Mounjaro/Wegovy with >5 stone/30kg to lose - thread 12!

[MooBaggage]

A supportive, idea-sharing thread for those with more than 5 stone/30kg to lose. We're a mixture of newbies, nearly theres, there and maintaining and we know what it's like to have what can seem like a mountain to climb - but we also know we can do it!

Nothing is off topic except referral codes 😊

Have a wonderful break @alltablenochairs !

What a fab treat, @alltablenochairs and how lovely of the hotel to make it even nicer. Have a wonderful break - you absolutely deserve it.

Wow @GiveMeWordGames, you look fabulous! And I hope you enjoy your well deserved break @alltablenochairs 😊

SW: 15st 5.5lb
CW: 10st 2.5lb
Loss: 73lb
Current BMI: 25.2
Target Weight 1: 12st 1lb (overweight BMI) - Achieved!
Target Weight 2: 10st 1lb (healthy BMI)
Target Weight 3: 9st 5.5lb (6st loss)
Final Target: 8st 8lb - 9st 1lb (I think...)

I am so close to being a healthy BMI that I am just itching to get there, I never was a patient person!

I joined the gym and have been a couple of times - I felt really nervous at the prospect of going the first time, which is silly because I have been to the gym many times in the past, but in reality it was fine. I went last night and, I am not going to lie, I am a bit achy right now, but I also felt a sense of achievement and a little bit proud of myself.

In my mind, I am now transitioning slowly towards maintenance, even though I still have about 1-1.5st to go, and fitness has to be a permanent thing in my life if I am to succeed in maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle long-term.

@GiveMeWordGames you look fantastic in your after photo with your mum! Your comments about your height/looking taller when bigger resonate with me - I an 5ft 8in and used to be able to drive the car with the same seat position as my 6ft 3in son. Since losing so much weight I now have to move the seat several inches closer to the pedal after he has used it - obviously because my previously huge butt no longer fills the gap! Very irritating for both of us to be constantly adjusting the seat! 😂

As I am in maintenance I haven't posted for a couple of months, but a quick update for those who remember me, week 18 of maintenance and it is going ok (as always I love a picture/graph), I decreased my dose to 2.5mg a month ago and I do feel a bit of snacking coming back in but I have learned that my acid reflux will make me pay for too much chocolate, sugar, or eating too late at night then lying down in bed. While that is annoying it is also helping keep me on the right track food wise as I don't want to end up back using omeprazole routinely again with the issues it previously caused!

Also after procrastinating for far too long I have finally moved from Oushk to Swift Doctor so I can, hopefully, stop ordering pens for a few months and use up the 3 pen (6 month) stock pile that has built up from partial dosing my 5mg pens without having to pay the £15/month Oushk demands for nothing.

I am pleased to see this thread is still alive, thriving and so many regular posters supporting each other! 💗

Well done @WeAllHaveWings, good to hear it's going smoothly and pleased to hear you are also with SwiftDoctor, I can't recommend them highly enough. Have you done a maintenance consultation with them? I did one and was really impressed, the doctor was very knowledgeable but also gave down to earth advice and, although it cost £30, I now get £10 off every order so have recouped it already.
I'm still stuck at BMI 27 but feeling quite OK with that. I have a small stockpile too but am still ordering every 4-5 weeks as I would sooner order now than when the new pens have arrived

Wow @Bunnyjo, almost there!

@WeAllHaveWings weirdly after I got near goal two or three people remarked that I’d got taller! Noooooope, thinner.

@QueenOfHiraeth I didn’t do a consultation as not sure what I’d have to talk about, I don’t mind the £30, it’s a bargain really to speak to an actual Dr. I am planning to leave a 3 month gap now to use up a couple of stock pile pens before ordering from them again (2.5mg) and see how it goes.

It was time to move on especially after the recent noise in the very quiet Oushk circle group where some posters were saying they booked maintenance calls and one felt rushed, another dismissed, and one spoke to a prescriber that was so, in their words, “arrogant” they left the call in tears. Not surprisingly I can’t find the thread any more.

@WeAllHaveWings That is shocking, it does seem that Oushk may be losing their way.
I booked my SD maintenance call with the lead GP, Dr Bana, and she was lovely; very sympathetic and understanding of some recent issues but on-the-ball with her clinical knowledge and advice. I felt it was worth the cost as I am still on a higher dose and will be stepping down gradually so knew I'd get it back in money off future orders and it keeps me on their books if I do take any gaps in treatment. She did also give advice on how to step down and pitfalls to watch out for which was useful.
As a retired prescriber I have seen lots of companies I wouldn't touch with a bargepole but am still impressed by SwiftDoctor

So very close @Bunnyjo ! Brilliant. And well done on the gym.

@WeAllHaveWings glad to hear maintenance is going well for you. And yes, the height thing is interesting. My husband said I look taller. I think sitting down I feel/look smaller because, as you say, arse reduction. 😁

My pharmacist is supportive of stretching the length of time between doses and has also tacitly approved taking smaller doses from a larger pen which is good to know as I go downwards.

