August 2026 starters

[chocolatecoveredpretzels]

Hello everyone, I'm due to start on MJ in the next few days, and I'm feeling nervous!

I've been above size 20 since I was about 14/15 years old. The highest weight I've ever logged was 134kg, about 14 years ago. I'm currently 117kg. I also have issues with my heart caused by Cushing's, type 2 diabetes and PMOS.

In the past few years, I'm yo-yo'd between 125kg and 110kg three times. I know how to lose weight and can do it... but as soon as work gets busy or stressful, I fail and give up. I also have an issue with binge and secret eating.

I went for my annual diabetic review yesterday and the nurse basically used the whole time telling me about going on MJ, because my BMI is over 40 (well, as of yesterday's weigh in, I'm 39. something) and because of my other health conditions. I didn't have to fight for it, or request it.. they're just giving it to me.

Now I'm doing as much reading/ video watching as I can to clue myself up.

On my on-track days, I eat:

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs with some flavouring- chilli flakes or marmite or 15g cheddar.

Lunch: Chicken thigh fillet in some kind of seasoning mix, salad made of lettuce, pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, sugarsnaps, carrot. Sometimes 3 cream crackers and a laughing cow triangle as well.

Dinner: Varies- roast chicken dinner/ 5% fat mince spaghetti bolognese with wholewheat pasta/ beef burger without the bun with cheese, salad on half the plate, usually without chips, noodles with chicken and stirfry veg.

Snacks: Usually a portion of berries/ a nectarine/ cherries/ 25g peanuts at 4pm.

How does that sound?

I have a treadmill and run/walk at 6.5/6km/hr pace for 30 mins three times a week. The nurse said I should do some weights for my arms too.

Any recommendations for which day I should inject?

The weights I currently lift are even lower. I will increase when I am ready! Well done for your loss and NSV

@PuzzledObserver yes, I was a bit surprised, but she said it would be fine as long as it stayed cool. So I will try the first dose of 5 in three weeks (I’ve got two more doses of 2.5 on my current pen and don’t want to dose up too quickly) to see what it’s like for me. Then if the side effects are very strong, I can do 30 clicks for 2.5 for the next two weeks, then try 5 again. So that pen could last five doses, 5, 2.5, 2.5, 5, 5.

Yes, I get my MJ via NHS because I’m obese, type 2 diabetic and have a heart condition.

@chocolatecoveredpretzelsinteresting you didn’t get the same suppression, perhaps I’ll stick to my belly!

how do you feel this morning after the pizza and prune bonanza?! Prunes always get me like that! Chia seeds I’m fine with - I have them in yoghurt with a banana and honey for breakfast at least twice a week!

Thank you @MiaN I hope I'm doing the right thing staying on 2.5. I'm so heavy I'm likely to be on MJ for such a long time, it felt sensible not to use every weapon in the arsenal at this early stage since it's working. Anyone going up next month?

I am not, I am going to Spain and I will manage better if I know what I am dealing with. In general, I will not at all consider increasing until I lose less then a pound a week for 3 weeks in row. This is to cater for non linear weight loss, so if I have few weeks where the weight loss is taking it's time to pay up I don't do it too quick.

So basically if I stop losing weight one week, I will consider upping in 2 weeks after this week if the weight loss is not there at that time. I don't want to jump on it - if the check is in the post but hasn't shown yet :)

I am enjoying the easy ride and quick loss over the first few weeks, but 1.5 to 2 kg a month loss to me means I should stick with the dose going forward.

In the same time, if I need to go up I will go up. There is no way to know ahead of time. I find this little hard, I wish I knew! I will have to wait, monitor results and adapt accordingly. I think someone rightfully mention it is like a pressure to stay on low dose - it shouldn't be. We should be able to look at our own needs and look after them

No side effects yet, so hopefully all good 🤞

I know what you mean @MiaN like the virtue that is assigned to giving birth without any drugs, just makes women feel bad if you've had an emergency C Section for instance or just wanted some pain relief! In a way that's one of the reasons this drug is such a mood lifter I think, I'm realising that will power turns out to be an injectable hormone (or whatever it is) rather than a virtue I've been failing to have enough of for 20 years. To free weight/food cravings from moral judgement and take a more scientific approach is so liberating 😀

Really enjoyed catching I on these posts this morning! Laughing at the frogspawn comment - I haven't ventured into chia seeds yet and this is the very reason - is that what they always look like when you mix them in with yoghurt, porridge etc? Totally puts me off!

As for the healthy eating and choosing that type of food, I get that completely. I want the weight off so that I can enjoy those healthy foods, not constantly feel like I'm on a diet to get somewhere before actually starting my new way of life.

I know it's quite late in the month, but can I join the August group?
I'm 58, 5 ft 4 and SW is 15.12. I also have chronic lymphoedema in my right arm after cancer so need to lose weight not only for general health but to have liposuction on that arm to reduce its heaviness.
Started yesterday afternoon on 2.5mg MJ and no suppression or any other effects at all! A bit miffed tbh. Still, I've got a lot to lose and must be patient on the lowest dose.
When did others find suppression kicking in?

