moment as I have my verification call booked for about a months time…

@PenelopePerseveres how exciting, so pleased for you!!
hope everyone is ok x

Pleased for you @PenelopePerseveres lovely decision made 😊

I think (🤞🏻) there is an option for you to upload height and weight verification, may be worth a try?

I know this has been talked about a lot I’ve never tried getting the golden dose with a syringe but I am planning to now! Can someone recommend syringes to me please and do I literally screw on as I do with the ones that come with the pens? Thanks

congratulations, @PenelopePerseveres , I'm sure you will enjoy the semi-retirement!

Thanks all for asking, I'm feeling much better today. Just hope the digestion starts cooperating soon, althoug the doc said not to worry if it takes a while.
I have to say that I could not have wished for a better experience, Swiss hospitals are really amazing. Top notch medically, of course, but every single person I met from nurses to cleaners there was just nicest, kindest and most helpful. Not sure how they do it.
Have also been reading and that fat the surgeon said he needed to do the surgery the way he originally wanted, and that I didn't have - that's visceral fat, under the abdominal muscle. I've been a little too successful in reducing it 😀

Really sorry for the price increase shock for you guys due to the stupid orange man.

@2025istheyeari what you need to look for is a 1ml syringe and a high gauge, short needle. The higher the gauge, the finer the needle. I tend to use BD micro fine needles and terumo syringes.
you can either get syringes with a fixed needle or syringes that you can add a needle to - this is what I use but I already had them anyway for b12 injections - I use a lower gauge needle to insert through the cap in the pen and extract the dose then switch to a fine needle for injecting but I know a lot of people don't bother and just use the same needle for both.

You want something like this (fixed) https://ebay.us/m/lUT5Ep

Weigh and jab day today, and I've actually remembered to jab this morning!

STS for the first time this week

SW 101kg
CW 77.7kg
GW 70kg

Not too worried about it, I expect things are slowing down as I get closer to goal so will just keep on keeping on.
Havent heard yet whether the pen I ordered last night has been approved so fingers crossed on that, I'm also due another pen on Voy before the end of the month so hoping I get both of the one and that should see me through until pretty much at goal then will assess.
honestly though, if at the start of the journey (knowing how well it's worked) the pens had already cost £250 each, I would still have signed up and paid it. I know I'm fortunate to be able to afford to, but I was looking at gastric balloons which cost around £3000 and the improvement in my health and life are priceless.

I’m so happy for you @PenelopePerseveres as I know you’ve mentioned a few times how stressful your job has been. This sounds like a wonderful plan.

@HeidiNotSoHeavy thats amazing - absolute confirmation that you’ve reduced your visceral fat from someone who’s actually looked at your organs!
Hope the recovery goes well, and it’s not too long till you’re back to leading body pump classes on schedule.

@2025istheyeari I ordered these fixed needle syringes: https://ukmedi.co.uk/products/1ml-05-inch-30g-red-unisharp-syringe-and-needle-u100-unisharp-uf30r-ukmedi-co-uk
And then recently have ordered the 32g ones which are finer, but haven’t tried them yet.

Auto replies from Oushk are saying 4 days to reply - hoping I’ll get my 3 maintenance codes by next week then I can just order 2 more pens. Also hoping supplies of 2.5mg won’t be as in demand. Also hoping that the price increase won’t actually be 170% and the whole thing is a PR stunt.

In other news I’ve been working from home all week and struggling to keep up my usual morning exercise routine, because lie-ins are so nice. Must Do Better Today! Last day of work before Cornwall beckons.

Thanks everyone, I’m sure everything will be ok. You’re right @DGonMJ , it’s borne out of the fact that I can’t seem to land a new job and I am incredibly unhappy in my current one.

@MJalltheway I would probably have done it anyway too. I find it staggered that the 🍊 man thinks that there’s any correlation between even an ounce of the UK healthcare system and the US tbh. I know he’s not a big thinker, but the reason everyone pays 💰💰💰💰💰 for anything remotely medical in the US is because of their litigious culture, insurance companies, private providers and shareholders all need to make a profit. The manufacturers are just part of that system.

Mind you, I guess that I’d rather he use his limited cognition function/skills to achieve success for the Ukraine this week and who knows he might flip back on the price increase, he seems to change his mind extremely frequently.

I now use needles where you change the needle after not using the last dose in the pen very often. Luer lock is what you need. Syringe+pack of needles. I’ll find my order and post the details.

Sigh. Weigh in day. I have lost my little gain so just over a lb lost this week. But I have checked how much I lost on my last pen and whilst previously it was about 7lb per pen, this time I only lost 3.5lb.

now I know slow and steady etc but I am nowhere close to goal and price rises mean that would cost me £75 per lb.

I did go up last night so fingers crossed a bit of movement. And no rogue periods this month - I am bored of still having 1, a certainly didn’t need 2……

How lovely to be clear on the plan @PenelopePerseveres and that your children are supportive.

Oushk gave an estimated delivery date of 22nd August in my email - so let's see if it's correct.

Glad to hear your experience was smooth @HeidiNotSoHeavy and you can now look beyond the op.

Did my first weights session in 5 weeks yesterday with ridiculously low weights to get started again. Still struggling with my shoulder, but just trying to keep it mobile. And have signed back up with my PT to help me tone this new body of mine properly.

@PenelopePerseveres your semi retirement plans sounds lovely! And a three bed cottage with adult children fighting to stay with you is a great image.

@HeidiNotSoHeavy glad the hospital experience went well. It makes such a difference when people are pleasant.
@2025istheyeari I have been using the golden dose since my first pen! I bought these https://ukmedi.co.uk/products/fms-micro-syringe-32g-8mm-1ml-fms-fms-32g-10ml-ukmedi-co-uk
I only use one syringe for getting the dose out of the pen and injecting it into me. I am scrupulous with hygiene around the pen and have never had any issues. If you want a step by step of how to do it let me know!
Some people use a separate syringe to remove the liquid from the pen and the a different one to inject.
The main thing is don't buy on amazon as they aren't human grade!

I have woken up exhausted this morning. A combination of a very (and long) first day back at work after my sickness bug and all the maths around the new pricing last night. But, onwards and downwards! I only have today to work and then a fortnight off!
I hope everyone is finding a way to get to goal and maintain, even if that is different from our plans! Xx

Just had the mailer from Oushk to say they’re advising not to cancel orders but recommend doing another one if you want to add pens.

They will only send maintenance codes if you’re due them (which technically I would be due after my next pen arrives), and won’t be sending out anymore from September.
So I’ve taken a punt and ordered another 2 x 2.5mg pens using @Jins discount code for £15 off. With delivery it works out at £133 per pen, which is more than I paid for the 5mg but all the other maintenance pharmacies that would take me at 21.7 BMI are out of stock of 2.5mg.

The only delivery dates they’re offering are end of Aug, so have gone for the date we drive back home.

I have about 4 doses left in my current 5mg and now fingers crossed I’ll have 1 x 5mg and 2 x 2.5mg in the fridge so I can start titrating down. With microdosing and maybe spacing out jabs, I’m hoping this will get me to the end of the year.