Mounjaro Weight Loss Injections

What Is The Mounjaro KwikPen And How Does It Work?

The Mounjaro KwikPen is a self-administered injection that you can use quickly and easily at home. The KwikPen is used to deliver pre-measured doses of the weight loss medication, Mounjaro. As the name suggests, it looks like a large pen and can be used to administer a variety of doses ranging from 2.5mg to 15mg.

If you’re prescribed Mounjaro, you’ll need to inject yourself with the medication once per week. Although this can sound scary or difficult, the design of the pen makes self-injecting simple and straightforward for the majority of people.

Mounjaro has been developed as a weight loss medication. It works just like two natural hormones in your body called GLP-1 and GIP. These hormones control your appetite, your blood sugar levels and digestion.

By slowing your rate of digestion and balancing your blood sugars, Mounjaro should help you to feel fuller for longer and make you less likely to eat more than you need. This could help you to consume less food and, therefore, fewer calories - something that’s essential for weight loss.

How Much Weight Could I Lose With The Mounjaro KwikPen?

Mounjaro is a very effective weight loss medication. Experts estimate that people using Mounjaro – in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet and increased levels of exercise - could lose up to 26.6% of their body weight after two years.

Being overweight or obese can put you at a much higher risk of developing a range of conditions like diabetes, heart disease and a number of different types of cancer. Lowering your BMI can make a real difference to your health, both now and in the future.

How To Maximise Weight Loss With The Mounjaro KwikPen

The best way to maximise your weight loss when taking Mounjaro is to eat a healthy, balanced diet and get plenty of exercise.

Focus on eating lots of fruit, veg and lean meats and try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. As well as aiding your initial weight loss, this will help you to establish healthy habits that mean you’re more likely to maintain it long-term.

Who Can Get Mounjaro?

Mounjaro is a prescription-only medication, and you’ll need to talk to a doctor before you can begin taking it. At the moment, Mounjaro is only available for people with:

• a BMI over 30 (obese)
• a BMI over 27 (overweight) who also have weight-related health problems such as prediabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart problems.

NICE recommends that people from Black African, African-Caribbean, Asian, South Asian, Chinese and Middle Eastern backgrounds receive treatment with Mounjaro at a lower BMI. This is due to the increased risk they face from obesity-related health problems.

Alternatives To Mounjaro KwikPen

The main alternatives to Mounjaro are Ozempic and Wegovy. They are all injectable weight loss treatments that are currently only available on prescription.

Mounjaro Vs Wegovy

Mounjaro and Wegovy are both marketed as weight loss medications. But where Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, Wegovy contains semaglutide as its active ingredient.

Both semaglutide and tirzepatide activate the GLP-1 receptor, helping you to feel fuller for longer. However, tirzepatide also activates the GIP receptor, potentially making Mounjaro even more effective when it comes to weight loss.

Studies have shown that, on average, Mounjaro users saw a weight reduction of 18.4%, over the course of 84 weeks. While Wegovy users saw an average weight loss of just 14.9% over 68 weeks.

Mounjaro Vs Ozempic

Ozempic is probably the best-known weight loss medication currently on the market. Like Wegovy, semaglutide is the active ingredient. At the moment, Ozempic is only approved to treat type II diabetes in the UK, while Mounjaro is approved for weight loss.

As Ozempic is only prescribed for people suffering from diabetes, the dosages and schedules advised by doctors are less suited to weight loss. This makes Mounjaro a better choice for people who want to lower their BMI and enjoy the benefits of a healthy weight.

How to Use Mounjaro KwikPens

Mounjaro comes in a prefilled injection pen (KwikPen), which is designed to deliver the medication subcutaneously (under the skin). To take your dose, follow the steps below:

The pen comes with a complete guide on how to use which we recommend to familiarise yourself with first

• Remove the pen from the packaging and check the expiration date before use.
• Before injecting, ensure that you have a clean and dry area of skin on your stomach, thigh, or upper arm.
• Remove the cap from the pen and wipe the injection site with an alcohol swab.
• Select a new pen needle. Always use a new pen needle for each injection to help prevent infections and blocked needles.
• Push the capped pen needle straight onto the pen and twist the pen needle on until it is tight.
• Pull off the outer needle shield and keep it. This will be reused.
• Hold the pen firmly against the skin at a 90-degree angle and press the button on top of the pen to release the needle.
• Once the needle is inserted, hold the pen in place for at least 5 seconds, then release the button to retract the needle.
• Dispose of the used pen and needle in a sharps container or follow your healthcare professional's instructions for safe disposal.

Mounjaro is taken on a weekly basis. It's important to take Mounjaro at the same time each week and to avoid injecting it into the same area of skin every time to prevent skin irritation.

Mounjaro Dosages

There are several different strengths of Mounjaro. This is because the typical treatment course involves starting on a low strength and gradually building up over a few months (this is known as dose titration), depending on how you get on with the injections and how satisfied you are with your weight loss.

Mounjaro 2.5mg is always the starting dose for all patients.

A typical patient journey is detailed below:

It's important to note that everyone is different and there is no rush to increase your strength, you should do it as you feel ready. If you want to stay at the same dose for an extra month or two, or even permanently, that's OK! You can even decrease the dose if you feel like you aren't getting on with a higher dose after your first month.

