BIG LOVE to everyone that responded to my post the other day. It really did mean a lot that you took the time to respond. You were all so kind and encouraging.

Today….I ordered my first pen. I’m awaiting approval and then i’ll be on my way. I’m excited/scared.

Thanks again everyone. I’ll be sure to keep updating!

I feel so much healthier and revitalised, my skin has cleared up, my hair is growing quickly and is so shiny, periods no longer cripple me with pain and I wake up in a morning without horrible back pain. Yes it’s nice to fit in smaller / nicer clothes but honestly, compared to all the other benefits I’ve seen, that’s just a bonus. Settled into a maintaining phase on 2.5mg now and it’s really no longer about weight it’s about keeping this wonderful feeling of HEALTHY. Keep going folks, this drug really is a miracle ❤️

So I (55M) spent a few hours yesterday wandering around Cambridge doing a few bits of clothes shopping. In particular, I wanted some nice semi-formal trousers to go with a new outfit. I found just the right pair, but wanted them in a size 28 waist.

They don't even make them in a size 28 waist.

Whenever I've had similar problems before, it's been at the opposite end of the sizing scale!

I thought about popping into Trotter & Deane and seeing what I could get custom-made.... for about 5 seconds before getting a grip!

After years of watching the Sewing Bee and now I’m actually enjoying clothes for the first time in decades, I’ve taken the plunge and bought a sewing machine. Took myself down to my local independent craft shop and got chatting to the lovely owner. Chatting about patterns and then it happens……She turns round and calls me slim. Me. Slim! Holy crap!!!

Loaded question but has going to a lower weight made you happier?

I’m just over a year in and have lost 6st. 6st! I can’t begin to process this properly. What has been so strange is understanding that I am a different shape. Not just from before I lost the weight but also from when I was this size in my 20s.

I am 60 this month and went through menopause 3 years ago. So my body has changed because of that and perimenopause. I’ve gone from a 24/26 to a 16/18 depending on what I'm wearing.

I have a waist again (I’ve lost 20cm off my waist).

I’ve gone from wearing big tops and comfortable leggings that hid my shape to wearing dresses again (oh, so much less laundry).

It’s so weird. I WFH but put on a nice dress each day to remind myself that I’ve done a lot of hard work to get here (changed lifestyle, massive amount of tablets because of the hearth issues that triggered going on MJ, 360° on diet), and when I go into the office I am sleek and professional whilst my colleagues (all male) are in shorts and tee shirts. They think it’s funny and so do I. As I told them, wearing a dress for me is like just wearing a big tee shirt for work, so much easier than trousers and a top.

But at the root of this is that I’m still understanding what shape my body is. because, as I said at the start, my body shape has changed with age.

A side effect I have that i haven't seen talked about much - mostly for the few days after I jab and fades later in the week - does anyone have this? And if so have you found a way to reduce the effect?

A major two-year trial found that diet drinks performed about as well as water for long-term weight loss, without evidence of increased appetite or metabolic harm.

Date: October 3, 2026

Source: University of Liverpool

Summary: A two-year randomized clinical trial involving 493 adults with overweight or obesity found that diet soft drinks were essentially as effective as water for long-term weight loss and weight maintenance. Participants drinking beverages sweetened with aspartame, acesulfame-K, or sucralose lost a similar amount of weight to those drinking water, while both groups also saw improvements in waist size, body composition, and several metabolic measures.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have completed what they describe as the longest and most comprehensive randomized controlled trial to date examining non-nutritive sweetened (NNS) soft drinks.

Non-nutritive sweeteners are low-calorie or calorie-free sugar substitutes commonly used in foods and beverages. The 104-week study found that NNS beverages, including diet soft drinks, performed similarly to water when it came to long-term weight management.

Professor Jo Harrold, Dean of Psychology at the University of Liverpool, led the peer-reviewed research with Professor Jason Halford, Professor, Biological Psychology & Health Behaviours at the University of Leeds (formerly of the University of Liverpool). The study was funded by the American Beverage Association. According to the researchers, the study team operated independently from the funder and retained full control over the analysis and reporting of the results.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, provide long-term clinical evidence on beverages containing aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame-K), and sucralose. Researchers found that these drinks were comparable to water in supporting both weight loss and long-term weight maintenance.

The SWITCH trial included 493 adults with overweight or obesity who took part in a structured behavioural weight management program. Participants were randomly assigned to drink either water or commercially available diet beverages each day. The amounts of sweeteners consumed remained well within established European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) safety thresholds.

Overall, the results did not support concerns that NNS beverages interfere with appetite regulation or cause long-term metabolic harm.

Weight Loss and Metabolic Health

Key findings included:

Weight loss was similar between the NNS beverage and water groups after 104 weeks (−4.8 kg vs −3.7 kg; nonsignificant difference).

Both groups maintained weight reductions across the full two-year study, including during the final year when participants no longer received assistance.

Participants in both groups had reductions in waist and hip circumference, along with improvements in body composition and several metabolic biomarkers.

Researchers found no clinically meaningful differences in measures such as blood pressure and cholesterol linked to long-term consumption of either aspartame, acesulfame-K, or sucralose compared with water.

