Should I start Mounjaro? Nervous!

[KeyLago]

Hello! I'm so torn over whether to start Mounjaro and wondered if anyone can reassure me. I am about 80kg / 12 st 8lbs and have been a good few years. Previously (pre kids) was always under 70kg / 11 stone. I've tried hard to shift the weight and have been on a diet about two years now. I've done Slimpod and Slimming World and calorie counting. I'm good about 85% of the time. I exercise three times a week. Yet my weight hasn't changed. I want to use Mounjaro for 2-3 months at the lowest dose to get me down to my pre-kid weight and from there come off it and do as I do now and maintain. I am all ready to go with my purchase but I'm nervous about the severe and rare side effects (pancreatitis), and about the nausea side effect. I have mild IBS. I don't take medication for the IBS but I often have diarrhoea. I survived a low level of nausea in pregnancy but it's no fun.
What do you think. Should I go for it?

First question is do you qualify for prescription weight loss injections? So, is your BMI over 30, or 27+ whilst being one of a list of specific ethnicities, or 27+ whilst having a weight-related health condition.

It's also not a great plan to think you can use WLI for 2 or 3 months at the lowest dose and then stop without regaining. You can't know beforehand if the starting dose will produce weight loss, it's not designed to and many people don't lose meaningful weight until they are on the higher doses. You would need to plan and budget for possibly needing higher doses and for longer. Many people find they need to stay on the medication longer term for maintenance too.

Side effects, well the rare ones are, rare. It's a decision for you to take as to whether the risks of long term obesity are worse than the very slight risk of rare side effects of this medication. Nausea is more common, usually associated with starting the medication and when going up a dose. You can address it via the usual OTC treatments and other home remedies. Again, the decision is whether the health benefits of losing weight and no longer being obese are worth the risk of nausea.

I have a BMI of 80 so the online suppliers I have looked at would prescribe me the 2.5ml dose.

So I could do 4 weeks at 2.5 then another 4 weeks at 5ml. Then review if I want to continue.

I seem able to maintain my weight so hoping not to be on it for too long.

I assume you mean 30 not 80!

2.5mg isn't a therapeutic dose so los of people don't lose anything on this dose, just to make you aware.

It's not really intended to go on it for a short while to lose some weight then come off- like others I've been on it since February and whilst I am looking to taper down as the cost is becoming prohibitive for me, I wouldn't be able to just come off it tomorrow and not gain weight back. Lots of people intend to be on it for ever.

Frankly, if it was as straightforward as going on it for a few weeks then coming off everyone would do that rather than paying 200 quid a month.

10kg is not an insignificant amount of weight to lose- everyone is different, but it took me 3+ months to lose that amount. Also bear in mind once you lose 10kg your maintenance calories will be less, and you may find this harder to do.

If I were you I'd definitely try it, but expect to want to remain on it after the smaller doses.

Your BMI isn't 80, that's your weight. Plug that figure plus your height into an online BMI calculator to find out your BMI as you'll need that to know if you qualify for WLI or not.
As above it's not really designed for quick fixes or losing a few pounds - you may find that the lower doses have no effect on you at all - but checking if you qualify is the first step.

Sorry yes BMI is 30

As pps have said, it's not really the way it's designed to be used, although when I started I thought the same as you. I lost a huge amount in the first week, but obviously that was water and inflammation, then a strict diet and exercise regime ensued to lose the rest in the following months, I've tried coming off and the weight piles back on immediately, so I'm on it forever, it doesn't just affect appetite, it stops inflammation and water weight it interrupts the dopamine pathway which helps with other habits such as drinking, without sounding too much of a spoil sport it's highly unlikely you'd lose the weight you want AND keep it off if you use it in the way you have described.

'I have a BMI of 80'

Crikey, nearly fell of my chair!

I’ve just had two days of the trots and awful eggy burps, but it’s worth it to get healthy again. For me it’s about lowering my blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and hopefully going from a bmi of 33 to mid 20s.

@Morefour thank you that’s really helpful, even if not the easy ride I was hoping for!
im just so tired of being good and sacrificing so much thought time and energy to dieting

@KeyLago just rethink it a bit, think more of a 8 to 12 month journey, including tapering if you don't want to stay on it, I started at the same weight as you at 5. 5 and am hovering around 8. 2 to 8.5 now on a small dose.
The side effects are more irritating in the main, like nausea and tiredness rather t than the headline tabloid stuff, I'd definitely give it a go if I were you but adjust your expectation of it.

Hi OP, we've moved your thread to our Weight loss injections topic

I would 100% go for it. I started on 2.5 in July, I had similar bmi to you. I’ve never increased and in fact some weeks taken less than 2.5, and I’ve continually lost weight. I’m now at a healthy bmi and need to consider coming off it but I’m now taking such a low dose I partly feel like I want to stay on it forever! It’s saving me money on food each week as I eat far less/smaller portions and make healthier choices. Obviously people have different experiences and perhaps I’m sensitive to it given I’ve had so much effect from a small dose, but it’s the best thing I’ve done this year.

Hi OP

I am pretty similar to you, had a bmi of 30 and couldn’t shift the stone or two I needed to lose to feel a happy healthy weight. I started MJ in Feb. I was on it for about 6 months and lost a little less than 2 stone. I stayed on 2.5 mg for about 2 months and then did the rest on 5mg. It was easy, very little in the way of side effects on the low dose for me and the weight came off gradually but steadily. I loved not constantly thinking about food but i could still eat and enjoy my meals. I just didn’t snack or overeat. Amazing!

I’ve been off it a few months now and I am gaining back some weight, because I don’t have the jab to help me control my greediness! But I am more motivated because I like being that bit slimmer, can fit back in my clothes etc. I wish I could’ve stayed at the weight I was when I stopped MJ, I’ve probably gained about half a stone 😭 so it’s not a long term magic bullet, be prepared for that. I am hoping that I can stay at my current weight now and I’m motivated to do that otherwise it was all for nothing really! I’d love to stay on it but it’s more expensive now and I did worry about long term side effects. Also I felt it gave me a bit of low mood. But overall I’d def do it again. Good luck!

Thank you all. Appreciate the advice and hearing your experiences. I’m going to wait a month and see how I feel.

I don’t really understand these questions, it is not a commitment you’re making, you inject a small half dose the first week, 2.5mg, any issues you don’t inject a second time and just lose the cost of the pen.

pancreatits is due to diet, ie lack of fat, or gallstones, which is due to weight loss or gain in the main. It’s not the drugs. You can google how to reduce risk as you lose weight, and how to diet healthy,

80 percent of people have no side effects, the rest tend to me minimal, but the point remains, if you are eligible, then order a pen, try it, all you lose is 150 quid on the first pen if you don’t like it.