Mounjaro and Wegovy doses, step by step.

How the dose steps up

All three medicines start at a low dose that's there to let your body adjust, not to cause much weight loss. The dose then rises in steps, with at least four weeks on each one, until you reach a dose that works for you and that you tolerate. You don't have to reach the highest dose, and your prescriber can hold you on a dose for longer, or step back down, if side effects are a problem.

• Mounjaro: 2.5 mg once a week for 4 weeks, then 5 mg. After that the dose can go up in 2.5 mg steps, at least 4 weeks apart, to a maximum of 15 mg. Usual maintenance doses are 5, 10 or 15 mg.
• Wegovy: 0.25 mg once a week for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 1.7 mg, each for 4 weeks, reaching the usual maintenance dose of 2.4 mg at week 17.
• Wegovy Pill: 1.5 mg once a day for a month, then 4 mg, 9 mg and 25 mg, each for at least a month. 25 mg is the maintenance dose.

Your dose, week by week

These are the earliest points each step can happen. Many people stay on a dose for longer, and you only step up if your prescriber agrees. For Mounjaro, the steps after 5 mg are optional: some people stay on 5 mg or 10 mg.

Do you need the highest dose?

No. The aim is the dose that works for you and that you tolerate. For Mounjaro, the licence lists 5 mg, 10 mg and 15 mg as maintenance doses, and 15 mg is the maximum. For Wegovy the usual maintenance dose is 2.4 mg, and for the Wegovy Pill it is 25 mg. If you struggle with the 25 mg tablet, the SmPC allows staying on the previous dose instead.

Treatment is reviewed as it goes. If you haven't lost at least 5% of your starting weight after six months (for Mounjaro, six months on your highest tolerated dose), the licence says your prescriber should consider whether to continue. NICE uses the same 5% at six months point in its NHS guidance.

Switching between medicines

• Wegovy injection to the Wegovy Pill: from the 2.4 mg injection, the SmPC says you can start the 25 mg tablet one week after your last injection.
• Wegovy Pill to the injection: from the 25 mg tablet, you can start the 2.4 mg injection the day after your last tablet.
• Between Mounjaro and Wegovy: there is no official dose conversion between tirzepatide and semaglutide. Your prescriber decides the starting dose, usually based on your current dose, how well you tolerate it and how long since your last one. The MHRA advises talking to a healthcare professional before switching between GLP-1 medicines.
• Never use two of these medicines at the same time. Wegovy's SmPC says it shouldn't be combined with other GLP-1 medicines.
• Already on treatment with another provider? Our eligibility guide explains what the prescriber will ask for.

How to inject

• Inject once a week, on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without food.
• Inject under the skin of your tummy or thigh. The back of the upper arm also works, but is easier if someone else does it.
• Use a different spot each week, even if it's in the same area.
• Use a new needle every time, and follow the instructions for use in your pen's leaflet. They differ between pens.
• If you also inject insulin, use a different injection site for each.
• Put used needles straight into a sharps bin.

How to take the Wegovy Pill

• Take it first thing, on an empty stomach, after at least 8 hours without food. Overnight is easiest.
• Swallow it whole with a sip of water, no more than half a glass (120 ml). Don't split, crush or chew it.
• Wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking anything else or taking other tablets. Less than that and less of the medicine is absorbed.

Your pen and needles

• Each pen holds four weekly doses of the strength printed on the label. A Mounjaro KwikPen and a Wegovy FlexTouch pen both last four weeks.
• After the fourth dose a small amount of medicine may be left in the pen. That's expected: it isn't enough for a dose, and the leaflets say not to try to use it. Throw the pen away after the last dose.
• Don't try to take part doses, for example by counting clicks on the pen. The pens are made to give full doses at the strength on the label, and the leaflets say not to change your dose unless your prescriber tells you to.
• Wegovy pens come with four NovoFine Plus needles. Use a new needle for every injection, and check the flow before the first injection from each new pen, as shown in the leaflet.
• Mounjaro KwikPen packs don't include needles. Every PPRX order of an injection comes with needles, alcohol wipes and a sharps bin.

If you miss a dose

• Mounjaro: take it as soon as you remember if it's within 4 days of the missed day. If more than 4 days have passed, skip it and take the next dose on your usual day.
• Wegovy: take it as soon as you remember if it's within 5 days. If more than 5 days have passed, skip it and take the next dose on your usual day.
• Wegovy Pill: skip the missed tablet and take the next one the following day. Never take two at once.
• If you've missed more than one dose in a row, talk to your prescriber before restarting. You may need to go back to a lower dose.

Changing your injection day

You can move your weekly injection to a different day if you need to. For Mounjaro, leave at least 3 days between two doses. Then carry on weekly from the new day.

Storing your medicine

• Mounjaro: keep pens in the fridge (2 to 8°C) until you start them. Once you've started a pen, it can be kept out of the fridge below 30°C for up to 30 days, then must be thrown away.
• Wegovy: keep pens in the fridge until first use. After that, keep it below 30°C or, preferably, in the fridge, and use it within 6 weeks.
• Wegovy Pill: no fridge needed. Keep tablets in their blister pack until you take them.
• Never freeze a pen, and don't use one that has been frozen. Keep the cap on to protect it from light.
• Travelling? Our travel guide covers flights and customs.

If you take too much

If you inject more than your prescribed dose, contact your prescriber or call 111 straight away. Too much can cause nausea and vomiting, which can lead to dehydration, and with Mounjaro it can cause low blood sugar. Because these medicines stay in the body for days, any effects can last a while, so don't wait to see if you feel unwell.

Stopping or pausing treatment

Talk to your prescriber before you stop. The NHS advises not to stop tirzepatide suddenly, especially if you have type 2 diabetes, because it can affect your blood sugar, and your prescriber may suggest reducing the dose gradually. If you've had a break, talk to your prescriber before restarting: you may need to go back to a lower dose to avoid stomach side effects.

Orlistat and Alli

Take one capsule with each main meal that contains fat, up to three a day: just before, during or up to an hour after eating. If you skip a meal, or it has no fat, skip that capsule.

Dose increases and side effects

Nausea and other stomach side effects are most likely for a few days after each step up. Our side effects guide explains what helps and when to get advice, and the pricing page shows the price of each dose.