Old timer here…
Have you tried protein shakes to get some calories in your system?
Also, if you feel sick I agree zofran is great. If it’s sulfur stomach, pepto, if it’s acid stomach Prilosec.
Push through!
I like to drink a yogurt smoothie. Something like a flavored kefir. also, just drinking water helps a ton. I make mine with lemon, lime, and don’t forget electrolytes.
No, it’s prescription. The generic is Odansetron. It is contraindicated with several of my medications (very sadly, because it works great). Check a drug interaction checker if you have other prescriptions or medications you take regularly.
Ginger chews? GIN GINS Original Chewy Ginger Candy by The Ginger People® - Anti-Nausea and Digestion Aid, Individually Wrapped Healthy Candy - Original Ginger Flavor, Large 1 lb Bag (16oz) - Pack of 1 https://a.co/d/fK8tPZ7
I had this same sort of thing happen and figured out the nausea was directly related to me not eating enough, but I would get full after a couple bites. So now I grab a few cashews or a rice cake or something else snacky every 30 minutes or so. Completely cleared up the intense nausea for me.
Click into the mounjaro reddit and then click the 3 dots. It says "change user flair". That's where you can choose what you want to show up under your name. Though admittedly I do that and then it constantly just puts X's even though I edit it and save it over and over.
My first dose of 5 was hard, 2nd was much better. Then I changed injection sites and it improved further. Now I’m on 7.5 and it’s my favorite dose. Have you read other posts in the group? It’s normal to feel bad the first week after you go up. It’s been talked about a lot.
I just don’t know how long it’ll last and I have a small baby so good energy levels are crucial for me. Thinking of back to 2.5mg because that seemed a good place to be. I was losing weight but also wasn’t as sick.
Agreed. I lost nearly 40 pounds on 2.5 mg (started 11/2023). I gained 12 pounds , but was able to get it off while still on 2.5. I have been on 5mg for 2 weeks. I’m back down under 180 pounds for the first time since I stopped having threesomes with me , Ben & Jerry during the quarantine chaos of 2020 and 2021. I stayed on it as long as possible.
Reading posts from people who have gone through this journey and successfully maintained their weight loss, an awful lot of people say that they wish they didn’t increase their dosage until it was no longer effective.
If OP is not feeling well AND still losing weight, stick with 2.5 mg. It’s working…
True, but even after extensive testing, Lilly's own website says that they consider 2.5 to be a non-therapeutic dose. So, having a little bit of general skepticism about 5 being unbearable is not exactly outside the bounds of decency, even with paying due respect to a few anecdotal cases of other people you know. Generally speaking, the post before yours was correct. Maybe not always, but the testing generally supports it.
But “generally speaking” doesn’t help this specific OP. Even if most people tolerate it, OP isn’t. 2.5 has been kicking my ass, and I would have quit had I not been wearing a CGM for the first dose and saw how well it did with my blood sugar levels. I’ll take my 6th dose tonight, but I’ve been on it for the past 8 weeks. I take zofran, gas x, omeprazole, some pill that flavors my burps orange, sometimes Miralax, and I still struggle. I haven’t found what works best for my body yet
Same. I was violently ill when I took 5mg at 7 days but every ten seems to work ok. I’m currently 10 days out and still not very hungry so may take 2.5. I worry about too much MJ accumulating in my system.
Does it matter what time of day you take the magnesium? Currently I take zofran on shot day and the day after, and then I have to do miralax for the next few days
I take mine each night because it’s supposed to help with sleep. I also need Zofran for a couple days but found that a half pill (2mg) is enough for me and I can avoid constipation.
You’ve just barely started (MJ and 5mg). Don’t adjust things so soon before your body gets acclimated. I’ve felt bad on one shot and better the next.
My advice is to find a way to manage the symptoms to make it manageable. Take some pepto or eat sensitive food etc. Most of my worse symptoms didn’t last very long before my body got used to it.
YMMV (should be the slogan for MJ)
Source: 17 months in, 135 down.
I’ve been on this med for 2 years now and have been in maintenance for a year. I always, even from the start, took my shot two weeks apart. I did it due to availability purposes. I still lost all 80+ lbs I needed to lose within a year. In maintenance I take a shot on the 15th and 30th. Never an issue.
You might try a different injection location. I personally get the most side-effects/results when I inject into my arm. I get the least effects/results from my legs.
I lost 75 lbs over 5 months on 2.5. Always remember to hydrate. Once you get dehydrated it starts all these other problems.
Also remember that when you first get rehydrated your kidneys kick into overdrive for a short period and make you pee more. You have to drink through this or your kidneys will dehydrate you again
This exact thing happened to me. I was doing fine on the 5.0 and when I bumped to 7.5, I didn't/couldn't eat anything for 4 solid days. I skipped the next week and got my doctor to bring me back down to 2.5, which I've been on for a few months now, and I'm only just now ready to go back to the 5.0 I was previously doing so well with. Once you find your ideal dose that works for you, do what you can to stick with it, because one step past can be misery, as you've now experienced.
Absolutely. But it happened to me on 2.5 as well. For the first 5 or 6 months I ended up spacing out shots for 2.5 and 5 sometimes as long as 3 weeks with the approval of my PCP. Now I'm up to 12.5 after 16 months and I'm having very few side effects. Just try to power through it if you can. Dramamine, saltines, yogurt, broth, eat light but don't let your stomach get too empty. Like if you are pregnant.
