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[GLP-1 · Mounjaro · FDA label guide]

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) dose schedule, titration chart and side effects

Eli Lilly and Company · Once weekly injection · Label reviewed as of

Short answer: Per the FDA label (2.1), Mounjaro starts at 2.5 mg once weekly. If more glycemic control is needed, the dose goes up in 2.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks on the current dose, through 5, 7.5, 10 and 12.5 mg, to a maximum of 15 mg once weekly in adults (10 mg in pediatric patients).

Per label section 1, Mounjaro is a GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients 10 years of age and older with type 2 diabetes, and to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk for these events. This page summarizes the current FDA prescribing information (revised 8/2026). It is not personalized medical advice; your prescriber sets your dose.

What is the Mounjaro dose schedule?

The label's dosing schedule (label section 2.1):

Dosing schedule as written in the FDA label (label section 2.1).
PeriodDoseLabel note
Weeks 1–42.5 mg once weeklyLabel starting dosage
Weeks 5–85 mg once weeklyEarliest step-up: +2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks, if additional glycemic control is needed
Weeks 9–127.5 mg once weeklyOnly if additional glycemic control is needed
Weeks 13–1610 mg once weeklyMaximum dosage for pediatric patients 10 years and older
Weeks 17–2012.5 mg once weeklyAdults only (pediatric maximum is 10 mg)
Week 21 onward15 mg once weeklyAdult maximum dosage

Maintenance: The label does not name a single maintenance dose: escalation in 2.5 mg increments happens only "if additional glycemic control is needed." The maximum dosage is 15 mg once weekly in adults and 10 mg once weekly in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older (2.1).

  • Week numbers show the earliest possible schedule; the label says each increase comes after at least 4 weeks on the current dose, so steps can be later (2.1).
  • The label says to follow the starting dosage and escalation schedule to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions (2.1).
  • The label advises patients using oral hormonal contraceptives to switch to a non-oral method or add a barrier method for 4 weeks after initiation and for 4 weeks after each dose escalation (7.2, 8.3).

What does the Mounjaro titration calendar look like?

Below is the label schedule laid out week by week, using the earliest timing the label allows. The label lets prescribers stay at a step longer, so a real calendar is often slower. The blank columns are for your own record.

Mounjaro titration calendar from the label schedule (label section 2.1). Not a personalized plan.
WeekLabel doseDateSite / timeWeightNotes
Week 12.5 mg once weekly
Week 22.5 mg once weekly
Week 32.5 mg once weekly
Week 42.5 mg once weekly
Week 55 mg once weekly
Week 65 mg once weekly
Week 75 mg once weekly
Week 85 mg once weekly
Week 97.5 mg once weekly
Week 107.5 mg once weekly
Week 117.5 mg once weekly
Week 127.5 mg once weekly
Week 1310 mg once weekly
Week 1410 mg once weekly
Week 1510 mg once weekly
Week 1610 mg once weekly
Week 1712.5 mg once weekly
Week 1812.5 mg once weekly
Week 1912.5 mg once weekly
Week 2012.5 mg once weekly
Week 2115 mg once weekly
Week 2215 mg once weekly
Week 2315 mg once weekly
Week 2415 mg once weekly
Week 2515 mg once weekly

Printing this page prints the schedule and calendar without the site navigation.

What strengths does Mounjaro come in, and how many doses are in each pen?

