Alternative to Mounjaro because of side effects?

[HarriAp]

I took Mounjaro for 3 months last year but unfortunately had to stop (doctor advised) due to the severe gastric side effects I experienced. I also experienced significant hair loss in that time (which was definitely the medication, not a side effect of weight loss).

Has anyone experienced similar and tried an alternative that didn’t give them side effects?

It is more likely hair loss was triggered indirectly by the shock to your system from "severe gastric side effects" than directly from the medication.

If you are looking for an alternative GLP1 there are only two really options currently available Wegovy (semaglutide) or the older daily injection Nevolat (liraglutide). You won't know if you have similar side effects until your try them - many people are fine on one type of medication but not another. As you were told to stop Mounjaro by your doctor I would ask your doctor for advice before considering.

How do you know hair loss was directly caused by the meds, as so far scientists have been unable to do that, and can find no direct collerlation. What tests were run to prove that as it needs to be I think reported in to the manfacturer as it would be the first time it’s directly proven.

what were you eating during this period?

I think I’d not go near glp’s if I was you if you’ve such sever3 effects and so unique,

All of this isn’t relevant to my question as it’s background information but the gastric side effects wouldn’t have caused the hair loss (as confirmed by the doctor who treated me for the gastric issues - the issues weren’t diarrhea or vomiting). I was eating a nutritionally balanced diet. I saw a hair loss specialist who very much felt that the hair loss was caused by the medication due to the timing of when it started and ceased (it started within a week of me starting the medication and stopped within a week of me finishing it which is not typical). I reported it via the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

I was after personal experiences rather than having to justify my experience and question, if possible.

No one is asking you to justify it, why so snippy. As said scientists have been unable to find any direct correlation and the drug in trials showed no hair loss at all, subsequent real life tests also show no direct linkage.

you made a very big statement, but someone “felt” it was the case changes that statement.

as said you seem to have had a very extreme reaction in a very short space of time, 12 weeks? so I personally would not touch any glp at all. And there is no alternate that is comparable.

so I think since you have been so unwell just focus on recovery and then dieting.

Actually a number of papers have shown a link between GLP1s and types of alopecia/telogen effluvium and further studies are being done - largely on whether it's the drug itself or the effect of losing so much weight. I think it's largely irrelevant to the user/OP, though - if you're losing weight while on the drug, then you're potentially getting the side effect of hair loss while on the drug too.

Also, anecdotal evidence shows thousands of articles, videos and forum discussions about people losing hair while on weight loss drugs. There's a very widely-discussed association between the two. There was no need to be passive aggressive with your 'unique' comment.

OP - I believe Wegovy is supposed to have slightly increased gastric side effects over Mounjaro, but obviously it IS a different drug, so you may not react the same. Unfortunately there's no way to know other than trying it! But there are some threads on here about swtiching to Wegovy after Mounjaro, maybe dig some of those out and have a look.

No they haven’t, and I chose my words carefully. I said direct link. Not just a link, right now they think it is weight loss related and can see no direct link with taking the meds, if you have links to a direct link I’m good to revise my position,

even on the side effects listed it states in weight loss patients and seen, and that’s because it has not been seen in those who don’t lose weight on it.

Just to elaborate - the specialist believed it was a very uncommon reaction to the medication (personal to me, not a general indicator of hair loss in people taking Mounjaro in general). They have seen many many people experiencing hair loss through Mounjaro (unfortunately it does seem quite common as the poster above said) and recognised the pattern of mine as very unusual.

Because I have sought medical advice on alternative weight loss jabs, I was curious about personal experiences (rather than just theoretical medical advice which) on alternatives by people who had experienced significant side effects.

Thanks for your comments.

Did you stick to the 2.5mg dose? I had different side effects to you but severe enough that I felt I needed to stop, then after a break I restarted on 1.25mg, I found this approach worked for me. I wonder if for you, the initial dose was just too high. Can’t advise on other medications, unfortunately I have no experience of them.

I honestly don’t think there is anything op to be honest, as you need to move away from glp;s

i mean there are things like allie/orlistat, but thats reducing fat absorption with a propensity to shit yourself, there is elcella, but it’s costly and seems to have very limited success, there is berberine, but for most it has no impact.

glp;s are the only real successful thing on the market and I’d really not try a different version ie wegovy when you have been so unwell so quickly on shah would have been low dose.

I am on Mounjaro and the gastric problems wore off mostly for me. My partner is on Ozempic(Wegovy) and he is always feeling barfy.. often he is literally sick.

I don't know about the hair loss. I've had it bad too. I lean towards believing it's just due to weight loss and less nutrients.

I spent 2 years on MJ and suffered with gastric side effects (not bad enough to stop, but daily nausea, acid reflux, bloating and alternating loose stools and constipation). I came off due to the price increase but am now on Wegovy and don't have any side effects at all so you might find you can tolerate Wegovy?