This page has been reviewed by
Dr. Nicolette Lammers.
Possible side effects of Mounjaro
This information does not replace individualized medical advice. If you experience acute, severe symptoms, seek medical help immediately. If you notice any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Serious side effects
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- Inflammation of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis) with severe, persistent abdominal and back pain. Seek medical help immediately if you notice such symptoms.
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
- Severe allergic reactions (e.g., anaphylactic reaction, angioedema). Seek medical help immediately and contact your doctor right away if you notice breathing problems or sudden swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat with difficulty swallowing and a rapid heartbeat.
Other side effects
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Stomach or abdominal pain (reported for weight management and in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes)
- Vomiting (reported for weight management and in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes)
- Constipation (reported for weight management)
These symptoms are usually not serious. Nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting occur most often at the start of treatment and decrease over time in many people.
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) when used together with medicines that contain a sulfonylurea and/or insulin.
Symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, sleepiness, weakness, dizziness, hunger, confusion, irritability, rapid heartbeat, and sweating. Your doctor will explain how to treat low blood sugar.
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) when used in combination with metformin and an SGLT2 inhibitor (type 2 diabetes)
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) when used in combination with metformin (children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes)
- Allergic reactions (hypersensitivity), e.g., rash, itching, eczema
- Dizziness (reported for weight management)
- Low blood pressure (reported for weight management)
- Decreased appetite (reported in type 2 diabetes)
- Stomach or abdominal pain (reported in adults with type 2 diabetes)
- Vomiting (reported in adults with type 2 diabetes), often decreases over time
- Indigestion (dyspepsia)
- Constipation (reported in type 2 diabetes)
- Bloated abdomen
- Belching
- Gas
- Reflux or heartburn (GERD)
- Hair loss (reported for weight management)
- Tiredness
- Injection-site reactions, e.g., itching or redness
- Rapid pulse
- Increased levels of pancreatic enzymes (e.g., lipase, amylase) in the blood
- Increased calcitonin levels in the blood (reported for weight management)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) when used in combination with metformin (adults with type 2 diabetes)
- Gallstones
- Inflammation of the gallbladder
- Weight loss (reported in type 2 diabetes)
- Injection-site pain
- Increased calcitonin levels in the blood (reported in adults with type 2 diabetes or in obstructive sleep apnea associated with obesity)
- Altered sense of taste
- Changes in skin sensation
- Delayed gastric emptying
The questions below address common searches about Mounjaro side effects. Information on frequency categories and warning signs reflects the patient information leaflet. If symptoms are new, severe, or persistent, have them assessed by a clinician.
Which Mounjaro side effects are very common?
Very common side effects include nausea and diarrhea. Stomach (abdominal) pain, vomiting, and constipation were also reported as very common in patients treated for weight management. Very common low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) may also occur when tirzepatide is used together with medicines that contain a sulfonylurea and/or insulin.
Which Mounjaro side effects are common?
Common side effects include indigestion, bloated abdomen, belching, gas, reflux or heartburn, tiredness, injection-site reactions, rapid pulse, and increased levels of pancreatic enzymes. Certain forms of hypoglycemia are also described as common, depending on the concomitant medication.
Which Mounjaro side effects are uncommon?
Uncommon side effects include gallstones, inflammation of the gallbladder, injection-site pain, altered taste, and certain forms of hypoglycemia (depending on combination with metformin).
Which symptoms may indicate acute pancreatitis?
Warning signs include severe, persistent abdominal and back pain. If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.
Which symptoms may indicate a severe allergic reaction?
Symptoms include breathing problems and sudden swelling of the lips, tongue, and/or throat with difficulty swallowing and a rapid heartbeat. In this case, seek medical help immediately.
When can hypoglycemia occur with Mounjaro?
Hypoglycemia is described in multiple frequency categories depending on which diabetes medicines are used at the same time: very common when combined with a sulfonylurea and/or insulin, common when combined with metformin and an SGLT2 inhibitor, and uncommon when combined with metformin.
Which symptoms of low blood sugar are listed in the package leaflet?
Symptoms listed include headache, sleepiness, weakness, dizziness, hunger, confusion, irritability, rapid heartbeat, and sweating. Your doctor should tell you how to treat low blood sugar.
Do nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting decrease over time?
According to the patient information leaflet, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting occur most often at the start of treatment with tirzepatide and decrease over time in most patients.
What is known about reflux or heartburn?
Reflux or heartburn (GERD) is listed as a common side effect. It is explained as a condition caused by stomach acid moving from the stomach into the esophagus.
What is recommended if side effects persist or are burdensome?
If you notice side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. This also applies if symptoms persist or are very bothersome.
What should I do if I miss a Mounjaro dose?
If you forgot to inject a dose and it has been 4 days or less since you should have used Mounjaro, inject it as soon as you remember, then inject your next dose as usual on your scheduled day. If it has been more than 4 days since you should have used Mounjaro, skip the missed dose and inject your next dose as usual on your scheduled day. Do not use a double dose if you missed the previous dose. The interval between two doses must be at least 3 days.
Can I stop treatment on my own?
Do not stop treatment with Mounjaro without speaking with your doctor first. If you have type 2 diabetes, your blood sugar may increase if you stop treatment.
Can I drive or operate machines?
If you use tirzepatide together with a sulfonylurea or insulin, there is a risk of low blood sugar. Do not drive or operate machinery if you notice signs of low blood sugar.
How can I report side effects?
Germany
Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM)
Pharmacovigilance Division
Kurt-Georg-Kiesinger-Allee 3
D-53175 Bonn
Website: http://www.bfarm.de
By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Sources
- European Medicines Agency (EMA). Mounjaro (INN: tirzepatide): EPAR product information (SmPC and package leaflet, DE, PDF). Document.
- PatientenInfo-Service. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) KwikPen doses: patient information leaflet (information for patients). Page.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection: prescribing information (label, PDF). Document.
Note on the side effects section: The content in the “Possible side effects of Mounjaro” section was taken from the patient information leaflet and edited only for formatting (headings and lists).