How can I best support my partner starting Mounjaro?

[ElleBelleLou]

Hello all!

Brand new to WLI world. My partner just took his first 2.5mg dose of mounjaro last night. Currently he's 18.6 stone, BMI 37.3, prescribed privately as far as I am aware.

I think DP is a bit embarrassed about being on the injections / needing to lose weight and doesn't open up to me about it much. I know he wants to lose weight and hasn't had any luck with diet or exercise previously, but I don't know how best to support him.

Firstly, he took his first dose at 9pm yesterday, and hasn't had any appetite today. He's eaten a sausage roll for lunch, and I made homemade chicken wraps for tea, of which he only ate 1. This is a TINY amount of food compared to what he normally eats. Could the mounjaro be affecting his appetite so soon?
He has been up for work since 3am so I'm wondering that maybe he's just too tired to eat as well - it's just not like him to eat so little (but I guess that's how the WLI helps?)

What can I do best to support him during this time? What does your partner do for you, or what would help you on your journey? I've read he needs to keep protein up and stay hydrated, so I'll amend our teatimes to meet those goals! What else can I do? What can I expect over these coming weeks?

Thank you so much in advance for any answers and help.

Good on him - and you, for supporting him, OP.

I’ve lost 5 stone - it worked immediately for me too.

he will have to find his own way through it of course - the key elements are: eat well - prioritise protein, drink lots of water, and up your fibre.

constipation is a common side effect in the early stages so having remedies for that on hand would be advisable.

otherwise, support him as he figures out how it fits into his life. If he gets on with it, it should give him such a good feeling - even a new lease of life 💕

@KnewYearKnewMe Thank you so much for your response! If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to lose that 5 stone? I think that's DPs overall goal - I believe 5 stone would still leave him with a higher BMI but it's what he's comfortable with losing and it works for me!

Good to know re constipation, I'll pick up some remedies when I'm in the office tomorrow :) Thank you so much for your help! I'm hoping it's life changing for him x

Yes it can work that quickly, it certainly did for me. He does need to up his fibre if he can, and try to avoid fatty foods like sausage rolls. He may find that causes him some digestive upset. Food takes longer to digest and anything fatty, spicy etc can cause gas and eventually diarrhoea and/or vomiting if he’s very unlucky. If he’s gone right off food already he may not be interested in cooking or prepping anything. It can be useful to have lean sources of protein that are ready to eat to hand.

My partner did nothing for me other than not hassle me to eat and not offer me the kinds of foods I’d have eaten before. But I do all the food prep and cooking so it’s not like I needed any help with that. I figured out for myself what I wanted to eat and what I didn’t.

From my experience after 2 years on the injections a sausage roll and a wrap (or anything carb-heavy) in the same day would make me feel quite ill. But everyone is different!

Hope it works as well as it did for me for your husband, and good luck supporting him! Great he has you.

Does he take a multivitamin? I would suggest that if he doesn't.

He may find that his appetite returns towards the end of the week, which is very normal and not a sign that the medication isn't working. The amount in your system increases up to around day 2 or 3 and then gradually falls. Only half leaves your system by the time you do your next injection, so the amount in your system builds in the four weeks that you are on one dose.

Really good to know re carbs and spice and fatty foods, the last thing I want is for him to feel unwell.

The issue with DP (and the bane of our relationship) is he’s not someone who would ever consider eating fruit or veg. Never ate or liked them as a child and at the grand age of 36, still has the tastes of a 4 year old! I’ve just had a chat with him re the carbs and potential side effects and we’re thinking meal prep, rice and plain chicken breast kind of meals will likely suit him best.

@SilenceInside Thank you so much, really good to know. He’s an absolute spice fiend so I’ll recommend we try avoid spice to avoid any stomach upset. Good to know it really can work that quickly - what an incredible medication!
He doesn’t currently take a multivitamin but I’ll pick some up tomorrow alongside constipation remedies. Anything else that might be useful having ready?
That’s great to know regarding the dosages. I’m finding all of this so interested, I am so intrigued to see how he gets on.

@zephyr148 Thank you so much, definitely baring that in mind. Thank you 💞

Join one of the new monthly starter threads where posters share their experiences and you’ll learn loads.

Is he willing to change his diet permanently to focus on healthy eating and sensible portion control rather than expecting the injections to do the hard work?

I’d strongly advise to ditch fatty and carb heavy foods when on WLI because they’re far more likely to cause horrible nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. So don’t rely on greasy fast food. Stick to lean protein and salads and veg especially on Jab day. And drink a lot more water than normal.

No fruit or veg at all? Definitely a multivitamin then.

You could try wholemeal carbs/cereal to increase fibre, or even consider supplements like psyllium husk or chia seeds. If he doesn't eat fruit or veg he may not find chia palatable either, it's got a weird texture.

