AT the age of 54, Jacqui Flavell has battled with her weight for almost four decades.
After trying every diet under the sun, as well as turning to amphetamines, she finally found success with Mounjaro – and has some top tips for getting rid of side effects.
Jacqui Flavell has been on and off diets since the age of 15[/caption]
At her heaviest she weighed 19st 10lbs[/caption]
Jacqui tried every diet under the sun but found no success[/caption]
While never housebound or unable to tie her own shoes, Jacqui says “she’s always been fat”.
The life coach from Sussex has been on and off diets since the age of 15.
She explained: “I have lost 50lbs three times and ended up heavier each time than when I started.
“I’d spent a fortune on weight loss coaches, nutritionists, meal replacement programmes, juice diets, books, apps. But nothing worked.
“When I was at my worst, I would avoid mirrors. I would walk through a shop spotting the full-length mirrors and take a different route to avoid them.
“I even stop myself from looking in windows as I walk along the street. I hate seeing myself undressed.”
From intermittent fasting to the 5:2 method, Jacqui found no success.
And it was in the 90s she tried amphetamines, but stopped when she realised she could feel the blood rushing in her arms.
Historically, amphetamines have been some of the most popular anti-obesity drugs to be prescribed, but they’re no longer considered a safe or recommended method for weight loss in the UK due to severe side effects and addiction.
Jacqui emerged from lockdown in 2020 at her heaviest weight, 19st 10lbs, leaving her feeling sluggish and unattractive.
She was classed as severely obese.
Jacqui said: “My weight has sucked the joy from so many events.
“I’m a positive, happy person and I don’t let my weight stop me, but I’d love to wear shorts. I’d love to own a pair of regular wellies, not the ones made for fat legs.
“I’d love to go for a run without ten days of knee pain. I’d love to have gone to Dance Fit without having to mentally prepare for the looks I imagine I’d get.”
‘Everything changed overnight…’
Jacqui’s old eating habits included eating as if she was about to be starved.
She binged on croissants, cookies, pasta and garlic bread.
But then everything changed overnight.
On a Sunday evening in May last year, she took her first shot of Mounjaro.
The following day she didn’t feel hungry until 11.45am, when she had her breakfast smoothie.
Lunchtime came and went and she didn’t eat. She had planned pizza for tea, but only managed half, with an avocado.
On the Tuesday, Jacqui woke up feeling empty but not hungry.
She beamed when she stood on the scales and saw she had already started to lose weight. And after five days she had lost nearly 10lbs.
She was delighted to report no headaches or sickness, apart from a five-day bout of constipation.
She noticed something else: the “food noise” had gone.
Clothes that were tight now hung loose. I took up less room, chairs with arms were no longer snug. I didn’t feel so self-conscious, and my first thought when invited out wasn’t ‘what will I wear’
Jacqui Flavell
Jacqui said: “After dinner, I’d normally start thinking I fancy something sweet. I’d ask what we have in and would mentally go through the fridge and cupboards.
“Often there would be something – biscuits, crisps, snacks. But with the pens, all that had gone.”
The jabs cost £200 per four-week dose, but after losing a stone in two weeks, Jacqui didn’t care about the cost.
There were side effects. After two months, Jacqui started to feel ill with vomiting, diarrhoea and constant burping.
But the episode passed quickly and when she saw further weight loss, she decided it was worth it.
Jacqui said: “My shoes were looser. I’ve tightened my watch strap.
“Clothes that were tight now hung loose. I took up less room, chairs with arms were no longer snug. I didn’t feel so self-conscious, and my first thought when invited out wasn’t ‘what will I wear’.”
A happier, more confident Jacqui emerged and people began complimenting her.
Over the months she continued to lose weight “effortlessly” and with no side effects, which she attributes to three tips – taking diarrhoea relief, constipation relief, and indigestion tablets.
Jacqui said: “At times, all needed all three.”
Six months after her first dose, she had lost 20 per cent of her body weight – three and a half stone.
In May last year, Jacqui took her first shot of Mounjaro, and instantly started to see results[/caption]
She’s managed to lose three and a half stone – 20 per cent of her body weight[/caption]
As a life coach, Jacqui is now sharing her tips for taking Mounjaro with others[/caption]
Jacqui said: “People have commented that I look younger, healthier, happier. I’ve totally changed my look.
“I’ve gone from shoulder-length brown hair to a blonde pixie cut. I’m starting to wear clothes I want, not just what I think I can get away with.”
She plans to carry on with the jabs for now as wants to lose a little more weight, but feels confident that when she stops she will eat “for the right reasons”.
Jacqui added: “I was always eating for happiness or comfort, or to cover up sadness or anxiety.
“As I start to conquer this last area of my life, I feel hopeful that being happy with my body will mean I won’t want to jeopardise it for the quick fix of food.
“I am so grateful for this medication. Mounjaro has totally changed my life.”
The 10 things I wish I’d known before starting Mounjaro
While Jacqui’s been able to shed three and a half stone with the help of Mounujaro, she says there are 10 things she wishes she had known before starting the jabs – including three tips for combating side effects.
- It will completely change how you think and feel about food – and eliminate hunger.
- It will completely change how you think and feel about food – and eliminate hunger
- It doesn’t hurt at all.
- There’s no need to fear the needle.
- You can still go on holiday, eat out and be social.
- You can still enjoy cake, biscuits and desserts – just don’t expect to finish them. Jacqui said she loved Diet Coke but the jabs made her give it up completely as it “just tastes awful now”.
- Alcohol will have less appeal.
- Stock up on diarrhoea relief, constipation relief and indigestion tablets.
- Keep a journal to help you look back on your experience. There’s nothing you can’t eat.
- Trust yourself and listen to your body. There will be days you don’t feel like eating at all, says Jacqui, so stock up on comfort food. For her it was Marmite on toast.
People can read more about Jacqui’s Mounjaro experience in her published book, My Skinny Jab Story, which is out now.
How to take Mounjaro safely
IF you’re thinking of starting Mounjaro, here’s everything you need to be aware of to ensure you use it safely.
Consult your doctor first
- Discuss your medical history with a GP, especially if you have: thyroid issues, pancreatitis history, gastrointestinal disorders and kidney or liver issues.
Start a low dose and increase slowly
- Starting dose is usually 2.5 mg once weekly, injected under the skin.
- Typical progression: 2.5 mg → 5 mg → 7.5 mg → up to 15 mg weekly (in 2.5 mg increments every four weeks, as tolerated).
Administer it properly
- Inject once a week, same day each week, with or without food.
- Inject subcutaneously in stomach, thigh, or upper arm and rotate injection sites weekly.
Watch for side effects
- Common side effects include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, decreased appetite and fatigue.
- Seek medical help if you experience any of the following serious side effects: signs of pancreatitis (severe stomach pain), allergic reactions and kidney problems (low urine output, swelling).
