I'm starting saxenda this week.

[Saxendastarter]

I'm 33.

I'm 1m68 (5ft6)

I don't actually know what I weight and I got rid of my scales last year when getting on them just made me cry every time and I was just too depressed to even try and start loosing weight - I have ordered scales and will weight myself tomorrow.

However last time I weighed myself nearly a year ago I was 94kg (14st 11) and I know that I have gained since then.

I started gaining weight the beginning of covid, before 2019 my very highest weight had been 68kg ( 10st10) and my normal weight had been round 62kg for most of my adult life, so I have massively put on weight over these last four years. (Separation, depression, stress at work, and just general giving up).

My body is ruined by stretch-marks and my boobs that used to be great are now just swollen and saggy and stretch marked.

I'm really depressed by my weight and have decided its time to do something about it.

I have an office job and I'm not at all active.

I've tried to start making small changes, walking to the underground instead of getting the bus, getting the stairs up the one flight to my office instead of the lift but everything feels like a struggle and I have such awful thigh chaffing that walking is often excruciatingly painful.

I how I need to make a change because on top of it being so unhealthy being so over weight just makes me so upset. I've stopped going out as much and have just retreated into a shell.

I also have an appointment with a psychologist tomorrow.

I decided last month that enough is enough and I need to do something about it all.

I've started using face cream, and am finally having laser on my very very hairy thighs and - the point of this thread - I'm going to start saxenda tomorrow.

I thought I'd journal here.

@Footgoose Well done! That’s such an encouraging loss. Long May it continue. @Sotiredmjmmy @Everdecreasingcircumferences Here in France we don’t really have pharmacy chains but I know that on a French Saxenda group there is a shared Google sheet that people update with stocks from different pharmacies in different areas - maybe there is some similar ressource in the UK?
@OrderOfTheKookaburra @CakeWarrior @Bloodylovecrisps @BinnityBoo @Glorfindels How are you all getting on ?
@charlotr366 Can you find a go to distraction when bordem hits to try and tide it over ( wordle, quordle, redactle) and do something other than snack ?

@Asparagus1 Hows the peepee situation going ?

@ThisMustBeMyDream Has everyone recovered at home? Things still going well ?
@NotAnAngelOrAHero Welcome!

@justsaxy have you had your endocrino appointment ?

Pee situation seems ok now, back to normal!!

I’m day 5 today. I’m really hoping I can stay on low doses otherwise I’m not going to be able to afford it for very long x

Day 35

Breakfast
Herbal tea

Black coffee
Water

Snack:
1 Coffee

Lunch :
Tomato and mozzarella bruschetta
Half a mascarpone basil and pineapple thingy ( shared with friend)
Coke zero
Double espresso

Snack:
Expresso

Supper:
10 Haribo bonbons
Coke zero
Fizzy water

Have had a bit of a strange day - collègue who stayed over last night asked this morning why FPOTM ( Favorite person of the moment) hadn’t stayed over saying he wouldn’t have said anything in the office - FPOTM is also a collègue, the thing is that FPOTM never stays over - we’ve sometimes drunkly held hands but never more. No one at the office who has noticed we are close seems to believe this but it’s true.

About 10 days after we started working together three years ago we had a very ill advised very drunken one night stand and quickly both agreed in mutual embarrassment at our such unprofessional behavior that anything else that it was a bad idea to get into anything. We were also both just separated and grieving past relationships. We remained very close but friendzoned each other. In the last six months we’ve got very close again ( We’ve been on a weekend to the Loire together, a weekend in Bruges, multiple museum trips, nice restaurants, saint Germain, versailles etc all sorts of typical Parisian dating rituals ) we spend at least every other weekend together and on top of seeing each other in the office have lunch or drinks at least once a week, but other than infrequent drunk hand holding or lingering good night cheek kisses absolutely nothing has “happened”.
This morning I told collègue who stayed over “ah but we’re just platonical friends etc etc” … He called bullshit and in a way he’s right.
So as we say in French this morning I took my courage with my two hands and asked FPOTM quite crudely if we were ever going to end up in bed together, or was the memory of three years ago too traumatic. His answer really hit me hard. He said that the memory of three years ago was a favorite drunk memory of his but that he wouldn’t have a girlfriend who wouldn’t let him take pictures of her, and that was invested but until I’m at least ready to appear on a photo with him there is no way we’ll be intimate ( I camera dodge because I hate how I look so much and even avoid having to put my camera on in zooms) And that until I can love myself more I’m not ready to have anyone love me. I shut him down for “analyse de comptoir ing “ me ( French expression not sure what the English is - superficially shrinking ( psychiatric) someone perhaps).

