BREAKING NEWS: U.S. Federal Drug Administration approves Mounjaro Weight Loss injectable as Zepbound for chronic weight management. Zepbound is the new version of the type of tirzepatide injectable medication.

This post is about Zepbound.

Weight Loss Encouragement Emails:

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Zepbound: FDA Approves Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro For Chronic Weight Management

I am not a doctor, nor pretend to play one on the internet. Always talk with your own medical professional about your medical history.

BREAKING NEWS: Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro has now been approved by the United States FDA for a new drug called Zepbound. Eli Lilly’s Zepbound is the latest victory for treatment of obesity. It is the new version of the popular diabetes treatment Mounjaro.

Zepbound Weight Loss

About Zepbound™ (tirzepatide) injection¹
Zepbound™ (tirzepatide) injection is FDA-approved as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²), or overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m²) with at least one weight-related comorbid condition.

Today’s approval addresses the unmet need for weight challenges. Zepbound is the first and only FDA-approved obesity treatment that activates both GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone receptors.

Zepbound Side Effects

Side effects of the new weight-loss drug, Zepbound include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Decreased appetite
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Indigestion
• Stomach Pain
• Gastrointestinal side effects

Mounjaro’s side effects included gastrointestinal problems and Zepbound will have the same gastrointestinal side effects as well.

Zepbound FDA Approval

Approval of Zepbound will be new GLP-1 injectable drug that joins the ranks of Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro.

Approval of Zepbound will be new GLP-1 injectable drug that joins the ranks of Eli Lilly’s brand name Mounjaro. And also Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy & Ozempic.

“FDA Approves Lilly’s Zepbound™ (tirzepatide) for Chronic Weight Management, a Powerful New Option for the Treatment of Obesity or Overweight with Weight-Related Medical Problems,” per Eli Lilly.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Eli Lilly’s Zepbound™ (tirzepatide) injection. Zepbound is now the first and only obesity treatment of its kind that activates both GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone receptors. The new version of the popular diabetes treatment Mounjaro.

Zepbound Dosing

There are 6 Zepbound doses:

• 2.5mg (Starting dose)
• 5mg
• 7.5mg
• 10mg
• 12.5mg
• 15mg (Highest dose)

Zepbound is injected subcutaneously. There are three Zepbound injection sites:

• Stomach by belly button
• Thigh
• Back of Arm

Zepbound Cost

Zepbound will cost  $1,059.87 per month.

Can You Use Zepbound Coupon?

Mounjaro had a coupon. Is there a Zepbound coupon?

Eli Lilly is putting a commercial savings card program in place that will help people who may benefit from Zepbound better access it.

• People who are commercially insured with coverage for Zepbound may be eligible to pay as low as $25 for a 1-month or 3-month prescription.
• People who are commercially insured without coverage for Zepbound may be eligible to pay as low as $550 for a 1-month prescription of Zepbound, approximately 50% lower than the list price.

People may begin using the savings card program in the days following product availability at U.S. pharmacies. To learn more about these programs, or to sign up to receive the latest news, please visit www.Zepbound.lilly.com. 

Zepbound Gastrointential Challenges

“Zepbound use may be associated with gastrointestinal adverse reactions, sometimes severe. The most commonly reported adverse events (observed in ≥ 5% of clinical trial participants) were nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, injection-site reactions, fatigue, hypersensitivity reactions, eructation, hair loss and gastroesophageal reflux disease.¹ 

In studies, most nausea, diarrhea and vomiting occurred when people increased their dose – but the effects generally decreased over time. In studies, gastrointestinal side effects were more common in people taking Zepbound than people taking placebo, and people taking Zepbound were more likely than those on placebo to stop treatment because of these side effects.

The label for Zepbound includes a Boxed Warning regarding thyroid C-cell tumors. Zepbound is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, and in patients with known serious hypersensitivity to tirzepatide or any of the excipients in Zepbound. See Important Safety Information below and full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.” per Eli Lilly’s website.

Eli Lilly’s Zepbound

Per Lilly’s website, “The approval was based on results from the phase 3 SURMOUNT-1 and SURMOUNT-2 trials. In SURMOUNT-1, a study in 2,539 adults with obesity, or excess weight and weight-related medical problems not including diabetes, people taking Zepbound as an adjunct to diet and exercise experienced substantial weight loss compared with placebo at 72 weeks. At the highest dose (15 mg), people taking Zepbound lost on average 48 lb., while at the lowest dose (5 mg), people lost on average 34 lb. (compared to 7 lb. on placebo).”

