Zepbound

What is Zepbound?

Zepbound is a weight loss medication that’s similar to Mounjaro. It contains tirzepatide, a drug that makes you feel full and stops you overeating. You don’t have to use treatments to help you lose weight. But if you’ve tried to lose weight in the past by dieting or exercising and it hasn’t worked for you, using Zepbound could make your journey easier and faster.

To get Zepbound, you need to have a BMI of over 30, or over 27 for some ethnic backgrounds, or you have an obesity-related health condition, like high blood pressure. Currently, Zepbound isn’t available on the UK market, but it’s expected to come by March 2024.

How does Zepbound work?

Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, is a GLP-1 receptor and a GIP receptor agonist . Tirzepatide binds to and activates both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. GLP-1 and GIP are two hormones that are found naturally in your body. Their main role is to control your blood sugar levels, but can also control your appetite.

GLP-1 is released from your intestine after eating in two phases. In the first phase, it’s released within minutes and in the second phase after an hour. GLP-1 sends signals to your brain to make you feel full and satiated, preventing overeating. Additionally, it delays the emptying of your stomach, creating the feeling of fullness. ^[1]

Although previous studies show GIP is linked to promoting obesity, recent studies have found it can induce weight loss. One way it does this is by making you feel full, which leads to a decrease in overall calorie consumption, helping you lose weight.^[2]

What doses of Zepbound are there?

There are six doses of Zepbound: 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg. Your starting dose will be 2.5mg once a week, which may be gradually increased by 2.5mg every four weeks until you’re on the maximum dose of 15mg. Your clinician will put you on a maintenance (long-term) dose of either 5mg, 10mg or 15mg depending on how well you tolerate the treatment.

How to use Zepbound

Zepbound comes in pre-filled injections with a fixed dose. Each pen will only contain one dose, so can only be used once each time. You’ll use one pen each week, to be taken with or without a meal. It can be taken anytime throughout the day, but try to do it at a similar time each week.

To use the Zepbound pen:

• Wash your hands.
• Choose your injection site – this can be your upper thighs, stomach area or back of your upper arms. Make sure to change the injection site every week.
• While your pen is locked (the mark should be positioned on the lock sign), take the grey cap off by pulling it down.
• Place the clear, flat base at the chosen injection site and unlock the pen by twisting it.
• Press and hold down the purple button for up to 10 seconds to release the drug. You should hear two clicks: the first click is when the injection has started and the second click is when the injection is complete.
• Remove the injection. If you see a grey plunger near the base, this means the dose was emptied.

Sometimes you might hear three clicks instead of two, but don’t remove the injection till you hear two loud clicks. A soft click might be heard right after the first one, but this is just the normal operation of the pen. After the injection, you might bleed a little. This is nothing to worry about, just take a cotton ball and place it over the injection site.

Furthermore, you can change the day you take Zepbound as long as there’s a minimum of three days (72 hours) between the two doses. For example, if you currently take Zepbound every Monday at 9 am, feel free to bring your next dose forward to any day after Thursday at 9 am.

How long does Zepbound take to work?

Zepbound starts to work as soon as you take the injection. However, it might take a couple of weeks before you start to lose weight and notice a change in your physical appearance. You can make the process happen a little faster, by going on a reduced-calorie diet and exercising more.

How should I store Zepbound?

It’s best to store Zepbound in a refrigerator between 2°C to 8°C. You can keep your pen at room temperature (30°C) for up to 21 days, but if you’re storing it at room temperature, don’t put it back in the fridge. If your pen is accidentally frozen, don’t use it once it defrosts.

What should I do if I make a mistake when taking Zepbound?

If you pressed the pen before pulling the grey base cap off, discard the pen. Your pen will no longer contain any drug and the needle might be damaged. To avoid this, make sure the pen is in the locked position.

If you accidentally miss a dose of Zepbound, take the dose as soon as you remember (as long as it’s within four days after the missed dose). If more than four days have passed, skip the missed dose and carry on with your normal dosing schedule.