Starting Mounjaro before a new job or waiting a few weeks?

[koalabearboombox]

BMI 36, 14 months pp after my second baby. I am 45lbs heavier than when I conceived my eldest, feel very big, feet/ankles are uncomfortable, snoring has got really bad. Need a change.

I want to start MJ asap, but I'm starting a new job in 4 weeks' time... before that will otherwise be taking care of one or both of my kids while they're off school. I was planning to start Mounjaro pens when I started the job (i.e. when I start making money again), but actually I'm wondering if it makes sense to start now to get any early side effects out of the way.

Does anyone have any thoughts? Will they peter off after a month or so? I want to prioritise my health and shifting some of this weight, but I also don't want to put my new job at risk if I'm going to be brain fogged and nauseous.

I have never been "brain fogged" whilst on Mounjaro, it's not inevitable nor likely even. Neither is nausea.

Side effects, usually gastric, are associated with treatment initiation and then dose escalation. If you start now, you might be considering moving up to 5mg when you start your new job. Of course you don't have to increase your dose, you may not want or need to. You may not have any side effects at all.

I would say though that there's always going to be some life circumstance that isn't ideal, but weight loss if obese is a priority in terms of your health and wellbeing.

I’d say start sooner rather than later but I haven’t suffered anything terrible since starting and other than being less hungry I’d never know I was on it.

I’d just get started. It peaks after 48 hours so if I were you I’d inject on a Thursday, you shouldn’t feel much Friday and the worst of the SE should you get them would be on the weekend, that’s how it’s been for me anyway. After 4 weeks you should have a good idea of how you’re reacting. Many people dont have any SE at all. Stay hydrated, don’t skip meals, prioritise protein, try to avoid very fatty/sickly foods.

I feel brain fog most of the week even on the lowest dose, even on a smaller than lowest dose. I would not want to be struggling through that and a new job.

My only regret is not starting sooner, so I say start now. The vast majority get no side effects.

Start now so you have a handle on what to expect; you might get constipation or fatigue and you will want to be aware of the physical symptoms before you start a new job with all the stress and uncertainty surrounding that. Make sure you scope out the toilets and kitchen area at your new job.

Start now, you have nothing to lose really apart from potentially weight which will make you feel better on day 1 of your new job.

Gastric effects are usually linked to what you eat/drink so use this time to work out how it affects you and plan food for when you start work.

I've never been brain fogged but on injection day I sometimes have a headache. Not every week though. Great suggestion of timing your injection for peak effects for over the weekend.

Good luck 🙂

I think brain fog is rare, but side effects are only experienced by 20 percent of people and most of them it’s mild gastro.

id just start, there will always be a reason to not start.

Start now and focus on eating plenty of protein and fibre but be aware that MJ builds in your system so by week 3 dose, you may or may not have stronger side effects. Take it on a Friday and any side effects will only affect the weekend. After week 3, your body gets used to it and side effects should be minimal, unless you’re very unlucky.

You don’t need to increase the dose after a month unless you’re not feeling any suppression. The jump from 2.5mg to 5mg is doubling the dose and some people really struggle with side effects at this point. Others need to move up the doses until they hit 7.5mg or even 10mg before suppression kicks in. Every body is different and there’s no way of predicting how you’ll react.

I’ve been on MJ for a year and using click counting to take 4mg from a 5mg pen. I’m still losing slowly which I prefer, so don’t see the point in increasing the dose. I started with a BMI of 37.

Good luck.

I didn’t have any side effects. I’d try it and see. I always inject on a Friday so any side effects over weekend (also as I’m more at e
risk of overeating at weekend).