Mounjaro is a sort 2 diabetes drug that lowers blood sugars, helps enhance A1c ranges (a measure of glucose management over the earlier 2 to three months), and assists with weight upkeep.
On this article, we’ll cowl the whole lot it is advisable to learn about this medication, together with its advantages, unintended effects, and learn how to use it successfully.
What’s Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is produced by Eli Lilly and is the model title for the medicine tirzepatide.
It was first accepted by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US in 2022 to assist handle blood sugar in adults with kind 2 diabetes, together with a nutritious diet and train.
It’s the first medicine in a brand new drug class often known as twin glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, activating each the GLP-1 and GIP receptors.
It really works by serving to the pancreas produce extra insulin, reducing the quantity of sugar launched by the liver, growing the physique’s sensitivity to insulin, and slowing digestion, making you’re feeling full longer.
It’s an injectable medicine taken as soon as per week to assist enhance blood sugar ranges and A1c.
What are the advantages of Mounjaro?
This remedy has three primary advantages for folks residing with diabetes:
Lowers blood sugars
The medication helps enhance blood sugar ranges by growing the quantity of insulin the pancreas releases — however solely when your blood sugar is rising.
This makes the danger of low blood sugar whereas taking the medicine minimal. It additionally stops your liver from releasing sugar into the blood and will increase your physique’s sensitivity to insulin.
Mixed, this ends in decrease blood sugars and A1c ranges.
Helps with weight reduction or weight upkeep
In November 2023, Mounjaro was accepted below the model title Zepbound for persistent weight administration in obese or overweight adults with not less than one weight-related situation.
The medication helps scale back meals consumption by decreasing urge for food and slowing digestion.
In medical trials, folks taking the drug on the most dose of 15 milligrams (mg) per week misplaced:
- 12 kilos greater than these taking the GLP-1 medicine semaglutide
- 29 kilos greater than these on insulin degludec
- 27 kilos greater than these on insulin glargine
How a lot weight do you lose on Mounjaro?
In research on Zepbound, the weight-loss model of Mounjaro, roughly 15 % of individuals taking a 5-mg dose, 32 % of these taking a 10-mg dose, and 36 % of these taking a 15-mg dose misplaced 25 % of their physique weight.
On the very best 15-mg dose, weight reduction was a mean of 48 kilos, in line with the producer.
Learn extra in: Can Mounjaro Assist You Lose Weight?
Lowers threat of coronary heart illness
This medicine has the facility to guard towards coronary heart illness, which is the primary reason for demise for folks with diabetes.
In research, after 52 weeks, individuals on the very best dose (15 mg per week):
- Lowered their whole ldl cholesterol by about 5.6 %
- Lowered their triglycerides by 22.5 %
- Lowered their LDL (“dangerous”) ldl cholesterol by 7.9 %
- Lowered their VLDL ldl cholesterol by 21.8 %
- Elevated their HDL (“good”) ldl cholesterol by 10.8 %
Why would you be prescribed Mounjaro?
This remedy is barely FDA-approved for individuals who have kind 2 diabetes.
However word that not everybody with kind 2 diabetes can be prescribed Mounjaro.
It is because many individuals are in a position to handle their blood sugar ranges with weight-reduction plan, train, and generally with different medicines reminiscent of metformin or insulin.
Nevertheless, it’s a good way to fight insulin resistance, enhance blood sugar ranges, and assist in weight reduction for those who’re having issue reaching these targets by different strategies.
Many individuals who’ve kind 2 diabetes and current coronary heart illness might also be prescribed the drug to behave as a protecting agent and enhance each diabetes and coronary heart well being.
The medication just isn’t accepted to be used in folks below 18 years of age.
What are the unintended effects of Mounjaro?
The most typical unintended effects embody:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Gasoline
- Abdomen ache
- Constipation
- Weight reduction
- Speedy coronary heart fee
Though uncommon, extra extreme issues could embody:
- Thyroid tumors, together with most cancers
- Pancreatitis (irritation of the pancreas)
- Gallbladder illness
- Low blood sugar ranges, for those who take insulin
- Severe allergic reactions
A number of of those extra extreme unintended effects can result in everlasting well being issues and demise if not handled shortly.
