Why does my weight loss medication dose increase gradually?

If you’ve been prescribed Wegovy or Mounjaro for weight loss, you’ll start your treatment on the lowest dose before your clinician gradually increases the strength.

Before exploring the reasons why, let’s look at the strength of each Wegovy and Mounjaro dose per month.

Wegovy: expected dose each month

Mounjaro: expected dose each month

You may have noticed that the Mounjaro doses are higher than those of Wegovy. That doesn’t mean Mounjaro is stronger - it’s just a different medication that contains a different active ingredient (Mounjaro contains tirzepatide whilst Wegovy contains semaglutide). The two work in different ways and shouldn’t be compared like-for-like.

Here are 3 reasons why your dose will be increased gradually:

1. To alleviate any side effects

The most common side effects of Wegovy and Mounjaro (affecting more than 1 in 10 people) include headaches, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, and stomach pain. They’re more likely to occur when you start taking the medication and when you increase the strength of your dose. 

By gradually increasing the dose, you allow your body to adjust and minimise these side effects - though they can still occur at any dose. Remember to always read the Patient Information Leaflet included with your treatment for a full list of side effects, contraindications, and precautions.

2. To support healthy weight loss

Weight loss isn’t a sprint, and quicker doesn’t mean better. 

By gradually increasing your dose, we’re trying to ensure you don’t lose too much weight at once. That’s not healthy, and it’s not sustainable. Long-term weight loss only occurs if you’ve made positive changes to your lifestyle alongside your medication such as a balanced diet, regular exercise, better quality sleep, and well-managed stress levels. 

Gradually increasing your dose can help you achieve that whilst also helping us to better assess your progress. It means your clinician can judge how well you’re responding to the medication and suggest alternative options if you’re not seeing the desired results.

3. Not everybody needs the strongest dose

Sometimes, depending on how your body is responding to Wegovy, your dose will stay at 1mg. This normally happens after 3-4 months of treatment, and your clinician will assess it on a case-by-case basis. Other people may need a stronger dose to get the full effects of Wegovy. That’s normal, and you shouldn’t be concerned either way. Each person responds differently to any medication, and weight loss medication is no different.

Remember: the overall aim of the Numan Weight Loss Programme is to promote healthy and sustainable weight loss. If you’re seeing good results on a lower dose, your clinician will advise staying on this dose.

It’s worth noting that for the moment this advice only applies to Wegovy. In general our patients will move to the strongest doses of Mounjaro to see the full effects, so we’ll normally only pause your medication if you’re suffering from side effects or if it’s not having the desired effect. But if everything is working as it should then your Mounjaro dose will gradually increase to the strongest dose.

The numan take

Weight loss isn’t a sprint, and quicker doesn’t mean better. Your clinician will gradually increase your dose to minimise side effects, better assess your progress, and support healthy weight loss. That way, you have a much better chance of achieving results that last.