Newbie Questions

[StrongLikeMamma]

Hi just ordered first dose of Monjaro
I’m really keen to avoid side effects as much as possible but know I’m very sensitive to meds.

Can I ask some questions please of those of you with a bit more experience?

1. What foods make you feel sick? I have read that fat does - but we need to eat fat to be healthy right? So what fats are ok?
2. What sickness meds help you if you feel off? I hate gaviscon - would rennies / peppermint be ok?
3. If you get headaches are they manageable with paracetamol or a nap for eg?
4. If you were taking supplements before WLIs did you continue to do so?
5. What’s the best time of day to inject? And why?
6. Diarrhoea / constipation - how do you cope? How long does it last?
7. have you felt down / moody / depressed at all?
8. If the injection site is irritated how do you deal with that?
9. Do you inject in your thigh?

Thanks and sorry for all the questions!
I’d like to stock up in advance of any possible probs.

Hello, I’ll tell you a bit about my experience so far. I was on Wegovy for 4 weeks and the nausea feeling on and off - ginger chews and ginger tea helped it wasn’t everyday , I can’t say any food triggered it.
i did have the odd headache and paracetamol and plenty of water helped sim for at least 2Litres a day.

i did feel absolutely exhausted by the 3rd week but not sure if I picked up a virus as I felt dizzy as well.

and by the 4th week I felt better apart from feeling Anxious for no reason and upon looking into is a side effect which I didn’t even know about.

i just did my 1st week on MJ and felt fine this week no side effects so am moving up a dose as I only had supression for 3 days.

i do my jab in the evening so if any side effects come on I’m sleeping and so far it’s been fine. I’ve jabbed in the thigh and stomach made no difference to me.

My tips are drink 2L water at least and get some electrolytes to put in your water everyday, have paracetamol handy and maybe if you feel nauseous get some ginger chews/tea. Make sure you eat protein with each meal and if you can lift weights as that will help you build/keep muscle and you won’t be left with skin.

Good luck and come join the October weight loss board xx

Thanks @Elliebearblues - what make are your ginger chews I haven’t heard of them before!

Been on mounjaro a year.
1.Pizza and a greasy beef burger, the frozen type, cooked once in airfryer and once in a pan, both released lots of fat, which I absorbed in towel before eating. all times stomach pains and diarrhoea. It didn't last, once out body back to normal. Strangely I'm fine with a macds, burger king or five guys burger.
2.Only had nausea when moving up doses, never used meds throughout my year. Never had constipation or sulphur burps either.
3.Some headaches when starting for few weeks, drink more water, eat little and often and they went. Paracetamol did work. Electrolytes helped too.
4.Unable to swallow tablets/capsules on higher doses so got high strength liquid vitamins. Now I'm tapering down can swallow them all again yippee. Feel much better energy on vitamins and I take liquid iron too as always anaemic 20+ years. Also take collagen.
5.No best time as it doesn't kick in for a few days for me so can't predict. I do take it Friday evening after work.
6.Answered above. Drink plenty of water and take electrolytes.
7.Yes felt low since day 3 ish, low enthusiasm too, dont want to do anything, even cook and i used to love doing that, just put in airfryer. Disrupts dopamine pathway. Lower doses are better for this, on 15mg I was a zombie, tapering down now at 7.5mg. Will move to wegovy as also had lots hair loss.
8.Had injection site swollen, red hot every week for 4 months, started leaving out of fridge 1hr before injecting, never happened again.
9.Once in thigh, zero suppression or satiety, constant hunger. Same happened to friend. Every other time in tummy, good suppression, until dose wears off.

Just popping in to say that side effects are not inevitable and you may be lucky. I have been on MJ since January and the only side effect has been constipation which is solved by fibre tablets

Hi, I’ve been on mj since May, lost 3 stone.

1. nothing makes me sick
2. pepto bismol probably
3. They don’t give me headaches
4. I take a multivitamin and a fibre gummie
5. I was very unwell with this when I moved up to 5 for 2 weeks. Otherwise, none. In fact I have IBS so less than before! I do have constipation though which is manageable.
6. no
7. never has
8. Nope, belly.

