How to inject Zepbound

If you were just prescribed the weight-loss medication Zepbound, you’re likely excited to get started with treatment. After all, tirzepatide – the active ingredient in Zepbound – has an impressive record of promoting weight loss and other health benefits. You may feel a little nervous, however, about actually taking it. Unlike most self-administered medications, Zepbound doesn’t come in a tablet or pill. Instead, you’ll need to give yourself an injection every week. Just know that you’ll start to feel comfortable with the process quickly, says Dr. Brynna Connor, M.D., a family medicine physician in Austin, Texas. Keep reading to find out how to inject your Zepbound prescription correctly and confidently in 5 easy steps.

How to inject Zepbound properly

The Zepbound injector pen is designed to be easy for anyone to use correctly. Here’s what to do:

1. Gather your supplies

You don’t need many supplies to administer your Zepbound injections: a clean cotton pad and rubbing alcohol (or a pre-moistened alcohol wipe), your injector pen, and an FDA-approved sharps container or other heavy-duty plastic container for safe disposal of your Zepbound pen. You’ll also want to be near a sink with soap.

2. Examine your Zepbound pen

Double check that the Zepbound pen is the correct prescribed dosage and not expired, that the gray cap at the end covering the needle is in place, and that the pen doesn’t have any cracks or appear broken in any way. The liquid medication inside should be clear to slightly yellow.

3. Clean the injection site

Begin by washing your hands with soap and water. Lightly soak a cotton ball or pad with rubbing alcohol or use a pre-moistened alcohol wipe, and rub it over the area of skin where you’ll be doing the injection. Do not touch the cleaned skin with your fingers before you inject. This prevents bacteria from being injected into the skin, which could cause an infection, Connor says.

4. Inject your dose

Remove the gray cap from the end of the pen to expose the clear base and needle (don’t touch either). Press the base of the pen firmly against the skin, then turn the ring on the other end of the pen toward you to unlock it. Press and hold the purple button for up to 10 seconds. You’ll hear two clicks: one when the injection has started and a second when it’s finished. After you hear the second click, you can pull the pen away from the skin.

5. Discard the pen

Zepbound pens are only used once, so you should throw it away when you’ve finished your injection. Because there’s a needle on the end, you’ll need to dispose of it in an FDA-approved sharps container or another heavy-duty plastic item with a tight-fitting lid. Do not throw the needle directly into the trash, as it could stick your garbage collector or someone else. When your sharps container is full, the FDA recommends contacting your state or city’s health department or your local trash-removal service for instructions on how to dispose of it safely.

Zepbound injection sites

Zepbound shots are subcutaneous injections, meaning they need to be injected into fatty tissue just under the skin, not into a muscle or vein.

Stomach

The stomach is the recommended area for injections since it’s easy to access, with plenty of subcutaneous tissue. As a result, you’re less likely to accidentally inject into a muscle, says Dr. Brian S. Wojeck, M.D., assistant professor of endocrinology at Yale School of Medicine. The area around the navel is a common injection spot, but be sure to inject the medication at least two inches away from the belly button.

Upper arm

Another option is the back of the upper arm, in a fattier spot, not a muscle. You may not be able to reach this area easily by yourself, so if you want to do the injection here, you should ask someone to administer the shot for you. If they do so, make sure they wash their hands and put on disposable gloves first.

Thigh

The upper thigh is another possible injection site. Again, choose an area that has more fatty tissue instead of muscle. The top inner or outer thigh area can work well.

Zepbound injection site reactions

Some people may experience irritation, redness, or itching at the injection site. These reactions tend to be mild, Connor says, but contact your healthcare provider if a more severe rash or hives develop, or there’s swelling at the injection site. Leaving the pen out of the fridge for 10-20 minutes to reach room temperature may help with this.

Zepbound injection tips

Make sure you’re intentional about when you give yourself the shot each week. “The best time of day is whatever is convenient,” says Wojeck. Whatever time and day you choose, stay consistent from week to week so that it becomes a regular part of your routine. Here are some other tips:

Rotate injection sites

You can inject Zepbound into the same body part each week, but try to not choose the exact same patch of skin. For example, Wojeck recommends going to the right of your belly button one week, then the left the next week. If you think you’ll have trouble remembering the injection sites from week to week, you could always place a small Band-Aid over the injection site as a visual reminder for the following week.

Inject Zepbound into healthy skin

Make sure the injection site is free from any bruises, rashes, cuts, or other injury. Injecting Zepbound into healthy skin reduces the chance of skin reactions and also helps the medication work effectively, Wojeck says.

Store pen properly

Ideally, Zepbound pens should be stored in the refrigerator. If you don’t have access to a fridge (like if you’re traveling), it’s okay to store the pen in a cool, dark place for up to 21 days, keeping it between 46 degrees F and 86 degrees F. You don’t want to freeze the pen or let it be exposed to direct sunlight.

Do Zepbound injections hurt?

Zepbound injections shouldn’t hurt. For one, the needles in Zepbound pens are very small. Also, giving yourself an injection subcutaneously feels much gentler than getting a shot into muscle (like a flu shot). In fact, most of Connor’s patients say the injections feel only like a slight pinch.

The bottom line

Zepbound injections are quick, simple, and relatively painless. Each Zepbound pen is pre-filled with your prescribed dosage and is single-use. Be sure to wash your hands well and clean the injection area with rubbing alcohol before injecting Zepbound. The medication can be injected into fatty areas on the stomach, upper arm, or upper thigh. Some skin irritation may occur at the site of the injection, but rotating injection spots each week can minimize this risk.