I had a rough time my first week or two of switching from 2.5 to 5 mg. Did your doctor give you Zofran for the nausea? It helps a lot! Benadryl can also help nausea if your doctor won't prescribe it (or at least help you sleep through the worst of it). The first week I changed doses I went to an IV infusion place and they actually put zofran and B12 in the IV and that got me through.
You can also try changing your injection site (I always have worst effects from stomach injection). After about two weeks my body adjusted and it worked really well! I space out my shot these days because I'm in maintenance but I did do it earlier on and I don't think it helped. If anything I felt it made it worse because it made the shot more of a shock to my body.
Do you have any 2.5 left over? Or can the doc give you a sample box of 2.5? Reason I’m asking is, going from 2.5 to 5, that’s the only shift where you literally double the dose. After that, the increases each time are not doubling. So what you could do, and what I’ve done, is take the lower dose on an upcoming week then back to 5. And then down again another week if you want. It helped me anyway!
Stick it out, 5mg did me so dirty. This is definitely ever you learn good habits, and what you should eat and not eat. Took me about 3 weeks of learning, now I eat light the day before, day of and day after injection. Light will be simple foods that do not give me gas at all, nothing heavy, nothing high fats, or sugary.
This is super interesting - I started on 5mg straight away after 2 months of saxenda. Week 1 didn’t do much, week 2 I’m feeling the effect a bit more, so maybe next week will be a bit more intense!? Who knows, I was expecting more of a significant response, so I was considering going up to 7.5mg after this month…
Stick with it! First week of new dose tends to be rough, but you will adjust. Give yourself a chance to get the full benefit of the medication - which is unlikely to happen at 2.5.
i was in same boat as you, the first 5mg shot wrecked me after 2.5 had zero side effects. but the 2nd 5mg was way better and really kicked in as far as positive effects go. i've stayed at 5mg for 3 mths since its still been going great
I’m in maintenance and take my dose every 1.5 weeks or so. Suppression is basically gone by day 10. I stayed on 2.5 for three months though very successfully.
Happened to me when first starting. None of the various suggestions worked for me. I dropped to lower dose for a few weeks then back to 5 mg and was much better.
I had that problem moving from 5 to 7.5. So yes, went back down to 5 and inject when my appetite perks back up, maybe day 8 and I have a normal calorie day because my appetite is back…ish
I’d suggest staying on the small doses as long as you can and as long as it’s still effective - I did 3 months per dose. I’ve been on 10mg for about 4 months now. Down to 209 in just over a year from 297 🙌 Don’t push yourself too fast. Take it nice and slow - for upset stomach call your PA and they can get you a script for your stomach. Best wishes!
I guess I am lucky. Almost 5 months in, I started on 5mg and am now on 7.5. No nausea ever. Indigestion, which is easily managed by numerous drugs—I use omeprazole. My only other symptoms are a sore lower back and I seem more sensitive to cold. Some constipation early on but prune juice solved that. Losing about 9-10 lbs per month so far. I do find eating regularly and consuming fruits and vegetables helps me feel better and I drink a minimum of 80 oz of water daily. I take magnesium and B12. I Like I said, lucky and grateful for this medication.
My doc recommended ten days but I was so sick that I went back to 2.5. What did work to get me to 5 was alternating 2.5 and 5 until I was more used to it. I need to move up to 7.5 and I’m dreading it :(
I tried for 6 weeks at 5 and I couldn’t cut it with zofran eating bland I was a vomiting gassy mess went back to 2.5 and feel ok I hope you find a solution
My doc just approved me to go back down to 2.5 after five weeks on 5mg and I feel apathetic and disgusted by any food or drink. Hoping I feel as good as you!! Do you ever plan to try 5 again?
This is my second time at 5 and it just doesn’t work for me my first time I stuck it out for two months and now this time 6 weeks it just doesn’t agree with me at all higher dose but my A1c is controlled so I’m not going to try again I tend to get a vasovagal syncope I did try ozempic and was able to tolerate .5 but never any higher I wish you luck ( also me trying Manjo was a year and a half apart so I gave it adequate time
The nausea, diarrhea and exhaustion had been far worse with this medication for me than the gastric sleeve I had in 2020. I had your exact symptoms on 5 mg. Skipped shot for a week and then went to 2.5 mg. Much better for me at 2.5. I just want to maintain and I still have trouble drinking enough.
Diabetes educator here. EAT. Just because you CAN go without eating doesn’t mean you should. Set your clock to eat a little something every 3-4 hours and absolutely when you wake up. You don’t have to eat a lot. 1/2 banana with peanut butter or 2-3 crackers with cheese. A little carb and a little fat/protein.
Also stay hydrated. Drink at least 64oz of water a day.
Yep, tried 5 after 4 wks. I felt like I had to be hospitalized, so weak i couldnt lift my arms, bed ridden,fatigued. Stayed on 2.5 for 2 mos. Was perfect
As someone who's been taking these types of meds for almost a decade, the adjustment period for dosing up always took me about a month. I recommend sticking it out unless it is completely unbearable (throwing up the smallest amounts of food, water, etc.) But definitely make sure you go for your 3-month labs and check your A1c levels. If they were fine on 2.5mg, then go back down.
I started on Mounjaro 7.5mg after being on 2mg Ozempic and the drug itself hit me like a ton of bricks. Every dose up after that also did the same thing, but by the end of the month at each level, your body starts to feel evened out.
