Edinburgh man was 'spending £400 a month on takeaways' before going on Mounjaro
An Edinburgh man who decided it was time to put his health first admits he was spending around £400 a month on takeaways.
Michael Monaghan, 40, had to shield during the pandemic and saw his weight go up. After gaining over three stone, and feeling 'everything else was failing', he made the decision to go on Mounjaro.
The medication, which was created to treat diabetes, works by activating receptors to increase hormones in the body, producing more insulin when needed. It also reduces the amount of sugar produced by the liver and slows down food digestion.
After starting Mounjaro, Michael has seen hundreds of supportive messages on his YouTube channel where he's been posting videos of his journey. After booking a trip to Florida, he's set his goal of reaching 18 stone by the time he goes - having dropped two stone since starting Mounjaro four weeks ago.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Michael said: "The deciding factor was health. I was shielding during Covid and I gained a lot of weight.
"I think it was 3.5 stone I gained, and then I kept putting on weight because I kept eating. What can I say, I enjoy food. And I basically just decided to start Mounjaro because everything else failed. I was waiting for weight management for a year and a half on the NHS, I couldn't believe it.
(Image: Michael Monaghan)
"England have started doing Mounjaro on the NHS but it's not up here yet, they haven't decided how that's going to happen. So I decided to pay for it privately out of my own pocket, I was spending £400 a month on takeaways. Just Eat, Uber Eats, whatever.
"If I take that money and put it into the jag, which is about £140 a month, I'm actually saving money. So that really changed my mindset."
While he's not a big fan of needles, Michael decided it was worth it. Knowing it was time, he felt he needed something to look forward to - which is where the Florida trip came in.
He continued: "I was curious about it, and I'd heard about the success people had, but I don't really like injecting myself. After looking into it, I just decided I have to do this.
"I have to try something, and I need something to look forward to. We booked a trip to Florida, so I've got a goal of 18 stone by the time we go.
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"I'm a big Disney fan, I'm an annual pass holder for Paris. I love the rides, and if I don't lose weight then I won't be able to do them all - it's a target.
"I've got asthma and sleep apnea, and I've been told if I lose a bit of weight I might be able to get rid of that. It was getting uncomfortable, and this was the time to make a change and that's exactly what we've done."
Michael has received incredible support on his YouTube channel, with hundreds of comments that have motivated him on his journey. With the backing of his followers, he feels he 'can't stop now. '
He added: "Everybody has been so supportive, not one bad comment. I've had emails from people talking about their experiences on the same journey.
"It's really motivating for me, makes me feel like I can't give up. People understand that it's not just a case of going on a diet, it's about willpower."
While he had a rough start on Mounjaro, Michael feels he's had 'no side effects' since then. Admitting he does 'miss some foods', he's noticed his weight drop since he started.
(Image: Michael Monaghan)
He told us: "This medicine takes away my cravings, and I know it's working. The first three days were bad, I had to take some time off work as I couldn't get out of bed.
"I had cramps and a lot of pain, but it just went away and I haven't had any side effects since. I've come down from 22 stone and four pounds to 20 stone and 13 pounds.
"I'm still eating, drinking lots of water and I've cut out all sweets, chocolate, and stuff. I do miss some food, I was thinking about the new McDonald's burger the other day.
"When I lose enough weight, I could probably eat it. But before, I was eating two McDonald's a day on a daily basis and then home for sweets and crisps before late-night snacking.
"That's why I was gaining weight every year. But now, I don't feel as hungry, I'm not craving things. My face is starting to change, my body is starting to change and I'm more active and I've definitely got more energy. The change has been amazing."
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"My portion sizes are about half of what they used to be. I'm going up from 2.5 to five mg dosage soon, so we'll see how that goes. I'm still eating what I'm eating, having the food I like, but everything is cut in half. I've stopped late night eating as well.
"I'm so motivated now, though, because I've noticed changes in myself, and I've got all these people from the YouTube channel behind me."
NHS Lothian is currently 'developing pathways' before a phased rollout of drugs, including Saxenda, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
They added: "NHS Lothian have a short life working group currently developing the pathway and once agreed we can start a phased roll out. We are aware of recent news of the roll out of weight loss medication prescribing in GP practices. Please note this applies to NHS England only.
"NHS Lothian is considering a phased roll out of these medicines for weight management in line with Scottish Government guidance. We are actively developing clinical pathways to ensure safe prescribing and monitoring. Updates will be shared once these clinical pathways have been agreed in NHS Lothian."
You can follow Michael's journey with Mounjaro on his YouTube channel here.
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