Can You Switch Between Ozempic and Mounjaro?

Key Takeaways

There are various brands of type 2 and obesity drugs on the market today, including Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Saxenda. While patients might start with one drug, it’s becoming more common for them to switch their medications to another one—sometimes because of cost-based reasons, like coupons or discounts on a certain product.

Robert Kushner, MD, a professor of medicine and endocrinology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told Verywell that factors like drug shortages and difficulty finding specific dosages of a product are some of the reasons patients are asking if it’s possible to be switched over to another medication.

“People are coming in asking us on a weekly basis: ‘What do I do? I can’t find the dose that you put me on; none of the pharmacies have it,’” he said. “So [switching] is a pretty common question these days.”

But is it OK to switch between medications, like Ozempic to Mounjaro, or Wegovy to Saxenda, for example? In short, mostly.

What’s the Difference Between Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro?

Which Medications Can You Switch Between?

While they work similarly, different prescription drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity are not identical: There’sOzempicandWegovy(semaglutide),Mounjaro(tirzepatide),Saxenda(liraglutide) andTrulicity(dulaglutide), for instance.

Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Trulicity are only FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes along with diet and exercise. Saxenda was approved for chronic weight management in 2014,and Wegovy was approved in 2021 for weight management.(These medications might be used off-label, however. For example, a person might use Ozempic for weight management.)

While Mounjaro’s function is the same as the other type 2 diabetes medications, it works slightly differently: Mounjaro targetstwomajor hormones that regulate blood sugar levels and can help patients lose weight—GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)—whereas Ozempic and Trulicity target only GLP-1.

Mounjaro Generic May Soon Join Wegovy as a Weight Loss-Approved Drug

“One could switch between Ozempic and Trulicity—as they have the same FDA-approved indication for type 2 diabetes—or Wegovy and Saxenda, as they have the same FDA-approved indication for weight loss,”Kathleen Wyne, MD, PhD, an endocrinologist and clinical professor of internal medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Verywell in an email. “There is no agent comparable to Mounjaro.”

Even though Mounjaro and Ozempic are slightly different, a patient can switch from one to the other should they need to manage their type 2 diabetes,Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD, a professor in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo and founder of the Diabetes and Endocrinology Center of Western New York, told Verywell.

Both drug types are shown to lower blood sugar, increase insulin sensitivity, slow the digestive system and decrease appetite, causing patients to lose weight. Because of Mounjaro’s strengthened effect, it might lead to greater weight loss in patients.

“Unfortunately, [drug] supplies have been limited…so when I’ve not had one available, I use the other,” Dandona said. “It’s perfectly reasonable.”

Things to Keep in Mind When Changing Medications

If you’re planning to switch drugs, Kushner said you should do so under the guidance of your healthcare provider. They will be able to support you and offer you the best information on doing so safely.

You typically do not need to take a break from taking one of these drugs before starting a new one, but you do need to consider dosing.

Dosage and Side Effects

Even though the side effect profile of these drugs are similar, Kushner said going from a lower dose of one drug and moving to a higher dose of another can lead to unpleasant GI side effects, like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. “The patient needs to be aware of the development of side effects…if the doses are not close,” he said.

It’s unlikely someone going from Ozempic, for example, to Trulicity will need to start from the lowest dose of the new medication. (Only people starting a medication for the first time start on the initial dosing schedule.) Kushner said while there is limited research on this, based on clinical experience, most patients already on a similar drug do not need to go back to a starting dose. Instead, the dosing of the new medication should be comparable to the old one so the patient can more easily adjust.

Kushner said patients should also be mindful of allergic reactions when switching meds, even if they’re less common. Someone might be OK taking semaglutide but have a reaction to a tirzepatide injection.

“You have to be careful looking at your injection site to see that you’re not swelling up or having redness or hives,” he said.

Administration Route

All medications have slightly unique delivery systems. Some drugs are taken with an injection pen that require patients to place the needle on the pen and dial the device to the correct dose, whereas others are auto-inject pens. Kushner recommends patients familiarize themselves with the injection process and watch videos that show the proper technique, or ask their healthcare provider for help the first time.

Oral versions of these drugs arealso hitting the market, and patients will need to work with their healthcare provider if they opt to switch from an injection to pill form. According to research published inClinical Diabetes, switching from an injectable medication to an oral one is a “distinctly different proposition from switching between injectable formulations,” and additional guidance will be needed once there’s enough clinical experience.

Lifestyle

Lastly, lifestyle choices are important when taking any of these medications—but especially when changing over to a new one. Kushner said he always tells his patients to be careful of their diet as what people eat can help mitigate some potential side effects. He said it’s important patients watch the amount of fat they consume, especially when they change medications.

“Make sure that meals are moderate—don’t overeat. Sometimes [patients] go out to dinner to celebrate the day they inject, but that’s likely to cause a lot of discomfort,” he said. “Don’t skip meals and keep yourself hydrated. That’s general advice, but I really reinforce that when [patients] are switching a medication or going to a higher dose.”

What This Means For YouIt is generally OK for patients to switch between type 2 diabetes or weight loss drugs, so long as they are intended for the same use. Always work with a healthcare provider and consult them on dosing before switching to a different medication.

What This Means For You

It is generally OK for patients to switch between type 2 diabetes or weight loss drugs, so long as they are intended for the same use. Always work with a healthcare provider and consult them on dosing before switching to a different medication.

4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves weight management drug for patients aged 12 and older.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves new drug treatment for chronic weight management, first since 2014.National Library of Medicine: DailyMed.Mounjaro—tirzepatide injection, solution[drug label].Almandoz JP, Lingvay I, Morales J, Campos C.Switching between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: rationale and practical guidance.Clin Diabetes. 2020;38(4):390-402. doi:10.2337/cd19-0100

4 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves weight management drug for patients aged 12 and older.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves new drug treatment for chronic weight management, first since 2014.National Library of Medicine: DailyMed.Mounjaro—tirzepatide injection, solution[drug label].Almandoz JP, Lingvay I, Morales J, Campos C.Switching between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: rationale and practical guidance.Clin Diabetes. 2020;38(4):390-402. doi:10.2337/cd19-0100

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves weight management drug for patients aged 12 and older.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves new drug treatment for chronic weight management, first since 2014.National Library of Medicine: DailyMed.Mounjaro—tirzepatide injection, solution[drug label].Almandoz JP, Lingvay I, Morales J, Campos C.Switching between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: rationale and practical guidance.Clin Diabetes. 2020;38(4):390-402. doi:10.2337/cd19-0100

Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves weight management drug for patients aged 12 and older.

Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves new drug treatment for chronic weight management, first since 2014.

National Library of Medicine: DailyMed.Mounjaro—tirzepatide injection, solution[drug label].

Almandoz JP, Lingvay I, Morales J, Campos C.Switching between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: rationale and practical guidance.Clin Diabetes. 2020;38(4):390-402. doi:10.2337/cd19-0100

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