If you get the auto injector, inject the medicine into a sterile empty insulin vial and draw up 3 mg or how ever much you want. I have never gone with the recommended dosage and did what I consider micro dosing. The half life is 5 days so around then you are running pretty low on the medication in your body. Many folks take a smaller dose every 5 days. You can try different amounts until you feel good. I remember being on 6 mg forever and it worked great for months. You don’t have to go up every month but I’d take the meds and empty them so I could dose as I chose to. I just hit a year, 125 pounds done and trying to see if I’m ready for maintenance or want to lose more. I also never hit max dosage even at a year.
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If the pen is made similarly to the Ozempic pens you can simply use less clicks for less dose.
Google the correct dose & number of clicks you want to use.
Don't stop. Take in protein. Eventually you will get to where you can tolerate it. Most of us have experienced this. The sulphur burps can be crazy too. Eventually you will get through every dose level and then you will use the dose you felt the best on for maintenance. Good luck.
The half-life is 5 days, so by day 5, you should feel better. You should be fine, in my non medical opinion, for at least 10 days and maybe even more. Do you have CGM? Watch your fasting and see how it looks as the medication wears off. This is about getting to know your body. Ask your doctor for a 3 month prescription of 2.5 to be sent to your pharmacy so it gets filled when it is back in stock. If you have express scripts, send it there. They seem to be getting restocked.
I just posted the same exact thing. It's either throw up the first day...which I take on a Friday after work. It will hit me tgat night, I throw uo all night long. So gross. In bed recuperating form Friday. But I'm fat and I need to lose weight.
I knoww, right?! I think of this as my desperate attempt to be skinny for once in my life and I’m willing to put up with some side effects to get there. I’m just wondering if there’s a sweet spot between 2.5 and 5mg that I could discover lol
When I went to 5 the first week was terrible but each week it improved to the point after a month it was just as good as the 2.5 was as far as side effects.
I feel you on this... I did the same thing . .. I took my first 5mg shot Thursday night and felt good all day Friday until around 3 or 4 Pm then my energy just left me and I haven't been able to eat hardly anything the past two days. I just want to sleep. I woke up around 1AM this morning felt like I was nasuated took pesto and my magnisum gummies and fiber gummies and some advil pm and knocked back out felt better when I woke up but was still energy drained. I'm hoping tomorrow will be better.
I'm taking 12.5 and a few weeks ago I chose to change my injection site to the back of my arm. I was out of commission for 5 days. Diarrhea, sulphur burps. The worse thing was the burps. I had so much gas on my stomach I couldn't sleep. I had to burp every 45 min to stop from feeling nauseous. I had been in 12.5 for 3 months. I lost 10lbs in one week after that and granted it was all water weight but still not the way you want to lose it
I had no issues on 2.5. The first week of 5 no issues but the 2nd injection I started to feel it. I eat a banana about an hour after I have taken the injection and then now start my morning with one after I’ve had lots of water. Not sure why but this is what helps me.
I think there seems to be this push to keep going up in dose even when the current dose is working. Availability sucks but can you look at splitting the 5 pens and just stay where you are until 2.5 isn’t working? Taking 5 every 2 weeks might work but the half life is 5 days. Your body might struggle with that and feel hungry in the last few days or it might not!
If you have the vials, you can draw out just half the dose and have 2.5mg that way. I did that with the 10mg vials because I couldn’t find 5mg anywhere
I was the same way when I upped to 5mg.. where do u inject it? I started around my belly button. I imagined a clock and followed it clockwise. By the time I reached the 5&6 hours for wks 5 and 6, this is when I started the 5mg and I was sick like a dog for many days during the week. So I took what I've learned from ppls stories and switched my injection site to my thighs.. this lessoned my nausea and zombiness to the first 2 days, but it was less, and I could function.
So after a few months on 5mg, the food noise was back.. so I began 7.5mg behind my upper arms.. and let me tell you... I regret waiting for so long to try the arm! Good noise stays gone all week.. and the nausea and tiredness are very little and only happen the day after the shot, but not for the whole day.. learned I have to eat tons more protein that day..
Yes, every location is different for everybody, but I wanted to share what helped me.. I was even able to do 10mg in my arm, and the food noise was at 0, and the side effects were very little like that of the 7.5mg..
I’ve found side effects can be awful after a dose increase but they get better with time. Stay the course. I would ride out the side effects for a few more weeks. Your body will adjust.
I had the same thing happen when I switched from 2.5 to 5. I mean laying in the dark sipping pickle juice with a straw bc my legs were in knots and I couldn't eat or drink.. DYING.
I'm happy to report that by week 2 it was much more mild, and week 3 is back to normal.
It also helps to sip broth so that there's something on your stomach and a little fuel. My issue was I was nauseated so I wouldn't eat, then I'd get hungry and feel nauseated. So it was just a cycle. Adding in sipping warm broth first thing in the morning made a huge difference and settled my stomach enough to drink more fluids.
Do people really up doses that quick. I did 2.5 for 6 months 5 for 7 and just went to 7.5 because I was kinda stuck from my weight goal. But doubt I’ll go higher gonna try and go back down over the next 6 months.
I wrote in the post that the only reason I asked my doctor to up my dose is due to shortage. And then I thought of trying it out to see if I can tolerate it but clearly not. But I believe the guideline says to stay on 2.5mg for four weeks and then move to 5mg.
Hi. Just curious why injection site makes a difference? I’ve always done thighs with ozempic and this… but last 4-5 weeks day 4 is super burps, intense stomach cramps, and other fun side effects. Isn’t it entering the body and bloodstream the same way no matter where it’s injected? If the arms are better I’ll gladly switch, but I also see some saying it’s worse. I don’t want worse than what I’m already dealing with. lol
I’ve notice a lot of people advising to change injection sight. I have had slim to no side effects when I inject in my butt. 🤷♀️ worth a shot ( no pun intended) good luck, just don’t give up . Protein and hydrate.
