About to start mounjaro and having a panic, ease my fears!

[Ocelotfeet27]

Hi all,

Have just had my first mounjaro injections arrive in the post. Planning to start tomorrow but having a massive panic about what life will be like on MJ, will I feel really poorly, am I doing the right thing etc. Please ease my fears by sharing your experience. What was your first jab like, did you experience any side effects? How did it change your lifestyle in the first few weeks? Is there anything you can recommend I should look at to get tips on maintaining a healthy diet on WLIs, exercise etc?

Am in the middle of some other major life stuff as well at the moment (preparing to move abroad, new job, new professional career etc) so panicking this is a bad plan against this backdrop. But also keen to take control of my body and be healthier in my new home and job, so thought good to start this journey now. And definitely need to lose a significant chunk of weight so this is clearly the right step.

Good for you for getting started. There’ll be loads of great advice but here are a few:

• 24-48 hours before you jab make sure you eat well and are well hydrated. Avoid fatty, fried, sugary foods as these can increase the likelihood of gastric issues
• stay hydrated throughout
• have omeprazole or other indigestion remedy in hand. I took preemptively and still occasionally do
• have antihistamine on hand both cream and tablet in case you have a reaction at injection site
• wait for the swab to completely dry before you jab - this will reduce the likelihood of your skin being irritated. Similarly don’t withdraw the needle for 5-6 seconds to ensure no dribbles direct on to your skin
• try to be relaxed and not in a rush when you jab
• I find letting the jab get to room temperature makes it more comfortable for me

I had no issue with my first jab at all but was very nervous - really understandable.

shout if any particular questions good luck! Xx

Well taking it is really no big deal, very quick and painless, hopefully you'll react to 2.5 and lose a significant amount of weight in the first week, much of which will be water, then you will carry on, your appetite will hopefully diminish your blood sugars will stabilise and soon as you prioritise protein eat enough fibre to prevent constipation and really stay away from anything fatty plus ditching alcohol, you'll lose more.
After 4 weeks or 5 if you use the golden dose you decide if you want to go up to 5 I did after a couple of months, never went above 5 lost weight consistently, it really is that simple. You however may need to go up the doses until you reach 15,listen to your gut literally, if you feel comfortable and remain losing weight stay on your dose, if you feel like you're not reacting to a dose move up, beware though, moving up a dose is when you may get the worst side effects.

In terms of diet - lower carb, average fat and higher protein and fibre (lots of fibre - you’ll need it as constipation can be a challenge )

3 meals per day. Proper meals. No snacks . More on it during the week, more relaxed at weekends. No alcohol at least 4 days per week and when I drink one glass usually (Christmas an exception!)

I walk at least 10k steps a day. Weight lift heavy 2x per week and little bits of running - playing with the kids when time allows

really try and see yourself as a slim person who’s making choices in line with that identity. Not a fat person who’s going against her nature by trying to be thin - does that make sense?

I have had a bit of nausea at various times but mainly week 2 and 3, I made sure I had the relevant remedies to hand to help. It was manageable though. On day 3 I am usually a bit tired but of I keep busy I'm ok. I did feel a bit rough the first 3-5 days but I managed to carry on as normal through it.

Eat lots of protein, at least 1g per kg of weight. Eating small and often helps me. Drink plenty of water, I would start this immediately. I struggle with eating enough fibre but it is recommended to eat about 25-30g.

I did some research on vitamins etc and take collagen glow up (nutrition geeks), b12, biotin growth and psyllium husk, meant to take magnesium but I always forget.

Jabs havent hurt and I haven't had any after effects round the injection site. Have lost 22.5lbs in 8.5 weeks also and at BMI 25 as of today. It has been incredible for me.

I also had the same worries and my first pen sat in the fridge for over 2 weeks. I was overthinking it all. It's been 10 months, I've lost 9 stone, and it's the best thing I've ever done for myself.

