Ozempic for those a few months in - part 3

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

New thread
Old thread - https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/4872030-ozempic-for-those-a-few-months-in-part-3?page=40&reply=132316913

Thank all. I definitely didn’t have a good eating day on Friday so it may well be connected to that. I’ll keep more of an eye out for triggers from now on. Tummy still very grumbly but Imodium did the trick and now I’ll not go to the loo for days.

Thank you for encouragement @VanellopeVonSchweetz99. I'm always too hard on myself. I'll up my protein and water content.

Thanks for the new Thread.

I see whilst looking for my next 1.7mg pen that Mounjaro may be available soon.

Does anyone know how it compares to Wegovy?

Hi I’ve been almost 3 months on ozempic and very little weight loss, and I’m still hungry!! Any advice? :(
is this normal? I know it’s different for everyone but one would think 3 months is enough…

What dose are you on? It's not about time it's about dose - you could be one of those who doesn't respond till 2.7 for example

Hi @Flatleak I’m in the 1, it’s the ozempic full dose. It was given to me because I’m prediabetic so not sure I can go any higher..

Can I ask experienced people here, have you had any luck not causing a bruise every time you inject? I did my second injection yesterday morning and now I have two matching bruises - one on each thigh!

The first week, I was probably a little heavy handed making sure it went in (like I was trying to push the entire pen in!). This week, I was more gentle. It still bruised, but is smaller.

I followed a YouTube video with a nurse showing how to inject by demonstrating on a lemon. She said to pinch the skin - like I've seen diabetics do with an insulin pen. Do you pinch the skin or just go straight in?

I was thinking of injecting into my flabby stomach next week to rotate the sites.

I find the stomach much easier, never got a bruise there. Also easier to pinch!

@Striving4Better I inject into stomach fat plenty to pinch. I do find it nippy but I don't bruise,I did bruise on my thigh x

I'm reminding myself that I'd decided to wean myself off this over the next month then see how I manage on my own in the nicer months dieting the usual way with out it. I am loath to put the weight back on and know that most do, but I am also loath to keep paying out this cost when I'm only losing very slowly.

I'm on 0.75 from a 1mg pen and will get 4 doses of that then 2 weeks of 0.5 from the pen. So I have 5 doses left.

I've hit a milestone today: Under 60kg (9 stone 3lbs or 131 lbs) for the first time in eleven years. BMI is now 22 and waist 30 inches (76 cm). Size 10-12 or S-M depending on the brand. I'm just over 5'3 and 51 years old.
Just before the pandemic I was nearly 16 stone, and absolutely miserable. I lost about 2 stone of that myself by cutting down on alcohol and snacks (and had to have my gallbladder removed, we-hey!) but then seemed to be stuck.
On Oz for ten months now, switched to W (1.7 currently) about 4 months ago.
This feels surreal.

Blood pressure is spot on now, bunions are sorting them selves out (!) and I tried on a size 10 swimming costume that was too big up top. I have collar bones?! Energy levels decent and confidence at an all time high. Family life and my career are pretty much at an all time high too, which was my two big hopes and dreams for my 50s. I could cry with happiness. I don't care what anyone says, this is life changing. I'm no longer invisible to men, and women treat me with more respect. It's so bloody sad really. I will always carry the experience of being big with me.

I strongly suspect I was starting to develop insulin resistance, and that's why my body responded to well. I also strongly suspect I may have undiagnosed ADD and have been relying heavily on carbs for dopamine hits and comfort. Losing the urge to immediately put something in my mouth when I'm stressed or sad has made me think: OK so this is what it's like for people who have never been bigger.

I've worked out my TDEE now and it's 1450kcal/day which fits with my tracking. Eating 20% under that 80% of the time has frankly been OK once I cracked satisfying meals I could have (turkey & cheese pizzas on low carb wraps!) and I've lost on average 1.5 lbs/week. Could not have done much exercise other than dog walks though, no fuel for it in the extreme calorie deficit.
And I can tell straight away if I've not had enough protein; I get carb cravings and just feel crap. I get around 50g/day now.
Going forward I'm pretty confident I can stick to the maintain number because it seems generous compared to what I'm used to now, and will allow for plenty of treats. But without appetite suppression who the hell knows.
Sorry about the essay, it's just writing it down makes it somehow real. I'm learning so much and everyone here is so lovely.

Incredible, well done!

Well done @VanellopeVonSchweetz99 ! Amazing achievement and what a lovely post.
Milestone for me too, my BMI has entered the healthy range as of today 🥳. Before starting ozempic last March it had been hovering around 35 for ages, so I'm delighted to be under 25 for the first time in many years. Next milestone is hitting a 5 stone loss, 1.2lb to go. I'm aiming for BMI of 22 (so it's brilliant to hear how you're feeling at that). I agree that ozempic/wegovy has been life changing. I've also been at the gym throughout and although I've not made the progress I would maybe have liked, due to calorie deficit I assume, I'm definitely feeling that I'm starting to get toned and able to feel some muscles under there 💪

So lovely to hear how far you have all come. My loss has been slow but steady and I feel so much better despite only having lost 1.5 stone in 10 months.