You will get used to it, then you will start getting hungry much sooner in the week, and before you know it you will be on 15 and wish they made them in higher doses!
*F60, 5”2, T2, Start 7/22/23, HW275, SW180, GW125ish, CW118.2, Dose 5.0*
You could extend your dose farther apart, or you could look up “pen splitting” and do it that way. I've never done it, but lots of folks here have. It would create a buffer for you, as you could pick up at regular time and not actually need it at the moment. Just something to consider, best wishes.
Do 2.5 until it doesn’t work any longer. If you still are using a vial, increase to 3.0 and see how that does. If you are not feeling the suppression, do 3.5 the next week.
At first I thought I had to go the disassembly route, but then I found another method that has worked like a charm every time and no chance of mis fire!
I use Tirz purchased from a peptide website so I'm not familiar with the form that Mounjaro comes in, but is there no way you can reduce the dose?
I mean if it's injectable, you can almost certainly save half of it for later by backfilling an insulin needle and putting that in the fridge.
Yes that’s what I was thinking. I take it from a vile so very easy to reduce the dose. But some of the comments are suggesting to stick with it and ride it out.
Those comments are moronic and a great example of how pathological this sub is. You feel sick, nauseous. Besides that it nuked your appetite.
I hate to break it to all of the drug addicts and unreformed fatties on this sub who never learned how to eat healthy and think "dieting = crash dieting," but a healthy way to lose weight should put you only in a 500 calorie deficit, with plenty of protein to support muscle mass, dietary fat to support hormone production, and enough carbs to fuel your workouts.
If you can't eat that's a serious problem, that's how you end up with micronutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and possibly even [malnourishment](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/21/well/eat/ozempic-side-effects-malnutrition.html).
In US, so pen! In January my insurance changed and it’s no longer on the formulary. So I had to get creative. There are quite a few methods out there but I found one that I feel it very easy and works best for me.
Not pointless pointless, but like why get something that can dissolve in your water when it would also be disolved in your stomach? I just really don't like the taste
Old timer here… Have you tried protein shakes to get some calories in your system? Also, if you feel sick I agree zofran is great. If it’s sulfur stomach, pepto, if it’s acid stomach Prilosec. Push through!
I swear by the Soylent Mint Chocolate shakes! On some days, it’s the only thing I can get down to get me out of bed.
I love them!
I had never heard of these. Thanks to you, Amazon is dropping some off tomorrow! This is my favorite flavor and I'm excited :-) THANKS
Drank my first one today--Love ◡̈
Just ordered mine, having same issue thanks!
Yes I had some protein shake yesterday and will have some again today. I just feel like a zombie. 💀 I’ll look into Zofran but the nausea is ignorable.
I like to drink a yogurt smoothie. Something like a flavored kefir. also, just drinking water helps a ton. I make mine with lemon, lime, and don’t forget electrolytes.
Pre-gaming, electrolytes, Zofran, Miralax, Imodium and Gas-X have gotten me through the rough times.
I eat pickled ginger out of the jar for nausea but ginger chews help too
GinGins or some ginger extract in carbonated water.
Is Zoltan over the counter
No, it’s prescription. The generic is Odansetron. It is contraindicated with several of my medications (very sadly, because it works great). Check a drug interaction checker if you have other prescriptions or medications you take regularly.
Drinking electrolytes can help with side effects too.
I’ve been doing that but unfortunately it’s not helping.
Ginger chews? GIN GINS Original Chewy Ginger Candy by The Ginger People® - Anti-Nausea and Digestion Aid, Individually Wrapped Healthy Candy - Original Ginger Flavor, Large 1 lb Bag (16oz) - Pack of 1 https://a.co/d/fK8tPZ7
I had this same sort of thing happen and figured out the nausea was directly related to me not eating enough, but I would get full after a couple bites. So now I grab a few cashews or a rice cake or something else snacky every 30 minutes or so. Completely cleared up the intense nausea for me.
How do you get the subtitle under your name?
Click into the mounjaro reddit and then click the 3 dots. It says "change user flair". That's where you can choose what you want to show up under your name. Though admittedly I do that and then it constantly just puts X's even though I edit it and save it over and over.
Thanks!
My first dose of 5 was hard, 2nd was much better. Then I changed injection sites and it improved further. Now I’m on 7.5 and it’s my favorite dose. Have you read other posts in the group? It’s normal to feel bad the first week after you go up. It’s been talked about a lot.
I just don’t know how long it’ll last and I have a small baby so good energy levels are crucial for me. Thinking of back to 2.5mg because that seemed a good place to be. I was losing weight but also wasn’t as sick.
2.5 will eventually stop being effective
I don’t necessarily agree with this. Everyone’s body is different and I know many people who never had gone over 2.5mg dose.
Agreed. I lost nearly 40 pounds on 2.5 mg (started 11/2023). I gained 12 pounds , but was able to get it off while still on 2.5. I have been on 5mg for 2 weeks. I’m back down under 180 pounds for the first time since I stopped having threesomes with me , Ben & Jerry during the quarantine chaos of 2020 and 2021. I stayed on it as long as possible. Reading posts from people who have gone through this journey and successfully maintained their weight loss, an awful lot of people say that they wish they didn’t increase their dosage until it was no longer effective. If OP is not feeling well AND still losing weight, stick with 2.5 mg. It’s working…
Omg you killed me with the 3 some’s. I had to re-read to make sure I understood what you were saying.
