Important Safety Information

Last Updated: March 26, 2024

Compounded Semaglutide and Tirzepatide

The following medication overview provides an overview of compounded Semaglutide and Tirzepatide and how to effectively and safely use them to lose weight. With any treatment, make sure to tell your provider about anything relating to your current health status and your health history. Also, share with your provider all of the medications you take, including prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements.

Instructions

Drawing Up and Dosing: Using the provided insulin syringe and needle, carefully measure out the dose prescribed by your healthcare provider. Use the medication exactly as your healthcare provider says.

• Semaglutide:
  • Inject under the skin (subcutaneously) of your stomach (abdomen), thigh, or upper arm.
  • Take Semaglutide once a week, on the same day every week, exactly as prescribed by your provider.
  • You can take Semaglutide with or without food.
  • You may change the day of the week you take your Semaglutide as long as your last dose was taken 2 or more days before.
• Tirzepatide:
  • Inject under the skin (subcutaneously) of your stomach (abdomen), thigh, or upper arm.
  • Use Tirzepatide 1 time each week, at any time of the day.
  • Do not mix insulin and Tirzepatide together in the same injection.
  • You may give an injection of Tirzepatide and insulin in the same body area (such as your stomach area), but not right next to each other.
  • Change (rotate) your injection site with each weekly injection. Do not use the same site for each injection.
  • If you take too much Tirzepatide, call your healthcare provider or seek medical advice promptly.

When you need a refill of your medication, you will need to contact your Zealthy provider. If you are experiencing side effects or unwanted changes in your health, contact your provider to address any concerns you may have.

How to Administer GLP-1 Medications

Preparing your injection

1. Gather all supplies (including vial, syringe, alcohol swabs, and bandage, if needed).
2. Wipe the vial top with an alcohol swab.
3. Remove the cap from the plunger end of the syringe and the cap from the needle.
4. Puncture the top of the vial and tilt while pulling back on the plunger to draw up the prescribed amount of medication.
5. If not ready to immediately inject, slide the needle into an open cap to reduce needle stick risk, and refrigerate.

Administering your injection

1. Choose a subcutaneous site (abdominal wall fat, thigh, or back of the upper arm).
2. Clean the area up to two times with an alcohol swab. Sanitize by starting from the middle of the injection site and going outward in a circular motion.
3. Remove the cap from the tip of the syringe. Grab a large area of skin between your thumb and fingers. Insert the needle, pull back on the syringe to ensure you are not in a blood vessel, and then push the plunger to inject the medication.
4. Discard the syringe immediately into a sharps container. Wipe with an alcohol swab over the injection site in case of bleeding, and then apply a bandage.
5. Make sure to place the medication vial back into the refrigerator.

Tip: We recommend rotating injection sites each week.

FAQs

How does compounded Semaglutide and Tirzepatide work?

• Semaglutide: Operates within the category of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), mimicking the GLP-1 hormone to reduce glucose delivery into the bloodstream, stimulate insulin production, delay gastric emptying, and suppress appetite.

• Tirzepatide: Similar to Mounjaro and Zepbound, it also operates as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, with additional mechanisms targeting GIP receptors, enhancing weight loss and glucose regulation.

What are the most common side effects?

• Semaglutide and Tirzepatide: Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation. These side effects typically subside within a few days or up to 2-3 weeks. If side effects persist or worsen, contact your Zealthy provider.

Can I travel with compounded Semaglutide and Tirzepatide?

Yes, with proper storage, you can travel safely. Refrigerate vials before use, and discard them after 28 days or when the top is pierced.

Can I change the day or time when I take my medication?

• Semaglutide: You may change the day of the week you take Semaglutide as long as your last dose was taken 2 or more days before.
• Tirzepatide: Adjusting your dosing schedule is acceptable. Begin on the new day, ensuring at least 48 hours since the last injection. We recommend staying consistent as much as possible.

What is the difference between compounded Tirzepatide and Mounjaro®/Zepbound™?

Compounded Tirzepatide and Mounjaro®/Zepbound share the same active ingredient. Compounded Tirzepatide is self-administered with syringes, while Mounjaro®/Zepbound use injection pens.

Why is Zealthy offering compounded Semaglutide and Tirzepatide?

To provide alternatives during shortages of branded medications, aligning with our mission to make treatments more accessible to our patients.

When should I stop increasing my dose?

When you see steady weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week on average.

When will I start seeing results?

With consistent use, maximum benefit is usually seen around months 4-6.

How much weight loss can I expect from Semaglutide versus Tirzepatide?

Semaglutide tends to help people lose about 15% of their body weight, while Tirzepatide can lead to about 20% weight loss.

Important Safety Information

Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed under federal law. Both Semaglutide and Tirzepatide should be used in conjunction with a reduced-calorie meal plan and increased physical activity. These injections should not be used concurrently with other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines or any products containing Semaglutide or Tirzepatide.

Common side effects associated with both medications include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia, dizziness, abdominal distension, eructation, hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes, flatulence, gastroenteritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. For a comprehensive list of potential side effects and essential safety information, please contact your Zealthy provider.

Avoid using Semaglutide or Tirzepatide if you are allergic to any of their components, if you are currently pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding. Additionally, refrain from using these medications if you or your family has a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have a condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).

Inform your healthcare provider about all the medications you are taking, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Both medications may impact the effectiveness of certain medications, and some medications may affect how they work. Specifically, disclose if you are taking other diabetes medications such as sulfonylureas or insulin.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription products: Contact FDA MedWatch at 1-800-FDA-1088 or visit www.fda.gov/medwatch.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Risks

Accurate Information

Your Zealthy team will evaluate the health information you provide to make a treatment recommendation. If you do not provide full and accurate information about your current health and your health history, it could lead to failure of a diagnosis or an incorrect diagnosis. This could impact your treatment recommendations. Please contact your provider with any health updates as they come up.

Treatment Failure

These medications are not 100% effective. There is a possibility they may only partially resolve the condition or not work for the condition at all. Should you find the treatment to not be working or notice new or worsening symptoms or side effects, we urge you to reach out to your provider. If there is an emergency situation, call 911 or seek immediate in-person medical attention.

Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis

As with an in-person doctor, there is a possibility for misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose a condition you may have. This can impact the treatment recommendation from your provider. Our Zealthy providers practice using evidence-based guidelines to make informed clinical decisions.

Accepting or Declining Our Recommendation

Your healthcare is your decision. Our providers will provide thoughtful evidence-based recommendations from the information you provide and the potential benefits and risks associated with the treatment. You should make an evaluation based on our information, relevant input from other providers in your care team, and any other important information related to your health to make an informed decision. You are by no means required to follow our recommendation, but keep in mind there can also be risks associated with no treatment.

Alternative Treatment

The recommendation of your Zealthy provider is based upon your specific situation. However, in some cases, there may be alternative treatments available that could work for you. These alternative treatments may vary in how effective they are or require an in-person exam that we are unable to provide. Please message us with any questions or concerns you have regarding your treatment.