Mounjaro Doses in Order: The Full Ladder from 2.5mg to 15mg (October 2026)

01 · The ladder

Mounjaro doses in order, step by step

Mounjaro is licensed with a fixed ladder: you begin at 2.5mg once weekly, move to 5mg after at least 4 weeks, then rise by 2.5mg at a time at intervals of at least 4 weeks, up to a maximum of 15mg weekly.¹¹¹ How far you go depends on how you respond and how well you tolerate each step.

Many people settle at a maintenance dose of 5mg, 10mg or 15mg, and higher is not automatically better.¹ If you are still deciding between these steps, our guide to the difference between Mounjaro doses compares them side by side.

02 · Reading the ladder

What each step means in practice

The 2.5mg weeks are an adjustment phase, and losses are usually modest. Most measurable progress builds from 5mg onward, month by month.¹ Some people notice appetite change and early loss in week one, while others feel little until a higher dose. Both are normal. Early loss includes water weight, so judge progress by the trend over weeks rather than a single weigh-in.

Mild nausea, altered appetite and tiredness in the first days after each injection are the commonest early effects and usually settle.¹³ They can return briefly after a step up, which is one reason the ladder allows at least 4 weeks at each dose. Serious side effects are uncommon but need urgent attention. Seek immediate medical help for: severe, persistent stomach pain that may spread to your back, with or without vomiting (possible pancreatitis); pain in the upper right abdomen, fever or yellowing of skin/eyes (possible gallbladder problems); or signs of a severe allergic reaction such as swelling of the face or throat and difficulty breathing. For a plain-language walk-through of why the strengths exist, see how Mounjaro doses work.

Is the top of the ladder strong? 12.5mg is the second-highest of the six strengths and 15mg is the highest licensed. Both are reached by working up through the lower steps, never by starting there. Whether you need either is a decision for you and your prescriber, because 5mg, 10mg and 15mg are all common places to stay.

03 · Planning the cost

What working up the ladder costs

Each pen holds four weekly doses, so you buy one pen per four-week step. The Mounjaro pen is priced by strength, and all six doses are in stock. A new customer's first order is £40 less with code FIRST40, and every later order is £25 less (code DOSE25).

Your first year costs £2,399.88 (13 pens) if you settle at 5mg, up to £3,279.88 at 15mg, before discounts. Settle at 7.5mg, 10mg or 12.5mg and each pen is £244.99, £274.99 or £289.99 at standard price. Switching to us at a higher dose? Your first order at 15mg is £259.99.

04 · Moving up safely

How long to stay on each dose

The licence sets a minimum, not a target: the dose can increase after at least 4 weeks, and your prescriber decides when.¹ You can stay on a dose longer than 4 weeks.

If a new dose is hard to tolerate, prescribers can hold the current dose longer before stepping up. Each step is judged on response and tolerance, and our monthly reviews exist to make that call with you.

The ladder is built from 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg, and moving between them is a prescriber decision. If you want to see how dose changes compare with other treatments, read our piece on Wegovy vs Mounjaro doses.

People often ask about alternating between two strengths to split the difference. That is a different question from moving up the ladder, and we cover it in can you alternate Mounjaro doses.

05 · Injecting and timing

Injection day, early doses and missed doses

Mounjaro is injected under the skin once a week, on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without food.¹³ Licensed sites are the stomach area (at least 5cm from the belly button), the front of the thigh, or the back of the upper arm if someone else gives the injection. Rotate the site with each dose.

There is no best time of day. It works the same in the morning or the evening, so what matters is the same day each week. Many people choose a weekend morning so early side effects fall on days off.

Can you take your jab two days early? You can change your injection day if at least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since your last dose, and you must never take two doses within 3 days of each other.¹

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can within 4 days (96 hours) of the scheduled time, then carry on with your usual day. If more than 4 days have passed, skip it and take the next dose on your normal day.¹

The KwikPen is set by turning the dose knob until the dose indicator window shows the correct number.

06 · Choosing a dose

Which dose will you end up on?

There is no single right answer, because the licence lets response and tolerance guide you. SURMOUNT-1 was a trial of 2,539 adults. Alongside diet and exercise, people taking tirzepatide lost on average 15% of their body weight on 5mg, 19.5% on 10mg and 20.9% on 15mg over 72 weeks, compared with 3.1% with lifestyle changes alone.²

These are trial averages, and individual results vary. For someone starting at 100 kg, 20.9% is about 21 kg. Treatment works alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, not instead of them. At 72 weeks, 85% of participants on 5mg, 89% on 10mg and 91% on 15mg had lost at least 5% of their body weight.² Half of participants on 10mg and 57% on 15mg lost at least 20%.

Is 15mg too much? It is the maximum licensed weekly dose, so it is within the label, but many people settle at 5mg or 10mg; higher is not automatically better. Think in months, not days. If you have lost less than 5% of your starting weight after 6 months on the highest dose you can tolerate, your prescriber will discuss whether continuing or stopping is right for you.¹

For more background on the medicine, our Mounjaro explained page covers how it works, and the guide to available Mounjaro doses covers the strengths on offer.

07 · Storage and genuine pens

Storing pens and spotting fakes

Keep pens in a fridge at 2–8°C and never freeze them. Once in use, a pen can be kept out of the fridge at a temperature not above 30°C for up to 30 days after first use, and must then be thrown away. Keep the cap on to protect it from light.¹³ Unopened pens stay in the fridge and keep until the expiry date printed on the box. If an unopened pen has been out of the fridge, check with the pharmacy before using it.

You can fly with Mounjaro. Carry pens in hand luggage, because hold luggage can fall below freezing, ideally in a cool bag with the prescription label or a copy of your prescription.

A genuine UK pen comes from a registered pharmacy with a batch number and expiry date, arrives cold-chain packaged, and the solution is clear and colourless. Do not use a pen that has been frozen, looks cloudy or discoloured, has particles in it or is past its expiry.

The MHRA has seized thousands of fake weight-loss pens in the UK, and fake pens have caused hospitalisations, with some containing insulin rather than tirzepatide.⁷ Only buy from a pharmacy you can verify on the GPhC register, never from social media, beauty salons or unverified websites. We are registered (9012878) and supply genuine KwikPens directly through official LillyDirect supply.¹²

08 · How to order

Getting your starting dose, and the NHS route

Mounjaro is available on the NHS, but access is being phased in over several years. NICE recommends it for adults with a BMI of at least 35 plus at least one weight-related condition, and the primary-care rollout began in June 2025 with the highest-need groups first, initially BMI 40+ with four or more qualifying conditions.⁴⁶ Full rollout is expected to take years, which is why many people who meet the licensed criteria choose regulated private treatment.

Privately, Mounjaro is licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or between 27 and 30 with at least one weight-related condition, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more activity.¹ Ordering works in three steps:

• Complete the free online consultation, a short health questionnaire with no charge and no obligation, via our free consultation.
• A GPhC-registered prescriber reviews it. Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full.
• We dispense and dispatch the same day when ordered by 3pm, with free next-day tracked delivery in temperature-controlled packaging.

Ongoing monthly reviews and dose-titration follow-ups are included, and repeat orders re-check suitability, with no auto-shipping and no subscription. You can pay by Visa, Mastercard or Klarna, with pay-monthly options. Ready to start? You can buy Mounjaro here, or read where to order Mounjaro for weight loss first. Our weight loss treatments page shows the other options. Individual results vary, and this page is information, not a substitute for medical advice.