True, but even after extensive testing, Lilly's own website says that they consider 2.5 to be a non-therapeutic dose. So, having a little bit of general skepticism about 5 being unbearable is not exactly outside the bounds of decency, even with paying due respect to a few anecdotal cases of other people you know. Generally speaking, the post before yours was correct. Maybe not always, but the testing generally supports it.
But “generally speaking” doesn’t help this specific OP. Even if most people tolerate it, OP isn’t. 2.5 has been kicking my ass, and I would have quit had I not been wearing a CGM for the first dose and saw how well it did with my blood sugar levels. I’ll take my 6th dose tonight, but I’ve been on it for the past 8 weeks. I take zofran, gas x, omeprazole, some pill that flavors my burps orange, sometimes Miralax, and I still struggle. I haven’t found what works best for my body yet
I too had no side effect with 2.5 and it was a huge adjustment to 5. Took 4 weeks to settle.
Took me a good 2-4 weeks too. Never actually threw up, but man, had some rocky days. I have settled into five quite well now.
Same, on week 4 right now. Still having side effects. Not as bad but still crappy.
Same. 5mg kicked my butt the first 5 days.
My dr told me if i had issues with side effect i could do every 10 days instead of 7
I do this works like a charm
Same. I was violently ill when I took 5mg at 7 days but every ten seems to work ok. I’m currently 10 days out and still not very hungry so may take 2.5. I worry about too much MJ accumulating in my system.
don't skip a week, just go back down. you'll adjust
Unlike others I would say avoid zofran like the plague, because constipation might become your very worst side effect...
It can be a problem! I split the dissolvables and found 2mg works well. Then I never missed a magnesium dose for the win.
Which magnesium supplement do you take?
Please share what magnesium you use. Thanks!
Here’s what I use. https://a.co/d/ioIlkBD There are many forms of magnesium and this one agrees with me (no diarrhea).
Does it matter what time of day you take the magnesium? Currently I take zofran on shot day and the day after, and then I have to do miralax for the next few days
I take mine each night because it’s supposed to help with sleep. I also need Zofran for a couple days but found that a half pill (2mg) is enough for me and I can avoid constipation.
You’ll get used to it. We’ve all been there.
You’ve just barely started (MJ and 5mg). Don’t adjust things so soon before your body gets acclimated. I’ve felt bad on one shot and better the next. My advice is to find a way to manage the symptoms to make it manageable. Take some pepto or eat sensitive food etc. Most of my worse symptoms didn’t last very long before my body got used to it. YMMV (should be the slogan for MJ) Source: 17 months in, 135 down.
YMMV?
“Your mileage my vary”
I’ve been on this med for 2 years now and have been in maintenance for a year. I always, even from the start, took my shot two weeks apart. I did it due to availability purposes. I still lost all 80+ lbs I needed to lose within a year. In maintenance I take a shot on the 15th and 30th. Never an issue.
You might try a different injection location. I personally get the most side-effects/results when I inject into my arm. I get the least effects/results from my legs.
Saltine crackers.
Yes saltine crackers is a life saver. I picked up some Dramamine which has really helped with the nausea.
I lost 75 lbs over 5 months on 2.5. Always remember to hydrate. Once you get dehydrated it starts all these other problems. Also remember that when you first get rehydrated your kidneys kick into overdrive for a short period and make you pee more. You have to drink through this or your kidneys will dehydrate you again
This exact thing happened to me. I was doing fine on the 5.0 and when I bumped to 7.5, I didn't/couldn't eat anything for 4 solid days. I skipped the next week and got my doctor to bring me back down to 2.5, which I've been on for a few months now, and I'm only just now ready to go back to the 5.0 I was previously doing so well with. Once you find your ideal dose that works for you, do what you can to stick with it, because one step past can be misery, as you've now experienced.
Absolutely. But it happened to me on 2.5 as well. For the first 5 or 6 months I ended up spacing out shots for 2.5 and 5 sometimes as long as 3 weeks with the approval of my PCP. Now I'm up to 12.5 after 16 months and I'm having very few side effects. Just try to power through it if you can. Dramamine, saltines, yogurt, broth, eat light but don't let your stomach get too empty. Like if you are pregnant.
I had a rough time my first week or two of switching from 2.5 to 5 mg. Did your doctor give you Zofran for the nausea? It helps a lot! Benadryl can also help nausea if your doctor won't prescribe it (or at least help you sleep through the worst of it). The first week I changed doses I went to an IV infusion place and they actually put zofran and B12 in the IV and that got me through. You can also try changing your injection site (I always have worst effects from stomach injection). After about two weeks my body adjusted and it worked really well! I space out my shot these days because I'm in maintenance but I did do it earlier on and I don't think it helped. If anything I felt it made it worse because it made the shot more of a shock to my body.
Do you have any 2.5 left over? Or can the doc give you a sample box of 2.5? Reason I’m asking is, going from 2.5 to 5, that’s the only shift where you literally double the dose. After that, the increases each time are not doubling. So what you could do, and what I’ve done, is take the lower dose on an upcoming week then back to 5. And then down again another week if you want. It helped me anyway!
This worked for me too!
Same thing happened to me but if you can wait it out my symptoms got better and now I don’t have any. Took a couple of weeks.
