Wegovy & Zepbound Dose Schedule Timeline

The escalation steps from the Wegovy and Zepbound prescribing information, mapped onto your calendar from the date of your first injection. Every step, interval and maintenance dose is the label’s; your prescriber sets the actual schedule.

Last updated: Oct 27, 2026

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The short answer

Wegovysteps up every 4 weeks: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, then a maintenance dose of 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg from week 17, so the full ramp takes 16 weeks at the label’s pace. Zepbound starts at 2.5 mg for 4 weeks, then 5 mg, then rises in 2.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks each, to a maintenance dose of 5, 10 or 15 mg. Both labels allow holding a step longer if it is not tolerated, and the prescriber decides every change.

Map the label’s steps to your dates

Medication

First injection date

Maintenance dose (label options)

Slower ramp: hold each step an extra 4 weeks (the label allows delaying an increase when a step is not tolerated)

Dose	What the label calls it	From	Until	Weeks
0.25 mg	Starting dose (weeks 1-4)	Oct 28, 2026	Nov 24, 2026	4
0.5 mg	Step 2 (weeks 5-8)	Nov 25, 2026	Dec 22, 2026	4
1 mg	Step 3 (weeks 9-12)	Dec 23, 2026	Jan 19, 2027	4
1.7 mg	Step 4 (weeks 13-16)	Jan 20, 2027	Feb 16, 2027	4
2.4 mg	Maintenance dose (from week 17 at the label's pace)	Feb 17, 2027	Ongoing, reviewed with your prescriber	-

Wegovy's label escalates every 4 weeks from 0.25 mg to a maintenance dose of 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg from week 17, and allows holding a step for 4 more weeks if it is not tolerated. Wegovy HD (7.2 mg) is a separate product for adults who have tolerated 2.4 mg for at least 4 weeks and is not mapped here. The dates are the label’s minimum intervals counted from your start date. Your prescriber sets the actual dose and timing, and may stop, hold or lower it; see our guide to lower doses and microdosing for what the label allows below a full dose. Nothing you enter is stored or sent.

How to read the timeline

Each row is one dose step: what the label calls it, the date it starts counted from your first injection, and the earliest date the label allows the next increase. The “slower ramp” option adds 4 weeks to each step, which is the delay the Wegovy label describes when a dose is not tolerated; for Zepbound the label simply requires at least 4 weeks on each dose before increasing, with no maximum.

Nothing here goes below a labelled starting dose or wider than once weekly. Readers asking about lower doses should start with our guide to GLP-1 microdosing, which sets out what the labels allow and what the evidence does and does not show. For what to expect in the first weeks, see how long semaglutide takes to work.

Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide, which most online providers prescribe, have no FDA label of their own. Providers commonly model their schedules on the brand labels shown here, but the dose and interval on a compounded prescription are the prescriber’s. The cost calculator shows what those providers charge over the length of a ramp.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Wegovy dose schedule?

The Wegovy prescribing information starts at 0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg for 4 weeks, 1 mg for 4 weeks and 1.7 mg for 4 weeks, reaching a maintenance dose of 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg from week 17. If a step is not tolerated, the label allows delaying the next increase by 4 weeks.

What is the Zepbound dose schedule?

The Zepbound prescribing information starts at 2.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, which it describes as a starting dose and not a maintenance dose, then 5 mg. Further increases are in 2.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks on the current dose, up to a maximum of 15 mg. The recommended maintenance doses are 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg.

Can I stay on a lower dose?

Yes. Both labels name more than one maintenance dose, and the Zepbound label allows holding an intermediate dose for longer than 4 weeks. Staying below the labelled starting dose, or spacing injections wider than weekly, is outside the label; our microdosing guide covers what the labels allow and what they do not.

What if I miss a dose?

The Wegovy label says to take a missed dose as soon as possible if the next scheduled dose is more than 48 hours away, and to skip it if the next dose is less than 48 hours away. The Zepbound label says to take a missed dose within 4 days (96 hours) and otherwise skip it. Both say not to take two doses within those windows. Follow your prescriber's instructions where they differ.

Do compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide follow the same schedule?

Compounded products have no FDA label, so there is no official schedule for them. Many online providers model their protocols on the brand labels, but the prescriber decides the dose and interval. This timeline shows the brand labels only.

Medical disclaimer

This page is general information about GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, published to help you compare services. It is not medical advice, it does not create a doctor-patient relationship, and it is not a substitute for a consultation with a licensed clinician who knows your history. Treatments Hub is not a medical provider, pharmacy or clinic and does not prescribe, sell or dispense medication. Do not start, stop or change any treatment because of something you read here, and do not delay seeking care; in an emergency call 911.

Semaglutide and tirzepatide carry an FDA boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumours seen in rodents and are not for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2, nor for use in pregnancy. Compounded versions sold by telehealth providers are prepared by state-licensed pharmacies and are not FDA-approved products. Where a review or post on this page mentions weight lost, that is one person's result and is not typical; results vary widely.

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