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GLP-1 Calculators

GLP-1 Dosage Schedule Generator 2026 — Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Liraglutide Titration

Standard titration from the Wegovy (0.25 → 2.4 mg), Zepbound (2.5 → 15 mg), and Saxenda (0.6 → 3.0 mg) FDA labels, with hold-week adjustments for patients who had to slow down.

Updated April 2026

Medical disclaimer: This tool is for informational purposes. Not medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication. Drug prices, savings cards, and coverage policies change frequently — verify current pricing directly with the manufacturer or your pharmacy.

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Results

Current dose
0.25 mg
Starter
Next step
0.5 mg
in 4 weeks
Never skip titration steps. If side effects are intolerable at a step, hold at the prior dose for 4 more weeks before advancing — 'hold weeks' above simulates this.

Why titration exists and why skipping it backfires

GLP-1 receptor agonists and the dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist tirzepatide slow gastric emptying, suppress glucagon, and increase satiety by acting on brainstem receptors and hypothalamic circuits. They are effective because of these mechanisms — and the same mechanisms produce the adverse events most patients find intolerable at higher starting doses. Titration exists because the receptors downregulate and the gut adapts over weeks, not hours. Jumping from 0.25 mg semaglutide directly to 2.4 mg produces severe GI events and is not tolerated by most patients.

The standard semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic) schedule

  • Weeks 1–4: 0.25 mg weekly. Starter, not therapeutic.
  • Weeks 5–8: 0.5 mg weekly. First noticeable appetite suppression.
  • Weeks 9–12: 1.0 mg weekly. Therapeutic threshold.
  • Weeks 13–16: 1.7 mg weekly.
  • Week 17+: 2.4 mg weekly maintenance. STEP 1 reported 14.9% mean TBWL at week 68.

The standard tirzepatide (Zepbound/Mounjaro) schedule

  • Weeks 1–4: 2.5 mg weekly (starter).
  • Weeks 5–8: 5 mg weekly. SURMOUNT-1 showed 15.0% TBWL at 72 weeks.
  • Weeks 9–12: 7.5 mg weekly (titration-only).
  • Weeks 13–16: 10 mg weekly. 19.5% TBWL in SURMOUNT-1.
  • Weeks 17–20: 12.5 mg weekly (titration-only).
  • Week 21+: 15 mg weekly. 22.5% mean TBWL at 72 weeks.

The standard liraglutide (Saxenda) schedule

  • Week 1: 0.6 mg daily.
  • Week 2: 1.2 mg daily.
  • Week 3: 1.8 mg daily.
  • Week 4: 2.4 mg daily.
  • Week 5+: 3.0 mg daily maintenance. SCALE trial showed 8% TBWL at 56 weeks.

Dose-response: what each step actually buys you

  • Semaglutide 1.0 → 1.7 mg: +2–3 percentage points TBWL; often hardest tolerability step.
  • Semaglutide 1.7 → 2.4 mg: +1–2 points; marginal if tolerability is a question.
  • Tirzepatide 5 → 10 mg: +4.5 points (15.0% → 19.5%).
  • Tirzepatide 10 → 15 mg: +3 points (19.5% → 22.5%).

For a patient who reaches goal at 10 mg tirzepatide, the 15 mg step represents $2,000–$4,000/year of added cost for 10–20 lb of incremental loss — often not worth it. Discuss with your prescriber whether pushing to the top dose is your best move, especially for maintenance.

Related tools
Weight-loss timeline
Expected loss by week on your dose.
Side effect tracker
Log severity to share with your prescriber.
BMI trajectory
52-week BMI plot by therapy.
Compounded cost
If you're on a compounded alternative.
Zepbound cost
Pricing by dose tier.
Wegovy cost
Pricing by dose tier.

Frequently asked questions

How fast can I escalate if I tolerate each dose perfectly?

No faster than the label. The 4-weeks-per-step cadence is anchored to GLP-1 receptor pharmacology and steady-state kinetics, not individual tolerance. Semaglutide has a ~1 week half-life — steady state is reached at weeks 4–5 at each new dose. Accelerating has no demonstrated benefit on weight outcomes and predictably worsens GI side effects.

My pharmacy gave me the wrong dose pen. What do I do?

Verify the mg on the pen or vial box matches your prescribed dose before injecting. Wegovy ships as five separate strength pens (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.7, 2.4 mg). Zepbound and Mounjaro are available as single-dose pens at each strength; Zepbound also as LillyDirect vials at 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 mg. Pharmacy fulfillment errors are the single most common cause of unintended dose jumps.

When should I hold instead of escalate?

If nausea or vomiting is interfering with hydration or daily functioning, hold rather than escalate. Labels for Wegovy and Zepbound permit indefinite holds at any sub-maintenance dose. Common holding patterns: double the step (8 weeks instead of 4), triple a problematic step (especially 1.0 → 1.7 mg semaglutide), or step down and retry.

What are the missed-dose rules?

Semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic): if within 5 days of scheduled day, take ASAP; >5 days, skip. Tirzepatide (Zepbound/Mounjaro): if within 4 days, take ASAP; >4 days, skip. Missed doses >14 days often require re-titration. Liraglutide (Saxenda): if you miss 3+ consecutive days, restart at 0.6 mg and re-titrate.

Can I skip titration if I'm switching from Ozempic to Wegovy?

If you're at a therapeutic Ozempic dose (1.0 or 2.0 mg), the Wegovy label permits continuing at the equivalent dose — you don't need to restart at 0.25 mg. Mounjaro 10 mg → Zepbound 10 mg is identical molecule, direct transition. Confirm with your prescriber. Cross-brand transitions require explicit documentation.

Do I need the top dose to get meaningful weight loss?

No. About 30–40% of patients plateau at a submaximal dose (1.0 mg semaglutide, or 5 or 10 mg tirzepatide) with clinically meaningful TBWL and better tolerability. STEP 2 showed 1.0 mg semaglutide produced ~9% TBWL vs 15% on 2.4 mg — substantial but not overwhelming.

My insurer approved only 2.4 mg Wegovy — can I still start at 0.25 mg?

The PA usually covers the titration pack or all strengths. If yours specifies only 2.4 mg, ask your prescriber to send a revised script with titration-pack language. Starting at 2.4 mg is contraindicated for almost everyone.

What about compounded GLP-1 schedules?

Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide from 503A pharmacies generally follow the same titration schedule when prescribed by licensed clinicians. Some telehealth services use weekly-fractional dosing or daily microdosing — there is no trial data supporting microdosing at this time. Stick to the label schedule unless your prescriber has a documented reason to deviate.

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