Longest you have made a pen last

[Elsiedarlingputthekettleon]

Hi all,
The title really, how long if you are micro dosing or spreading doses, reduced dose with higher pen etc etc. I know it says 30 days but people often comment they go longer with them. Thanks

Started my 10mg pen on the 6th of August and for various reasons I have used 2.5 and 5mg doses. Mainly because I went away and didn't want to not enjoy food and feel sick. I am sticking at 5mg but going away again for a week so that's another 5mg. I think that pen will be 9 weeks. I'd not recommend it either but it was that or come off as I also couldn't get any pen for three weeks whist it was my last pen. I'm going to do the same with my next pen.

This was never my intention but I wouldn't have started at all if I'd known it was going up so much. It's this or stop.

How do you order new pens with such long gaps? That's my next worry

9 weeks for me. No issues at all.

Hey OP, I’ve done 8 weeks from 1 pen but plan on doing much longer now as I’m on 2.5 from 7.5 pens that I bought before the price increase.

Ive had the same journey as you re side effects- week 2/3 on 5 made me incredibly unwell. It’s because it builds in your system and clearly mine couldn’t hack it, I went back to 2.5 and was still unwell (because of it building in your body!!). So I’m having a 3 week break then starting again as I just wanna get it all out of me as was so poorly.

I am on about week 8 of a 7.5mg with no issues. I will get a few more weeks out of it. I am very careful with pen cleaning and always keep in fridge. Seems to be working OK. No suppression difference.

I started in June & I’ve only ever taken 2.5mg from a 5mg pen. I’m now wondering whether to buy a 7.5mg pen so it lasts 12 weeks (3x 4 doses…) I do have 2x5mg pens in the fridge to start beforehand. So that’s 8 weeks in each pen. I imagine after this 5 or 7.5mg pen that I buy today, that will me done, and I’ll come off or do one pen of 1mg… advice welcome.

https://www.vrgrowth.co.uk/mounjaro-clicks

calculator

Thanks so much!

It seems that more people will be making the conscious choice to make pens last due to costs now too. I wonder how providers will react. Unless you have a lot to lose and buy as normal and then jjust calculate what roughly you will need and then stop purchasing. This price increase has made people do this, so they should be expecting it.

@Elsiedarlingputthekettleon yes as I’m off MJ now, just used it for a month as a pre holiday boost after gaining 3 kg.
appreciate that this goes against all advice but as pen is within the expiry I don’t see an issue.

im so glad I have found a sensible discussion on this subject. I have always used the golden dose and made pens last a week or so longer than 30 days.

I now intend to keep ordering every month to maintain my prescribing history, but order increasing dose pens till I get to 15, but stay on low doses and use the pens for a lot longer. per dose, even at the increased price the 15 pen is the most cost effective per ml.

the price hike has forced my hand and its useful to hear from people who have already done this.

it does mean I will have a stash, but I intend to monitor expiry dates and just see how I go for now.

I do wonder how people manage to get a new pen if they have an ordering gap, has that happened to any of you?

I think probably 7 weeks is my max at the moment. I currently take 10mg from a 15mg pen per week so that is about 7.5 weeks currently with the extra dose. I bought a couple of pens before the price hike and I am not planning on buying more for a while. I have 4 full pens in the fridge. I guess, I am hoping they last me and I can then just do regular diet and exercise. I would like to get off the Mounjaro at some point if I can. I was always prepared to stay on it forever, but I have really been struggling with bloating and stuff lately and it makes me very tired a lot.

I think the issue is that after a gap you need to go back to 2.5mg. Some pharmacies allow a gap up to a year.

I didn't realise you could have a gap and then return. But you would have to still need to meet the prescribing requirements?

I had an ordering gap, as I finished regular orders in December, then decided to reorder about Feb to have one pen in reserve.

I had a BMI of 26 or 27 and had to submit new photos and scales pic but was no issue. Once approved I was able to order a 5 mg pen even though there had been a breaking 3 months.

@Happycyclist ”a 1kg stork margarine tub”
that takes me back and made me smile!

Some pharmacies will let you have a break even with a lower BMI.

I think the pharmacies will become more flexible on ordering gaps , if they want to keep business . Of course people will order higher doses and take lower doses from them. I already am doing that .

Works a treat for me...holds loads and as there is another (sometimes two) full one in front or above it no reason for anyone to look inside. Although my stockpile is getting large so I may soon need a second storage tub.

How could I explain 4kg of Stork margarine...
To be honest i I don't anyone to question them..

My tupperware sits in the fridge inside a wine box, from which I've removed the empty bag!

Loving the stork tubs and empty wine box stories 😂 Thanks for the info re breaks and reordering and lower BMI too. I am hoping not to have to order any more pens, but never say never!

https://www.vrgrowth.co.uk/mounjaro-clicks

"I now intend to keep ordering every month to maintain my prescribing history, but order increasing dose pens till I get to 15, but stay on low doses and use the pens for a lot longer. per dose, even at the increased price the 15 pen is the most cost effective per ml."
@caniaffordit this is exactly what I plan to do. I will order every month (or 5 weeks or so if I can push it) and I'll work out how big a stock I will need for titrating down, when I get closer to my ultimate goal weight. I plan on having maybe 6 months or maybe a bit longer, after reaching goal.
Using a 15mg pen is the most cost effective "price per dose" whatever you are on.