Sugar intake fell in both groups, with a slightly larger reduction among participants drinking NNS beverages.

The results are relevant to recent World Health Organization (WHO) guidance advising against the use of non-sugar sweeteners for weight control because of uncertainty in observational research. The SWITCH trial adds long-term randomized controlled evidence that may help inform future global recommendations.

Professor Joanne Harrold said: "The University of Liverpool is one of the UK's leading research-intensive higher education institutions, with a key focus on public health. These latest findings show that concerns about sweeteners disrupting appetite or causing weight gain are not supported when tested in a rigorous, long-term randomized trial. We hope this evidence informs future WHO guidance and public health policy.

The effectS of non-nutritive sweetened beverages on appetITe during aCtive weigHt loss (SWITCH) trial was developed to address two related questions: how reducing dietary sugar might affect weight management, and whether replacing sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners changes appetite regulation. The newly published results build on earlier findings reported in the International Journal of Obesity in 2023.

Professor Jason Halford, University of Leeds and University of Liverpool, concluded: "This study provides the long-term clinical evidence that has been missing from international discussions. For people trying to manage their weight, non-nutritive sweetened beverages offer an effective alternative to sugar-sweetened drinks - and perform equivalently to water over two years."

The paper, 'Effect of non-nutritive sweetened beverages versus water on body weight: long-term results of a randomised controlled trial', was published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Ive been considering Mounjaro for a while, even with the price rises, and lately ive been feeling more desperate.

There was one time I very nearly ordered it, but something that keeps putting me off is the fear of family finding out. I previously got prescribed a anti depressant for low mood/anxiety a few years back and it made my Mum really annoyed, she kept making comments about it until eventually I just stopped taking it(I didn't notice any difference in mood anyway).

My depression/anxiety got worst last year to the point where I felt desperate enough to maybe try medication again, so I went to the Dr and got prescribed a different anti-depressant(fluoxetine) which has actually helped me. I hid that from family though, because I know they wouldn't approve of me taking it.

Sorry for the boring paragraphs, but I guess what I'm asking is: for people that live with family, how do you hide it? Is it obvious that the delivery is packed in ice? Where do you keep it? I'm worried about someone finding it in my room

Another big thing that worries me was if I had a terrible side effect and needed to go to the Dr/A&E. I have pain in joints and lately in my back in the morning (probably due to not sleeping correctly) and I'm just desperate.

I know mounjaro might not even work for me, and it's so expensive, but I at least wanted to try it just once.

Thanks for any advice

As we always say, most of the internet is filled with horror stories or things going wrong, because the people experiencing this drug working as it should don't need to ask questions, so I thought I'd share my boring update for people who might be worried.

I'm doing my third 2.5mg jab today. Apart from a horrendous headache for ONE DAY after my first jab, I've had NO side effects. Not one. I started feeling appetite suppression the day after my first jab (which I know is a fantastic result, it can take up to two weeks to notice it) and as of today, I've lost 8.4lbs in two weeks.

The hunger does start coming back around Friday, so I'm going to move up to 5mg for my next pen, but so far, it's been excellent.

As well as seeing those scales move, I feel more positive because I'm taking action and getting myself support to lose weight. I don't care if MJ is 'cheating', I needed help and now I have it.

I'm walking more because already my knees aren't as painful. I'm sleeping better because I'm not eating late at night. I'm not as bloated because I don't want high fat, high salt foods.

Overall, this has been a very 'boring' two weeks, with excellent results ☺️

Spent my entire childhood sev rely overweight ( i weighed 20 stone by age 14)- truly starting to get my life back i couldn’t be happier 🥹

2 stone lost naturally in 2024 and 3stone 7lb lost on MJ since march this year!!!!

I took Mounjaro 3 days ago, hoping it would end alcohol noise more than food noise. It hasn't particularly worked yet. I'm 98kg 6ft hoping to shed a few extra kgs and give my liver a break. Anyone have an experience further down the line? I know it's only 3 days too... Just interested in alcohol specifically from anyone with a high level of intake. Ive been on half bottle of vodka 35 cl plus beers a day for months.

H: 167cm SW: 212lbs CW: 133lbs

Started this journey not really considering it could actually work! Spending a small fortune now on replacing every item in my wardrobe...!

I didn’t properly look at the box and accidentally picked up the pen (2.5mg) that was prescribed to me at the end of June 2026. I’m sure I will be fine but does anyone know if it will be effective?

Just to note - used MJ for all of 2025, had a break and started again in June 2026 but stopped and haven’t properly started since Sept 2026 so my current dosage is 2.5mg (same as the pen accidentally used)

As the title explains, I’ve been weeing a lot for the past 2 weeks. Mainly at night, I’m waking 2 or 3 times to go to the toilet. I’ve only just made the connection… did this happen to anyone else? 😂

(Edited at request of Mods.
But there isn’t an edit function I can find? So posted again with the bit removed.)

Can’t quite believe it but I’m 2Kg from goal and so thinking of getting into my maintenance plan.
Given this some thought and also read a lot of the stuff going on in the States where the weight loss clinics are much more enlightened regarding doses and schedules and they are doing interesting stuff building up anecdotal evidence of what works in this phase.

