Like all GLP-1 weight loss injections, Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a long-term treatment for obesity and weight management – it’s not a “quick fix”.
So if you’re thinking of using Mounjaro for weight loss and weight management, you may be wondering how long you will be taking it for. You might also be weighing up the risks and benefits of using Mounjaro long-term.
To help you make an informed decision about your treatment, this article answers key questions about how long you can use Mounjaro for. And we’ll give you tips for successfully staying on Mounjaro for weight maintenance.
How Long Do You Use Mounjaro For?
Providing the treatment works for you, you should use Mounjaro at least until you reach a healthy weight. This varies from person to person, and your healthcare provider will help determine the safest target weight for you.
How long this takes will depend on several factors. These include your starting weight and any progress you’ve made with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Research has shown you can expect to lose around 8% of your initial body weight in the first 12 weeks of treatment with Mounjaro. You can expect an average weight loss around 12-15% of your bodyweight within the first 24 weeks and 15%-20% after 72 weeks.
However, these are averages. Everybody is different and you will lose weight at your own pace. Your weight loss and management plan is tailored to you and supervised by a clinical team. Incorporating good habits, like eating more whole foods and exercising, will naturally boost your results from the treatment.
Once You Reach a Healthy Weight
Once you achieve a healthy weight, you have two choices:
- Stop taking Mounjaro
- Continue Mounjaro at an appropriate dose for maintenance
If you stop taking Mounjaro, you can discontinue the medication immediately, or you can taper the dose down gradually. This latter approach may give you some more time to consolidate the lifestyle changes that will help you maintain your new healthy weight.
If you continue taking Mounjaro, your healthcare provider will advise you on the appropriate dose for you. This will help you maintain weight at healthy levels without further weight loss.
If you are a patient with Simple, we are here to help you every step of the way. And we will support you with the right ongoing treatment plan. So contact us if you have any questions about your weight loss journey.
Can You Stay on Mounjaro Forever?
There is no limit on how long you can take Mounjaro, meaning you can continue the treatment indefinitely.
However your healthcare provider should only continue prescribing Mounjaro if you are still tolerating it and benefiting from it. For example, you’re losing weight or maintaining weight loss and you’re not experiencing side effects while benefiting from a reduction in food noise. Your prescriber will review your progress and provide recommendations.
You also do not have to stay on Mounjaro forever. Once you have achieved a healthy body weight, you can stop taking Mounjaro.
Building healthy habits while taking Mounjaro can help you retain your healthy weight once you stop taking it. The medication also helps regulate your eating habits. With enough practice, these new habits will help you maintain weight loss.
However, some people notice their appetite goes back to normal when they stop using Mounjaro. This makes it hard for them to keep their new healthy weight. To avoid this, many people will choose to stay on Mounjaro to keep on top of the weight moving forward.
The Benefits of Staying on Mounjaro Long-Term
The main benefit of using Mounjaro long-term is that it helps you keep a healthy weight, as it reduces your appetite and makes you feel full faster.
A healthy body weight comes with several other health benefits. This includes a reduced risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and other weight-related medical conditions.
If you feel that you have made sufficient improvements to your lifestyle when taking Mounjaro, you may be able to stop the medication and maintain a healthy weight on your own.
However, some people find that once they stop Mounjaro, their appetite and food noise returns to the previous levels and they become prone to overeating again. This can lead to people regaining the weight they had lost previously. (That’s why we work alongside our patients to educate them on the importance of a healthy diet, exercise and mindset shifts.)
Taking Mounjaro long-term gives you more time to gauge how you feel at different doses and helps you determine if you’re ready for maintenance dose.
Is It Safe to Use Mounjaro Long-Term?
While there’s no published data on its long-term use, there are currently no major concerns about long-term side effects of Mounjaro and other similar treatments.
Mounjaro is a relatively new drug and first of its kind, only being approved for use in diabetes in 2022. We therefore have little information about the possible long-term effects.
Mounjaro is also the first drug of its kind. Unlike Wegovy or Saxenda – which contains the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) – Mounjaro also contains GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
Since there are no similar drugs to compare with Mounjaro, we need to wait for long-term studies. These studies will help us understand the specific long-term effects of this unique dual receptor agonist.