Mounjaro pen presentations (label section 3; 16.1).
ProductWhat it deliversDoses per pen / vialContents
Single-dose pen (carton of 4 pens)2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15 mg per injection1 dose per pen (4 pens = 4 weekly doses)2.5 mg/0.5 mL, 5 mg/0.5 mL, 7.5 mg/0.5 mL, 10 mg/0.5 mL, 12.5 mg/0.5 mL or 15 mg/0.5 mL
Single-dose vial (carton of 1 vial)2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15 mg per injection1 dose per vial2.5 mg/0.5 mL, 5 mg/0.5 mL, 7.5 mg/0.5 mL, 10 mg/0.5 mL, 12.5 mg/0.5 mL or 15 mg/0.5 mL
Single-patient-use KwikPen 2.5 mg2.5 mg per dose4 doses10 mg/2.4 mL (4.17 mg/mL)
Single-patient-use KwikPen 5 mg5 mg per dose4 doses20 mg/2.4 mL (8.33 mg/mL)
Single-patient-use KwikPen 7.5 mg7.5 mg per dose4 doses30 mg/2.4 mL (12.5 mg/mL)
Single-patient-use KwikPen 10 mg10 mg per dose4 doses40 mg/2.4 mL (16.7 mg/mL)
Single-patient-use KwikPen 12.5 mg12.5 mg per dose4 doses50 mg/2.4 mL (20.8 mg/mL)
Single-patient-use KwikPen 15 mg15 mg per dose4 doses60 mg/2.4 mL (25 mg/mL)
Multi-dose vial 2.5 mg2.5 mg/0.6 mL per dose4 doses10 mg/2.4 mL (4.17 mg/mL)
Multi-dose vial 5 mg5 mg/0.6 mL per dose4 doses20 mg/2.4 mL (8.33 mg/mL)
Multi-dose vial 7.5 mg7.5 mg/0.6 mL per dose4 doses30 mg/2.4 mL (12.5 mg/mL)
Multi-dose vial 10 mg10 mg/0.6 mL per dose4 doses40 mg/2.4 mL (16.7 mg/mL)
Multi-dose vial 12.5 mg12.5 mg/0.6 mL per dose4 doses50 mg/2.4 mL (20.8 mg/mL)
Multi-dose vial 15 mg15 mg/0.6 mL per dose4 doses60 mg/2.4 mL (25 mg/mL)
  • Each strength is a separate product: the label lists a pen, single-dose vial, multi-dose vial and KwikPen for each of the six doses (3, 16.1).
  • Per the label, the multi-dose vial and single-patient-use KwikPen each contain 4 weekly doses; they are discarded after 4 weekly doses, 30 days after first use, or a total of 30 days at room temperature, even if medicine is left (16.2).
  • Single-dose pens and vials may be kept unrefrigerated up to 30°C (86°F) for a total of 21 days, per the label (16.2).
  • For vials, the label refers to a syringe appropriate for the dose (e.g., a 1 mL syringe capable of measuring a 0.5 mL or 0.6 mL dose), with a new syringe and needle for each injection (2.2).
  • The label says the KwikPen is not recommended for self-administration by pediatric patients or by people who are visually impaired, and a KwikPen is never shared between patients (2.2, 5.10).

What are the most common Mounjaro side effects?

The label reports these rates from placebo-controlled trials (label section 6.1, Table 1). Percentages are the share of trial participants who reported each reaction.

Adverse reactions reported in ≥5% of Mounjaro-treated adults with type 2 diabetes and more often than placebo, pool of two placebo-controlled trials (SURPASS-1 and SURPASS-5), excluding hypoglycemia (label Table 1).
Adverse reactionPlacebo (N=235)Mounjaro 5 mg (N=237)Mounjaro 10 mg (N=240)Mounjaro 15 mg (N=241)
Nausea4%12%15%18%
Diarrhea9%12%13%17%
Decreased appetite1%5%10%11%
Vomiting2%5%5%9%
Constipation1%6%6%7%
Dyspepsia3%8%8%5%
Abdominal pain4%6%5%5%

When do they happen? Per the label, in the placebo-controlled pool the majority of reports of nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea occurred during dose escalation and decreased over time. Gastrointestinal adverse reactions overall occurred in 20.4% on placebo versus 37.1%, 39.6% and 43.6% on Mounjaro 5, 10 and 15 mg (6.1).

The label also carries warnings that are not in this table (for example, a boxed warning or pancreatitis and gallbladder warnings where applicable). Read the full label linked under Sources, and report side effects to your prescriber.

What if you miss a dose of Mounjaro?

Per the label, a missed dose is given as soon as possible within 4 days (96 hours); if more than 4 days have passed, the missed dose is skipped and the next dose is given on the regular day. The weekly day can be changed if the two doses are at least 3 days (72 hours) apart. (label section 2.1) The full walk-through is on the Mounjaro missed-dose page.

How is Mounjaro taken?

The label describes once-weekly subcutaneous injection at any time of day, with or without meals, in the abdomen or thigh, or the back of the upper arm when another person injects. Injection sites are rotated with each dose. When used with insulin, the injections are separate and never mixed; same body region is acceptable but not adjacent. (label section 2.2)

What should you track on Mounjaro?