I know he meant it in a nice way but it hurt.

We then had to lead an introductory meeting together with a new recruit, and he pulled up an old photo from 3 years ago of him and I both grinning like crazy next to our first fully functioning prototype. I’m not sure if it was a purposeful low blow or if he was trying to be nice - but I was still a size eight in that photo. He’s said multiple times before when I’ve mentioned my weight that I look fine now etc but it did really make me think.

When I left this evening he did tell me he’d booked our train tickets for our Sunday trip and that he’ll stay over after my Saturday dinner party so it’s easy to get to the station.

Im upset this evening in any case so I’m going to bed early and being a bad host for a friend of my sisters who is staying till Saturday morning.

Hello! Not until July, sadly.

I am wishing the weeks away.

Oooh @Saxendastarter that must have hurt! Not sure how to take that. Hugs x

im not doing great with the side effects. Still feeling nauseous and generally not great. I lost another 2lbs this week plus 4.4lbs from the previous week. I tried taking the pen out of the fridge for 30 mins before I inject, injecting my thigh rather than stomach. I don’t want to give up, maybe decrease my dose. Had anyone done that?

Well I have actually put a little weight on with not being able to go up the levels of Saxenda as I am supposed to.

Juniper rang and advised supplies are incredibly low and offered to change to oral Medication which would be a little over half the price. At this point I am getting pissed off with the whole thing. What is the point of paying any money (even half price) if it's not working?

@Tarragon123 I pushed through with side effects and stopped being sick by the end of the third week ... I keep my "stock" of pens in the fridge and my current pen in the bathroom cupboard to inject after my morning shower, I alternate thighs. I have a collection of little round bruises but nothing too bad.

@OrderOfTheKookaburra I'm sorry to hear that - sounds crap. If it's any help https://support.dokteronline.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360020719140-In-which-countries-does-Dokteronline-deliver- who I'm having no issues getting pens with - seem to deliver to the UK. Hang on in there. It will be worth it.

Start of week six and weigh in number 5 here

Weight loss this week 0.4kg (0,88 lbs)
Current Weight 90.9kg (200,4 lbs)
Total weight lost to date 5.9kg (13 lbs)

Starting Weight 96.8kg ( 15st 3.4 Ibs)
Goal Weight 70kg (11st)
Time On Saxenda 35 days
Total percentage of weight loss so far 6.1%
Total weight to loose when starting 26.8kg ( 4st3lbs)
Total weight remaining to loose 20.9kg (3st7lbs)
Side effets Constipation
Goal for end of July 80kg (12st6)
Dose 2.4
Starting BMI 34.3
Current BMI 32.2

Good morning!
What the fuck @Saxendastarter your FPOTM is being fucking weird! I had a friend like that once. He strung me along for nearly a year, spending all his time with me, making me think there was a chance for us. There wasn't. He just liked the attention. He was a dick.
I'm not sure what he means by you having to be photographed. Do you know what he means by it?
I'm still feeling great. I haven't lost any further weight yet this week. On my daily weighs I've been shuttling between 16st 4 and 16st 4.5 up from 16 st 3 on Tuesday. This morning it is back to 16st 3.5. I'm a bit bunged up though, have got some senna and a prayer for later. I have been going occasionally, but with difficulty, so hoping a clear out helps!! I'm quite happy with things though as it was such a rapid loss in the first 2 weeks that my body needs time to adjust! I'm still struggling to get 1000cals in. I'm also struggling to get more than 1l fluids in - which explains the bowel issues! I have a 1l bottle that I drink through the day, then refill when I get home and drink another 1l before the next morning comes around. But I'm not able to take more than a sip of fluids at a time, and even though I'm sipping frequently, it isn't enough as I can only manage the 1l.
Tomorrow we are having a bbq at home and I'm really looking forward to it as I know I'll be able to just eat to my appetite and not be swayed by high calorie food. I'm planning to grill halloumi and veg in a sweet chilli sauce. I'll do some chicken thighs in a marinade. Followed by watermelon for dessert. Delish. The kids will have sausages, ice creams and crisps with theirs and I'm not tempted at all. Who is this person and what have you done with the real me?!

