Changing GLP-1s Safely: 3 Questions to Ask
Based on FDA, FDA Approves First Medication for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (December 20, 2024)
Which GLP-1s are the same medicine under different names, what changes when you switch between semaglutide and tirzepatide, and why you should not convert doses yourself.
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In this guide
Why People Switch
- Insurance coverage changes
- Side effects
- A plateau in results
Before You Switch
- Let your prescriber write the switch
- Online dose charts can mix up pens
- Ask how to use the new pen or vial
Questions for Your Prescriber
- Which brand does my plan cover?
- What dose will I start on?
- How will we step up from there?
What the guideline says
- Ozempic and Wegovy are both semaglutide, a weekly injection made by Novo Nordisk; their dose steps are not identical, and Wegovy goes higher.
- Mounjaro and Zepbound are both tirzepatide, a weekly injection made by Eli Lilly, and they use the same dose steps.
- Which brand your insurance covers usually depends on your diagnosis, not on the medicine itself.
- There is no official dose conversion between semaglutide and tirzepatide, so your prescriber chooses a starting dose and usually works up from there.
- If you have been off a GLP-1 for more than a couple of weeks, restarting at your old dose can bring back strong nausea and vomiting.
Source: FDA, FDA Approves First Medication for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (December 20, 2024)
This guide is general health information and does not replace advice from your own provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have been off a GLP-1 for more than a couple of weeks, restarting at your old dose can bring back strong nausea and vomiting. Many people need to restart lower and step back up.
It is safer not to. Dose charts online often mix up products and pens, and an error can mean days of severe side effects. Let your prescriber write the switch.
Your prescriber can walk you through the new pen or vial when they write the switch.