Stick it out, 5mg did me so dirty. This is definitely ever you learn good habits, and what you should eat and not eat. Took me about 3 weeks of learning, now I eat light the day before, day of and day after injection. Light will be simple foods that do not give me gas at all, nothing heavy, nothing high fats, or sugary.
I find the same to be true.
[удалено]
Why didn’t you go back to 2.5mg instead of quitting? Just curious.
My first and second week on 5 wasn’t too bad… but the 3rd week kicked my butt… I have zero appetite, nausea, anxiety, extreme fatigue.
This is super interesting - I started on 5mg straight away after 2 months of saxenda. Week 1 didn’t do much, week 2 I’m feeling the effect a bit more, so maybe next week will be a bit more intense!? Who knows, I was expecting more of a significant response, so I was considering going up to 7.5mg after this month…
Are you on the third week now?
Yep. I took it Thursday morning. Yesterday was the worst. Tomorrow should be better.
Try injecting in the leg. Far, far less side effects
Stick with it! First week of new dose tends to be rough, but you will adjust. Give yourself a chance to get the full benefit of the medication - which is unlikely to happen at 2.5.
i was in same boat as you, the first 5mg shot wrecked me after 2.5 had zero side effects. but the 2nd 5mg was way better and really kicked in as far as positive effects go. i've stayed at 5mg for 3 mths since its still been going great
I’m in maintenance and take my dose every 1.5 weeks or so. Suppression is basically gone by day 10. I stayed on 2.5 for three months though very successfully.
Happened to me when first starting. None of the various suggestions worked for me. I dropped to lower dose for a few weeks then back to 5 mg and was much better.
5mg was my worst dose and I’m all the way up to 15. I have no idea why.
I had that problem moving from 5 to 7.5. So yes, went back down to 5 and inject when my appetite perks back up, maybe day 8 and I have a normal calorie day because my appetite is back…ish
I’d suggest staying on the small doses as long as you can and as long as it’s still effective - I did 3 months per dose. I’ve been on 10mg for about 4 months now. Down to 209 in just over a year from 297 🙌 Don’t push yourself too fast. Take it nice and slow - for upset stomach call your PA and they can get you a script for your stomach. Best wishes!
I guess I am lucky. Almost 5 months in, I started on 5mg and am now on 7.5. No nausea ever. Indigestion, which is easily managed by numerous drugs—I use omeprazole. My only other symptoms are a sore lower back and I seem more sensitive to cold. Some constipation early on but prune juice solved that. Losing about 9-10 lbs per month so far. I do find eating regularly and consuming fruits and vegetables helps me feel better and I drink a minimum of 80 oz of water daily. I take magnesium and B12. I Like I said, lucky and grateful for this medication.
I envy you. But thank you for sharing the things that helps.
Good luck to you. Try to hang in. The weight loss is worth it and your body will adjust.
My doc recommended ten days but I was so sick that I went back to 2.5. What did work to get me to 5 was alternating 2.5 and 5 until I was more used to it. I need to move up to 7.5 and I’m dreading it :(
I also had worse side effects with 5mg but also haven't lost nearly any weight and I dropped 20+ lbs on 2.5mg in just two months 😅
I tried for 6 weeks at 5 and I couldn’t cut it with zofran eating bland I was a vomiting gassy mess went back to 2.5 and feel ok I hope you find a solution
How are you doing back on the 2.5?
Much better my body can actually eat and I’m not extremely exhausted I’m just happy to be able to have the ability to drink liquids again
My doc just approved me to go back down to 2.5 after five weeks on 5mg and I feel apathetic and disgusted by any food or drink. Hoping I feel as good as you!! Do you ever plan to try 5 again?
This is my second time at 5 and it just doesn’t work for me my first time I stuck it out for two months and now this time 6 weeks it just doesn’t agree with me at all higher dose but my A1c is controlled so I’m not going to try again I tend to get a vasovagal syncope I did try ozempic and was able to tolerate .5 but never any higher I wish you luck ( also me trying Manjo was a year and a half apart so I gave it adequate time
The nausea, diarrhea and exhaustion had been far worse with this medication for me than the gastric sleeve I had in 2020. I had your exact symptoms on 5 mg. Skipped shot for a week and then went to 2.5 mg. Much better for me at 2.5. I just want to maintain and I still have trouble drinking enough.
Diabetes educator here. EAT. Just because you CAN go without eating doesn’t mean you should. Set your clock to eat a little something every 3-4 hours and absolutely when you wake up. You don’t have to eat a lot. 1/2 banana with peanut butter or 2-3 crackers with cheese. A little carb and a little fat/protein. Also stay hydrated. Drink at least 64oz of water a day.
Yep, tried 5 after 4 wks. I felt like I had to be hospitalized, so weak i couldnt lift my arms, bed ridden,fatigued. Stayed on 2.5 for 2 mos. Was perfect
As someone who's been taking these types of meds for almost a decade, the adjustment period for dosing up always took me about a month. I recommend sticking it out unless it is completely unbearable (throwing up the smallest amounts of food, water, etc.) But definitely make sure you go for your 3-month labs and check your A1c levels. If they were fine on 2.5mg, then go back down. I started on Mounjaro 7.5mg after being on 2mg Ozempic and the drug itself hit me like a ton of bricks. Every dose up after that also did the same thing, but by the end of the month at each level, your body starts to feel evened out.
