Your dose, 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.

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.

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.

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.