Mounjaro is one of the leading weight loss injections, helping patients lose up to 22.5% of their body weight. It has been praised for helping prevent heart-related complications, and of course, its ability to aid weight loss – but is it suitable for everyone?
Can you take Mounjaro if you have gallstones? What about if you’ve recently had gallstone removal surgery? Find out in this helpful blog post.
What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is an effective weight loss medication. It contains the active ingredient tirzepatide, which acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors to improve blood sugar control and aid weight loss.
Mounjaro makes you feel fuller for longer, helping to reduce cravings and lower your daily calorie consumption. This, in turn, helps you achieve the calorie deficit required for weight loss.
You take this medication via a weekly injection - you can inject it into your upper arm, thigh or abdomen. It is considered the most effective weight loss injection, with patients losing up to 22.5% of their body weight in one clinical trial.
What Are Gallstones?
Gallstones are hard deposits that form in the gallbladder, made up of either cholesterol or bilirubin (from red blood cells). Usually, they're really small (as small as a grain of sand!) - however, in severe cases, they can be as big as a golf ball.
In most cases, gallstones don't cause symptoms - but if they block a bile duct, they can be extremely painful and lead to inflammation of the liver. If you have gallstones, you'll only usually need treatment if you have symptoms - and the main treatment is gallbladder removal surgery.
Risk Factors for Gallstones
- Age – The older you get, the higher the risk of getting gallstones. The risk of gallstones is notably higher in those over the age of 60.
- Diet – If your diet is high in refined carbohydrates and triglycerides, you may be at a higher risk of gallstone formation.
- Gender – Being female can also increase the risk of gallstones, especially during childbearing years. This is due to hormonal factors such as pregnancy, oral contraceptives and the sex hormone, estrogen.
- Obesity – Being overweight can drastically increase the risk of gallstones.
- Losing weight quickly - Losing weight too quickly may also increase the risk of gallstones due to the alteration of bile composition.
Diabetes – Being diabetic can also increase the risk of gallstones, and gallstones may also increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Is it Safe to Take Mounjaro with Gallstones?
In short, yes – you can take Mounjaro if you have gallstones. However, it's important to discuss this with your doctor beforehand.
When taking Mounjaro with gallstones, make sure you monitor your symptoms. If you experience severe abdominal pain or jaundice, seek medical attention immediately. We also recommend losing weight slowly, as rapid weight loss can increase the risk of weight loss injections.
Can You Take Weight Loss Injections After Gallbladder Removal?
Yes, you can take weight loss injections such as Mounjaro after having your gallbladder removed. In fact, this makes you an ideal candidate!
Risks you have when treated with weight loss injections is that because of the steady weight loss you achieve, you have a higher risk of developing gallstones. These gallstones can become symptomatic – you may get pains or inflammation on the right upper end of your abdomen.
If, however, you’ve had your gallbladder removed, then you don’t have the gallstones to worry about. So, if you’ve had your gallbladder removed, you are an ideal candidate for Mounjaro.