Says Eli Lilly, “Zepbound is the first and only approved treatment activating two incretin hormone receptors, GIP and GLP-1, to tackle an underlying cause of excess
weight.”

Insurance Coverage Covering Drugs: In upcoming weeks, more information will be provided on insurance company coverage for Zepbound with the FDA Approval. Many insurance companies were waiting for Mounjaro to have the FDA’s approval for weight loss before proving coverage beyond type two diabetics.

Mounjaro Vs Ozempic Vs Wegovy

Mounjaro, Ozempic & Wegovy cause a delay in gastric emptying in a similar way.

Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro are a subcutaneous injection.

All three drugs are FDA-approved medications, but for different reasons.

Ozempic: FDA approval type 2 diabetes (not type 1 diabetes). Been used for of label for weight loss, which then led to Wegovy for obesity managements and overweight management.

Wegovy: Is Ozempic, but specifically for overweight and obesity management.

Mounjaro: Has U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for type 2 diabetes (not type 1 diabetes). Mounjaro can be prescribed for off-label use for chronic weight management and overweight management. With November 8th FDA Approval for Mounjaro for obesity management under new label Zepbound.

Per Mounjaro.com, “Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) is the first and only, once-weekly approved single-molecule GIP receptors and GLP-1 receptor agonist that helps lower A1C for adults with type 2 diabetes.”

Mounjaro has the gip receptor agonist whereas Ozempic and Wegovy do not.

The three medications do have GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Eli Lilly is the manufacturer of Mounjaro. Novo Nordisk is the manufacturer of Ozempic & Wegovy.

Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic are prescription drugs that can be prescribed from your doctor, nurse practitioner or physicians assistant.

What Does Mounjaro Do?

On Mounjaro: Participants taking 15 mg (the highest dose): Saw 15.7% weight loss/ avg -34lbs (Source)

On Mounjaro: Participants taking 10 mg (3rd highest dose): Saw 13.4% / avg -30 lbs (Source)

Join FREE Mounjaro, Wegovy & Ozempic Encouragement Group [HERE]

Mounjaro vs Ozempic vs Wegovy

Both Mounjaro, Ozempic & Wegovy are once weekly injections.

Wegovy.com: Participants saw 15% weight loss or -35lbs in 1961 adults vs placebo in a 68 week study. Placebo: Participants saw 3.3% with an average weight loss of -7lbs

AIC Levels For Ozempic & Mounjaro:

Ozempic A1C levels: Lowered 1.86% on 1mg dose. 1mg is the second highest Ozempic dose. (Source)

Mounjaro A1C levels: Patients reached up to 2.3% A1C reduction with Mounjaro 15 mg. (Source) 15mg is Mounjaro’s highest dose.

From studies, Mounjaro has slightly higher data for greater weight loss than Wegovy…but only slightly.

Mounjaro vs Ozempic cost:

On October 3, 2023, I researched in Virginia what the cost would be for Mounjaro cost vs Ozempic cost. Source: GoodRX (not sponsored)

Pharmacy	Mounjaro Cost	Ozempic Cost
CVS	$1057	$967.35
Target	$1057	$967.35
Walgreens	$1064	$973.46
Giant Pharmacy	$1057	$990.32

Insurance companies vary greatly on insurance coverage for weight loss medications and diabetes medications for cost of Mounjaro, cost of Ozempic and cost of Wegovy.

Ozempic v Mounjaro

What are the differences in Ozempic v Mounjaro doses?

Ozempic Doses: .25mg, 5mg, 1mg and 2mg. Maximum dose for Ozempic Group is 2 mg dose.

Mounjaro 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg. Maximum dose for Mounjaro is 15mg.

Wegovy Doses: .25mg, .5mg, 1mg 1.7mg and 2.4mg. Maximum does for Wegovy GLP-1 medication is 2.4mg.

Mounjaro Side Effects:

Here are the most common Mounjaro side effects from Mounjaro.com. Of course everyone can experience different side effects.

Personally, just because I had one Mounjaro side effect at one dose didn’t mean I was going to have potential side effects for all doses.

