How long do you stay on each GLP-1 dose?

Usually at least 4 weeks per step, so the medication reaches steady state and side effects settle before increasing. Some people hold a dose longer if side effects linger or their results are on track.

Can I skip a titration step to lose weight faster?

No. Skipping steps sharply raises the risk of nausea, vomiting, and dehydration without improving long-term results. The ladder exists to keep escalation tolerable — only your prescriber should change it.

What are the standard tirzepatide and semaglutide dose steps?

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound): 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 mg. Semaglutide splits by brand — Ozempic runs 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg (2 mg is its maximum), while Wegovy runs 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.7 and 2.4 mg with a further 7.2 mg step permitted since 2026. Each rung is typically held around four weeks.

Does everyone go all the way to the maximum dose?

No. Many people reach their goals and settle at a middle dose. The maintenance dose is whatever controls appetite and sustains progress with tolerable side effects — that is a decision for you and your prescriber, not a target to rush toward.

Dose Titration Planner

Your label-based escalation ladder, mapped week by week.

Medication

When did you start your CURRENT dose?Current dose

Projected ladder — 4 weeks per step

2.5 mgyou are here
Starter — tolerance, not effect
started
5 mg
≈ Sep 25, 2026
7.5 mg
≈ Oct 23, 2026
10 mg
≈ Nov 20, 2026
12.5 mg
≈ Dec 18, 2026
15 mg
Max maintenance
≈ Jan 15, 2027

These are the earliest label-eligible dates — each step is held at least 4 weeks. Your prescriber may hold you longer for side effects or results. Never step up early on your own.

How GLP-1 dose escalation works

Both semaglutide and tirzepatide start low on purpose. The opening dose (0.25 mg semaglutide, 2.5 mg tirzepatide) isn't meant to drive much weight loss — it's a tolerance step that lets your gut adjust and keeps nausea manageable. From there the label steps you up roughly every four weeks, provided you're tolerating the current dose.

The ladders

Ozempic and Wegovy are both semaglutide, but they are licensed for different things and their ladders do not end in the same place. Read the one that matches the pen in your hand.

Ozempic (semaglutide, type 2 diabetes): 0.25 → 0.5 → 1 → 2 mg. 2 mg is the maximum approved dose — there is no 2.4 mg Ozempic.
Wegovy (semaglutide, weight management): 0.25 → 0.5 → 1 → 1.7 → 2.4 mg. Since 2026 the label permits a further step to 7.2 mg for adults who have tolerated 2.4 mg for at least four weeks. 1.7 mg is also a permitted maintenance dose — you do not have to reach the top of the ladder.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound): 2.5 → 5 → 7.5 → 10 → 12.5 → 15 mg.

If you are on Ozempic and have seen 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg quoted as your next step, that is a Wegovy ladder, not yours. The planner maps your ladder onto a calendar from your start date so you can see when each step could arrive — but your prescriber decides which rungs you actually use, and some people stay on a lower dose indefinitely because it is working.

Why the four-week hold matters

These medications take about 4–6 weeks to reach steady state at each dose. Stepping up before then stacks a rising blood level on top of one that hasn't settled — which is how side effects spike. That's why the dates here are the earliest your prescriber could move you up, not a schedule to enforce yourself. Plenty of people hold longer, and that's fine.

Frequently asked

How long do you stay on each GLP-1 dose?: Usually at least 4 weeks per step, so the medication reaches steady state and side effects settle before increasing. Some people hold a dose longer if side effects linger or their results are on track.
Can I skip a titration step to lose weight faster?: No. Skipping steps sharply raises the risk of nausea, vomiting, and dehydration without improving long-term results. The ladder exists to keep escalation tolerable — only your prescriber should change it.
What are the standard tirzepatide and semaglutide dose steps?: Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound): 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 mg. Semaglutide splits by brand — Ozempic runs 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg (2 mg is its maximum), while Wegovy runs 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.7 and 2.4 mg with a further 7.2 mg step permitted since 2026. Each rung is typically held around four weeks.
Does everyone go all the way to the maximum dose?: No. Many people reach their goals and settle at a middle dose. The maintenance dose is whatever controls appetite and sustains progress with tolerable side effects — that is a decision for you and your prescriber, not a target to rush toward.

Related calculators

Browse all 19 GLP-1 tools

Sources

Zepbound (tirzepatide) US prescribing information — DailyMed — Sections 2.1–2.2: 2.5 mg start, 2.5 mg increments after at least four weeks, 15 mg maximum, maintenance 5/10/15 mg
Ozempic (semaglutide) US prescribing information — DailyMed — Section 2.2: maintenance 0.5, 1 or 2 mg — 2 mg is the maximum Ozempic dose
Wegovy (semaglutide) US prescribing information — DailyMed — Section 2.2 Table 1: the four-week escalation schedule and the further 7.2 mg step

Medical disclaimer. Tiro is a tracking companion, not a medical device, and nothing on this site is medical advice. Always follow the titration schedule and dosing instructions from your prescriber. Never change your dose without talking to them first.