Working from home today. Still feeling sorry for myself. Just ordered and pity ate my favorite Lebanese food ( 3 Lebanese cheese rolls, grilled halloumi salad) for lunch. I tried to avoid most of the bulgur wheat tho. But it was deffo a self pity face stuffing session.

TL/DR Long non weight related ramble ahead

@ThisMustBeMyDream Thanks, I hope he's not fucking me around. We spoke this morning, he called when he realized I was working from home and not in the office, said he didn't want to upset me yesterday. I asked about photos and why and his answer didn't really cut it for me, he said that he has no photos of the two of us together outside of work pictures. That I avoid letting anyone taking photos because I really don't like how I look and that if we were "proper dating" he'd get the piss taken out of him for example if he went back home ( far from Paris) and mentioned a girlfriend who he had no pictures of apart from on company website. And that because the fact we work together is over complicated already if were were dating we'd need to be really clear on it. And for that he'd like to have pictures of me even if it's just group pictures at parties or restaurants. And he would like me to let him take a selfie of us both when we go on walks... Bref, we're spending tomorrow afternoon and Sunday together so will have time to talk.

Hi Everyone

This week- Weigh in:

Last week: 120.56kg
This week: 119.63kg
Loss: 0.91kg
Total Loss: 9.62kg

Always take the loss.
To be fair, I have been under the weather and have ended up on Antibiotics for an infection and been taking codeine for pain relief, which could have caused water retention or something and not as active as normal. Spent most of last weekend under my blanket of doom! Also, my metabolism must be shot to pieces after years of weight problems.

On a positive note, I have had a lovely morning with my friend, we went to a local beauty spot and walked 8km & stopped for a cup of tea. The smell of wild garlic was incredible, and we saw a Kingfisher. Weather has been stunning today.

@Saxendastarter Well done on your loss this week & your lunch sounds lovely, see it as self care. Playing devils advocate about your FPOTM is he misconstruing your lack of wanting a photo as you playing it cool with him – rather than seeing it from your point of view? Have a lovely weekend.

@ThisMustBeMyDream m I have been struggling to with constipation, not helped by pain meds. But Dulcolax works a treat overnight. Enjoy your BBQ, you have me thinking about watermelon vodkas now!

@OrderOfTheKookaburra aburra Sorry to hear you are struggling, I can understand your frustrations at feeling ill and it not working. Maybe switching it up may help and save money?

@Tarragon123 on123 I went down from 1.8 back to 1.2 for a couple of days when the nausea was at it’s worse, I have then stayed on 1.8 as I feel that it is working.

Hoping everyone is having a good week & sending positive vibes for the weekend.

Day 36

Quite a shitty day with work and feeling down. Another resignation from a collègue. Have a dinner party tomorrow and have done sweet FA to prep even though I have 7 people coming so there will be 8 of us. Got a delivery for lunch. A couple of friends popped round very quickly to pick up a tent I’m lending them. It’s 8pm here but I’m ready for bed.

Breakfast
Herbal tea

coke zero

Snack:
Coke zéro

Lunch :
3 Lebanese cheese cigars
Grillee halloumi salad
Coke Zero

Snack:
Haribo bonbons

Supper:
Fizzy water
Coke zero
Glass of Prosecco
2x Coke Zero and vodka
3 little Lebanese flat breads with burrata

Sorry you've had a crap day at work OP, isnt it frustrating when works impacts on your mood when you're not on the clock too. The Lebanese flat bread does sound tasty.