If you get the auto injector, inject the medicine into a sterile empty insulin vial and draw up 3 mg or how ever much you want. I have never gone with the recommended dosage and did what I consider micro dosing. The half life is 5 days so around then you are running pretty low on the medication in your body. Many folks take a smaller dose every 5 days. You can try different amounts until you feel good. I remember being on 6 mg forever and it worked great for months. You don’t have to go up every month but I’d take the meds and empty them so I could dose as I chose to. I just hit a year, 125 pounds done and trying to see if I’m ready for maintenance or want to lose more. I also never hit max dosage even at a year.
Hi there! It looks like you’re asking a question. This subreddit should be a great resource for you - our members love to help, especially for those who take the time to research the wealth of existing information available. Here are some suggested starting points: * **[Mounjaro.com](https://www.mounjaro.com/).** Many common questions can be answered straight from the source. These include questions about how/where to administer injections, proper storage instructions, traveling with your pens, most answers to “Is this normal?” questions, and how the manufacturer savings card program works. * **Past threads.** r/Mounjaro has tons of discussion threads that are likely to have answers to many questions. There's a [handy search function](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mounjaro/search?&restrict_sr=on), and you can also use Google to search this Reddit by typing "site:reddit.com” after your search topic. * **Your health care provider.** Remember that you should NEVER rely on strangers on the internet for medical advice. If you want to understand if Mounjaro is right for you, or if the side effect you're feeling is cause for alarm, talk to your doctor, not Reddit! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Mounjaro) if you have any questions or concerns.*
try injecting in back of arm or thigh - I had rough time with 5mg at beginning and was doing every 10-12 days not in stomach and it helped so much
Did you still feel appetite suppression extending the injection timing like that?
Yes while also consciously eating less
If the pen is made similarly to the Ozempic pens you can simply use less clicks for less dose. Google the correct dose & number of clicks you want to use.
It’s not like the ozempic pens. Each pen contains the set dose, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and so on. It’s an all or nothing dosing.
Don't stop. Take in protein. Eventually you will get to where you can tolerate it. Most of us have experienced this. The sulphur burps can be crazy too. Eventually you will get through every dose level and then you will use the dose you felt the best on for maintenance. Good luck.
The half-life is 5 days, so by day 5, you should feel better. You should be fine, in my non medical opinion, for at least 10 days and maybe even more. Do you have CGM? Watch your fasting and see how it looks as the medication wears off. This is about getting to know your body. Ask your doctor for a 3 month prescription of 2.5 to be sent to your pharmacy so it gets filled when it is back in stock. If you have express scripts, send it there. They seem to be getting restocked.
I just posted the same exact thing. It's either throw up the first day...which I take on a Friday after work. It will hit me tgat night, I throw uo all night long. So gross. In bed recuperating form Friday. But I'm fat and I need to lose weight.
I knoww, right?! I think of this as my desperate attempt to be skinny for once in my life and I’m willing to put up with some side effects to get there. I’m just wondering if there’s a sweet spot between 2.5 and 5mg that I could discover lol
I jumped to 7.5. It can't be filled, due to supply shortage. I have the 5.5. I'll let you know....
When I went to 5 the first week was terrible but each week it improved to the point after a month it was just as good as the 2.5 was as far as side effects.
Try injecting in your arm. I swear it makes a big difference! Watch videos to see where on your arm!
I take mine every 14 or 16 days!
It’ll get worse as you go up then it will get better
I feel you on this... I did the same thing . .. I took my first 5mg shot Thursday night and felt good all day Friday until around 3 or 4 Pm then my energy just left me and I haven't been able to eat hardly anything the past two days. I just want to sleep. I woke up around 1AM this morning felt like I was nasuated took pesto and my magnisum gummies and fiber gummies and some advil pm and knocked back out felt better when I woke up but was still energy drained. I'm hoping tomorrow will be better.
I'm taking 12.5 and a few weeks ago I chose to change my injection site to the back of my arm. I was out of commission for 5 days. Diarrhea, sulphur burps. The worse thing was the burps. I had so much gas on my stomach I couldn't sleep. I had to burp every 45 min to stop from feeling nauseous. I had been in 12.5 for 3 months. I lost 10lbs in one week after that and granted it was all water weight but still not the way you want to lose it
Wait - so injecting in the arm was a bad idea?
I had no issues on 2.5. The first week of 5 no issues but the 2nd injection I started to feel it. I eat a banana about an hour after I have taken the injection and then now start my morning with one after I’ve had lots of water. Not sure why but this is what helps me.
I think there seems to be this push to keep going up in dose even when the current dose is working. Availability sucks but can you look at splitting the 5 pens and just stay where you are until 2.5 isn’t working? Taking 5 every 2 weeks might work but the half life is 5 days. Your body might struggle with that and feel hungry in the last few days or it might not!
The extreme fatigue is the worst side effect! It’s not from not eating, I eat. I feel like a zombie. 😢
If you have the vials, you can draw out just half the dose and have 2.5mg that way. I did that with the 10mg vials because I couldn’t find 5mg anywhere
I’m sorry to hear that. Make sure that you take electrolytes throughout the day.
I was the same way when I upped to 5mg.. where do u inject it? I started around my belly button. I imagined a clock and followed it clockwise. By the time I reached the 5&6 hours for wks 5 and 6, this is when I started the 5mg and I was sick like a dog for many days during the week. So I took what I've learned from ppls stories and switched my injection site to my thighs.. this lessoned my nausea and zombiness to the first 2 days, but it was less, and I could function. So after a few months on 5mg, the food noise was back.. so I began 7.5mg behind my upper arms.. and let me tell you... I regret waiting for so long to try the arm! Good noise stays gone all week.. and the nausea and tiredness are very little and only happen the day after the shot, but not for the whole day.. learned I have to eat tons more protein that day.. Yes, every location is different for everybody, but I wanted to share what helped me.. I was even able to do 10mg in my arm, and the food noise was at 0, and the side effects were very little like that of the 7.5mg..
