Sudden onset of nausea and tiredness

[Jabberwokie]

I have been taking Mounjaro for about 10 months. Because I am in my mid-60s, I took the decision from the outset to take it slowly, so I have gradually increased the dosage, and I haven't starved myself. I have been on the current dose of 12.5 for almost 11 weeks. I shall probably be on Mounjaro for life, albeit on a low dose, if I can tolerate it.

I have been lucky in that I haven't suffered much from side effects - perhaps a little constipation and the rare bout of nausea in the first few months. Neither have I had a great deal of suppression of appetite. I have usually been able to eat a decent meal if I wanted to (I have never been an eater of large meals anyway).

My issue is that in the last 2 or 3 weeks, I have been feeling nauseous and ridiculously tired. I had intended to stay on the 12.5 dose for a while longer before titrating down, but I don't think I can cope with these side effects for very much longer.

I'm wondering whether anyone else has had a sudden onslaught of unpleasant side effects? If you did, can I ask how you handled it and whether the situation improved?

What’s your weight and diet like at the moment? It could be that as you’ve lost weight the dose has become too strong for you and you’re not getting enough nutrients? Does the nausea improve if you eat? if it does that can be a sign it’s being caused by low blood sugar.

Thank you for responding, AirborneElephant.

I’m around 11st 10lbs - BMI about 27.5. It’s taken me 10 months to lose 3.5 stones. I genuinely haven’t starved myself and I wouldn’t even say that I’m dieting as such. I’ve cut out the emotional/stress/boredom snacking and have cut back on the wine habit. I sometimes don’t bother with breakfast, but it’s rare for me to skip lunch or dinner. Generally, I have a good diet as I prefer lean meat, fish, vegetables and salads. I put the weight on over a decade or so - it wasn’t due to eating all the wrong stuff. Stress played a major part in it.

Within minutes of eating, I feel light headed and sleepy. That’s been the case for many years, but it’s particularly noticeable at the moment. Perhaps you are right that the dose is just too high for me at the moment.

Have you had your sugar tested recently? , that's how my husband was pre diabetic diagnosis. I know mounjaro works on insulin, but I think it's worth a check.

The 12.5 made me so ill with nausea I had to go cold turkey. Even the smell of the swabs made me want to vomit eventually in a pavlov effect.
I also felt very unwell with it, whole body aches for 2-3 days after injection.
I wonder if we had the same batch.

I've had this the last two weeks & I think it's due to a dose of Covid. I only twigged this the other day when I completely lost my taste for everything apart from salt. I've been very thirsty, headachey & exhausted as well. This all followed on from a 2 day wait in hospital for my ds's op over 2 weeks ago. So I probably had significant exposure. I'm on 15 mg & up until now I've had no issues.

Hi Op, I’ve been on MJ for three months with minimal side effects but I jabbed this morning and all day I’ve felt incredibly lethargic and a bit ‘ick’, which is very unlike me. At weekends I’m normally on the go all day but I went out to get my nails done earlier and I couldn’t wait to get home and lie on the sofa.

Maybe it’s just one of those things and sometimes it hits you hard out of the blue?

I’m feeling like that today. Jabbed yesterday, second 5mg shot. Wondering if 5mg is too much for me and I should go back to 2.5 or 3.75. Managed a protein drink and a fage yogurt but the thought of solid food makes me feel really sick.

I am mid 50s, been on Mounjaro for a year, have been feeling fatigued for a while and have a list of things to try. I convinced the Dr to do some bloods but there was nothing they would do anything about. I tried B12 injections (due to being on PPIs for years and having other B12 deficiency symptoms) every other day for 8 weeks. Changed to decent methylated forms of vitamins etc. But there is still a tiredness/heaviness around my eyes almost constantly.

I started HRT which has improved my sleep (and reduced getting up to pee in night!)

I am only on a low dose of Mounjaro but still losing avg 1.2lb/week so yesterday I have decreased slightly to see if that helps. All these changes take weeks to reassess if they helped or not.

My next step might be asking to up my HRT as I am getting the occasional hot flash again now I have lost further weight (less fat less estrogen stores).

Within minutes of eating, I feel light headed and sleepy. That’s been the case for many years

This is interesting, have you considered trying a Libra monitor (the one you stick on your arm for 2 weeks and it monitors your blood sugars in an app)? I listened to a Q&A with a menopause specialist who tried one and was surprised at the types of foods that make her blood sugar spike - a big culprit was baked potatoes. It might give you some clues to what's going on after you eat.

Yes, white bread, potatoes, white pasta, white rice, all have that effect on my husband, who is type 2, we went out for lunch last week and despite knowing this, he ordered rarebit, huge portion arrived on thick slices of white bread, 4 slices, he was in bed half hour after we got home and didn't get up til the next day.

Thank you all for your comments, and apologies for not getting back to the thread sooner.

I do not believe that I have Covid or anything like that and I am fairly sure it is due to the Mounjaro jabs. The peak of the nausea comes on day 2 after the jab, and that is pretty consistent.

Whenever I have had blood tests, everything has been fine and I am on no medication whatsoever (other than Mounjaro), which is pretty good for someone rapidly approaching 66. However, I shall have another full blood test to see if something new is happening.

WeAllHaveWings - thank you for the shout about a Libra monitor. To be fair, I have slipped into eating more carbs lately, so it may be diet related.

I am still working, albeit not full time, and my job is intellectually demanding and can be quite stressful. I suspect that has something to do with the fatigue.

Anyway, I have decided to go back down the doses and shall start a 10 on Sunday. I don't want to lose a great deal more anyway and shall probably stay on a very low dose forever.

Thank you all again.

I'm still only on 5 and occasionally get bouts of nausea and vomiting on day 2, not always and it catches me by surprise when it comes, but I'm nearly finished now so I'll keep going.

That sounds grim, Jennysjamas. I don’t get anywhere near to vomiting, thank goodness.

i’m going to keep going too, but I’ll try the lower dose and see what happens. I’m pretty close to where I want to be - but not sure yet where precisely that is.