It worked immediately for me. I couldn’t eat anything for 24 hours. Obviously that did not continue or I would be a skeleton. It will settle down, and then I think the key thing is to eat nutritious meals using all the food groups. Most people only have minor side effects which can be managed. Good luck to your husband!

@KrazyKattygood idea, I’ll go searching and start following those threads.

Yes he’s willing to change his diet permanently, he just needs a helping hand to shift the weight because none of his diets have helped before. We’ve hugely reduced portion sizes (compared to what he used to eat) over the last 8 months, and swapped things out for healthier choices. My struggle is where I would eat salads, fruit, leafy greens as sides, he won’t even consider them - genuinely has the palate of a toddler. So for him it’s going to be very lean and very plain meals, protein rich and smaller portions. A lot of sweetcorn maybe as that’s the only veg he can possibly stomach 🙄

@SilenceInsideNope no fruit or veg, except for sweetcorn now and then - it’s crazy! I don’t think he’d like chia seeds but I’ll see what we can do - I’ve already swapped out for things like wholemeal rice instead of white rice, I’m sure there’ll be more changes we can make that he will find more palatable too.

@OnefairfishThank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for only very minor side effects for him and a smooth journey! x

No problem 😎

I think it took me about 14 months to lose 5 stone. Probably lost 3 stone in about 7 months, then gradually the rest. I’m mid 50s though, and still wanted(want!) weekend wine, so I was happy to take it slow.

its been 2 years since I started now. My BMI is 26-27 and I’m really happy with that.

Can you use toddler tactics if he has the taste of one?

What about a nutritious soup? Tomato with peppers blended in?

Or potato soup? Potato is very good for you lots of vitamins and isn't as processed as other carbs.

Its hard if he doesn't eat fruit and veg as those were great go-tos when I didn't have much appetite.

Mj does change your taste buds though so who knows you may find he has more interest in more foods. You could take this as an opportunity to try some things.

Sausage roll isnt a great start but its done now so look forward and small steps.

work out a list of what he does like, it doesnt have to be pomegranate salad with avocado and other fancy stuff but he does need to focus on nutrient dense and protein rich foods, so plenty of protein and fibre, good fats, complex carbs and lots of fluids

• Eggs
• Lean meat
• Vegetables
• Beans
• Nuts & nut butters
• Fruits

How he eats those is up to him, I’m a plain and simple foods kind of eater, so I make slow cooker meals like mince and veg I just use 5% fat mince, less of it, put in some red lentils and chia seeds ( quarter of a cup of lentils and a couple of tablespoons of chia, you don’t notice them but they add good stuff) and then go heavy on mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, carrots…. You can do similar with chicken breast, pork loin, stewing steak, turkey thigh and change up the veg you choose and the seasonings.

Breakfast can be scrambled eggs with mushrooms, tomatoes and a slice of whole grain toast

It is so unhealthy to not eat any fruit or vegetables. I'm not surprised he has weight issues if all he eats are meat and carbs, especially if he has processed rubbish like sausage rolls for lunch everyday. He really needs to change his diet completely and eat fruit and vegetables until he gets used to them. He needs to change his taste buds.

What about starting with sweet potato wedges, you can dry roast them so they don't have to be doused in oil, we just had them that way for dinner. Roasting carrots makes them really sweet, butternut squash is another one, so those might also work.

Roasted red peppers can be sweet and go well with mushrooms, maybe get some shitake which are milder tasting and thinner to start with. Have him start with just a couple of small bits on his plate and if he thinks it's ok or even likes it he can add a bit more.

You could try a little mashed banana on toast - mixed with a little bit of peanut butter perhaps. Will he eat nuts?

Get him to agree to trying a little bit of something new each day of the week.

Agree with pp s ,re things like sausage rolls, will potentially make him v queasy, and you need to really really reconsider, your fruit and veg,it helps massively with constipation.
I lived on fage 5% for ages,with lots of fruit,it's summer so lovely fruit like strawberries are in season, I have vanilla syrup on it.
I still can't eat things like burgers 18 months on, makes me queasy.
I lost the weight very quickly,and still take it ,it helps with arthritis massively,good luck.

Op, many people’s tastes change when they take the meds, I think it’s something to do with sugar control, both mine and my husbands did. He may now find he likes veg, salad and particularly fruit.

i never ate fruit, ever, and now I love it , melon, grapes, pineapple etc, so he should try it again,

to avoid constipation I take a litre of water each morning with a psyllium husk, psyllium can block you up if not enough water and keep things moving if you do,

and he needs to drink his water, ideally 3 litres a day, min 2.

he should aim for 1g of protein for every kg of body weight, and he needs to ensure he eats properly, not starve himself, get his cals in, and work out, to protect his muscle.

the latter is important for many reasons, but also if he wants to like what he sees when he hits goal, and not look like a melted candle.

Thank you everyone for your comments!