Read the booklet you get with the pen several times. Watch a YouTube video on how to inject. By jab 3 I didn't even think twice about it.

My side effects have been minimal and nothing unmanageable. Didn't really get them until my 2nd round of 5mg and they were no big deal.

I focus on high fibre, high protein and lots of water. I track my food using nutracheck - some weeks I will weigh everything and some weeks I just estimate. I just focus on making better choices but I still allow myself treats.

Just go for it. You can figure out what works for you as you go!

Truthfully I did have bad side effects the first week, so it is a possibility (even though many people get absolutely nothing) BUT even with those side effects it was worth it and has changed my life one year on

Been taking Mounjaro for 18 months now. First injection was a massive anticlimax! Was really nervous, read the instructions a million times and was psyched up for a painful jab. But, it was easy enough to do and totally painless, didn’t feel a single thing. Then, I just had the intended effects of appetite suppression and feeling fuller quicker. That happened the same day for me, which is not usually the case for most people. I gradually realised that I just wasn’t interested in snacking and wasn’t obsessing about food like I had been before.

So, in the first few weeks I just was eating a lot less, and feeling really calm and happy about it. That’s pretty much how it’s continued, bar a bit of digestive upset when going up to 5mg and then 7.5mg. Nothing I couldn’t handle, and it settled both times. No issues at all since then.

I take a multivitamin daily, but always have done.

By the way, you don’t need to swab your skin before injecting. The swabs are actually provided to clean the end of the injection pen prior to attaching the needle to reduce risk of contamination. Your skin does not need to be swabbed. The paper instructions that come with the pen explain what the swab is for.

For the first six months I used to inject and feel like I had to hang on to something because it was going to whizz around my body like in Innerspace - all very dramatic and I actually never felt anything.

One thing I’d start from day 1 is daily chia seeds, and having Gaviscon handy.

I would also recommend finding the relevant months thread on here also so you can chat with those starting a similar time to you, and maybe the one prior/after to you starting as they are so helpful for tips and to alleviate any concerns.

Also, depending on how much you have to lose, there are two long running threads. One for people with 5 stone or more to lose, and another for people with 10 stone or more to lose. Really useful to be able to chat to people facing a similar situation.

I started Mounjaro 10m ago, and I'm not gonna lie, I was so poorly! The actual injection is nothing to fuss about, but from day 2 I suffered. Sulphur burps, stomach aches, literally whole nights on the loo, I lost 9lb in week 1!
I persevered, and lost 3st altogether in about 8m, got my bmi down below 24. I have been off a couple of months now and maintained my goal weight. I stayed on 2.5mg dose for 3m as I couldn't shake the side effects, and then did 3.5mg (wasted abit of pen) then 5mg was the highest i could go. My suppression was through the roof, I had to make sure that I ate regularly and drank plenty as I just didn't feel hunger at all.

Would I do it again? probably yes! I didn't have loads to loose, but after years of fads and yo yo diets I needed help. Its not a quick fix or easy answer though!

good luck!

Thanks all. This has reassured me a lot. I am ok with GI symptoms but really hoping not to have any of the anxiety symptoms some people seem to get (nor the serious side effects of course like pancreatitis). Hopefully it will all go smoothly. I have quite a bit of weight to lose (c7st) but it's for health reasons rather than appearance so worst case scenario even if I only lose a stone or something that will undoubtedly be good for me.

Appreciate everyone's tips - off to glug a lot of water!

Water, water, water! Keep your protein and veg up and listen to your appetite. Most of us who are obese have taught ourselves not to, mj can give you that back.

9 months in and over 8 stone down here, main side effects were tiredness in the early days and being cold a lot of the time. Heated blankets and warm socks are a godsend.

@Ocelotfeet27 There’s a thread recently started for January 2026 starters - it might be worth popping on there - I’ve just ordered my first pen and I’m hoping that virtual real time support is going to get me through the first few weeks

It’s dangerous and not all side effects are known yet. If you want to go through with it I wish you luck

@brown31c what are you going on about? These medications are no more or less dangerous than any other prescription medication, or even OTC medication. They wouldn’t have been approved for use in the UK by the MHRA if they were dangerous.

