… my journey into Weight Loss Injection Land. In the end Peter popped back to the farmacia yesterday evening to pick up the first hideously expensive batch of Mounjaro – 4 injections for 210 euros. I decided to wait until this morning to get started but upon opening the box and seeing THESE INSTRUCTIONS (gee just 17 easy steps) I was a bit overwhelmed to say the least. And then I read the fateful words NEEDLES NOT INCLUDED and was like… what the FUCK. Also, why the fuck didn’t anyone ask if we had needles or needed to buy some?

So it was back to the farmacia today and hey, they only had boxes of 100 NEEDLES that are compatible with Mounjaro, but whatever. Bought them. Then it was back home to do the deed. Luckily my friend Jane had sent me this very helpful video, which made more sense to me than a metre long fold out page of printed instructions. And then I did it! It’s a bit faffy because you have to work out the dosage each time and “prime” the thing (unlike the easy one-shot belly injections I had to do after all my cancer operations) but I am now INJECTED. And so now what?

Well apparently “Mounjaro (tirzepatide) starts working within hours of your first injection, though the timeline for visible results varies. Immediate Effects: Appetite suppression and reduced food cravings can begin within 24 to 72 hours.” (googled info)

Which got me thinking yet again… I don’t actually have a big appetite that needs suppressing. I don’t get food CRAVINGS (at least not the all caps variety – probably the only thing I ever actually crave is a nice glass of wine). And once I start eating (thanks to the adhesions) I am not able to overeat in any meaningful way. So do I really need an appetite suppressant drug that works by making people feel nauseous? I guess we shall see.

Meanwhile meanwhile… today I was going over the properties for Wegovy (my first choice before the GP talked me out of it) and dammit, I wish I’d stood my ground. Because Wegovy is a lot more than just a weight loss medicine…

Wegovy (semaglutide) reduces excess body weight (by an average of 15-19%), and lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death. Beyond appetite suppression and weight loss, Wegovy improves several interconnected health factors.

Cardiovascular Risk: It is the first weight-loss drug officially approved to specifically reduce the risk of serious heart and circulatory issues in overweight/obese adults.

Blood Sugar & Insulin: It helps the body release insulin when eating and stops the liver from producing excess sugar, lowering overall blood sugar levels.

Inflammation: Clinical studies show it reduces systemic inflammation markers and lowers blood pressure.

Liver Fat: For individuals with metabolic dysfunction, it reduces fat build up and scarring in the liver.

All of that sounds like it would benefit me more ALONG WITH losing weight. Also… cheaper! Well, just by 30 euros a month but still. And it comes with its own needles, plus is way simpler to use. So I am feeling like I made a mistake going with Mounjaro but I’m in now for at least this first month. Wish me luck!