Absolutely agree that his current food choices / preferences aren't ideal which is why we're in the situation of him being on this medication now I suppose.

The trouble is, he is so convinced he dislikes every single vegetable and fruit or anything slightly 'out there' to the point of gagging if he eats it. I love him with all my heart but it is incredibly tedious to be as limited as he is with foods he will consider eating - I suppose he will learn the hard way with Mounjaro if he tries to eat something he'd usually like?

Whilst I will encourage him to make healthier choices and try new things, I don't want to baby him through it or force a grown adult man to eat food he doesn't like - I imagine he'll get bored of that as fast as I will lol.

I personally love fruit, veg, seeds, nuts, soups, eggs, fish - he loves beige. I blame MIL for not giving in too easily when he was a child but that's a different story!

Hopefully his tastes will change and he will become more open, I think if he eats something that makes him ill he'll not fancy doing that again knowing him. I also don't think his prescriber would be too happy if he did seem to just continue eating what he has been up to now?

We'll see - I'm keeping my fingers crossed he can do this and I can support where I can (but I draw the line at spoonfeeding, lol)

@ElleBelleLou , tell him you’re proud of him and to let you know if there’s anything you can do (or not do) to help support him.
Do you do most of the cooking? If you do perhaps do some research on healthy eating especially around foods that raise blood glucose because going forward he needs to adopt a diet that will sustain his eventual weight loss.
I’ve lost six stone on Mounjaro, I got up to the maximum dose and am coming back down the doses now but I don’t ever intend to stop taking it altogether because of those who do, most put nearly all the weight they lost back on. I couldn’t cope with that and what a waste of money! I’m very fortunate to be able to absorb the ongoing expense but if you and your partner are not he needs to use this time to radically improve his diet and you can help with that by encouraging more healthy choices and getting out of the habit of snacking if you do.

@Icanthinkformyselfthanks He's always been the cook (he enjoys it whereas I despise it) but once we knew he'd be going on the medication I've started doing more of the cooking because I'm guessing if he's not going to be bothered about food he's not going to be bothered about cooking - so I at least have some influence on protein choice etc.

He's definitely a snacker so that's one thing I'll be putting a stop to - if I snack, it's on fruit and veg so that's all we'll get in on the shopping snack wise. No crisps, ice cream, biscuits or sweets - he's got the WORST sweet tooth!

@ElleBelleLou I’ve been taking it since mid March and have had no issues at all. Except - a bizarre ineptitude to prepare the pen for the injection! I don’t know why but I just found it quite difficult to follow the instructions in terms of being over concerned about getting it right. It’s utterly bizarre because I’m a sensible competent person but now DH does it for me. So help and support was needed in a way I never anticipated.

We’ve just cut our snacks and eat normal healthy home cooked meals. If we go out, it’s a small main course and that’s it and cut out booze. Not that I drank much but DH is on Wegovy and he’s definitely avoiding alcohol. More than 1 glass of wine is out!

I’ve lost over 2 stone and down more than a dress size. DH ditto and 1 size down too. I’m 70 though and expect to take it slowly!

I have had no health issues at all other than feeling better! So be encouraging and don’t look for problems. There might be none at all. Just start looking up salad recipes.

My sweet tooth definitely reduced but now if I get the hankering I have a Bliss or Skinny Whip bar, they’re about 80 calories and have loads of flavours in B&M or home bargains.

@ElleBelleLou I still cook! You don’t become uninterested in food and cooking. You still retain an interest in food but you need far less so you alter what you eat. Don’t over think this. Of course he should maintain an interest in healthy food but stick to 3 meal times and no snacking.

@MeetMeOnTheCorner Thank you so much for your reply! That's really good to know, I've been getting myself anxious that he's going to be coming out both ends if he eats chicken and rice cause it's not veg! I'm open to supporting him any way he needs, he managed to jab himself on Wednesday but if I had to I reckon I could've done it for him 🤭

It'll be home cooked meals for us, which is a difference as usually on a weekend he'll have at least 1 or 2 takeaways whilst I'm at work! I'm thinking we can meal prep so if he is hungry whilst I'm out, there's something in easy to prepare rather than ordering or going without. Your reply has really put me at ease, thank you so much :)

Good to know about the cooking too, I will still try palm some off to him still then 🤣

@InfoSecInTheCity Good shout re the skinny whip bars, I have such a soft spot for them as when my Grandad was on end of life, the mint ones were the only things he could stomach. I'll get a few different ones in!

Are there any veggies or fruit at all he will eat? Peas, strawberries, sweetcorn, grapes? He’s going to really struggle with fibre otherwise I think - should be aiming for 25-30g a day, I think. Does he at least like baked beans?

Oh and I would see what happens to his taste buds before stocking up on anything in particular. I’ve had a bar of chocolate in the fridge since just before I started the jabs two weeks ago, and I haven’t had any of it cos I don’t really fancy it.