A simple log makes each titration step easier to talk through with your prescriber. These are the things worth writing down, and how Dose Track handles them:

  • Dose and date. Each injection with its amount, so the titration steps above line up with what you actually took. Dose Track keeps the full history of every dose change.
  • Injection site. The label lists the abdomen, thigh and upper arm. Dose Track records the site with each shot so rotation is easy to follow.
  • Weight. Logged by hand or synced from Apple Health or Android Health Connect, and charted alongside your dose changes.
  • Side effects. A note of what you felt and when, so you can see whether it settles after a dose step and bring the record to your prescriber.
  • Reminders. A notification on your injection day.

Your log stays on your phone. See GLP-1 tracking in Dose Track for the full feature list.

Zepbound dose scheduleOnce weekly injection, FDA label Missed a dose of Mounjaro?What the label says, by how late you are Storage and pens left out of the fridgeFridge, room-temperature limits, travel Semaglutide vs tirzepatideSide-by-side comparison and switching Ozempic vs MounjaroTrial results and pharmacology compared Compounded vial units chartmg to syringe units for compounded tirzepatide How long tirzepatide stays in your systemHalf-life and washout from the label Tirzepatide compound guideHalf-life, pen strength and tracking Half-life calculatorEstimate levels after your last dose Injection site rotationWhy it matters and how to map it GLP-1 tracking in Dose TrackDoses, titration, weight and sites

Mounjaro questions people ask

What's the highest dose of Mounjaro?+
The label lists 15 mg injected once weekly as the maximum dosage for adults and 10 mg once weekly for pediatric patients 10 years of age and older (2.1). Each strength (2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 mg) comes as its own pen, vial or KwikPen, so 15 mg is also the largest single presentation (3).
How long does it take for Mounjaro to work?+
The label reports the main trial results at fixed time points: HbA1c reductions were measured at week 40 in SURPASS-1, -2 and -5 and at week 52 in SURPASS-3 and -4 (14.2–14.4). Steady-state blood levels of tirzepatide were reached after 4 weeks of once-weekly dosing (12.3). The label does not state when individual effects are first noticed.
Can you skip the 2.5 mg starter dose of Mounjaro?+
The label lists 2.5 mg once weekly as the recommended starting dosage and says to follow the starting dosage and escalation schedule to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions (2.1). It does not describe starting at a higher dose. This is general label information, not personalized advice; dosing changes are for the prescriber.
How many doses are in a Mounjaro KwikPen?+
Per the label, each single-patient-use KwikPen contains 4 doses of one strength, for example 10 mg/2.4 mL for four 2.5 mg doses up to 60 mg/2.4 mL for four 15 mg doses (3, 16.1). It is discarded after 4 weekly doses, 30 days after first use, or 30 days at room temperature, even if medicine remains (16.2). The single-dose pens hold one dose each.
What time of day should you take Mounjaro?+
The label says Mounjaro is administered once weekly at any time of day (2.2). The weekly day itself can be changed if needed, as long as at least 3 days (72 hours) separate the two doses (2.1). The label gives the elimination half-life of tirzepatide as approximately 5 days, which it says enables once-weekly dosing (12.3).
Do you take Mounjaro with food?+
The label says Mounjaro can be given with or without meals (2.2). It is an injection under the skin, so there are no food or water timing rules like those for oral tablets. The label also notes that Mounjaro delays gastric emptying (5.9, 12.2).
What are the most common side effects of Mounjaro?+
The label lists nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, dyspepsia and abdominal pain as the most common adverse reactions (≥5%). In the placebo-controlled pool, nausea was reported by 12%, 15% and 18% on 5, 10 and 15 mg versus 4% on placebo, and most nausea, vomiting and diarrhea occurred during dose escalation and decreased over time (6.1).
What happens if you miss a Mounjaro dose?+
Per the label, a missed dose is given as soon as possible within 4 days (96 hours). If more than 4 days have passed, the missed dose is skipped and the next dose is given on the regularly scheduled day, after which the regular once-weekly schedule resumes (2.1).

Sources

Reviewed as of . Section numbers above refer to the FDA prescribing information.

  1. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection — FDA label, DailyMed (revised 8/2026)

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