Name your physician or search emergency medical consideration for those who:
- Develop a fever
- Expertise modifications or worsening of your imaginative and prescient
- Are feeling weak or in ache after taking the medicine
- Suppose you’re having an allergic response
Get a extra detailed overview in: Mounjaro Aspect Results: What You Must Know.
Do I would like to vary my weight-reduction plan?
When taking Mounjaro, adjusting your weight-reduction plan can enhance the medicine’s effectiveness and reduce unintended effects.
It’s useful to keep away from meals and drinks excessive in added sugars, overly fatty, fried, or greasy meals, and to devour alcohol moderately, or in no way, relying on particular person well being suggestions.
Specializing in unprocessed, complete meals reminiscent of lean proteins, wholesome fat, and low-glycemic greens can enhance the drug’s effectiveness in managing blood sugar ranges.
For extra detailed steering, learn: What Meals to Keep away from on Mounjaro.
Mounjaro doses
This medicine comes as a liquid answer inside prefilled, disposable pens. You inject the drug subcutaneously (below your pores and skin) as soon as per week.
You may take the drugs with or with out meals. Every dose is given in a single-dose pen to forestall overdosing.
The completely different dosing choices obtainable are:
- 2.5 mg per week (for the primary 4 weeks as a beginning dose)
- 5 mg per week
- 7.5 mg per week
- 10 mg per week
- 15 mg per week
Upkeep doses can vary anyplace from 5 mg per week to fifteen mg per week, to be decided by you and your physician.
Learn extra: Mounjaro Dosing Information: How A lot Ought to You Take?
How a lot Mounjaro do I take?
This can differ by individual and can rely in your well being historical past, well being targets, and life-style.
Nevertheless, most docs will begin sufferers on 2.5 mg as soon as per week. It is very important take your injection on the identical day every week.
After 4 weeks, for those who’re not having antagonistic unintended effects, your physician could improve your dose to five mg, administered as soon as weekly.
When you’re nonetheless having blood sugar spikes with no antagonistic unintended effects, your physician could improve your dose to 7.5 mg as soon as weekly or as excessive as 15 mg as soon as weekly. The utmost dose is 15 mg taken as soon as weekly.
By no means take two doses throughout the similar week.
What occurs for those who take an excessive amount of Mounjaro?
Taking an excessive amount of of this medicine may cause critical antagonistic unintended effects.
These can embody debilitating nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdomen ache, and even low blood sugar (particularly for those who’re additionally on insulin), which may change into deadly if not handled instantly.
Don’t take two doses inside three days of one another.
Name your physician immediately or search emergency medical consideration for those who’ve unintentionally taken an excessive amount of of this medicine.
Can I miss a dose of Moujaro?
When you miss a dose, it’s OK to take it just a few days late.
Nevertheless, for those who missed your dose greater than 4 days (96 hours) in the past, simply skip that week’s dose and take your subsequent frequently scheduled dose on time.
You’ll not expertise insulin resistance or weight acquire from one missed dose.
Strive to not miss doses frequently, nevertheless, because the medicine is simplest when taken persistently.
How one can inject Mounjaro
- Examine the liquid within the pen visually earlier than injecting.
- Don’t use the pen if there are any particles or discoloration current.
- Earlier than injecting, clear the injection website with a rubbing alcohol swab.
- Change the injection website every week to forestall accidents below the pores and skin or scar tissue from creating.
- Notice that this medication is usually injected below the pores and skin within the thigh, stomach, or higher arm.
- Discuss to your physician about the perfect locations so that you can inject and learn how to rotate injection websites.
- All the time throw the pen needle and pen away after every dose in a sharps-safe container.
For the reason that pens are available in single doses, you’ll undergo 4 per 30-day provide, so there isn’t any have to preserve the pen after use.
Be taught extra in: Mounjaro Injection: The place and How one can Inject.
Who shouldn’t take Mounjaro?
For sure, don’t take this for those who don’t have a prescription.
It isn’t really useful to be used in case you are pregnant, planning on turning into pregnant, or in case you are breastfeeding.
It is usually not really useful for folks with out diabetes, with prediabetes, or with kind 1 diabetes with out the steering of a doctor.
Be taught extra in: Can You Take Mounjaro if You Have Kind 1 Diabetes?
