NOTE: I do not work for Mochi Health or Hallandale Pharmacy.
I do not get anything free or discounted from either of them.
Nor am I sponsored by either of them.
Everything here is my personal opinion based on recommendations,
then a lot of research.
GLP-1: From Prescription to Compounding begins this story.
Because of the GLP-1 shortage, Mounjaro for me, I am relegated to buying medication from a compounding pharmacy. I researched my head off before choosing to go with Mochi Health. A good part of that equation was being able to get my medications from Hallandale Pharmacy.
My appointment with the Mochi doctor was on April 26, 2024 and my box from Hallandale arrived May 1, 2024.
The packing was fantastic.
Notice there are labels talking one through opening and not throwing out vital parts and pieces of the items inside.
Of course, I wanted to see what the vials looked like.
Giving Myself a Test Dose
I put the boxed vials in the refrigerator and planned on giving myself a test dose the next day to make sure it was, indeed, tirzepatide.
The next morning, I got everything out that I would need.
How would I know if it was tirzepatide or not? When I take my Mounjaro shot, within a few hours, I get this menthol-sort of feeling in my throat, nose, and sometimes eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was the Mounjaro or not, and also couldn’t identify the feeling at first, but stayed with it for a few shots trying to figure it out.
Then it hit me. It was the feeling I had gotten when I briefly smoked 30+ years ago. Menthol cigarettes. Once I was able to identify the feeling, I stopped relating it to that horrible and stupid few months I smoked and remembered it was also the feeling of Vicks VapoRub, which was a much nicer association.
As the week went on, the menthol feeling diminished and I could tell the half life was hitting and I was due for a shot soon.
I did have to do one month on Ozempic (because of the shortage, of course) and that menthol feeling disappeared. Once I took Mounjaro again, there it was!
This menthol feeling would be my litmus test.
It was months before I Googled to see if others had the same menthol experience and, sure enough, others do. Not a lot, but they are out there. When I mentioned it to my daughter, also on compounded tirzepatide, she said she had never had it until recently. She thought it was just her! Nope. We’re not alone with the menthol feelings.
Drawing Up the Tirzepatide
I am quite familiar with drawing up medications, having done so for many years as a midwife. Pitocin, Methergine, and Vitamin K were part of the tools of the trade. I also have given myself all kinds of shots, both intramuscular, aka IM (into the muscle) and subcutaneous aka sub-Q (under skin, before the muscle). Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, and Wegovy are all subcutaneous.
Needles for sub-Q injections are much smaller and shorter than IM, making them much easier to give with a lot less pain. IM injections are more complicated to give, too, making sure one doesn’t hit a vessel, but I will leave that for now.
Always wash your hands before handling the syringe and drawing up the medication. Get all supplies ready on a clean surface so you don’t have to leave the medication or needle alone, especially if there are kids and pets in the house.
Before pressing the plunger to get the droplet of medication, flick the barrel (the part of the syringe that holds the medication) if you see air bubbles. That helps the air rise to the top of the barrel, towards the needle so when you press the plunger very gently, only liquid is inside the needle. That is why you wait for the drop at the tip of the needle, that is your sign that all is ready for the injection.
Injecting the Tirzepatide
Right before you inject, use a new alcohol wipe, not the one you used on the vial, to wipe the area where you are going to inject.
I was using 2.5mg as my test dose. That is 25 units on this type of syringe. When I take my 15mg tirzepatide, I will need to use two syringes. NEVER reuse a needle. When you put a needle through the vial stopper, it can imperceptibly bend. While you will never feel it with that first injection, pushing that “bent” needle into another stopper and then your skin, then it can hurt. Always use a new needle for each injection.
Reuse might lead to bending and deformation of the needle tip, which will not only increase injection pain, but also cause lipohypertrophy and induration of subcutaneous tissues.
Lipohypertrophy is why we don’t inject in the same place every time. We are supposed to rotate our injections between the belly (you can do each side of your belly), the back of the upper arms, and the thighs.
Did the Test Dose Pass the Menthol Test? Within two hours, I began having the menthol feeling. I knew then I absolutely had tirzepatide and that I was going to be okay without my Mounjaro until I got more. I relaxed considerably.
Mounjaro 7.5 mg – Ring Around the Rosie with GLP-1s
It’s been terribly stressful looking for my diabetes medication, as it has for all of us on the GLP-1s. I look forward to when the shortage is over.
I have gone from a prescribed 10mg. to the available 7.5 to the available 12.5 to Ozempic 2.4 (a placebo as far as I’m concerned) the then prescribed Mounjaro 12.5 to the supposed to be prescribed 15, then to the available 12.5, and now compounded 15mg of tirzepatide.
Today, I picked up Mounjaro 7.5mg. That means, in order to get to my prescribed 15mg., I need to use 7.5mg. of the compounded tirzepatide. with the name brand Mounjaro in 7.5mg..
After I picked up the box of Mounjaro, I felt a sense of calm washing over me. While the pharmacy didn’t have any Mounjaro I waited 8 days until they got this 7.5mg. in and snatched it up (with a call to the Endo for yet another change in prescriptions). I am glad I thought ahead and got myself into Mochi and got the compounded tirzepatide. I was able to tide myself over for that week+ of no Mounjaro.
The only way I could get the compounding was with family help. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for others who don’t have family helping to pay for their medications. I know how lucky I am and wish Eli Lilly would pick up the pace to make things easier for all of us.
Much good luck to those still on the hunt for their GLP-1 medications. I feel for you!
Let me know in the comments how your search is going. What are you doing to make it through this GLP-1 drought?