I’ve on week 5 now and just started 5mg. I had diarrhoea within 24 hours of taking my first two jabs and after my first 5mg this week, then constipation after jabs 3 and 4 so I guess I was unlucky re side effects. I inject on a Friday morning so all my side effects have been over the weekend. I tried not to take any medication but had to resort to Imodium over the weekend as the diarrhoea and stomach cramps were so painful. To ease the constipation I ate high fibre foods as recommended by nutritionists - popcorn, prunes, berries and yogurt, kiwi fruit, bananas and oaty granola. Together with drinking 3 litres of water a day I coped without taking any medication.

I have had some mild heart burn as well and use rennies or Tescos liquid meds, so much cheaper than gaviscon!

I have jabbed in stomach and thighs to see which I prefer, thighs seem to suit me best for some reason. I’ve not had any reaction at the injection site and it is totally painless apart from last time when I used it straight from the fridge and it stung a little. It does advise you to use it as room temperature.

Ive not found any food difficult to eat but I don’t eat fatty or greasy food anyway, I wish cake and crisps were not so appealing! I know some people are lucky to have good food suppression on the lowest dose but I didn’t so, despite the side effects, moved up to 5mg as soon as possible. However, I’ve been dieting for approx four months prior to using Mounjaro losing almost 2 stone so I think I’ve got used to the lower calorie intake.

My mood has not changed at all so far, I’m quite a cheerful, positive person so I’m pleased that’s not been an issue for me.

I was very nervous about taking Mounjaro so decided to buy it from my local pharmacy who offer a NHS weight loss programme with face to face consultations and monthly checkups, any concerns and I can just pop in to speak to the pharmacist. I was expecting to pay more than online but so far it has been cheaper, I paid £145 for both the 2.5 mg pen and the 5mg pen. I prefer picking up the pen rather than rely on deliveries.

Good luck with your journey. I’m also following the tread here for people who started injecting in September, it’s been really helpful and supportive as we are all at a similar stage in our weight loss journey.

1) What foods make you feel sick? So what fats are ok?

The only thing that I've found I can't tolerate is the vegetarian mince I normally use, it seems to be harder for me to digest on Mounjaro, so I don't eat that any more. Other than that, I just wouldn't eat a lot of fried oily food. All the normal healthy fats are fine for me.

2) What sickness meds help you if you feel off? I hate gaviscon - would rennies / peppermint be ok?

I had some peppermint tea which helped with the nausea I sometimes got in the first few weeks. Use whatever suits you.

3) If you get headaches are they manageable with paracetamol or a nap for eg?

I don't get headaches but I am sure that the usual remedies would help.

4) If you were taking supplements before WLIs did you continue to do so?

Yes, just a normal multivitamin, and omega capsules for vegetarians.

5) What’s the best time of day to inject? And why?

Whenever suits you in terms of having a bit of time to organise yourself and do it. People do it at all different times, to suit their schedule. I inject on a Friday morning, because I have a regular bit of time to do it and the medication is at its strongest over the weekend which I prefer.

6) Diarrhoea / constipation - how do you cope? How long does it last?

Not everyone gets these side effects. OTC treatments are usually enough to sort it. Diarrhoea can be associated with going up a dose and shouldn't last long. Constipation, well the usual advice for how to handle it applies. Drink lots of water, eat more fibre, use OTC treatments and don't let it go on too long before trying to sort it out.

7) Have you felt down / moody / depressed at all?

Nope, not at all. The absolute reverse in fact. I am so much happier and positive compared to how miserable I was before I started. I think it's the removal of the totally hopeless feeling that I had, that I would never sort my weight out. Now I know that I can lose the weight and it never has to get that bad ever again.

8) If the injection site is irritated how do you deal with that?

Never had any irritation at all. The occasional bruise. If I did get irritation then I'd use OTC antihistamine tablets and/or cream.

9) Do you inject in your thigh?

You can inject into your thigh. I never have, I have always injected into my stomach.

Oops I missed out 5! I inject straight before bed because the one time I did it earlier (near the beginning) I felt a bit sick.

