BMI under 27 - Off Label/less to lose

[ritala]

I am mid 40’s and just can’t lose the weight like I used to. I’m fed up of losing and gaming the same two pounds. I’m about a stone and a half more than my happy weight (where I would be approx bmi 23).

I have tried to find a thread for people who have been approved ‘off label’ Wegovy or Mounjaro with less to lose but couldn’t find one, so thought I’d start here. I have a BMI higher than 25 but less than 27 with a couple extra health conditions. Hoping to start after Easter. I’d like to stay with a very low dose if possible. Half a pound a week loss would be good for me. I really want to avoided side effects.

Anyone who is in a similar boat and wants to share experiences or ask questions, please join! X

Apparently not! Well definitely not on Wegovy but they did say on the phone that you possibly might on the Mountjaro pen so I don't know about that. I took a photo of my pen and they said that it was at the right level for having only done one dose. They sent me this picture

Sorry this image!

That’s interesting, thank you.

It’s a shame the reverse isn’t also true, if I put on 1.5kg is always very noticeable!

You definitely need to prime the pen with each dose, you use a new needle and the whole point of priming it is to ensure no air in the needle and that the liquid is coming through.

Oh I hear you! 1lb on and I’m straight back in my fat jeans 🤣

I'm just putting in the exact response I got from Voy customer service here - I can't speak to this as an expert - but this is what they have said in writing to me:

Your request (#3460413) has been updated by the Voy Customer Care team. To add additional comments, reply to this email.
Hi xxxxx

Thanks for speaking with me today, please see below a summary of our conversation

• You experienced an unexpectedly large amount of liquid released while attempting to prime your Wegovy pen before your second dose; it was clarified that priming is only required once for this pen, not with each new needle.
• Although the amount expelled seemed excessive, the pen may still contain sufficient medication, as these pens often include a small excess to account for situations like this.
• You’ve been advised to proceed with your second dose as normal and to send a photo of the pen (with the cap removed) via the app or by replying to this email, so our clinical team can review it.
• Once your photo is received, it will be assessed by one of our clinical advisors, and we’ll follow up with further guidance as needed.

If you have any concerns in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Apologies I was thinking of Mounjaro for some reason

Honestly your response seems logical to me - I feel like what you see in films etc would imply that you'd need to do it for each new needle! But just clarifying what the told me about Wegovy specifically!

The instructions on mine say it's only the first time.

Edit to say I see this has already been said, sorry!

Update might be wk2 day 4, feeling a bit groundhog!

My weights steadied, gained 100g today, won't fuss about that 😆

No big side effects. I do think it's effecting my sleep. Not feeling nauseous this week. Digestive transit has slowed but no constipation.

Positive effrcts: still no noticeable appetite suppression or feeling full but I am far less interested in food. If someone handed me a biscuit I'd eat it but cba to go and get it from the cupboard. This is an improvement!

Haven't drank alcohol since I started. I'm generally not that bothered anyway but now I see no point at all. Novel!

Hope everyone's doing well.

I'm getting bad cramps in my feet and lower legs quite often, it's part of what's keeping me awake at night. Anyone else?

Also breast tenderness. Fat is stored with estrogen so losing it releases estrogen, I wouldn't have thought it'd be enough to have an effect but maybe.

The cramps sound like dehydration to me.

Re breast tenderness, that’s one of the things that has gone for me. Since starting HRT I’ve had terribly swollen, tender breasts but that seems to have gone since microdosing MJ.

Your cramps could be due to a number of things including dehydration, an electrolyte imbalance or magnesium deficiency.

I feel for you, as leg and foot cramps can be really brutal.

Mine started long before the WLI’s, and I take magnesium glycinate before bed, which seems to keep them under control. I’ve tried loads of brands over the years and I’ve found the Dr Vegan ones to be really good. I find doing calf stretches before bed helps too.

I’ve just done my 3rd jab this morning. Managed not to muck it up this time!

I’ve had a small weight loss this week which I was initially a bit disappointed with but on reflection, I had a big drop week 1 so it’s probably healthier and balanced to lose more steadily now.

