Tirzepatide Dose Schedule: Mounjaro and Zepbound Weeks
Tirzepatide is sold as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for weight management, and unusually the two brands share one published step pattern. This page sets out both tirzepatide dose schedule tables week by week, explains the 2.5 mg step pattern, and names the Zepbound maintenance doses. It is education only. Your own dose is decided by your prescriber.
The Mounjaro schedule, week by week
Mounjaro is the tirzepatide brand approved for type 2 diabetes. Every dose in this table is one injection, once a week, on the same day each week. The pattern is simple to read: a low starting dose, then increases of 2.5 mg at a time. What the table cannot show is timing beyond the minimum, because the label frames each increase after the first as a decision based on blood sugar response and tolerability, not as an automatic step.
| Week range | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | 2.5 mg once weekly | Starting dose, for initiation only. The label states this dose is not intended for blood sugar control. |
| Week 5 onward | 5 mg once weekly | First increase, and the first dose intended for blood sugar control. |
| After at least 4 weeks at the current dose | 7.5 mg, then 10 mg, then 12.5 mg once weekly | Optional increases of 2.5 mg at a time, only if the prescriber decides more effect is needed. |
| Maximum | 15 mg once weekly | The highest dose in the published schedule. |
The same schedule with notes on each step is on the Mounjaro dosage chart page.
The Zepbound schedule, week by week
Zepbound is the tirzepatide brand approved for weight management, and it uses exactly the same steps as Mounjaro. The difference is in how the label describes the destination. Where the Mounjaro label talks about increases driven by blood sugar response, the Zepbound label names recommended maintenance doses for weight management: 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg once a week. The in between steps, 7.5 mg and 12.5 mg, are steps on the way up rather than named maintenance doses.
| Week range | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | 2.5 mg once weekly | Starting dose. |
| Weeks 5 to 8 | 5 mg once weekly | First increase. Also one of the recommended maintenance doses. |
| Weeks 9 to 12 | 7.5 mg once weekly | Increase only after at least 4 weeks on 5 mg. |
| Weeks 13 to 16 | 10 mg once weekly | Also one of the recommended maintenance doses. |
| Weeks 17 to 20 | 12.5 mg once weekly | Increase only after at least 4 weeks on 10 mg. |
| Week 21 onward | 15 mg once weekly | Maximum dose. Also one of the recommended maintenance doses. |
The Zepbound schedule on its own page is on the Zepbound dosage chart page, and both brands together are on the tirzepatide dosage chart page.
The 2.5 mg step pattern
Every move in the tirzepatide dose schedule is the same size: 2.5 mg. There are no smaller or larger jumps in the published schedules, and no step can be taken before at least 4 weeks have passed at the current dose. Counting the starting dose, the full ladder has six levels, from 2.5 mg to 15 mg, which means the fastest possible route from the first injection to the maximum dose takes about five months. Most real schedules take longer, because a step is only taken when the prescriber decides it is needed and likely to be tolerated.
The starting dose deserves a note of its own. The 2.5 mg dose exists to let the body get used to the medicine. For Mounjaro the label says plainly that it is for initiation only and is not intended for blood sugar control, and the same get used to it logic applies on the Zepbound side. Feeling little effect in the first 4 weeks is therefore expected and is not a sign that treatment is failing.
How increases are decided, and why schedules slow down
Whether and when to increase is the prescriber's decision. They weigh how well the medicine is working against how well it is being tolerated. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are most common while doses are going up, and side effects are the usual reason a prescriber keeps someone on the same dose for longer than the fastest version of the chart, pauses treatment, or returns to a dose that was tolerated. Treatment is also commonly paused before planned surgery, because these medicines slow stomach emptying.
The spacing also reflects how slowly tirzepatide leaves the body. Its half-life is about 5 days, so the level in the system builds up gradually over the first weeks on a new dose. Waiting at least 4 weeks lets that level settle, so the effect of each dose can be judged fairly before the next step is considered.
Keeping track of your place in the schedule
With six possible dose levels and at least a month at each one, it is easy to forget which step you are on and when you arrived there. Many people note the dose and the date of each injection on a calendar or in a phone reminder. Bringing that simple record to appointments helps the prescriber see how long you have spent at each dose and how each increase felt, which is exactly the information the next increase decision is based on.
Missed doses and schedule changes
The missed dose rule is the same for both brands, so it is only summarized here. A missed dose can be taken within 4 days of when it was due, after that it is skipped, and two doses should never be taken within 72 hours of each other. The full rule, worded as the labels give it, is on the tirzepatide dosage chart page and on each brand chart page. If you have missed more than one dose or are restarting after a break, ask your prescriber or pharmacist how your schedule should resume rather than working it out from a chart alone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tirzepatide dose schedule?
Both brands start at 2.5 mg once a week for 4 weeks, then rise to 5 mg. Further increases of 2.5 mg at a time, each after at least 4 weeks at the current dose, can take the dose through 7.5 mg, 10 mg and 12.5 mg to a maximum of 15 mg once a week.
Are the Mounjaro and Zepbound schedules the same?
Yes, the steps are identical: the same 2.5 mg start, the same 2.5 mg increases and the same 15 mg maximum. The labels differ in purpose and wording. Mounjaro is for type 2 diabetes, while the Zepbound label names 5 mg, 10 mg and 15 mg as the recommended maintenance doses for weight management.
What are the Zepbound maintenance doses?
The Zepbound label names 5 mg, 10 mg and 15 mg once a week as the recommended maintenance doses for weight management. The 7.5 mg and 12.5 mg doses are steps used while increasing toward a maintenance dose, not named maintenance doses themselves.
Why is the 2.5 mg starting dose not a treatment dose?
It is an initiation dose, there to let the body get used to the medicine. The Mounjaro label states that 2.5 mg is for initiation only and is not intended for blood sugar control. The first increase, to 5 mg after 4 weeks, is the first step aimed at the full treatment effect.
What happens if I miss a week on the schedule?
The rule is the same for both brands. A missed dose can be taken within 4 days of when it was due. After that, skip it and take the next dose on your regular day, and never take two doses within 72 hours of each other. The full rule is on the tirzepatide dosage chart page.