Switching from Mounjaro to Wegovy

Wegovy Vs Mounjaro

Both are licensed weekly injections for weight management; this includes both weight loss and maintenance.  They do this by mimicking the body's natural hormones by inducing appetite suppression and delaying gastric emptying making you feel fuller for longer and regulating food behaviour.
Wegovy contains semaglutatide, a single GLP 1 agonist, whilst Mounjaro is a double agonist working on both the GLP 1 and GIP hormones of the body.
 
Will Wegovy work for me?

In the established clinical trial directly comparing Mounjaro and Wegovy (SURMOUNT -5 ). The average weight loss over 72 weeks with Wegovy was 14% comparred to Mounjaro 's 21%. 
Both incredibly beneficial to the overall individual health.
 
Can I switch directly from Mounjaro to Wegovy?

Both drugs last weeks to days in the body and a 14 day gap in treatment reduces the overlap and minimises the risk of potential side effects (mainly gastric)..  

 
What dose should I start on?

Under the guidance and recommendation of the manufacturer of Wegovy and Mounjaro, everyone should start at 0.25mg Wegovy regardless of the dose of Mounjaro they were previously on as there are no equivalent doses.  In addition, the GLP component of Wegovy is more potent than that of Mounjaro.

 
When may Wegovy be better than Mounjaro?

Heart protection -  Wegovy is NICE approved to reduce heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths in obese patients with heart disease, independent of diabetes.  The SELECT clinical Trial sees an established risk reduction of 20%.
Knee arthritis - Proven to reduce inflammation, pain and improve function while simultaneously helping with weight loss.
Liver disease (MASH)   - First and only drug NICE -approved to treat metabolic steatohepatitis with fibrosis.
No interaction with oral contraceptive pills - the use manufacturer has confirmed that Wegovy does not reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.
Less injection site reactions with Wegovy compared to Mounjaro
Safety history -  Used longer worldwide, with more long-term safety data than tirzepatide (Mounjaro).
 
Are the side effects comparable?

Both Wegovy and Mounjaro share a very similar side effect profile and can be managed with the support of our clinicians if and when needed.  Please note not everyone develops side effects but these are the common ones , we feel you should be aware of:
GI upset  such as nausea, vomiting, diarrohea and constipation
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) which can present as loss of energy/fatigue.
Increasing dose

Wegovy is licensed to be increased in steps of 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg with patients expected to remain on a dose for at least 4 weeks each time.
As per our ethos around Mounjaro, Pharmulous strongly recommend our patients to remain on the lowest effective dose for as long as possible.  This saves our patients money, time to lose weight and minimise potential side effects of the medication.
 
Wegovy and maintenance

At Pharmulous we are applying the same maintenance principles we do with Mounaro to Wegovy.  This means that if you wish to switch to Wegovy during your maintenance phase you can and there will be no 2 year limit on its prescribing.

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