Mounjaro and Mental Health - positive stories please

[Strawberryfield85]

Hi Everyone,

Ive got a bmi of 31 so I really need to get my arse in gear and lose weight.

I have been on Sertraline (100mg) for Anxiety, Depression and OCD ( intrusive thoughts) for 5 years.

I have read a lot about MJ the last few weeks and my biggest fear is a decline in mental health. The Sertraline already does sometimes dulls my emotions already but I am also having therapy and things are relatively stable at the moment.

I suppose what I’m asking is, have people had any issues with MJ that are in a similar position? I’m 40 and symptoms began after giving birth. Also on Progesterone only HRT ( Cyclogest which I believe makes me soooo hungry).

I would be so grateful if people could share their experiences. Dieting alone doesn’t work for me so MJ is a big hope but not if it causes decline in Mental Health.

Hi @Strawberryfield85I have been on fluoxetine for 7 years, and just starting week 4 on MJ, and if anything my mental health has improved.
I was feeling more depressed seeing myself getting bigger, and not being able to stop comfort eating.
Im on week 4, and lost 9lb, gone from BMI 31.8, to 30.2. I feel like I have a lot more energy now.

Thank you. I’m glad to hear that!!

Hi, I've been on mounjaro since last July, lost nearly 3st, bmi 37 down to 31. I've also got OCD and GAD, been on escitalopram for many years. I was concerned before I started taking it about anything that might rock the boat mental health wise.

I really can't say I've noticed any effect in terms of anxiety/ocd, certainly nothing negative.

Not thinking about food or being hungry all the time has been very liberating and I'm much less fatigued. So indirectly that's probably improved my overall mood. I'm so pleased to be feeling healthier and more mobile.

Obviously only one person's experience, but it's been life changing for me. I also have pcos and have started to think i might have to take long term, which wasn't my initial plan.

The media can be quite sensationalist with headlines and side effects/impacts, but i haven't had any significant ones and been using my CBT techniques to question anything I read that might be initially a bit concerning.

I’m 7 months in. It has massively helped my anxiety.
I suffer with SAD but didn’t get it at all over this winter.
I’m perimenopausal and was getting periods of feeling really down and it has also helped with that.

I feel exactly the same. Inreslly want to give it a go but im terrified the anxiety will cripple me. I also have OCD (intrusive thought process) and GAD. I also have autism and ADHD so I dont know if im over thinking it also. X

Hello, I hear your worries but I'm here to say I've very much only had the opposite effect. I am autistic with OCD and GAD and take a cocktail of meds and I was so stressed about it upsetting everything, but it didn't.

If anything, seeing my weight come down and all of the NSVs (non scale victories) that have come along the way have given me endless boosts of happiness. I am more mobile, I can exercise, I have more energy and sleep better.

I’m 6 weeks in, and used to really struggle getting to sleep - racing thoughts etc. I’ve not slept so well in ages as since I’ve been on. Mounjaro!

I’m radically calmer and less anxious on it. I still get intrusive thoughts, but my anxiety is much better.

My mental health has also improved commensurately with my physical health. I don’t get sick as much and I’m stronger and fitter, so everyday life is more pleasurable.

Hi everyone, for some reason I never got notifications that more people had commented on my thread.

firstly, I really appreciate you all taking the time to comment.

I was just about to order my first pen on the boots website but when I saw how much they ask about mental health it sent me down my “research rabbit hole” again reading about increased suicidal ideation, depression anxiety etc. but also how much it has helped people.

has anyone tried to start on let’s say 1mg instead of 2.5? Is that even possible with the pens?

Yes, for me it’s pure O ( intrusive thoughts) and I’m petrified of them getting worse. I’m stable mentally re the OCD but health anxiety is ramping up because of my weight. I cannot control my hunger it seems and that in turn makes me so anxious. Im now obsessing that only MJ will help me long term. I’ve tried calorie counting etc but the moment I decide I’m on a diet I obsess over food all day long.

I just don’t want to rock the boat mental health wise.

Thank you for sharing this.
can I ask what your intrusive thoughts were that have now calmed down?

Thank you so much. Do you mind me asking what your OCD is mostly about? I’m so worried about intrusive thoughts increasing or something like ideation. Are you on AD’s?

I don’t know if it’s related to Mounjaro, or if Mounjaro interferes with other medications but once I started eating better, losing weight, wearing nicer clothes etc my mood lifted tremendously.

You can start on a lower dose by counting less clicks (60 for a full dose so prorata for the dose you want).

I’ve been on mj for a year and have been able to reduce my sertraline over that time. My anxiety and depression have definitely improved and I feel great on the wli. Obviously I don’t know whether it’s the wli or the weight loss (or both) which is making me feel better.

Do remember that the jabs have a short period of effectiveness and are out of your system quickly. If you try you are not committing yourself, you can stop at any time if you start feeling worse.

Will you have support from anyone whilst starting? I always tell DH if I am altering my medication in any way and ask him to “monitor” me as he is good at sensing if I’m going into a decline, sometimes more quickly than I can.

You can definitely use the pens to take a lower dose than the full 2.5mg, but I wouldn’t mention that to the pharmacist as it’s considered off label.

Have you got/tried something like propranolol to stop anxiety in the short term whilst you get used to things? I’ve got emetophobia so was super nervous, but now I’m over the initial hurdle , I take a lower dose as the first injection did make me feel nauseous and I was too scared to power through like a normal person would have. But, I’m losing weight even on a lower dose.

Yes, I have brought this up with my DH but will definitely ask to be more vigilant. Hi also share any changes in meds. Thanks for your comment. It’s reassuring.

I have propanolol already but haven’t used it for ages. I feel for anxiety I’ve got a good set of tools at hand now and with therapy am handling it well ( breathing, exercise etc) but depression or ideation scares the shit out of me.

I have contamination based ocd, with intrusive thoughts centetred around that. But I’m medicated and try to keep it controlled. Mounjaro hasn't done anything except make my mental health better, and I hope the same for you.

However if it helps you can definitely start on a lower dose. I have severe emetephobia so the pen sat in my fridge for months before I finally worked up the courage to use it (do not recommend this, just go for it! I wish I hadn't waited!). So I did 6 weeks on 1.25mg, a half dose, then I built up over the next 4 weeks to 2.5. I stayed on that for around 6 months before making the slow move up to 5. it's very easy- to take any dose of mounjaro you turn the pen 60 times ('clicks') so to take a lower dose you just do less clicks. So 30 for 1.25.

It helped ease my sickness fears. As it happens I had no side effects anyway except constipation.

That’s good to know that I can half the dose. Suits me much better. Thank you for being so open.

can I ask, did you lose anything at all at 1.25?

Yes I lost a stone! :)

That’s amazing, well done!
when did you increase?