You should only move up to a higher dose if you are tolerating your current dose well (i.e. you aren't getting any side effects) and you would like to increase the rate of your weight loss.

If you're tolerating your dose well and are happy with your weight loss, it's perfectly fine to stick at your current dose for as long as required. Usually the dose that you stick with is one of the 'maintenance doses' of 5mg, 10mg, or 15mg strength.

If you are experiencing side effects, you should either stick with you current dose or consider reducing your dose. Speak to our clinical team for further advice.

Mounjaro Ingredients

Each Mounjaro injection contains: Tirzepatide (2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg)

The inactive ingredients contained in each injection are: Sodium phosphate dibasic heptahydrate, Sodium chloride, Concentrated hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide (for pH adjustment), Glycerol, Phenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Water for injections.

Mounjaro Side Effects

As with any kind of medication, Mounjaro can cause side effects in some patients.

Common side effects of Mounjaro include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Lower stomach pain
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Upset stomach
• Dizziness
• Feeling bloated
• Belching and gas
• Heartburn

Whilst using Mounjaro (and all GLP-1 weight loss medications) there a very small risk of pancreatitis. It is very important that you seek immediate medical attention if you experience: severe pain in the upper part of your abdomen that may radiate to your back, nausea and vomiting, fever and fast heartbeat.

If you notice any of the common side effects listed above, speak to your GP and seek further advice. For a full list of possible side effects and warnings, please refer to the Mounjaro patient information leaflet.

Also, read our article on how to manage the common side effects of Mounjaro.

Mounjaro Warnings

To gain the maximum benefit from Mounjaro you should follow the nutrition program recommended to you by your doctor. As with any weight-control program, overconsumption of fat and calories may reduce any weight-loss effect.

• Mounjaro may affect the way some other medicines work. For example, Mounjaro slows stomach emptying, so it can alter the effect of medications that need to pass through the stomach quickly. Your prescriber can provide advice regarding this.
• Mounjaro is not a quick fix for treating obesity. Mounjaro is meant to be taken long-term. Once you stop the medication, you may gain back much of the weight you lost while taking it.
• The use of Mounjaro may be associated with pancreatitis. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience: severe pain in the upper part of your abdomen that may radiate to your back, nausea and vomiting, fever and fast heartbeat.
• Very rarely, a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis can occur. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience: raised red, itchy rash (hives), severe dizziness, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, and tongue and collapse.

Mounjaro and the oral contraceptive

If you are a woman with obesity or are overweight and are using oral contraceptives, you should consider also using a barrier method of contraception (e.g., a condom) or switching to a non-oral contraceptive method for 4 weeks after starting Mounjaro and for 4 weeks after each increase in dose.

Sources

• Prescribing information
• Patient site

Mounjaro Alternatives

The healthiest, safest and most effective way to lose weight is to adopt healthier lifestyle choices, such as following a calorie-controlled diet and increasing the amount of exercise you do. However, people with a weight-related medical condition may need to consider weight loss treatments such as Mounjaro or an alternative.

There are several other weight loss medications available on the market, and some of the popular Mounjaro alternatives include:

• Mysimba — a combination weight loss treatment containing naltrexone and bupropion that is used to treat obesity. Naltrexone works to reduce the pleasure that you get from food, while bupropion works to reduce appetite.
• Saxenda — another weight loss injection treatment that works by mimicking the hormone GLP-1 to reduce appetite and increase feelings of fullness. It is approved for use in adults with obesity or who are overweight with at least one weight-related condition.
• Orlistat — taken in pill form, this type of weight loss medicine works by blocking the absorption of dietary fat in the gut. You can buy Orlistat here. You should steer clear of unlicensed diet pills and ensure you buy them from a registered pharmacy.
• Xenical — the prescription version of Orlistat and is used in combination with a low-calorie diet to aid weight loss. Xenical is designed to be taken by individuals who are clinically obese, or those who are overweight and have at least one weight-related condition. You can order Xenical here.

If you’re looking for non-medical tips for losing weight safely, check out our guide to 7 Easy Ways You Can Help Yourself Lose Weight At Home.

Mounjaro FAQs

Can I buy Mounjaro in the UK?

Yes, Mounjaro injections are licensed for sale in the UK. The weight loss medication can be purchased online from The Independent Pharmacy — you’ll just need to complete a short health consultation so we can ensure Mounjaro is suitable for you.

Is Mounjaro addictive?

No. The active ingredient in Mounjaro is tirzepatide — this ingredient helps to regulate appetite and blood sugar levels and is not known to cause addiction or dependence.

Can I drink alcohol while using Mounjaro?

There are no known interactions between Mounjaro and alcohol. However, alcohol consumption can affect blood sugar levels and is a significant source of calories.

We recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider before consuming alcohol while using Mounjaro to reduce your body weight.

Do I need a prescription for Mounjaro?

Yes — if you’re considering using Mounjaro to lose weight, you’ll need to complete a free consultation with one of our healthcare experts. They’ll determine whether Mounjarois suitable for you.

Is Mounjaro available in generic form?

No, there is currently no generic version of Mounjaro available.