Zepbound

What is Zepbound?

Zepbound is a weight loss injection used once weekly to help you lose weight and keep it off.

Zepbound contains the same active ingredient as Mounjaro, called tirzepatide, which works to stop you from feeling hungry and keep you feeling full after you have eaten.

Zepbound is only available on prescription. You can start a consultation with one of our clinicians to see if Zepbound is suitable for you.

How does Zepbound work?

Zepbound encourages weight loss by mimicking the actions of two incretin hormones, GIP and GLP-1. Unlike some other medications, Zepbound mimics two digestive hormones: gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).

Both are types of incretin hormones that are released by your digestive system in response to the food you eat to help stabilize your blood sugar and tell your brain you are full after a meal.

So, Zepbound works by:

• Increasing insulin secretion - controls blood sugar levels
• Suppressing your appetite - so you eat less
• Lowering your food intake - to stop weight gain

How to take Zepbound

Zepbound is available in two forms:

• A single-dose injector pen
• A single dose vial administered with a needle and syringe

Zepbound can be taken with or without food, but you should inject it on the same day each week.

Your clinician will help you decide where to inject Zepbound. You or someone else can inject Zepbound into your:

• Stomach
• Thigh
• Upper arm (someone else should inject it into the back of your arm for you)

How to use the Zepbound weight loss injection

Before using Zepbound, you should read the patient information leaflet supplied with your medication.

Choose your preferred injection site. Ideally, you should rotate the injection site each week. The diagram below shows where you can inject Zepbound:

To inject Zepbound, you should do the following:

• Check the contents: Open the box and make sure you have the correct dose and that the pen is not damaged. Check the liquid in the pen. Do not use it if it is frozen, cloudy, discoloured, or has any particles in it.
• Wash your hands: You should wash your hands with warm, soapy water and dry them thoroughly before every injection.
• Pull off the cap: While the pen is locked, remove the grey cap as shown in the diagram and throw it away.
• Place and unlock: Place the clear base of the injection pen against your skin so it is flat. Then, unlock the pen by turning the lock ring as shown in the diagram.
• Inject Zepbound: Press and hold the purple button at the end of the injection pen for up to 10 seconds. When injecting, you’ll hear two clicks. The first click signals that the injection has begun. You should keep holding the purple button. The second click means it’s finished. When the injection is over, you should also see the grey plunger is now visible.
• Dispose of the pen: When you have finished injecting Zepbound, dispose of the pen in your sharps container. Do not throw it in your household waste.

Can I buy Zepbound online?

Yes, Zepbound is available to buy online, but you must make sure you purchase it from a reputable and regulated source, such as Prescription Doctor. You will need to meet the criteria set out by NICE, a registered clinician must agree it is suitable for you, and you will need a prescription to get it.

You can buy Zepbound from Prescription Doctor. Once your order has been placed, one of our clinicians will review your answers to our online health questionnaire to see if it is right for you.

If your order is approved, it will be delivered to you in discreet packaging. When your Zepbound order is dispatched, you will receive a tracking number via SMS and email. Our couriers will deliver between Monday and Saturday.

If one of our clinicians doesn’t feel Zepbound is right for you, you will receive a full refund as part of Prescription Doctor’s money-back guarantee.

How effective is Zepbound for weight loss?

Clinical trials have shown that Zepbound is an effective weight-loss medication.

In a 72-week trial, the active ingredient in Zepbound, tirzepatide, produced the following results:

Zepbound dosage schedule

The Zepbound pen is available in 6 doses:

• 2.5mg
• 5mg
• 7.5mg
• 10mg
• 12.5mg
• 15mg

The typical Zepbound dosage schedule is as follows:

Patients will usually be started on 2.5mg and increased every four weeks until they reach their maintenance dose.

What if I miss a Zepbound dose?

If you miss your scheduled dose of Zepbound and it is:

• Within 4 days of your scheduled dosing: take your missed dose as soon as possible.
• More than 4 days: skip the missed dose and take your next dose on your normal scheduled dose.

NEVER take two doses at once, always leave at least three days between doses. Set an alarm or a reminder on your phone to prompt you to take Zepbound.

How effective are Zepbound weight loss injections?

Zepbound will begin suppressing your appetite very quickly, but weight loss results will take a bit longer, starting within the first 4-weeks. In studies or randomised control trials, the average weight loss at 40 weeks is:

• 7.6kg with 5mg
• 9.3kg with 10mg
• 11.2kg with 15mg

Zepbound side effects

The most common side effects of Zepbound include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Stomach (abdominal) pain
• Indigestion
• Injection site reactions
• Feeling tired
• Allergic reactions
• Belching
• Hair loss
• Heartburn

Who should not take Zepbound?

Zepbound or its active ingredient, tirzepatide, may not be suitable for everyone.

Do not take Zepbound if you, 

• or any member of your family has ever had a type of thyroid cancer called MTC
• have an endocrine condition called MEN 2
• are allergic to any of the ingredients in Zepbound
• have ever had an allergic reaction to Zepbound
• are taking any other GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Wegovy or Mounjaro.

Before using Zepbound, let your clinician know if you:

• Are taking medications to treat diabetes like insulin or sulfonylureas
• Take the oral contraceptive pill
• Have any other medical conditions
• Have a history of diabetic retinopathy
• Are pregnant or planning to get pregnant
• Take any other medications including over-the-counter, herbal, or prescribed remedies

Zepbound and pregnancy

Currently, there is not enough evidence to suggest that Zepbound will not harm the fetus or unborn baby. Therefore:

• Zepbound should not be used during pregnancy
• Zepbound should not be used during breastfeeding

You should wait at least two months after you have stopped taking Zepbound to get pregnant.

Zepbound alternatives

At Prescription Doctor, we offer several alternatives as part of our weight loss service.

Weight loss injections

• Wegovy: A once-weekly weight loss injection pen that contains the active ingredient, semaglutide. Similar to Zepbound, Wegovy works by suppressing your appetite and helping you to feel full for longer after eating.
• Mounjaro: Mounjaro contains the same active ingredient as Zepbound and works in exactly the same way.
• Saxenda: Saxenda is another example of a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It contains the active ingredient liraglutide and is injected once a day to reduce your food intake and suppress your appetite.

Weight loss pills

• MySimba: A weight loss pill that is used alongside a balanced diet and regular exercise. How MySimba works for weight loss isn’t fully understood but it is thought the active ingredients, naltrexone and bupropion, act on the parts of the brain that control appetite.
• Xenical: Xenical, also known as orlistat, can help you lose 5% of your body weight in 1 year. It works by suppressing the enzymes in your gut that process the fat you eat to allow dietary fat to pass through the body without being absorbed.
• Alli: An over-the-counter weight loss option that contains the same active ingredient as Xenical.