Using half doses from a 5mg pen to get 2.5mg

[Diddlydoowap]

The price of a 5mg pen is only £10 more expensive than the 2.5mg pen. Given that 2.5mg is working well for me, can I just buy a 5mg and count clicks to give me half doses for 8 weeks and save myself a fortune? I'm new to this so please let me know if I'm missing something. Thanks!

Supposedly there is a 30 day limit on how long you can use the pen once you start using it (in or out of fridge). I do this though, as do many other people and never had an issue, some even use 5mg for 1.25mg maintenance dose for even longer. I always follow the hygiene guidelines and keep it in the fridge the whole time.

Most people do have to increase past 2.5mg within a few months though.

Your main issue could be pharmacies not prescribing it if you have a longer break in between order, all have different limits.

Thank you, that's really helpful. Including the golden dose i could get 10 weeks out of 1 pen which suddenly makes it much more affordable, though you're right that I might need to increase beyond the 2.5 at some point

The only issue is buying your next 5mg pen. They will question it as too long between orders. Ypu will have to end up with a stockpile.

New pens without the 5th does are coming in April so I wouldn’t base your cost calculation including it.

The pp is right in that most pharmacies won’t let you have that long of a break. I use medicine marketplace who allow orders every 7 weeks max.

But as long as you’re good with hygiene then go for it. I use a 7.5 pen and take 4mg (I’m going up the clicks)

The hygiene risk is so tiny, apparently it can not work quite as well after the 30 days but I'm not so sure, some pharmacies are now prescribing clicks.

Where have you read this?

Yes, but if you don’t order say by week or 5 they will assume a gap and put you back to 2.5, so you’d build a stock pile.

there is a thread on it on here and monj,co.uk is saying so, pharmacies are starting to confirm,

Look at the monj.co.uk pricing website - update from Eli Lily to pharmacies has been published

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5499690-monjcouk-update-on-pen-size?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

You will struggle to get a repeat prescription if you leave it 10 weeks. Some prescribers happy with 5 weeks but 10 weeks is pushing it and many will put you back down to 2.5mg. Be careful.

And as others have said don’t bother factoring in the extra dose going forward after April

I've been microdosing (10 clicks) and ordering once every three months with Asda. Never had any problems.

It's totally reduced all joint pain and menopausal rage symptoms (I can't take HRT due to fibroids and on waiting list for surgery) - but after around 10 days they start coming back. So I'm continuing to microdose for the forseeable.

Are you ordering 2.5?

yes - so that may be why they are not too bothered.