Hi @Gonksmum welcome! I’m late in month as well and pen only just arrived this morning so did my first jab an hour ago -not sure really at all what to expect over next couple of days as I’m pretty sure as I’m so nervous any lack of appetite may be due to that! You will find a lovely supportive group here!

Welcome @Gonksmum

I'm due to take my third injection tomorrow. I didn't feel any suppression right away, but I had been on a bit of a health kick for three weeks before my first injection and had got out of my overeating/ binge cycle beforehand. I do wonder if I would have felt it more if I'd gone from that out of control eating straight into my first injection.

I think we need to be more tortoises than hares in this. Hard not to want quick results, isn't it?

@CatMonj I have massive issues with texture too. I can just about manage my usual 8g in 150g greek yogurt, but only because each spoonful also has berries or nuts too. If I just had the yogurt and seeds, I wouldn't be able to cope with the feel of it in my mouth. Glad my accidental frogspawn made you giggle, though :)

I did a strength workout with my dumbbells for 10 mins this morning- 4kg each, which is what I've lost since injection 1. Even just holding one of the weights is good for me, and trying to do lunges, raises and punches with them is on another level! Then I walked for 20 mins on the treadmill while watching the next episode of Motherland, which turned out to be the Christmas special. Then I cooked a bit of chicken breast, onions and peppers with some fajita spices and a tablespoon of light cream cheese, which I mixed into a bowl of salad for lunch.

Woo, happy jab day, @Swimthatloch !!

I started yesterday too 😊

Ahh i am jealous I have a headache and feeling nauseous 🤢 also have sulfur burps. Only managed a little piece of toast and a handful of raspberries so far today not feeling hungry at all wasn't even fussed on my coffee and I love a coffee!

Hoping it eases off. Im so glad i waited till last night to jab so I have this weekend to chill and not have go go work feeling rubbish.

Anyone else had this? Hoping it doesnt last long lol!

@VanillaSunsetVibes I’m on day 4 and have had the eggy burps today. Have been feeling quite tired but no headaches and food suppression for me was almost immediate. Drinking lots of water is supposed to help - I’m also glad it’s the weekend and hoping they’ll subside by the time I go back to work 🤞

I've heard of the sulphur burps from a woman in work - they sound awful. I'm well stocked with PeptoBismol and sugar-free Polo's, just in case! Hope they ease off for everyone. Starting to feel a bit sick, now!

I only feel like eating fruit today, nothing else. Trying to get the protein in still bit it's a struggle

@MiaN I have also found eating extremely hard and trying to force food when you don’t fancy it is really tough! But if you don’t eat protein or work out then the end result won’t be the same! I’ve just been forcing it no matter how bad I feel 😩

It’s our anniversary today so we went for a family run this morning and out for a meal and ice cream with our daughter. Definitely noticed the suppression as I felt full quicker. Shattered this afternoon but I can’t work out if that’s just the run/ time of the month or mj. I think someone else mentioned second guessing every feeling as a possible symptom and I may be doing that.

Hope everyone has had a good day!

I’m another one late to the party this month. First jab on Thursday morning and am now really struggling with awful sulphur burps and very loose stools. I’m also feeling exhausted but that might be after a broken night due to the digestive issues! Please tell me this gets better?!!!

Well today, day after my 2nd jab, the tiredness hit me hard around lunchtime. We were at the Eden Project and I found myself dragging round behind everyone else and taking every opportunity to sit down. I asked google about it in a quiet moment, and it suggested it may also have been something to do with the high carb meal I’d just eaten (a pasty), as I normally eat pretty low carb. My body was having to cope with an unaccustomed glucose surge at the same time as the drug is changing the way my metabolism works.

I had an uncomfortable hour or so, wondering if I was going to spoil the day 0ut, bit thankfully my energy did pick up later. The worst of the slump very much coincided with my blood glucose peaking at 10 - whereas since I started on monk, it has seldom been much above 7 - so maybe Google is on to something there.

Anyway, whether it was purely the monj, the pasty, the combination, I don’t know - but I am thankfully feeling much more myself now.

I also note that I had a loose BM this morning, as I did last Saturday as well. I didn’t think too much about that last week, as I am prone to the odd bit of urgency for now particular reason. But it has happened twice running about 12-24 hours after the jab, and not in between,

Hi all - about to do jab 4 (2nd 2.5 after 2 * 1.25). As expected no loss this week as I really have been eating “normally” - healthy food mostly but with some treats - including a few glasses of wine over the weekend.

i honestly felt very little ( if any) suppression this week after stepping up to the starter dose. Will carry on and do at least 4 weeks on this dose and see what the outcome is after that before deciding next steps ( ie moving up).

On the plus side - no awful side effects either. Will carry on and be more diligent tracking calories - I have a long way to go!

I should have added that in 3 weeks I am still 4 pounds down ( I think - converting from kg) so I am pleased with that. Also less joint pain in my hands which is also pleasing. Onwards and downwards :)

Thanks.. have been on MJ 2 weeks.. definately noticed a difference..I am eating smaller portions usually food and have had occasional treat.. jusr not as much. 2 plane biscuits is fine! Had Some wine .. just don’t fancy.
I am too scared to weigh myself.
I am a bit scared to go from 2,5 to 5 and thinking increasing to 3,5 initially .. the only way I see to do that is extract contents pen? Any other advice