Weight loss injections – Tirzepatide (Mounjaro)

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro)

Tirzepatide is taken once a week.

You may be prescribed tirzepatide by a healthcare professional at a specialist weight management service if they feel it is the right treatment for you.

You may also be able to get tirzepatide from your GP, although it’s currently only available if you meet the criteria listed below.

When tirzepatide should be used

Tirzepatide for weight management is suitable for adults living with obesity and another weight-related health problem.

You may be eligible for tirzepatide from a GP if you have a BMI of 40 or more and have at least 4 of these weight-related health conditions:

• type 2 diabetes
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• heart disease (cardiovascular disease)
• abnormal blood fats (dyslipidaemia)
• obstructive sleep apnoea

If you have at least 4 of these conditions but your BMI is less than 40, you may be eligible for tirzepatide due to your ethnicity. This is because people with some ethnic backgrounds have an increased risk of health conditions at lower BMIs.

To see if you’re eligible for an assessment for tirzepatide, check with your local integrated care board (ICB).

Tirzepatide is not recommended if you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you have certain health conditions.

If there’s a chance you could get pregnant, you’ll need to use contraception while you’re taking it and for at least 1 month after you stop taking it.

If you’re using tirzepatide and taking the contraceptive pill, you should use an additional method of contraception, such as a condom, for the first 4 weeks of treatment and for 4 weeks after each dose increase. This is because your body may not absorb the contraceptive pill during this time.

If you’re using tirzepatide and taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), you should consider using patches or gels that are absorbed through the skin.

This is because your body may not absorb HRT while using tirzepatide. For more information about taking tirzepatide and HRT, speak to your doctor.

How long to take tirzepatide for

You’ll have a review after taking tirzepatide for 6 months.

You’ll then usually only carry on taking the medicine if you’ve lost at least 5% of your body weight.

There’s currently no specified time limit for being prescribed tirzepatide. The decision to continue or stop taking it should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.