I jag on a Sunday evening because it wears off by day 6/7 so I like to be able to eat a bit more on weekends with the family.

1. I might get a little nausia on day 2 after injecting but if so it is very mild and passes quickly. The only 2 occasions I truly felt sick was when I drank too much wine (I normally stop after a couple of glasses, but it was a long party so I carried on!) and on another occasion I had pineapple and that made me feel very queasy!
2. If I feel nauseous I keep drinking water and distract myself. If I get any indigestion I take omeprazole
3. paracetamol and drink plenty of water
4. Ive always taken vitamin D, calcium and collagen. Since starting MJ I take a multi vitamin and Psyllium capsules
5. I inject at whatever time of day suits me that day. I went through a phase of thinking injecting later in the day led to less side effects, but Im not sure. I always injected on a Wednesday so I had maximum effect over the weekend. Now that I am maintaining I inject 12 days apart, so the day varies. DD gets nauseous very easily so she started by injecting in the evening. Now she does it whenever suits her that day. She chooses a Monday as its weekdays when she wants the maximum effect.
6. never had diarrhoea. re constipation, which I have a tendency to anyway. 2 psyllium husks every morning with a glass of water. vegetables at every meal, prunes on standby if I need them. I also keep Senna in stock and take 1 or 2 in the evening, if/when necessary, but only need to infrequently. Most importantly drink lots and lost of water.
7. No moodyness, depression or anxiety. quite the opposite, I wake up every morning knowing I am losing/have lost weight and feel great.
8. Ive been doing the injections for over 10 months, Ive had little bit of irritation only once or twice. I put eurax cream on.
9. I inject into my tummy area.
10. you didnt ask, but exercise. find something you like. I do a few arm exercises most mornings with hand held weights & some stretches etc. I swim lengths or do a long brisk walk 2-3 times a week. I have noticed the toning up effect.

Most importantly, really focus on protein and fibre, drink lots and lost of water. And exercise. It doesn't have to be hours at the gym or training for a marathon. But you want to tone up and keep your muscles.

best decision I ever made. Ive lost over 5 stone.

I forgot to add you can take Rennies or a anticid for reflux, I also take Multivitamins, prebiotics and omega 3.

i had the chews from Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B084V8DHYH?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

That’s amazing 👏

1. What foods make you feel sick? I have read that fat does - but we need to eat fat to be healthy right? So what fats are ok? Nothing... I cook with olive oil, have eaten bacon, sausages, lamb, steak, double cream with no issues
2. What sickness meds help you if you feel off? I hate gaviscon - would rennies / peppermint be ok? Nothing... I cook with olive oil, have eaten bacon, sausages, lamb, steak, double cream with no issues. I drink peppermint tea anytime I feel slightly windy
3. If you get headaches are they manageable with paracetamol or a nap for eg? I don't get any
4. If you were taking supplements before WLIs did you continue to do so? Yes, was taking vitamin D and folic acid before, and now also take collagen, pumpkin seed oil w/ saw palmetto, omega 3 & biotin
5. What’s the best time of day to inject? And why? I started by injecting an hour after it was delivered on a Thursday morning... and I've stuck to that
6. Diarrhoea / constipation - how do you cope? How long does it last? Never had any diarrhoea, but had mild constipation in the first few weeks - I've tried to eat more green vegetables and add 2-3 teaspoons to greek yoghurt that I eat 3-4 times a week
7. have you felt down / moody / depressed at all? No
8. If the injection site is irritated how do you deal with that? It was irritated for a few days after my 1st jab, but I now press the sterile wipe on it for 10 seconds and have had no further irritation
9. Do you inject in your thigh? No

Been on since mid July, still on 2.5mg, have lost 17kg so far.
Had some breathlessness due to low potassium (all the water was flushing it out!) started supplementing and no issues since. Also take a general multi vitamin.
I have been getting constipation on and off, it seems to coincide with drinking alcohol so I’ll be stopping that. Also, poo with your feet up, it’s a game changer!
No other side effects for me.
Jab on a Friday morning as that’s when I WFH and have an empty house.
Jab in abdomen, only had one instance of an irritated injection site but I think I’d blunted the needle on the cap somehow. Did bruise to start with but now I don’t.
Don’t really get suppression any more but MJ catches me before I overeat, so I now feel full after a ‘normal’ amount of food which is what I wanted it to do and why I’ve not moved up doses.
Hard to say re mood as there is a lot of shit going on in my life right now which would make anyone a bit down.