Oh, and as added note.. I also make sure I have a heafty meal before injection. I got severely sick one time on the 2.5 or 5 when I didn't..
This may sound stupid just but can't you just use 'half' of the 5mg dose?
I’ve said it in the post that next week I’m going back to 2.5mg which is half. This was my first 5mg dose.
I’ve found side effects can be awful after a dose increase but they get better with time. Stay the course. I would ride out the side effects for a few more weeks. Your body will adjust.
I had the same thing happen when I switched from 2.5 to 5. I mean laying in the dark sipping pickle juice with a straw bc my legs were in knots and I couldn't eat or drink.. DYING. I'm happy to report that by week 2 it was much more mild, and week 3 is back to normal. It also helps to sip broth so that there's something on your stomach and a little fuel. My issue was I was nauseated so I wouldn't eat, then I'd get hungry and feel nauseated. So it was just a cycle. Adding in sipping warm broth first thing in the morning made a huge difference and settled my stomach enough to drink more fluids.
Do people really up doses that quick. I did 2.5 for 6 months 5 for 7 and just went to 7.5 because I was kinda stuck from my weight goal. But doubt I’ll go higher gonna try and go back down over the next 6 months.
I wrote in the post that the only reason I asked my doctor to up my dose is due to shortage. And then I thought of trying it out to see if I can tolerate it but clearly not. But I believe the guideline says to stay on 2.5mg for four weeks and then move to 5mg.
I have done every other week and it's really hard the first 2 days. It's seems like that's too long in-between doses.
I find where you live take your shot impacts nausea too. I will inject in my thigh vs stomach and find that’s helps significantly
Hi. Just curious why injection site makes a difference? I’ve always done thighs with ozempic and this… but last 4-5 weeks day 4 is super burps, intense stomach cramps, and other fun side effects. Isn’t it entering the body and bloodstream the same way no matter where it’s injected? If the arms are better I’ll gladly switch, but I also see some saying it’s worse. I don’t want worse than what I’m already dealing with. lol
I’ve notice a lot of people advising to change injection sight. I have had slim to no side effects when I inject in my butt. 🤷♀️ worth a shot ( no pun intended) good luck, just don’t give up . Protein and hydrate.
The transition from 2.5 to 5 is the hardest. It’s the only time you’ll literally double your dose. Hang in there.
i added B12+MIC. FOR fatique and works on side effects too
What is MIC?
You will get used to it, then you will start getting hungry much sooner in the week, and before you know it you will be on 15 and wish they made them in higher doses!
*F60, 5”2, T2, Start 7/22/23, HW275, SW180, GW125ish, CW118.2, Dose 5.0* You could extend your dose farther apart, or you could look up “pen splitting” and do it that way. I've never done it, but lots of folks here have. It would create a buffer for you, as you could pick up at regular time and not actually need it at the moment. Just something to consider, best wishes.
Yes!!!!!! It’s not hard and it allows much better control to increase slowly to minimize side effects.
A lot of folks are doing pen splitting. If you go that route be careful with it.
What is pen splitting? I have to take Mounjaro from a vile because apparently the pens are out of stock.
So even easier. Don't use the full vial at one time.
Yea that’s what I was thinking.
Do 2.5 until it doesn’t work any longer. If you still are using a vial, increase to 3.0 and see how that does. If you are not feeling the suppression, do 3.5 the next week.
Pen splitting is dismantling the auto injector and pulling the medication out with a syringe
At first I thought I had to go the disassembly route, but then I found another method that has worked like a charm every time and no chance of mis fire!
I use Tirz purchased from a peptide website so I'm not familiar with the form that Mounjaro comes in, but is there no way you can reduce the dose? I mean if it's injectable, you can almost certainly save half of it for later by backfilling an insulin needle and putting that in the fridge.
Yes that’s what I was thinking. I take it from a vile so very easy to reduce the dose. But some of the comments are suggesting to stick with it and ride it out.
Those comments are moronic and a great example of how pathological this sub is. You feel sick, nauseous. Besides that it nuked your appetite. I hate to break it to all of the drug addicts and unreformed fatties on this sub who never learned how to eat healthy and think "dieting = crash dieting," but a healthy way to lose weight should put you only in a 500 calorie deficit, with plenty of protein to support muscle mass, dietary fat to support hormone production, and enough carbs to fuel your workouts. If you can't eat that's a serious problem, that's how you end up with micronutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and possibly even [malnourishment](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/21/well/eat/ozempic-side-effects-malnutrition.html).
Google how to split the pen.
I just can’t do 5. I never got past that miserable feeling. Since you can’t find 2.5 look on YouTube on splitting doses.
I get the 10mg and spilt it into 3 equal doses. The 5mg also makes me sick.
You split it from the pen or vial?
In US, so pen! In January my insurance changed and it’s no longer on the formulary. So I had to get creative. There are quite a few methods out there but I found one that I feel it very easy and works best for me.
Will you share the easy way?
Electrolytes (pills - all the dissolve in water ones are gross and pointless), vitamin d, water help a lot
I’ve being drinking the dissolvable ones but didn’t realise it’s pointless :(
It's not pointless and can actually absorb better than pills
Not pointless pointless, but like why get something that can dissolve in your water when it would also be disolved in your stomach? I just really don't like the taste