This medicine is barely FDA-approved for folks 18 years and older.
Don’t use it for those who or any of your loved ones members have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or when you have A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome kind 2 (MEN 2).
Don’t use it in case you are allergic to tirzepatide or any of the opposite substances within the medicine.
Discuss along with your physician when you have questions or issues about beginning this remedy.
How do I cease taking my Mounjaro?
There are a variety of causes that you could be wish to cease taking this medication.
For instance, possibly you’re experiencing antagonistic unintended effects, you don’t like how the medicine makes you’re feeling, or it’s gotten cost-prohibitive.
Discuss along with your physician earlier than stopping any diabetes medicine, together with this one.
What occurs if you cease taking Mounjaro?
Your physician will most likely need you to wean your dose earlier than stopping it utterly. Insulin resistance, meals cravings, blood sugar ranges, and weight could creep again up when you cease taking it.
You’ll want to have a plan in place, such as a substitute medicine, train, or weight-reduction plan routine, to assist fight any rebound results it’s possible you’ll expertise.
When you’ve got misplaced weight on this medication, it’s possible you’ll have to preserve taking it indefinitely to forestall the load from coming again.
Can Mounjaro exchange insulin?
No. It isn’t insulin, neither is it an insulin alternative. Moderately, it acts as a complement to insulin remedy (for those who take insulin).
When you’ve just lately been prescribed this medication, don’t cease taking your different diabetes medicines except your physician has particularly advised you to.
Mounjaro lowers blood sugars over time, however it doesn’t trigger acute low blood sugars in the best way that insulin can.
When you usually take insulin for meals, you will want to proceed to take action.
When you’ve been on the medicine for a number of months, it’s possible you’ll discover that your insulin wants are progressively reducing.
Nevertheless, this hardly ever utterly takes away the necessity to take insulin to your diabetes.
Can I take Mounjaro with different diabetes medicines?
This can rely on what different medicines you’re taking.
Usually, Mounjaro could be taken alongside medicines like metformin and/or insulin, if prescribed on the similar time.
Nevertheless, it shouldn’t be mixed with GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.
GLP-1 receptor agonists embody:
All the time speak along with your physician for those who’re not sure of how any medicines you are taking will work together with any new medicines you’re contemplating taking.
Learn extra about how Mounjaro compares to Ozempic in: Ozempic vs. Mounjaro: Which One Ought to You Select?
Does Mounjaro have to be refrigerated?
No. The medication could be left unrefrigerated for as much as 21 days, so long as the temperature by no means exceeds 86 levels Fahrenheit (30 levels Celsius).
Mounjaro ought to be saved at a temperature between 36 and 46 levels Fahrenheit (2 and eight levels Celsius).
Make sure that it doesn’t get any hotter than 86 levels Fahrenheit (30 levels Celsius), and by no means freeze the pens.
All the time preserve your Mounjaro pen in its unique casing to guard it from daylight.
How a lot does Mounjaro value?
The price of Mounjaro can differ relying in your insurance coverage protection and particular plan particulars.
To find out your particular co-pay or out-of-pocket prices, you need to use your prescription or medical card with the Mounjaro protection and co-pay calculator obtainable by your insurance coverage supplier.
When you’ve got questions on protection or co-pay prices, you’ll be able to contact Mounjaro buyer assist at 1-800-545-5979.
For individuals who qualify, Eli Lilly affords a Mounjaro Financial savings Card program which will present free medicine. To be taught extra about this program and see in case you are eligible, name Eli Lilly’s PAP toll-free at 1-800-545-6962.
How do I get a prescription for Mounjaro?
When you’ve got kind 2 diabetes, communicate along with your physician if you need a prescription for this medicine.
When you don’t have kind 2 however dwell with one other type of diabetes and are coping with insulin resistance, speak along with your physician about your remedy choices.
Additionally communicate along with your physician for those who would not have any kind of diabetes however want to safely drop pounds. There are FDA-approved weight reduction medicines which may be a very good match and gained’t have the identical unintended effects as Mounjaro/Zepbound.
For instance, Wegovy (semaglutide) is FDA-approved for weight reduction in adults who’re overweight or obese and have not less than one weight-related situation (reminiscent of kind 2 diabetes, hypertension, or excessive ldl cholesterol).
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