It is all very individual, here's my answers, been on Mounjaro since June 24.

1. What foods make you feel sick? I have read that fat does - but we need to eat fat to be healthy right? So what fats are ok? - very individual, for me it was sugar would make me feel awful. Stick with simple high protein, fiber, healthy fats, minimal UPF/sugar/sweetener to start with and try heavier/spicier etc foods, smaller portions, tentatively. I am fine with spicey others not. I have had the occasional fish and chips from the chippie with no significant side effects, others had unpleasant side effects.
2. What sickness meds help you if you feel off? I hate gaviscon - would rennies / peppermint be ok? - ask your local pharmacist when you get side effects and they will direct you to the best solution
3. If you get headaches are they manageable with paracetamol or a nap for eg? - didn't get headaches
4. If you were taking supplements before WLIs did you continue to do so? - yes
5. What’s the best time of day to inject? And why? - again individual, you can hit peak level (and possible side effects) anything from 8-72hrs from injection. I take mine some time on a Saturday, can vary from 9am to 9pm or anything inbetween
6. Diarrhoea / constipation - how do you cope? How long does it last? - first couple of months only and manageable when keeping up with hydration and diet changes as needed. I also take magnesium which helps. Walking helps get things moving too. Again local pharmacist is your best bet for help.
7. have you felt down / moody / depressed at all? - no
8. If the injection site is irritated how do you deal with that? - When I changed needle brand the reactions started, changed back and no longer get a reaction
9. Do you inject in your thigh? - no, gives me the heebie jeebies for some reason, stomach only for me

16 months on MJ. 120lbs lost. Been maintaining for 5 months.

1. No foods have made me feel sick at all. I eat cheese, cream, butter, coconut milk etc etc
2. Haven't felt sick at all (other than a couple of mornings after overindulging in prosecco!) so no idea, sorry
3. Why would you get headaches? The only reason I can think of is dehydration and that one is easy to solve (electrolytes can also be helpful but not needed every day)
4. Yes, I still take a range of supplements - mainly stuff for my joints as I’m getting older
5. Absolutely any time that works for you!
6. Gastric issues can happen. Just go with it and have a look at your diet. I had some constipation when I increased doses and when I wasn’t eating enough fibre. I had some diarrhoea due to the above mentioned overindulgence in Prosecco (oh and when I scoffed a load of green olives!). No saying how long anything will last - we are all different and have different triggers!
7. Quite the opposite! I am happier than I’ve been in ages and have bundles of energy!
8. I haven’t had this problem but have read of people taking antihistamines before jabbing to help.
9. I don’t. I did my first ever one in my thigh, then moved to my belly, then my arm. I just stick with my arm now as I find it hard to avoid stretch marks in my belly.

Thanks for your answers . What’s the issue with stretch marks?

That’s good to know about the cream Maz. I was worrying about my morning coffee with cream and collagen.

Pain and bleeding! Best to avoid

Noted !

Can I ask about jabbing before you sleep… planning my first jab tonight.. will it disturb my sleep if I have side effects?

Unlikely I’d have thought. There’s nothing in the patient info leaflet about it.

Does it really sting straight out the fridge?

Not for me. It’s a tiny quantity of liquid, 0.6ml, so I even if it’s very cold it’s not going to be noticeably so.

I do my jab on a Friday night, I'm sometimes sick if I eat too much or too rich/fancy food on Saturday, e.g at a party or wedding, which of course usually happen on Saturdays. Really should try a different day! Rarely any problems the rest of the week.

Thanks for your replies @SilenceInside and @NotMeNoNo- sitting here totally overthinking whenI should do first jab 🙄