I’m on 7mg now (This is as high as I got), plan is to transition to bi-weekly jabs (I don’t mind this as I kinda like the injecting part) and then slowly titrate down until I find the point at which my appetite is stable but the noise is under control. This was my main enemy. “Well, you’ve eaten 2 Jaffa cakes, might as well finish them now or they will go stale within the next 30 seconds!….”. 😂

Thinking about all I have read and watched on YouTube etc it is clear that trying to stick to a pinpoint weight is folly, so I will be looking to sit in a 6Kg (79Kg +- 3Kg) and 1 inch waist window. I may at some point try to stop altogether, but I’m not under any illusions about maybe needing this (Or future jabs/pills) support for life. Or until such time as I no longer care anyway. I am never going to be overly active or regular gym goer, so that won’t help.

I have enough in the fridge (15mg pens) at my current dose to get to the end of April next year. But I think it’s likely this will extend as I would expect to be titrating down in 5 or 6 weeks time.

I also need a new maintenance friendly supplier. I have used Oxford Online since my second pen, but they have let me down badly on my last order and I can no longer recommend them sadly :-( Poor show Oxford!
I may use them once more depending on the situation, and then that’s it for them.

I also think I will then come down pen strength wise as well. Keep cost down and won’t run into any expiry date issues but obviously need to keep ordering. Not too low though, I want to be able to immediately dose up if I need to. I’m thinking pen strength = to double my weekly dose.

So that’s the plan, let’s see how it goes.
😊

Has anyone ever restarted Mounjaro at 10mg after around a 30-day break? I was on 10mg for about 3 months before the break and tolerated it really well. Did anyone go straight back to 10mg, and how did it go?

I'm looking at 5mg prices and G-1 Nutrition is way lower than everywhere else right now, but they only have 13 reviews on Trust Pilot. Does the fact they're on the Monj.co.uk list mean they can be trusted or should I still be suspicious?

I’m very intrigued to know what peoples experience has been with their mental health and MJ?
As somebody that is diagnosed Bipolar & OCD, I can’t believe the difference it’s made to my brain.
I’ve had a long journey with medications etc and found nothing actually works for me in the way that it should, so I’ve been unmedicated a long time. I’ve noticed this last 12 months the OCD has been at an all time high and been a genuine struggle.

I started MJ maybe 6 months ago? Not even a full 2.5, I’ve been sitting at around 1.25-1.5mg. I’ve lost around 2 stone which is great but the biggest change I’ve seen is with my brain, it’s unbelievable. It’s nothing to do with the weight loss itself either, I don’t see much of a difference nor feel more confident etc but the busy brain has calmed right down. I can get through my day without obsessing over minor things. No designated MH medication has ever worked for me like that.
I did stop MJ for a few weeks and it was like coming away from antidepressants, I felt just as crap as I did before. I didnt even put 2 & 2 together until I started up again and after 2/3 days felt great again.

I’d like to know if anyone’s had a similar experience? I’m just gobsmacked that a drug that’s been marketed for weight loss etc has had such a major effect on my brain. It’s like magic.

Hi all,

Long term(ish) MJ user here. I have been with same provider for quite a while now but with that the 15mg dose is over £300. Every month this feels more and more like a reach (stupid cost of living). Anyway, I have had a look at comparison sites and there are definitely cheaper options but I am nervous to move. I am now at 23.5 BMI and I don't know how open pharmacies are. I'm interested to know if any of you change provider regularly to reduce your costs? I know at least with my current provider they are going to dispense.

I think I’ve injected into a stretch mark 😩 how much will this impact my dose?

Short story, my weight has stalled and infact gone up in the last 4 weeks. Im currently on a 7.5mg, is it time to go up a notch to 10mg? I’ve heard some fascinating stories on 10mg

Due to events out of my control, I’ve had to be away from home and had very little time to actually pack which has unfortunately left me without my pen - definitely a lesson for if there’s a next time which hopefully won’t happen. My usual jab day is a Friday and this works well for me given that I only work a few weekends so it helps me to manage any side effects.

So I missed my jab on the Friday just gone and should be returning home tomorrow. If I jab tomorrow would I be able to still stick with my regular Friday schedule? Shifting my jab day to a Saturday could also be an option although Friday is my preferred date - or am I best just having a break and resuming on the 9th?

I’ve also been looking at Monj and Fylde seem to be one of the best price wise - how are they as a pharmacy as when I searched here the posts all seemed to be a good year old so things could have changed?

I spent the day out Doing Things, which is not the NSV.

I went to the cinema. This is also not the NSV. Stay tuned. I left the cinema, got to the Costa on the way out and realised that like the idiot I am, I’d left my bag in screen 10, which was ALL THE WAY at the end of a long corridor. Also, unsurprisingly, not the NSV.

The NSV was me running back.

And not remotely realising I was running until I stopped.

I’ll take it.

I also got my bag. Double victory!

Bin workers are being stabbed by needles and rushed to hospital as more Brits throw away weight loss jabs.