However, I've hit a stumbling block. I've been getting it through boots recently and despite my prescription going through to the pharmacy 2 weeks ago and me calling and going in they have only today confirmed that it is out of stock. On Saturday it will be 2 weeks since my last 1mg dose so it looks like I'm going to have to start all over again at 0.25.

@VanellopeVonSchweetz99 blooming fantastic you must feel like a new woman. I bet you look amazing. You have been so focussed and done so so well.

I hope you are treating yourself to some stylish new clothes. I too am delighted to have collarbones and no longer fat fingers.

This drug is an amazing aid to weight loss. My self esteem is so improved as I'm sure yours is too. I remember how hard it was to find nice clothes, to try and even go walking with those extra stones.

Hopefully we will do well off it but if I have to I will stay on it as like you I think I was headed for insulin resistance,high cholesterol etc and all the usual risks.

Lovely to read,your happiness shines from your thread xxx

I've just seen on sky news Instagram that Mounjaro has been approved in Uk. Usually awful comments in the post but this is hopefully good news. I wonder what the differences to wegovy is? The active ingredient is tirzepatide not Semiglutide.

Quick message came to the rescue and I managed to get a 1mg pen delivered today, 13 days since last dose. I took a full 1mg dose this evening so really hoping I don't suffer too badly.

Weirdly I lost 2.5lb last which is more than usual.

I gained 1.5lb over the Xmas holidays, and I can't seem to shake it! Even upped my dosage to 1.5mg and it just won't budge. Calories at under 1500 a day.

So frustrating but I'm still feeling amazing at 60lbs down in 2023. I'm just going to keep on keeping on, and hopefully soon I'll have some sort of whoosh!

Mounjaro is supposed to have fewer side effects than ozempic and be more effective. I was considering going on it (in different country) and it promptly sold out and is unavailable.

I went down to .5 from 1 because of the ongoing shortages here and after 6 weeks at .5 I think I need to go higher. My BG is still excellent but I have gained nearly 2 kilos and it's too easy to eat!

@WeKnowFrogsGoShaLaLaLaLa Plateaus are frustrating yes! I would maintain/gain slightly on 1500/day but obviously we are all different (ie I'm 50+, short, weigh less now, and have a sedentary job).
Have you calculated your TDEE? Could you maybe try to push the kcals down a bit with some nice substitutes? Although I totally understand if this kind of meticulous tracking isn't for everyone, I want to be very clear about the fact that it does flirt with disordered eating and it's probably not very sustainable.
The other two things I would suggest because it really truly works with no major effort or sacrifice are drink more water than ever (ups the fat burning) and try to up the protein as well as it comes with two amazing benefits: More sating + burns more energy to digest.

Oh @VanellopeVonSchweetz99 I could definitely try and up my water, I already get plenty of protein though.

I'm tall, active for work and exercise regularly too - I'm 500-800kcals below my TDEE at 1500 depending on if I'm classing myself as light or moderate exercising.

I should have lost this silly little gain - which wasn't even from over eating, it was from being so inactive over the Xmas hols!

Currently taking Wegovy after being on ozempic since February 2023, I've managed to lose more than 3 stone and have dropped 3 dress sizes. I still have over a stone to lose so sticking with Wegovy until I'm in the healthy bracket.

I've moved up to 1.7mg of Wegovy which I've taken for the last 4 weeks and have in my fridge 2.4mg Wegovy ready to start this week. The jump from 1.7 to 2.4 will be largest single jump in dosage that I will have experienced and I'm a little worried about what to expect. Has anyone else moved to 2.4mg? And if so how did you find it? Was it worse than moving between the other dosages and if so how did you find the side effects?

I'm on 2.4mg and I think it's actually starting to lose its effect on me. When I went from 1mg to 1.7mg I really felt the difference and had quite strong side effects but having gone up to 2.4mg the effect isn't that strong anymore, and barely any side effects. Not really losing anymore. Am a bit terrified that I'm basically coming to the end of the journey so making an extra effort while I'm on it and trying to think how to maintain going forward. I'm still about 5kg from my target weight but it may be that I can't actually get there.

Have been on Oz/Wegovy since Nov 2022. Lost 21.5kg or so which is of course great.

@Lavendersquare have you followed the usual dosing regime? Just thinking that if so you would have gone from 1mg to 1.7mg, so the same jump in dose last time as this time? Would imagine it is still hard to predict the effect of the increase but might be some reassurance if the actual increase is the same.
No judgement if you haven't - I have tweaked up to 1.2mg as 1mg was losing effectiveness, but I didn't want to jump to 1.7mg. Plus hoping to eke a 2.4mg pen over the 8 weeks it is good for.

I was on ozempic so moved up to 1.0mg, then switched to wegovy when it became available and am currently taking 1.7mg, which I've been on for 4 weeks. This week I'll take 2.4mg for the first time which will be a big jump.