I heard back from the GP surgery today about referral to the weight management service and she basically said I dont qualify as my BMI is under 35. Here's me left thinking does she think I'm stupid? I've said I would like to be referred as my BMI is over 35 and she's just told me it's only 34.7 - no idea what measurement she's referring to but it isn't a recent one (doesn't really matter what my BMI was then surely, what matters is what it is now!). Just so frustrating, have offered to send her the data from the app my scales are linked to - 3 years of data showing my BMI has unfortunately only dipped below 35 a couple of times and those lows were very short lived. How about they help me lose weight so I can reduce my blood pressure medication after 14 years of tablets? She also offered me orlistat - given that just reduces fat absorption it's hardly going to help when it's sugar I have an issue with not fat. Aaaaargh. Rant over, sorry OP.

Gonna try first jab this weekend. Have really focused on my food this last month in preparation for life with saxenda and have lost 1.7kg in May so am now sub 100kg. Every time I drop below 100kg I promise myself it'll be the last time my weight reaches 3 figures, and every time within a month I'm back up to my previous weight again as I cant sustain it - I have lost and regained the same half a stone so many times in the last 3 years.

First goal is to reach sub 96kg and stay there for over 4 weeks (not achieved that for over 12 years). Next goal is to hit 92kg as that was my pre baby weight, then 87kg as that's what I weighed when I got married. Really hoping saxenda can help me get there after all these years of trying.

@Everdecreasingcircumferences Rant ahead - it’s cathartic! I’m sorry your healthcare team is being so un useful. Well done on the 1.7kg loss, that’s a great start. Let us know how your first jab goes, and keep ranting here if needed. I’m turning here to get my feelings out instead of snacking until I can’t feel them. It does help. It sounds like you have solid meaningful goals set. I’m .9 kilos from being under 90 and can’t wait. Saxenda is and isn’t a magic pill at the same time. I’m still drinking too much and don’t really have what anyone could qualify as a healthy diet but I’m eating less and the food chatter is no longer deafening from morning to night. I know that to continue losing I’m going to have to make some life adjustments and cut out the drinking during the week but instead of dreading it I’m looking forward to feeling healthier and trying to replace unhealthy habits with healthier ones. You’ve done great by losing before starting and food prepping. I’m lucky because I only have myself to look after - I’m also trying to start feeling “child free” instead of “childless” and this is helping. but I still struggle just looking after myself. I think weight is about so much more than calories in and out so it’s lovely to hear about your wedding weight goal. Good luck for your first injection! Bonne nuit 😘

Hey @Saxendastarter !

Ouch what your FPOTM said is really hurtful. Not surprised you were upset. I think that's a really bizarre reason to not pursue something with someone you like. I'd be wary of it being the tip of the iceberg of even more expectations he would lay on you. It kind of seems a bit emotionally unavailable of him to me too which is a whole other ball game. Keep enjoying the company but maybe keep your cards close to your chest for now.

Your trip looked and sounded amazing ❤️ how nice of you to take those girls in despite the lack of sleep. I love reading your journalling! It's therapeutic for me to read as much as it for you writing it 😄

5 weeks in on sax - coming to the end of my 3rd week of maintaining now 😟 which is just becoming totally demoralising because I'm eating 1k - 1.4k cals a day, sometimes less. Drinking lots of water and doing so much swimming and walking yet absolutely zilch weight loss. I lost 0.8lb last week and then did a pretty heavy leg workout at the weekend and went back up to 12st 10lbs and I've stayed at that weight now. I know it could be water retention from the sore muscles but I'm just SO fed up of seeing the same number on the scales. 😞

A work friend commented on my weight loss this week and my pants feel a bit looser, I just wish it would reflect on the scales.

I've got about 1.5 pens left and I'm suddenly seeing lots of posts about shortages which is a bit worrying.

Hello guys! Do you guys store your saxenda pen in the fridge even once its being used. I know it has to be stored in the fridge before its open but thought afterwards it could be stored at room temperature.

@Crimblecrumblelover Once I'm using it I keep it in the bathroom at room temp!

