For many individuals with kind 2 diabetes, Trulicity, a once-weekly injectable remedy, helps handle blood glucose (sugar) ranges, enhance A1c (a measure of glucose management over the earlier 2 to three months), and even help weight reduction.
This text covers all the things it’s essential to learn about Trulicity dosing.
What dose do you usually begin with?
When beginning Trulicity, your physician will doubtless start with a low dose, usually 0.75 mg as soon as weekly, to assist your physique regulate and decrease unwanted effects. The medication will be taken with or with out meals.
See extra in: Meals to Keep away from When Taking Trulicity.
Widespread unwanted effects embody nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and suppressed urge for food, which might vary from delicate to extreme.
Learn extra in: Trulicity Aspect Results: What You Have to Know.
If after 4 weeks you want extra blood sugar administration and tolerate the remedy effectively, your physician could improve your dose to 1.5 mg as soon as weekly.
What’s a traditional Trulicity dose?
There isn’t a “regular” dose, because it varies by the particular person, however there’s a customary “upkeep” dose.
This dose is established after your physique has adjusted to the remedy, permitting you to gauge its effectiveness for blood sugar administration and the severity of any unwanted effects.
Most adults begin with 0.75 mg as soon as weekly and, after 4 weeks, improve to a upkeep dose of 1.5 mg. For kids ages 10 and up with kind 2 diabetes, the beginning and most upkeep dose is 0.75 mg and 1.5 mg as soon as weekly, respectively.
How and when are you able to improve your dose?
Dose will increase ought to solely be carried out underneath your physician’s steerage. You’ll usually stay on the introductory dose of 0.75 mg for the primary 4 weeks to watch unwanted effects and therapy response.
If extra blood sugar administration is required, your physician could improve your dose to 1.5 mg.
After one other 4 weeks, if additional administration is required and unwanted effects are minimal, your dose could also be elevated to three mg, and ultimately to a most of 4.5 mg weekly for adults. The utmost dose for kids stays 1.5 mg.
Typical dosing schedule chart
So for adults, a typical Trulicity dosing schedule would possibly seem like the next:
Month | Dosage | Frequency | Notes |
Month 1 | 0.75 mg | As soon as weekly for 4 weeks | Beginning dose |
Month 2 | 1.5 mg | As soon as weekly for 4 weeks | Enhance if wanted (optionally available) |
Month 3 | 3 mg | As soon as weekly for 4 weeks | Enhance if wanted (optionally available) |
Month 4 and past | 4.5 mg | As soon as weekly | Most dose (optionally available) |
What’s the appropriate dose for me?
Discovering the proper dose takes time, endurance, and presumably some trial and error. It is determined by your well being historical past, objectives, life-style, and the way effectively you tolerate unwanted effects.
Typically, greater doses of GLP-1 agonists like Trulicity can result in higher outcomes, corresponding to decrease blood sugar ranges, weight reduction, and improved A1c, however additionally they improve the danger of unwanted effects.
All the time regulate your dose underneath your healthcare supplier’s steerage.
What’s the appropriate dose for weight reduction?
Whereas Trulicity isn’t FDA-approved for weight reduction, many customers report losing a few pounds whereas taking it. Because it’s not particularly authorised for this function, there isn’t an official dose really useful for weight reduction.
Trulicity works greatest for weight administration when mixed with wholesome consuming and elevated bodily exercise.
For those who’re contemplating remedy for weight reduction, seek the advice of your physician about FDA-approved choices. Observe that you may’t take two GLP-1 agonists concurrently, like Trulicity and Wegovy or Zepbound.
Different medicines, like metformin, will be taken alongside Trulicity to assist with weight reduction.
Study extra in: Trulicity and Weight Loss: Can Trulicity Assist You Lose Weight?
What occurs if I cease taking Trulicity?
By no means cease taking your diabetes medicines with out consulting your healthcare supplier.
Abruptly stopping Trulicity can result in hostile results corresponding to elevated starvation, fatigue, weight acquire, greater insulin resistance, decreased insulin sensitivity, and elevated blood sugar ranges.
For those who expertise extreme unwanted effects, your insurance coverage now not covers Trulicity, or it now not matches your life-style, converse together with your supplier about different remedies.
Are there totally different Trulicity pens?
Sure, Trulicity is available in 4 single-dose pens based mostly in your prescribed dose. For a month’s prescription, you’ll obtain 4 pens, obtainable within the following doses:
- 0.75 mg
- 1.5 mg
- 3 mg
- 4.5 mg
Single-dose pens guarantee you’ll be able to’t unintentionally over-inject except taken greater than as soon as every week. Nonetheless, additionally they imply there’s no additional remedy if a pen is broken or misplaced.
What’s the strongest Trulicity?
All Trulicity pens comprise the identical lively ingredient, dulaglutide, and the bigger dosing pens don’t have a stronger formulation — only a greater dose per week.
Rising your dose means you’re taking extra of the remedy weekly, not a stronger model.
All the time observe your physician’s prescribed dose and by no means take greater than directed.
What’s the most weekly dose?
The very best dose of Trulicity you’ll be able to take every week is 4.5 mg.
You’ll be able to regulate your dosing day or time so long as it’s been at the very least 72 hours since your final dose. If it’s been lower than 72 hours since your final dose, wait till the next week to select a brand new dosing day.
By no means take two doses inside three days of one another, as this will improve the danger of extreme unwanted effects like nausea, vomiting, and dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Signs of extraordinarily low blood sugar embody dizziness, confusion, fast coronary heart fee, shallow respiratory, shakiness, grogginess, fatigue, and unconsciousness. Search emergency medical consideration should you suspect an overdose.
What do I do if I miss a dose?
Don’t fear — lacking one weekly dose received’t instantly elevate your blood sugar or trigger weight acquire.
For those who miss a dose and there are at the very least 3 days till your subsequent scheduled dose, you’ll be able to take the missed dose with out considerably altering your schedule.
If it’s been greater than 3 days, skip the missed dose and proceed together with your subsequent dose as scheduled. By no means take two doses inside a 72-hour interval. That can assist you keep in mind, set an alarm or reminder in your cellphone to your weekly dose.
Study extra in All the things You Have to Know About Trulicity. Did you discover this text useful? Click on Sure or No beneath to tell us!