I'm still losing a little bit, less than 0.5lb a week. Down to 11st 1.25lbs now. 11st is my "Goal with 4lbs wriggle room" spot that I'm roughly aiming for before I come off. I'm not rushing. It's DH's birthday today so a pub dinner is in my future. It's a decent walk to get there, at least....😁

Catching up with posts and so lovely to read everyone's updates 😍

I've lost 1lb over the past week or so:

13.1.25 SW 20st 3lbs BMI 40.0
12.4 26 CW 13st 0lbs BMI 27.6

Slowly slowly creeping down towards the 12 stone somethings. Feels ever so slow now, but am telling myself that's a good thing in terms of keeping it off in the end.

Good to hear about Swift Doctor - I haven't used them but will take a look.

Next stop 12 stone something and time to get my bike serviced as my target was to start cycling in to work when I hit that (I only set the goal because I thought I'd never get here! 🙄). It's only a 3.5 mile journey each way, so easily doable, but I haven't cycled for at least 6 years (pre-Covid/menopause...), so is a bit scary but will be so good for me.

Hello everyone. I love reading about all the progress - it gives me so much hope for the future!

I am 6 doses in and have lost just under 8kg which I am delighted about. I stayed on 2.5 mj for my second pen and am wondering what to do about my third pen. I’m still consistently losing about 1kg a week which seems safe (but boring!). I assumed I would not move up until I stopped losing. But some threads seem to think otherwise. Effect wise I have no bad side effects atm, it’s easier to resist poor choices but I don’t have the suppression I had at first. BP still improved and I’m feeling uncharacteristically cheerful. So any thoughts? What did you all do nearer the start of your journey?

That's really good going so far @SmallTreeDeepRoots! I went up to 5 on the traditional timescale, ie after 1 pen. I definitely felt the effects dimming and wanted to keep up the momentum. I also had a holiday planned which I wanted to be properly established on 5mg for and not still dealing with SEs from the jump up.

After that I moved up quite leisurely through the doses and only got to 10mg over 6 months after I started. And never went above that.

@MooBaggage Cycling is a great move to make! I've had a bike sitting in our garage for over 10 years. 😞In fact I think the last time I rode it was to go and watch the Olympics men's cycle race which went past near where I live. Oh dear. It's probably in a right state by now.

If you're still losing at a rate of a kg a week I would stay where you are for another month @SmallTreeDeepRoots - that's a really sensible rate of loss which does seem to minimise some of the SE.

I stayed on the lower dose. I'm 7 months in, have lost 4 stone, going from a BMI of 34 to 25, size 22 to 12-14 and moved up to 5mg last week.

@SmallTreeDeepRoots 1kg a week is a great rate of loss at this stage - they will add up quickly. I would stick with 2.5mg while it is working this well.

If the price is similar perhaps order a 5mg for your next pen and take a half dose so you have the option to move up if needed mid month / it is usually more cost effect if you partial dose from a 5mg pen for longer (many pharmacies allow 6 weeks between orders).

The initial suppression at treatment initiation or dose increase doesn't last forever for many people. I only had it in the first month or two, but the help with food noise/cravings was enough to support me make good choices long term.

Thanks @GiveMeWordGames @MoneyJo @UnimaginableWindBird @WeAllHaveWings . I’ll stick with the 2.5 and see how it goes. Good to know I have plenty of room to move up as I progress - it’s going to take a while!

While I like the idea of buying the 5 and half dosing, I’m not keeping it in the fridge so am reluctant to risk it - secret jabber here. DH would be supportive, as he nearly always is, but would do my head in fretting about deadly side effects. Another reason not to lose weight too fast - he always assumes the worst. Current weight loss ties in with healthy eating kick and new exercise regime, both of which he is very helpful with.

@UnimaginableWindBird That is an incredible result! I’m down to BMI 38 and 25 seems an impossible dream. Knowing folks have managed it is so inspiring!

Good to hear positive feedback about Swift Doctor, especially from someone with inside experience in prescribing.

It does feel like Oushk is struggling a little now, they have gone from being one of the most flexible when it comes to prescribing, especially around maintenance when it was a newer concept, to being very constrained and at times inconsistent in their messaging since their GPhC inspection failure. Dr led pharmacies now seem to be the next natural progression for WLI and giving customers more transparent flexibility.

Not sure how Oushk will turn it around with Hira being the company coowner and marketing face of the company. Would a Dr want join that kind of setup?

@SmallTreeDeepRoots I had similar concerns telling my dh. He might just surprise you. Mine was shocked and concerned when I explained to him my very real concerns about my severe obesity, my food noise/cravings/secret eating and the risks for my health now and in the future before discussing the real risks of the medication (not the media dramatic ones). He obviously knew I was "overweight", but he had never fully appreciated where that would lead or how much it was affecting me. It was an embarrassing conversation to have openly, but glad I did.