I’ve been feeling really under the weather (really sore throat, drained etc) the past few days and my overthinking mind keeps wondering if it’s due to the jabs. It’s probably a virus but taking medication like this certainly makes you second guess things doesn't it?

I hope everyone is having a good bank holiday weekend.

It does @OnTheTop! I've had some weird tummy and lower back pains the last couple of days, it is probably just a minor bug or something I've eaten but my mind has wandered to all sorts of things!

I think it is better to keep the weight loss slow and steady, I've lost a lot in three weeks - I'm probably on course for a stone over the month, and I actually think I should perhaps try and slow it down. I am a bit worried about loose skin etc and loss of breast volume, if anyone has any good tips for managing that please let me know!

Hope you are all having a good weekend also.

So I’ve taken the plunge and ordered my first MJ pen! Got a good price on Medexpress and the process was simple. All I had to do was upload a photo of myself in close fitting clothes and a photo of my driving licence. My BMI is 29.5, with no health issues. Not starting until next week as we have a big family celebration at the weekend for our silver wedding anniversary so I want to enjoy that!

Brief update wk2 day 6
Still no obvious suppression, I went to the cinema on Saturday and ate all the usual snacks and was stressed yesterday and craving sweet crunchy food. But I'm doing pretty well at dieting.

I tried upping water to 2.5l for cramps then realised it probably is electolytes, I eat clean, never add salt, don't really eat grains so I think low salt and magnesium. Added that in and things seem to have improved quite quickly.

Not really losing but not gained, next jab Wednesday so we shall see.

Back from weekend break and its 3 weeks till holiday. Was hoping to collect first Wegovy pen today but pharmacy (superdrug) closed as bank holiday! So won't be able to start till tomorrow which us going to muck up my plans to take fourth dose on 25th the day before we go - didn't want to take on 26th as taxi at 4am.

Will it be ok to take it late on 25th do you think? Wasn't planning on taking new pen on holiday as will be somewhere hot and I don't want to have to use the fridge.

All these questions and I haven't started yet!

Hey all. What a great thread. I’m in my forties and have always battled with my weight. Last September I got down to 10-7 and was very happy there but life has happened since then and although I’m not exactly unhappy with my current weight (bmi 26) I’m not as happy as I was. I’m so tempted to get Mounjaro. I’m not really sure why I haven’t now I can but something seems to be stopping me. Did anyone else feel like this and thrn do it? If so are you glad you did?

@Happytrucker1982 there’s a lot of focus on WLI to fix obesity, but I think the all consuming issue of weight loss deserves to be taken more seriously than just simply being obese.

I went on MJ with a BMI of 25 and I’m honestly the happiest I have ever been, I have spent decades staring at the mirror, chastising myself for not having more self restraint. Now I don’t think about 24/7, I don’t judge myself harshly. I make healthier choices, I drink less, and I like myself more! It has overhauled my mental health. I will stay on this for life if I have to.

@Learningdutch I think it would be fine to take it late on the 25th. I have varied mine by a day or two for various reasons and it may slightly affect your appetite suppression but it won’t hurt you.

Thank you for sharing your experience!

I honestly feel the same. I feel like I am just better overall on it! I will very likely stay on a maintenance dose forever tbh. The evidence of the health benefits across the board are only increasing as well. I know doctors who think everyone would probably benefit from being on a low dose, not just for weight loss.

I agree too- I feel psychologically so much better now that I’m not obsessing about food and what I am “allowed” to eat that day or feeling guilty for having eaten. The media make it seem as though going on WLI will cause you to develop an unhealthy focus on weight and eating but I have found it to be the opposite. My husband is also on it and while he doesn’t have the same weight/eating preoccupations that I have had, he also feels just calmer and less anxious generally. I intend to go on a maintenance dose and stay on it indefinitely. I think this aspect of the meds is really unexplored still.

So this is day 1 of week 3. Not taken 3rd dose yet. I’m 2kg down overall after 2 weeks.

However, appetite suppression is strong. I’m struggling to eat my meals, or anything really. Really struggling to even get 1000 calories in me in a day. I’m forcing food down but it’s making me want to gag.

Will this improve? I’m only on 1mg MJ. Was going to taper up to 2mg gradually but I can’t even think of going up whilst I can barely eat.