Can you take Mounjaro a day early?

If you're exploring weight loss medications for the first time or have already started your weight loss journey, you're probably no stranger to the term dosing schedule. Each medication has its own guidelines to follow for how much you should take and when.

Mounjaro is no exception to this rule — when you get started, a doctor will start you on a low dose and gradually increase it to the one that ultimately works for you [1].

But what if you've started your treatment and need to change the day of your injection? Or you've missed a day and need to get back on track?

Let's demystify the dosing together. And as always, if you have questions about your treatment plan, remember to chat to your GP or healthcare provider.

What is Mounjaro, and how does it work?

Mounjaro (also known by its pharmaceutical name tirzepatide) is an injectable medication originally designed to help treat type 2 diabetes.

More recently, Mounjaro was approved as a weight loss medication when combined with a healthy diet and exercise [2].

Mounjaro is a dual-action medication, making it a little different to other weight loss injections on the market. This means it works on 2 types of hormones in the body: GLP-1 and GIP [3]. Mounjaro helps with weight loss by [4]:

• Slowing down food digestion, helping you feel fuller for longer
• Reducing appetite, making you feel full with smaller amounts of food
• Regulating your blood sugar levels and food cravings
• Helping the body break down fat

Understanding Mounjaro's dosing schedule

Mounjaro is administered weekly and injected underneath the skin. It's available as an injectable pen that is preloaded with either a single dose or a 4-dose pen that you take over a period of 4 weeks [3].

So, how does the dosing actually work? There are 6 different Mounjaro doses available to be prescribed [5]:

• 2.5mg (the usual starting dose)
• 5mg
• 7.5mg
• 10mg
• 12.5mg
• 15mg

Your doctor or prescriber will decide on your starting dose, which is usually 2.5 mg for the first 4 weeks. Once you've settled on this dose and your prescriber is happy with how you're going, they will increase your dose to 5 mg for another 4 weeks [5].

After this, your prescriber will check in on how your treatment is going.

Some people might stay on a lower maintenance dose for quite a while, others might need to increase their dose for it to be effective — everyone's body will react differently [5].

Your doctor will keep monitoring your dose and adjust it if needed — they'll take into account your starting body weight, weight loss goals, and how Mounjaro is working for you. Your treatment plan should be individual to you and your body [5].

It's important to start with a lower dose and increase slowly over time is to make sure your body adjusts to the medication properly and reduce to risk of any side effects [5].  

Starting your weekly dose of Mounjaro

When you're ready to start your treatment, it's time to pick your injection day. You can take it at any time of the day, but it's important to stick to the same day each week.

Try to pick a day that fits in with your weekly routine and is easy for you to remember — if in doubt, set a reminder on your phone (or write it in your calendar if you like the old school approach) [6]. And, you can inject the Mounjaro pen before or after food as it doesn't impact how the medicine is absorbed by your body.

Mounjaro also shouldn't affect how alert or tired you feel, so taking it before bed or early in the morning won't make a huge difference — you can decide what works best for you [6].

Having said that, make sure you have a good idea of how the medicine affects you before you drive or use tools/machinery, just to be safe [6].

After you've picked which day will be injection day, it's a good idea to think about injection sites. Always follow the instructions your prescriber has given you on how to inject yourself (or make sure a loved one has a copy if they're helping you).

Your doctor can help you choose a spot to inject so that you feel confident when you're doing it at home. The most common places to inject are the upper legs (thigh) or abdomen; the upper arm can also be used if someone is helping you [6].

The most important thing to remember is to rotate your injection site every week to reduce the chances of any pain/irritation, or injection complications. They don't happen often, but are more likely if you inject the same place every week [7].

If you're choosing your thigh, switch between the left and right side each week. For your abdomen, start in one spot and rotate around to a new spot each week [7].

If this all sounds confusing or you don't know where to start, don't worry. Our team of clinicians and health experts are here to help.

When you join our Weight Reset Programme, we'll make sure you have all the information you need to be confident in your weight loss journey.

Our programme includes doesn't just include weight loss medication but also offers unlimited support from our expert dietitians, a strength and cardio exercise plan to help you maintain muscle mass as you lose weight, tracking tools to keep you motivated, and access to a private community of women on the same journey as you.

Designed by UK clinicians, this programme gives you the tools you need to make informed decisions, so you can not only lose weight but keep it off well into the future.

Is it safe to take Mounjaro a day early?

In a nutshell, it depends on when you took your last dose of Mounjaro. While it's really important to stick to a regular schedule for your Mounjaro injection, sometimes life happens, and you might need to change things up.

If you need to change the day you take your dose or take it a day early, you can, you need to make sure it's been at least 3 days or 72 hours since your last dose [5].

Not leaving 72 hours between doses can cause serious side effects, which we'll cover below. It's the same reason you should never double up if you accidentally miss a dose [6].

If you have accidentally missed a dose, you should take it as soon as possible. But, if there are fewer than 3 days until your next dose, skip the missed dose and do your injection on your usual scheduled day [6].

In short: You can change the day you inject Mounjaro, or take it a day early, as long as it's been at least 3 days since you last took a Mounjaro dose. You should never take 2 doses on the same day, or within 72 hours of each other [6].

Potential risks of changing your dosing schedule

When you start any new medication, there's always a chance you might experience some side effects as your body gets used to the treatment.

If side effects do show up, they usually disappear again pretty quickly. But if you're worried about your symptoms, or something isn't going away, you should get medical attention [5].

If you decide to change your dosage schedule and do it safely, you shouldn't experience too many side effects. But if you take your doses too close together, it can cause:

• Diarrhoea
• Nausea and indigestion
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Abdominal pain [5]

There's also a risk of more serious side effects when you take your next dose too soon. These include:

• Acute pancreatitis/inflammation of the pancreas: You might feel severe pain in the stomach or abdomen that doesn't go away, with or without vomiting.
• Hypoglycaemia/low blood sugar: This can cause symptoms like feeling dizzy or lightheaded, sweating, blurred vision, slurred speech, confusion, feeling jittery or weak.
• Kidney problems: If you've been vomiting or had diarrhoea, you're more at risk of being dehydrated and developing kidney problems. It's really important to keep your fluids up and seek medical help if needed.
• Allergic reaction: Symptoms can include swelling of your face, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, an itchy rash or rapid heartbeat. If this happens, you should get urgent medical attention. [5].

The best way to change your dosing schedule is to chat with your healthcare provider before you make a change.

They can advise on how to reduce your risk of side effects, while also reviewing where you're at to make sure you're getting the most effective treatment.

Tips for keeping up with your Mounjaro dosing schedule

If you feel like your injection schedule has been a bit hit and miss, or you're just doing your research before you get started, there are a few ways you can make staying on top of the dosing schedule easier. You could:

• Make it part of your daily routine so it's easy to remember — tie it in with your morning coffee on injection day, or as part of your going-to-bed routine.
• Don't be afraid to bust out the calendar and highlighters — having a way to tick off each dose as you take it can be a great way to remember and stick to the same schedule. We're even partial to a sticker chart if that takes your fancy!
• You could also write down which injection site you used each week if you need to, so you don't accidentally use the same site again.

Wherever you're at in your treatment journey, there are many resources available to help. And remember: the best way to get the most out of your weight loss medication is to combine it with regular exercise, a balanced diet, and other healthy lifestyle changes.