Starting Mounjaro and worried about side effects while working and driving

[plama]

About to start mounjaro
Am really worried about side effects especially vomiting and diarrhoea.
i work in a patient facing role in the NHS
I also drive 90 minutes each way to work .
How long do side effects last ? I was planning on taking the first injection when I have a 3 day break from work . Can someone reassure me that I won’t spend my entire time in the bathroom

It seems like more people post on here about fear of side effects than about actually having them. I've been on MJ for nearly 3 months now and have had no nausea or diarrhea. I have had constipation but it didn't last. If you did get bad side effects you could reduce your dose to get used to it.

I was on it for eighteen months and never had a symptom that impacted my ability to live daily life. Very occasionally I had a bit of a dodgy tummy or a general unwell feeling, but never to the point I couldn’t do normal things. Any other side effects were very minor.

Honestly I don’t get why people are so terrified of getting instant side effects in the way you describe. It’s really really uncommon.

I’ve been on Mounjaro for nearly 2 years, and have not spent my entire time in the bathroom. I’ve had a couple of episodes of upset stomach but nothing that I couldn’t handle, and that was in the first few months and then nothing for many many months now.

Severe side effects are rare so I really don’t think you need to worry. 2.5mg is a low ‘starting dose’ and you gradually build up to higher doses. I’ve been on it for a year and my main side effects have been constipation and heartburn. It’s all been manageable with over the counter stuff.

For most people side effects are stuff like being a little gassy, maybe a runny tummy or the opposite for a day or two but nothing that requires any real change to lifestyle. DH has been on over a year and had zero side effects. I was on for about eight months and had some burping and occasional unsettled stomach the day after a jab and that was it.

I have a few friends on MJ and none of them are chained to the bathroom either, they are just living their life. Chances are you will too. If you do get side effects that are too strong, talk to prescriber as they can talk you through titrating down to a half dose to start with.

2 years on Mounjaro and only had one upset stomach which was after eating too much fatty food. Pepto-bismol sorted that out.

Good luck, it is life changing.

I took 1.25mg the first week just to 'test the waters' as i was scared of side effects. Just count clicks. When you are happy you can increase the dose the next week.

As it was i used 1.25mg for 7 weeks and lost 23lb. I hate to think what side effects might have been like at the full dose for me.

I’ve used MJ for two years and have had three or four episodes of an upset stomach which in every case lasts overnight and is horrendous. Each case has been brought on by eating too much fat, on numerous occasions I’ve eaten similar levels of fat and been fine. It’s a risk I’ll probably continue to take and I’m enjoying the seven stone loss. I think this thread shows just how differently we all react.

I’m most scared of hair loss. What’s everyone’s thoughts on that?

im expecting to start MJ within 48 hours

I have lots of hair and thought I could afford to lose some. I have a hairbrush that needs emptying every day as I’ve continued to lose hair after two years. The regrowth is wispy and I use Kirby grips to try to keep it in check. It’s annoying but depends on the thickness of your hair. Protein and collagen are reputed to help with hair loss and somebody may be along who has optimal nutrition and can comment further.

Has anything helped with the hair loss? I’m dreading it. But tbh, perimenopause is also causing it so hey ho!

I’ve had a few episodes of bad side effects and also work for the NHS. I’d say stick strictly to the prescription and don’t muck about. I think my side effects are more likely when I get dehydrated, when I am late with a dose and then catch up next week, when I go up a dose or when I eat/drink very sweet or fatty food. I would only go up a dose when you’re not losing anything, don’t rush.

It's not inevitable. I've not had hairloss.

I think one key regarding side effects is to stay on a low dose as long as it is still having an impact. Don't increase the dose too quickly.

I’ve been on it for a year and apart from a bit of constipation at the beginning, had no negative side effects at all. I know it’s anecdotal, but no one I know using it has had any either.

Hair loss is triggered by rapid weight loss, not the drug itself so if that’s a major concern you’d need to make sure you were losing weight at a slower rate by keeping on top of eating the right number of calories to stick with a 1-2lb loss a week

Guessing it’s all the scaremongering in the press has that folks worrying so much about side effects.

Yes I would be inclined to agree.

This is so true, far more people worry about the SE than actually have them. Of course people with zero SE are not making threads about it either so we do only see the extreme. I have taken it for 18 months and been absolutely fine. Clean eating and plenty of water has seen me through 9 stone of loss without issue. If you eat well and not just less you should be absolutely fine. The early days were hard for me as the suppression was intense but once I got past that it had been easy to eat properly.

I've only ever had one very very close call 💩when I ate something really spicy and my body just did not like it!

For the rest of the time, I've been absolutely fine and will be coming up to a year in June ( on and off )

80 percent of people have zero side effects and those who do it’s usually minor. I’ve never had any,

where is all this fear coming from? There is another thread from someone who thinks she will damage her organs.

this is a prescription medication, taken by millions globally. We aren’t all running round shitting ourselves and vomiting.

No it’s nothing to do with dosage or the drugs, it’s rapid weight loss that causes it and the hair grows back when weight stabilises, to avoid it weight loss should be steady,

Totally agree but that was my point. Stay on a low dose, lose steadily and you'll be fine. Race up the doses chasing a faster weight loss and you could have issues.