Tirzepatide, is also known as Mounjaro™ and now Zepbound™. Take a crash course on these medications. Learn about the most frequently asked questions on this powerful weight-loss drug.
Tirzepatide is made by the brand Eli Lilly. It is made of a dual agonist to the receptor GLP-1/GIP. The GLP-1 receptor (glucagon-like peptide) is a receptor responsible for controlling appetite.
What is Tirzepatide used for?
Tirzepatide is primarily used for type II diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity. Tirzepatide is a great medication for decreasing insulin resistance, reflected by your A1c lab or your fasting glucose level. Tirzepatide is also called the brand name Mounjaro and more recently Zepbound. Mounjaro and Zepbound are the same drug with different labels.
Tirzepatide was initially released in the US market in the summer of 2022. While the initial studies were done for its use in type II diabetes, recent research has shown that it is also beneficial for weight loss. Particularly in patients who have struggled with previous weight loss medications..
Insurance and pricing of Tirzepatide
What does Tirzepatide cost? Tirzepatide can be very expensive if you do not have any health insurance. With insurance coverage and the current manufacturer's coupon, many are able to get Tirzepatide for as low as $25 per month. You can find a coupon on the Mounjaro.com website. With health insurance that does not cover Tirzepatide, you may use the same manufacturers coupon which lowers the cost to consumer by about half, but it is still about $550 a month. Due to shortages of this medication, highly specialized compounding pharmacies can make a form of Tirzepatide via a prescription available via telemedicine channels such as Mochi Health, that can be obtained for about $325 a month. Both brand and compounded forms of this medication produce similar if not exact results when taken as directed.
Unfortunately, if you do not have any form of health insurance, Tirzepatide is likely not a good option for you. Branded Tirzepatide without health insurance or for patients who have Medicare or Medicaid plans will cost upwards of $1000 per month.
Will Tirzepatide be covered by insurance?
It's hard to know if the GLP-1/GIP medication Tirzepatide will be covered by your health insurance. Most patients who have type II diabetes, or prediabetes, will get coverage from their health insurance plans but there are often qualifiers or a requirement for step treatments. You've got to call your provider and find out if Mounjaro or Ozempic are included in the covered list of drugs for your plan.
What are the uses of Tirzepatide?
Tirzepatide otherwise called Mounjaro is a prescription medication that can be used for type II diabetes, prediabetes, obesity. It is helpful to reduce insulin resistance, suppress appetite, and delay the rate that your stomach empties. All of these mechanisms work together to decrease appetite improve satiety and lead to weight loss in patients.
Can Tirzepatide be used for weight loss?
Tirzepatide is a great medication for weight loss. Tirzepatide shown in studies to help patients lose over 20% of their weight in 48 weeks. This weight loss has been maintained long-term for many of these patients. Tirzepatide can be prescribed for weight loss.
How can Tirzepatide be prescribed?
Tirzepatide is prescribed by your primary doctor but most easily obtained at our recommended telemedicine prover, Mochi Health. As it is a medication that has been approved by the FDA, our prescribers use this medication for both type II diabetes, prediabetes, and weight loss.
Is Tirzepatide safe?
Tirzepatide is a very safe medication that has been approved by the FDA. There was a series of published clinical trials done called the Surpassed Series that all worked to prove its benefits and show its side effects. There was also the Surmount Trial Series which was done to prove the benefits of this medication. Tirzepatide is a GLP-1/GIP medication dual agonist.
How long will it take to see weight loss on Tirzepatide?
Many patients lose up to 5 to 6% of their weight in just a first few weeks on Tirzepatide. Some patients will realize up to 20% of their weight loss over the first 12 weeks on medication. Many patients will need to adjust their dose over time, thus many providers asked to see patients back every four weeks while the doses are being adjusted. The starting dose for this medication is 2.5 mg, and in many patients feel they need to increase to 5 mg or 10 mg as needed for both insulin resistance and weight loss.
Does Tirzepatide cause pancreatitis?
Although extremely rare, one of the side effects of Tirzepatide can be pancreatitis. This can be caused by many mechanisms. Tirzepatide is a medication that works at the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. Because of this, as many patients lose weight, some patients will develop gallstones, which can obstruct the cystic duct and lead to pancreatitis.
However, it is important to note that this is not a common side effect. It is important to screen patients on their prior history, however for patients who do not have a history of pancreatitis, this is not a serious concern.
If you start taking Tirzepatide, and you notice abdominal pain that is sharp in your upper abdomen and worse with eating, call your doctor.
Can you drink alcohol while on Tirzepatide?
Drinking small quantities of alcohol in moderation is safe but it is not recommended to drink heavy amounts of alcohol while on Tirzepatide. This is because heavy alcohol consumption increases the risk of pancreatitis, as previously mentioned pancreatitis is at increased risk while on this medication. This medication can also delay the rate that your stomach empties, thus altering your metabolism of alcohol.
Are Tirzepatide and Ozempic the same thing?
No. While these medications are similar, they have some key differences. Tirzepatide is a medication that is a dual agonist of the GLP-1 – GIP receptors. This medication acts on both pathways to suppress appetite and improve insulin resistance. It is an injectable medication.
Ozempic is a medication that primarily acts at the GLP-1 receptor alone. This medication is also good for weight loss, and can be useful for type II diabetics and for insulin resistance.
Consider Tirzepatide to be a newer class of medication that is a slightly improved version of older GLP-1 medications.
What does Tirzepatide do?
Tirzepatide works to suppress your appetite, improve satiety, delay the rate that your stomach empties, improve insulin resistance, and also has secondary benefits for your heart and your cholesterol. It has many benefits! Working along many pathways can perform many actions at once.
Dr. Eva Shelton, M.D.
Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital
