Zepbound online prescription

If you prefer to get compounded tirzepatide, a reliable compounding pharmacy can create your medication using pharmaceutical-grade active ingredients — tirzepatide in this case, the active ingredient in Zepbound. Always use a pharmacy that requires a prescription and discuss using a compounded version of a medication with your provider. Learn more about compounded tirzepatide.

Zepbound and Mounjaro are the same medication. Both use tirzepatide as the active ingredient and are made by Eli Lilly. The difference is that Mounjaro was FDA-approved to treat people with type 2 diabetes in May 2022. Zepbound was approved for chronic weight management in certain individuals in November 2023.

Whether your insurance covers Zepbound depends on your provider and specific plan. Your insurance company may also require prior authorization before it covers Zepbound. Learn more information about insurance coverage for Zepbound.

Zepbound comes in a prefilled single-dose self-injectable pen. You use the pen to inject yourself under the skin, usually in your belly, upper thigh, or in the back of your arm. You can also have someone else inject you. Find injection tips for Zepbound (tirzepatide).

Most people notice an immediate effect on appetite when starting Zepbound and some weight loss in the first 2 weeks. Average weight loss in trials was roughly 2% of body weight every 4 weeks. 

A reduced-calorie diet is an important part of weight loss and management with Zepbound. When taking Zepbound, eat a healthy diet with lean protein (93%+ lean red meat, fish, and poultry) and avoid high-fat and high-carbohydrate foods. If you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, try bland foods like toast, white rice, bananas, or applesauce until your symptoms improve.

For many people taking Zepbound, common side effects are mild to moderate and resolve in a few days to a few weeks.  Serious side effects may last longer and may require medical care or that you stop taking Zepbound. 

Ozempic uses the active ingredient semaglutide and is FDA-approved to lower blood sugar and reduce heart-related problems in people with type 2 diabetes. It has been used off-label for weight loss. Zepbound uses the active ingredient tirzepatide and is FDA-approved for chronic weight management.  

While Mounjaro is also tirzepatide, it’s approved to treat type 2 diabetes. The weight loss counterpart for Ozempic is Wegovy. 

Learn more about tirzepatide vs semaglutide for weight loss.

Trials for Zepbound itself and trials comparing it to semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic) show that it results in more weight loss and fewer side effects. Tirzepatide’s (Zepbound) dual action on 2 hormone receptors (GLP-1 and GIP) makes it more effective than semaglutide, which only acts on one receptor.

In one study, patients without type 2 diabetes taking the highest dose (15 milligrams) of tirzepatide lost an average of 20.9% body weight over 72 weeks. In a trial for semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy), participants lost 14.9% of their initial body weight on average. 

If a licensed medical professional confirms that switching from Mounjaro to Zepbound is safe and appropriate for you, yes, you can switch. The medications are essentially identical and come in the same doses.

People who take Zepbound generally have positive things to say about the experience and clinicians regard it as a promising tool for weight management. See what the data, patients, and providers say about Zepbound.