The possible side effects are known, they are listed in the patient information leaflet. How anyone could possibly know as-yet-undiscovered future side effects without a crystal ball is a mystery! They are no more likely to develop future serious side effects than any other medication.

Your post is simply uninformed scaremongering.

What makes you say it is dangerous @brown31c ? That isn't an evidence based position as far as I can see.

It's been pretty much all great for me so far! I've been amazed that I've not had any bad reactions to anything I've eaten or drunk so far. Probably helped by the fact I've not had a desire to eat anything "tricky" so far. I've only had 3 alcoholic drinks since starting in early November, where normally I'd have been drinking half a bottle of wine most nights at Christmas, for example.

I was very anxious beforehand and worried I would miss my old life. I just haven't at all because I'm not mentally having to put any effort in; I'm not mentally depriving myself. After jabbing each week I've had a feeling of great happiness about the whole thing.

It's hard to believe how smooth it's been and that it should continue to work.

Protein, prunes, pulses
Water, walnuts, weights.

Agree re the indigestion remedies at the beginning. I found they helped in the first couple of weeks but haven’t needed them since and have learned not to overeat - which was probably the true culprit.

Constipation can be an issue - see my prunes, water and walnuts rule.

I have built my eating regime by concentrating on protein and vegetables with lower and better quality carbs and very little sugar.

I also take collagen powder as I was concerned about hair loss and looking haggard, neither of these have happened, but hard to know if the collagen has actually made a difference, or if I’ve just been lucky.

My top tip would be don’t race up the doses. The right dose is an individual thing and involves balancing suppression vs side effects. Basically, if it’s not working and you have no side effects, it’s fine to increase the dose. On the other hand if you are finding you are less hungry, and/or are experiencing side effects, then stay as you are or even reduce/pause the dose if side effects are strong. It’s the tortoises that will win this race in the end, so don’t panic and keep healthy.

I started in August 2024. I don’t remember any side effects at all in the first week, and after that appetite gradually started to reduce but nothing hugely noticeable until I went up to 5mg. Even then there was nothing like nausea, hair loss etc. Just constipation and some fatigue at the higher doses. Am now at goal and titrating back down. I agree with others - don’t rush up the doses. Take it slow and don’t necessarily interpret every plateau as a sign you need to increase dose. Wait and see for a while first.

Any side effects will go when you stop taking it so the best thing is really to give it a go and see how you feel.

If possible make it so you can be at home the first few days in case you do have any effects like smelly burps. But I honestly had nothing until week 2-3

Ive lost 3 stone in a year but am really happy with the consistent progression. I started at the gym immediately and just do weights. This was to counteract dropping muscle not to speed up any loss.
My real issue has been making sure I eat enough protein to fuel the workouts and naturally eating less. Over Christmas where I've eaten a little more I've noticed I'm not as tired. So that's my next aim...more protein when I eat. I'm still only on 10mg too so I've space to up the doseage whilst I lose the last stone/stone and a half. I'm not aiming for super skinny....just a healthy bmi of 24.

Constipation has been my main side effect but I now take a Magnesium supplement which has sorted that and helps my sleep too. ( I use the Nutrition Geeks one).

@brown31cit is a medication that has been licensed for use for years. If you are honest with your prescriber and don’t try to hide medical conditions then the risk is very low. All medication carries risks - even paracetamol and ibuprofen, and the health benefits of losing significant amounts of weight far outweigh any small risk in my mind. There is lots of evidence that has found how beneficial it is. Actually peer reviewed studies!
OP I’ve been on it since October 2024. I’ve lost 9 stone and it’s changed my life. Best thing I’ve ever done!

Oh - do make sure you are taking in some calories though! Even though you are on MJ you need to keep a firm hand on what you are eating and use it to make the correct changes.