However, there are studies on the long-term effects of other GLP-1 agonists, which may shed some light on the risks and benefits of taking Mounjaro long-term
One study, published in 2022, explored the effects of GLP-1 agonists on the thyroid, kidney and cardiovascular health over a five-year period. The study found a lower risk of mortality in people taking GLP-1 agonists and that the medications have protective effects on kidney and cardiovascular health.
The study did reveal that there may be a small increased risk of thyroid cancer in people taking GLP-1 agonists. However, this was not statistically significant, which means that cases of thyroid cancer may have had a completely different cause.
For these reasons, GLP-1 agonists are deemed safe and effective drugs for long-term use that can actually improve your health over time. In the next few years, we can expect more research on the long-term use of Mounjaro specifically.
For a more detailed understanding of how Mounjaro works check out our Mounjaro deep dive.
Tips for Staying on Mounjaro Long-Term
Once your body gets used to Mounjaro, taking it long-term is quite straightforward.
However, there are some things you can do to make staying on Mounjaro easier. This includes managing side effects and getting support from your doctor or healthcare provider.
Manage Side Effects
Like all medications, Mounjaro does carry a risk of side effects. Although you are more likely to experience side effects when you start taking medication or when your dose increases.
However, finding a way to manage your side effects may help you to stay on Mounjaro long-term.
The most common side effects of Mounjaro affect the digestive system. This includes burping, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal discomfort. Other common side effects include weakness, tiredness, general unwellness, low blood pressure, hair loss and hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions at the injection site.
Here are some tips to help you cope with Mounjaro side effects if you do experience them:
- Drink Plenty of Water: For side effects affecting your digestive system, make sure you stay hydrated.
- Eat Small Meals: Eating smaller meals more frequently might ease your stomach, compared to larger meals a couple of times a day.
- Increase Fibre Intake: This can help constipation.
- Try Oral Rehydration Salts: If you experience diarrhoea, oral rehydration salts from a pharmacy can help you stay properly hydrated.
- Take Paracetamol: This can help if you experience any pain or discomfort.
- Try Antihistamines: They can be useful for any hypersensitivity reactions.
In rare cases, people may find the side effects of Mounjaro unmanageable. And some people may experience more severe side effects on GLP-1 medication. Before taking Mounjaro, read the patient information leaflet. This will help you understand the side effects. If you do experience severe side effects, stop taking Mounjaro and seek urgent medical advice.
Get Support From Your Healthcare Provider
Contact your healthcare provider if you have questions about how long to take Mounjaro or what dose to use. Each person responds to the treatment differently and loses weight at their own pace. So what works for someone else might not work for you.
The team at Simple Online Pharmacy is here to support you at every step. Call us on 0141 774 5023.
You can also download our Renu app for additional support. You will get access to tailored support from our clinical team, with plenty of resources on food, movement and mindset.
Get tailored weight loss advice with our Renu app
Key Takeaways
- When used appropriately, Mounjaro is a safe and effective weight loss medication. You can expect to see an 8% reduction in body weight after 12 weeks, and around 15-20% reduction after 72 weeks on Mounjaro.
- You can choose to stop Mounjaro or to continue at an appropriate dose once you have achieved a healthy body weight. Your healthcare provider will help you decide the best option for you. If you’re a patient with us, please get in touch if you have any concerns or queries.
- You can take Mounjaro indefinitely. There is no limit on how long you can take Mounjaro, so long as you are still tolerating and benefiting from the medication.
- Long-term use of Mounjaro can help you maintain a healthy body weight. Your healthcare provider will advise you on the appropriate dose for maintenance.
- There are currently no concerns about the long-term safety of the drug. While there is currently no published data on the long-term use of Mounjaro, GLP-1 agonists are deemed safe and effective drugs that can improve your health over time.
Clinically reviewed by: Mariam Al-Hajaj, GPhC reg: 2232929
References
Huang, Y., Liao, W., Huang, J., Lin, Y., Yang, S., Huang, C., Wang, C. and Su, P. (2024). Long‐term safety and efficacy of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists in individuals with obesity and without type 2 diabetes: A global retrospective cohort study. Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism, 26(11), pp.5222–5232. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.15869
Jastreboff, A.M., Aronne, L.J., Ahmad, N.N., Wharton, S., Connery, L., Alves, B., Kiyosue, A., Zhang, S., Liu, B., Bunck, M.C. and Stefanski, A. (2022). Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine, 387(3). doi: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2206038