Hi All

I have been quiet for a while now. I am on 15mg and have been for about 9 months. I panic bought a whole load of 15mg pens when the big Trump price hike happened and am now on my last pen. They all kept in the fridge and hadn't gone cloudy so I am guessing they are fine (memo to self - must check the use by date!) - but I have been going up and down the same couple of pounds for months, stuck at around 13.5 stone (though down from 19 in Oct 24). I need to go to our pharmacy who knew I stockpiled and they will prescribe a new 15mg for me (rather expensively) but at least it won't count as a break and have to start again going up the doses. Keeping everything crossed that a new and totally in date pen will work better, or it will come down to me making more of an effort with food and exercise. I will then look at Swift.

Well done all of you on your great result, its is lovely to hear! Happy spring (finally) and onwards and downwards

xx

@SmallTreeDeepRoots your reluctance to share with your DH resonates with me! Before I started on MJ, I was sure I wouldn't be telling anyone, including DP - mainly because I had tried and failed soooooo many times in my life to lose weight, it was just all very embarrassing and just made me feel like a total failure. But.... I did tell DP, as well as all my family and friends, right from the first jab, because I ended up thinking that it would be better to (a) have some support if I needed it and (b) I'm bloody rubbish at secret keeping, so knew I'd be better off being open about it.

Once I started losing weight, but more importantly, started feeling so much better, I got positively evangelical about it, as I want to encourage others to give it a go if they are able to - my IBS and Plantar Fasciitis both went in the first week and both had made my life so difficult for years, I was just gobsmacked the medicine could do this, never mind help me to lose weight!

So maybe keep thinking about talking to your DH - it would make life a bit easier in terms of keeping the medicine in the fridge and you'd have someone on your side, helping if you're e.g. eating out with friends and family who don't know - it might be good to have someone backing you up re: smaller portions etc?

We're a real mix though on this thread of people who haven't told anyone and people who tell the world - ultimately, whatever works for you! 😊

I've joined the SwiftDoctor facebook page. It doesn't have much traffic on it, but a post from SwiftDoctor which a lot of us know already is worth a refresh/for newbies -

Completely hear you both: this stage is where it feels hardest, especially with long shifts and routine changes.
Before thinking about moving up, this is exactly what we go through with patients first:
Are you still losing anything at all (even 0.5–1lb/week)? If yes, the dose is still working.
Has your routine slipped slightly over the last couple of weeks (meals, sleep, stress)?
Are you hitting enough protein (aim ~20–30g per meal)? This massively impacts hunger.
Are you eating regularly, or skipping and then getting strong cravings later?
Hydration — are you drinking enough? Dehydration often feels like hunger.
Sleep — 16 hour shifts will absolutely drive hunger hormones up.
Are the cravings constant, or more situational (evenings, after work, weekends)?
What you’re describing doesn’t sound like the medication has “stopped working” it sounds like your body pushing back a bit (which is very normal, especially close to goal).
Before increasing dose, I’d try tightening things up for 1–2 weeks and maybe try intermittent fasting to get the body trying something different.

I am not personally keen on intermittent fasting as too long gaps between meals impacts my reflux, but possibly something to consider if stuck (or evening increasing calories for a few days/week to see if it kick starts anything). Everything else is spot on!

That's brilliant @WeAllHaveWings thanks for posting it.

I had a disaster today!

I decided to step down my dose to try to shake things up a bit as I am within 1/2-1 stone of goal and aiming towards maintenance (I may not even want to stay that low but I am determined to touch the healthy weight category even if just for one day!)
I have been using a 15mg pen and counting clicks on the basis that I will get 6x12.5 from it instead of 5x15. Today was dose number 5 and the pen stuck part way, at which point I thought "I've heard of a hard twist, I wonder if that would work?" and it did, it counted up to 50 clicks but then the bugger jammed part way through injecting at which point I had no idea how much I had injected or not!
I've made a rough guess and injected what I thought I might have missed, so wish me luck ladies! I could be over, under or anywhere at all 😖

@AnneinEdinburgh I'm sure your pens will have been fine as they keep, unused in fridge, until the expiry date which is usually over a year ahead. Sympathies on your plateau, it is frustrating isn't it?

@QueenOfHiraeth can you tell from where the plunger is sitting? It should be just slightly past the last line…. Hopefully not too far out! 🫣

I couldn't really tell unfortunately. It looked to be close to the last line but it was hard to tell with any accuracy as I'd hard-twisted it and, although I tried winding it back, to see if that gave me a clue as to how many clicks it had missed, it then wouldn't budge at all and I got totally confused. In the end I decided that my first 4 doses would have been 50mg so there would have 10mg left in the pen as it should have been used and I then added 0.1ml with a syringe in a hope of getting somewhere around 12.5 in total.
Fingers crossed I'm not vomiting myself inside out or eating everything in sight soon