Honest opinions and advice needed.

[MrsJ86]

Hi, im a 38f with PCOS so struggle to lose weight. My BMI is 36 and im typically a size 16/18. Diets honestly dont work for me so I was looking into the mounjaro injections and wanted people's honest opinions and advice. I know a few people who have used others injections and said it made them feel sick however they get on well with the mounjaro. My biggest concern is that as soon as you stop taking them you put the weight back on.

Thank you in advance

Weight gain after weight loss is common, but it’s common regardless of how you lose that weight, whether it’s through Fast800, Keto, Weight watchers, gastric bypass, low cal, Atkins, Slimming world, Cambridge Diet……….

Mounjaro had been life changing for me, and that’s not hyperbole, I honestly consider it a miracle drug.

I have had PCOS since being a teenager, got GD while pregnant with DD 11/12 years ago and was diagnosed with T2 diabetes last August.

i was prescribed Mounjaro by the diabetes team as was on Insulin and Metformin and had cut carbs to keto levels but was still struggling to keep sugar levels within normal range.

Within 6 weeks of being on MJ I had been able to stop the insulin and drop to 1 metformin a day, a few weeks later I was able to stop the metformin too.

Ive lost just over 5 stone in nearly 11 months, gone from obese to healthy BMI, a size 22/24 to size 10/12, I can jog 5k and I feel fantastic.

I’m still taking MJ and will long term as it manage my diabetes, but will be trying to reduce the dose and see what the blood tests show, the goal will be to take the lowest possible dose while maintaining normal sugar levels.

I eat high protein and fibre, moderate fat and low carb, I eat pretty much no pasta/bread/rice/starchy veg/pastry/cake/chocolate all carbs are fruit fruit and veg now apart from the very occasional indulgence.

No side effects at all from the Mounjaro except feeling the cold more, but that could also be caused by losing the insulation layer.

I have been obese since primary school and right now as a 41 yr old woman, I weigh less than I did as an 11 year old child. I’m having to completely change how I think of myself. I have always been fat, it’s a really significant part of my identity, I was bullied for it for years through school, have been shouted at by men in cars/vans as they drive by and by people in the street as I walk by. It’s been the go-to insult people have used against me for over 3 decades and I built walls to protect myself from that, a persona that combatted everyone’s first visual impression.

Now I’m thin, people I meet now will never have known me as a fat person, the way I’m treated in clothes shops and by strangers is different. It’s honestly a bit of a mind-fuck, but in a good way.

So update is... they have reviewed my details and have approved my prescription just waiting for tracking details to be provided. Now what happens? Will I have bad side affects from the first injection? How long till I start noticing a difference to my eating habits?

Oh that’s great news!

Honestly, nobody can tell you as we all react differently! It is very unlikely that you will get ‘bad’ side effects at all let alone from day 1! The vast majority of people don’t really get any but they aren’t the ones shouting on social media about ‘another normal day’!!

I found I had a a bit of bloating in the first few days as my system slowed. Over the last year, I have had mild constipation when not on top of my fibre and a bit of diarrhoea if I drank too much Prosecco (and on one occasion when I ate loads of green olives! 🤷‍♀️) Other than that, the only side effect was a weird metallic taste for a few months.

In regards to feeling any changes towards food, again, we are all different!! I am what is classed as a ‘super responder’ based on the amount I lost in the first few weeks and I noticed a change around day three. Others notice a change within hours and some not at all until higher doses. You just won’t know until you start!

One thing to remember on this medication is not to have any expectations. Do not compare yourself to anyone else on social media and start saying you’re a ‘slow loser’ if you’re losing a pound a week and expected to lose more. This is a good rate of loss!

Well done on making the decision to change your life!

You may not have any side effects, I didn’t and lots don’t, those that do tend to be relatively mild like a little nausea or heartburn some people react strongly but they are in the minority.

For me, I have never had full ‘suppression’ I’ve always been able to eat but I have less desire to and more control. I can now say ‘ok I’ve had enough’ and stop without feeling starving hungry and craving food the whole day.

I would recommend you not have any massive greasy meals in the 24 hrs before injecting your first dose. Mounjaro works in 2 major ways 1 - Increasing the amount of insulin you produce and how sensitive you are too it, 2 - slowing down your digestion. So you don’t want to have lots of food sat in your intestines for ages if the slowed digestion kicks in quickly.

Average weight loss on Mounjaro is 1-2 lbs a week, some people lose more and they tend to be vocal so it has been mid-represented that that is the norm, but it isn’t. As with any diet you’re more likely to have a bigger loss in the first couple of weeks then it starts to average out.

where MJ has made a real difference to me is consistency, unlike other diet I’ve been able to stick to this for a year without really having any falls off the wagon, or major gains. I’ve had a couple of weeks where I’ve been on holiday and eaten some more carb heavy foods but any small ga8ns have been lost quickly and it’s been easy to get back on track when I got home.

Calculate your TDEE, aim for 500 calorie deficit and DO eat, DO NOT aim for 500 calorie maximum days to maximise weight loss, you’ll get weak and feel awful. Also drink lots of water it is necessary in the process of breaking down fat and removing it from your body so you need to make sure you stay hydrated.

Definitely agree, eat sensibly until you work out what you can handle on it. As an example, I can have spicy food pretty much whenever I like on MJ, but not heavy or greasy, and gave it a couple of weeks before trying. Even if you're feeling massively suppressed, and I'm not sure most people on 2.5 have it to that extent, try and eat something small.

Would also recommend lots of water. I've had no constipation whatsoever and I think that may be why.