The most common side effects for Mounjaro are:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Decreased appetite
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Indigestion
• Stomach Pain
• Gastrointestinal side effects

Always talk with your doctor.

And the inverse for me is true too. Just because I didn’t experience one side effect on one dose didn’t mean I didn’t have that side effect at a higher dose when I titrated up.

Mounjaro vs Ozempic Side Effects

Both Mounjaro and Ozempic side effects are similar.

Ozempic Side Effects:

Here are the most common Ozempic side effects from Ozempic.com. Of course, everyone can experience different side effects.

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Stomach (abdominal) pain
• Vomiting
• Gastrointestinal issues

And the inverse for me is true too. Just because I didn’t experience one side effect on one dose didn’t mean I didn’t have that side effect at a higher dose when I titrated up.

Hair Loss: Is one of the potential risks when taking semaglutide. Read more information on how to prevent hair loss (READ HERE).

If you are on diabetes medications, continue to monitor your blood sugar levels and discuss with healthcare professional about medical conditions.

Always seek medical help from your healthcare provider if you are having severe pain, severe stomach pain, severe abdominal pain and severe symptoms mentioned above. Those can be serious side effects and may need medical attention quickly from your health care professional. A rare side effect is thyroid cancer. You are at are at a higher risk for a genetic type of thyroid cancer if you have a familial history. Talk to your healthcare provider about symptoms of thyroid cancer and other severe side effects.

Type 2 diabetics should continue to monitor blood glucose levels as injectable medication can cause low blood sugar.

Ozempic Nausea

If you can nausea on Ozempic or Mounjaro nausea, some tips to help from Ozempic.com:

• Eat bland diet like crackers or toast
• Get fresh air
• Eat foods that contain water like gelantin or soups
• Avoid greasy foods
• Avoid sugary foods
• Avoid laying down after you eat
• Eat slowly
• Drink clear drinks
• Drink ice cold drinks

Mounjaro Shortage

Mounjaro per FDA: 10mg Mounjaro on intermittent back order (Source)

Eli Lilly is building two North Carolina factories to help with demand spending $4 billion to double demand (Source).

Ozempic Shortage

Ozempic: Injection, 2.68 mg limited availability through 12/23 (Source)

Plan with your healthcare professional about going to higher doses in lieu of the shortage.

Wegovy Shortage

Wegovy 2.5mg, 5mg, 1mg limited availabilty TBD (Source)

Read more about Mounjaro 2.5 mg weight loss when you are just starting HERE.

How long can Mounjaro stay out of the fridge (READ HERE)?

Best Overall: LMNT ELECTROLYTES

“Massively has helped with when I get Mounjaro side effects like diarrhea, leg cramps, headaches, constipation as I titrate up. Has no sugar or junk ingredients…just potassium, magnesium and sodium. If it’s too salty, simply dilute.”

Most Popular: 40 Ounce Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Stainless Steel Tumbler

“My Stanley helps me drank SO MUCH MORE WATER on Mounjaro! I’m also super clumsy and w/ the spill lock, I don’t spill my water bottle. LOVE LOVE LOVE!”

Most Helpful: Loose Skin Cream

“The loose skin cream has dramatically helped me on my Mounjaro weight loss journey. It is NOT a miracle worker, but DOES help me visibly see results with my loose skin.”

Weight Loss Measurement: Smart Tape Measure That Syncs

“When I’ve had Mounjaro weight loss stalls, this is what gets me through it.”

Most Used: Meal Plan

“With Mounjaro weight loss, I needed an easy meal plan that fit with taking injections. Beyond Body has been beyond exciting on my Mounjaro weight loss journey!”

Mounjaro Injection

Sharp Container – You will need somewhere to dispose of your Mounjaro, Wegovy or Ozempic syringe after injecting it. I love this container, but it’s smaller to fight underneath your bathroom sink, but large enough to fit the Mounjaro injection afterwards. SHOP HERE.1) Biohazard Needle & Syringe Disposal

Alcohol Prep Pads

Alcohol Prep Pads For Injection Site – I didn’t realize prior to my Mounjaro injections that I should make sure my injection site was clean with an alcohol pads. I love these because they are so little I can easily store them with my other Mounjaro items. SHOP HERE.

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Need Mounjaro Lunch Ideas? Here are some Mounjaro lunch and dinner ideas that are working well for me.