Thanks @Saxendastarter 😊

I feel really rubbish today, I’ve been feeling lightheaded and spaced out, and have realised nothing tastes like it used to. I’ve been wandering aimlessly around the supermarket trying to think of something to eat that will taste good and I’m at a loss. I’ve gone off coffee and tea, diet fizzy drinks don’t taste of anything. I just feel a bit miserable today and the scales don’t seem to be moving much. Day 7. Meh 😑

@Asparagus1 I went through a few days of "out of it" round the end of my first week too. It did get better. Hang on there! Have you tired really cold drinks with ice?

My day really hasn't gone to plan. Had coffee with friends this morning then went to pick up a painting I was getting reframed (it looks so much better so happy about that). FPOTM met me at framers and on the way back we got an urgent panic call from our director about something he should have done but didn't and that needs sorting by a strict deadline before 8am Monday. It's regulatory so no way to push back the deadline... It's a bit of a "you had one job" moment.... Came back to mine with FPOTM and have both been working straight out since. Have had to cancel dinner party as we still have a few hours of work ahead of us and want to get things sorted before tomorrow as we decided that cancelling supper plans was enough and we're not cancelling our day trip to Giverny tomorrow. Did manage ( when I finally understood FPOTM gesticulations whilst I was on the phone to him) to guilt trip director into giving us both a decent "exceptional work on a Saturday to clear up his shit and paying for us to take our friends out to dinner another time as we had to cancel dinner party due to his fuck up bonus" though and have decided we'll use it to book a nice city break sometime in July ... Silver linings. FPOTM has popped back home to pick up overnight things and bag for tomorrow and will be back soon (he's a ten minute walk away)

Day 37

Breakfast
Black coffee

Snack:
Black coffee
10 Haribo bonbons

Lunch :
A beer

Snack:
A Saint germain spritz

Supper:
Coke Zero and vodka
Big croque Monsieur (was craving carbs and cheese)
Tomato and Burrata

Lovely Sunday to all.

Soooo, the plot thickens. Doing a bit more research there doesn't seem to be a Saxenda shortage in pharmacists in Australia. So rumour has it that Juniper is being clamped down on because of their online questionnaire model and their supplies are being restricted.

Not sure how true this is, but as my appetite has now regulated a bit more (perhaps the sudden exercise increase with the 15k step challenge threw everything out?) and I have dropped down to 96.5 kg at this morning's weight in at 1.8 dose I might just bite the bullet and head to my GP. Or A GP anyway. I've been thinking about changing GPs (only been to my centre twice since I moved, saw a different GP each time). My sister's GP has been really supportive so I might register with her.

That way I can choose when to get the prescriptions filled myself and keep the costs down staying at 1.8.

Consider me back in the bandwagon.

Thank you @Saxendastarter for keeping us all on the straight and narrow! ❤️

@OrderOfTheKookaburra happy to hear you’re back on track ! Would be amazing if you could get a doctors prescription. Let us know how it goes! You’ve got this - and the steps are amazing ! I hope I manage that many today.

lovely Sunday to all.

Morning all . @Saxendastarter ,thank you again for the great thread and keeping us all entertained with your insights and stories , which despite the challenges you always sound optimistic . I hope you had a good evening with FPOTM despite all the work .
@OrderOfTheKookaburra . Great to hear you are persevering . You may have hit the nail on the head when you said you have increased your steps at the same time as starting saxander. I’m currently on 1.8 and it’s going well for me so wishing you the same . I get very little opportunity to exercise and the weight is still coming off .
@Asparagus1 . felt the same at the beginning . Spaced out, not sure what to eat, food decisions really hard . Dry mouth making food and mouth taste funny all day long . I’ve accepted that as part of the process .
@BinnityBoo @Crimblecrumblelover @Everdecreasingcircumferences and everyone else . I’m reading everything , my brain just has retained every detail. You are all making this a great thread and I feel very supported by all your comments so thank you.

Yes you may well be right on the restriction rather than actual stock issues in some places - I’m in UK and did some digging too, turns out there was an expose on online pharmacies selling Saxenda earlier in the week (summing up it’s too easy for people to get hold of it) and has been reported to regulator. The freezes on new patients by many of the pharmacies and restricting stock happened about 2-3 days later so does seem like maybe because they are being investigated etc. Hopefully will sort itself out so genuine people can get it