Do I have to reach the highest dose?

No. The maximum tolerated dose is not the goal in itself. Many people get good results at a middle dose and stay there. The right dose is the lowest one that achieves what you and your prescriber are aiming for with side effects you can live with.

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GLP-1 Dose Schedule Calculator

Q: What are the Mounjaro dose steps?

The approved tirzepatide steps are 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg. The starting 2.5 mg dose is a run-in dose intended to help tolerance rather than a treatment dose, and increases are typically considered no sooner than every 4 weeks. Zepbound uses the same steps.

Q: How often does the dose increase?

The usual minimum interval between steps is 4 weeks. It is common and entirely normal for prescribers to keep someone on a dose for longer, either because side effects need time to settle or because the current dose is working well. Staying put is not falling behind.

Q: What if I miss a dose?

Follow the guidance in your medication's patient information leaflet, which differs between medications and depends on how long ago the dose was due. Never double up to catch up. If you are unsure, ask your pharmacist or prescriber rather than guessing.

Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus · free, no sign-up · not dosing advice

Pick your medication and the date you started, and this lays out the standard titration steps and the dates each increase would typically fall on. It is an illustration of the usual pattern, not a plan to follow: your prescriber decides when, or whether, you move up.

Medication

Date you started

Weeks per step

What the steps actually are

These are the approved titration steps, which is why they do not vary between websites:

Mounjaro and Zepbound (tirzepatide): 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 mg
Wegovy (semaglutide injection): 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.7, 2.4 mg
Ozempic (semaglutide): 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg
Wegovy oral: 3, 7, 14, 25 mg · Rybelsus: 3, 7, 14 mg

The first dose on each injectable is a run-in dose. It is there to let your body get used to the medication, not to treat anything, which is why nobody stays on 2.5 mg of Mounjaro or 0.25 mg of Wegovy long term unless there is a specific reason.

Why your real schedule may look nothing like this

Four weeks per step is the usual minimum interval, not a timetable you are owed. Perfectly ordinary reasons to be somewhere else on the ladder:

Side effects need more time. Staying at a dose for six or eight weeks, or stepping back down, is a routine adjustment rather than a setback.
It is already working. If you are losing steadily and feeling well, there may be no reason to go up at all.
Supply. Shortages have interrupted plenty of people's titration, which is frustrating and not your fault.
Cost. Higher doses often cost more privately, and that is a legitimate thing to discuss openly with your prescriber.

The highest dose is not the finish line. The dose you want is the lowest one that does the job with side effects you can live with. Our nausea guide covers what to do while a new dose settles.

Never adjust this yourself

This tool illustrates a typical pattern. It does not know your medical history, your other medications, how you are tolerating things or what your prescriber intends. So:

Do not increase your dose because a calculator said a date had arrived. Increases are prescribed, not calendared
Do not double up after a missed dose. Check your patient information leaflet, which gives medication-specific guidance, or ask a pharmacist
Do not skip or stop without speaking to your prescriber, even if side effects are grim; there are usually gentler options than stopping
If you are getting severe or persistent abdominal pain, contact your care team without delay rather than waiting for your next appointment

Track it properly, not on a calculator

Sated keeps your real dose history, tells you when your next injection is due, counts down your remaining doses, and lines your side effects up against your dose days so patterns become visible. Free, no ads.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the Mounjaro dose steps?

2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 mg. The 2.5 mg start is a run-in dose for tolerance rather than a treatment dose, and increases are typically considered no sooner than every four weeks. Zepbound uses the same steps.

How often does the dose increase?

Four weeks is the usual minimum. Staying longer is common and normal, whether because side effects need to settle or because the current dose is doing its job.

Do I have to reach the top dose?

No. Plenty of people get excellent results at a middle dose and stay there. The maximum is a ceiling, not a target.

What if I miss a dose?

Follow your patient information leaflet, since the guidance differs by medication and by how late you are. Never double up. If unsure, ask a pharmacist.

Sources

NHS: Tirzepatide (Mounjaro)
NHS: Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic)
Mounjaro patient information leaflet (emc) — the leaflet in your box

Sated is a wellness companion, not a medical device, and this tool is general information, not medical advice or dosing guidance. Titration is decided by your prescriber based on your response and tolerance, not by a calendar. Your medication's patient information leaflet and your prescriber's instructions always take precedence. Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus are trademarks of their respective owners; Sated is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.