Getting started on a GLP-1 like Mounjaro is a little different than when you begin to take other kinds of medications. The dose you start on isn’t the dose you’re going to stay on — you go up in strength after a certain amount of time (and then may go up again, and again, and again). Knowing how it’s all going to work can help you feel prepared for what’s to come. Keep reading for answers to all of your Mounjaro dosing questions.
Typical Mounjaro dosing schedule
Mounjaro, the brand name for tirzepatide that’s FDA-approved for treatment of type 2 diabetes, comes in six doses: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg. Most people begin their Mounjaro prescription with the lowest dose and then gradually increase over time until they find a "maintenance dose" — the dose they’ll be on regularly — that works well for them, says Dr. Alexandra Sowa, M.D., a New York City-based physician double-board certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine. "Some people achieve blood sugar control at just 5 mg and so they remain on that dose," she adds. "You don't automatically keep going up until you reach the maximum dose."
How quickly you go up in doses would depend on how well the medication is managing your blood sugar and how severe the side effects are, Sowa says. "It's important to monitor how you are responding to the medication, and that determines whether you go to the next dosage or remain on a lower dose."
Starting right off at a high dose with the idea that it will "work faster" or be more effective isn't recommended because you're more likely to experience severe side effects, says Sowa. These can include acid reflux, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. (For a full list of side effects, visit Mounjaro's site.)
Potential Mounjaro dosage chart
Here’s how someone starting on Mounjaro might schedule their dose increases, assuming their provider wants them to reach the maximum dosage of 15 mg:
What strengths does Mounjaro come in?
Mounjaro pens come in six different strengths — 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg — each containing 0.5 mL of solution. (In addition to the active ingredient tirzepatide, the solution contains stabilizers, water, and other inactive ingredients.)
How many doses are in a Mounjaro pen?
Each Mounjaro pen is designed to provide a single dose of medication. Since the injection is done once per week, each pen will only last you one week. You can give yourself the injection at home or anywhere else, without the need to go to a doctor's office.
Forms of Mounjaro (tirzepatide)
Mounjaro is available as a clear, colorless liquid in a pre-filled pen. The medication is also available as a single-dose vial in the same doses as the pens, and is used with single-use syringes rather than an auto-injection pen.
Because Mounjaro is a relatively new medication, there are no generic forms available yet on the market. However, its active ingredient, tirzepatide, is also prescribed under the name Zepbound, the GLP-1 medication FDA-approved for weight loss.
"Although Mounjaro may be prescribed to control blood sugar for those with type 2 diabetes, you may find that it has weight-loss effects as well," says Dr. Sue Decotiis, M.D., a triple board-certified physician in internal medicine, antiaging medicine, and obesity medicine, who leads a weight-loss practice in Scarsdale, NY. "If you're only interested in weight loss and don't have type 2 diabetes, your health practitioner may suggest Zepbound instead of Mounjaro. But if diabetes is a factor, Mounjaro is likely to be a stronger candidate for your health needs."
How to use Mounjaro
Once your healthcare practitioner prescribes Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes management, here’s what you can expect to do at home. Once a week you’ll inject yourself with the medication using either a prefilled pen or a single-dose vial and a syringe. This can be done with or without a meal or snack beforehand.
To give yourself the injection, you'll place the pen on your stomach, thigh, or the back of your upper arm — never in a muscle or near a vein — and click the button on the top of the pen. If you’re doing it in the abdomen, which is a popular location, make sure the injection is done at least two inches away from the belly button since the tissue in that area (called fascia) is too thick to absorb the medication properly.
It's also best to rotate the injection site every time, suggests Sowa. Although reaction-site issues like redness or tenderness resolve within a day or two, injection in the same spot every time can cause those reactions to be more intense or last longer, she says.
What happens if you miss a dose of Mounjaro?
If you accidentally miss a dose of Mounjaro, that doesn't mean you have to double up or increase your next dose, says Sowa. If you are within four days of missing the dose, take the medication and then go back to your typical routine. If it’s more than four days, just wait until your next scheduled day.
"There are circumstances where you have to miss a dose or even two on purpose, such as getting surgery or having a colonoscopy, for example,” Sowa says. “In that case, if there's more than 14 days between injections, you'll often get a lower dose to help your body get used to the medication again." In that situation, be sure to talk with your provider to get clear direction on when to use the medication and what dose.
To help avoid accidentally missing a dose, create a consistent routine, which involves injecting not just on the same day each week but also at the same time. Decotiis recommends putting the day and time on your calendar, or setting up a notification on your phone.
Can you change your Mounjaro dose date?
You can adjust which day of the week you take Mounjaro to better fit your schedule, but to avoid disruptive side effects, it's important to make sure at least two days have passed since your last dose. For example, if you want to transition from Mondays to later in the week, take your dose on Monday as usual, then again on Thursday or Friday, which becomes your new injection day.
The bottom line
Because Mounjaro comes in six different dosages, you might be confused about which one is right for you. The FDA-approved medication, which contains tirzepatide, is typically started at the same dosage for everyone: 2.5 mg, injected once per week for four weeks, so your body can adjust to Mounjaro's effects.
From there, dosage will be gradually increased based on your reaction and your healthcare provider's recommendations, until you're at a dosage amount that controls your blood sugar in a consistent and meaningful way, says Sowa. It's helpful to establish a consistent routine to ensure you don't miss a dose. If you do miss one or accidentally double up, call your provider to find out what you should do.
FAQs
The typical starting dosage for Mounjaro is 2.5 mg once per week, which helps the body adjust to the medication, says Sowa. After four weeks, the amount would be increased to 5 mg and then raised to 7.5 mg if needed. Starting at a higher dosage like 7.5 mg is possible, but is more likely to cause disruptive side effects like vomiting.
Most people stay on 2.5 mg, the starting dose of Mounjaro, for the first four weeks of the medication. After that, your healthcare provider will likely suggest gradually increasing the dosage for better blood sugar control.
If you accidentally take a second dose of Mounjaro in a week, you'll be more likely to experience intense side effects, says Sowa. Those can include nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, and vomiting. For a full list, visit the Mounjaro website.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be regarded as a substitute for guidance from your healthcare provider.