We strongly recommend that individuals also get support to eat healthily and achieve their physical activity goals with these medications helping to achieve this.
Listening to their appetite and choosing healthy options can help reduce unwanted side effects such as nausea and feeling sick. If support is needed to improve eating choices as well as other aspects of becoming healthier, please look at Keeping Healthy – Diabetes in Grampian page on our website.
Individuals who are also on Sulphonylureas or Insulin may need to decrease the dose of these medications, or even stop, them to prevent hypoglycaemic episodes when started on another glucose lowering medications. Support should be offered to check glucose levels and advice about recognising, treating, preventing hypoglycaemia and reinforcing the importance of driving guidance.
Due to supply and demand market issues currently available in Grampian in this group of medications are :
Semaglutide –
This is currently only the oral preparation is available. Please ensure you read the information relating to Diabetes management rather than weight loss.
BNF Link for prescribing semaglutide
Oral Semaglutide for diabetes prescribing is summarised below:
Adult
Initially 3 mg once daily for 1 month, then increased to 7 mg once daily for at least 1 month, then increased if necessary to 14 mg once daily, one 14 mg tablet should be used to achieve a 14 mg dose; use of two 7 mg tablets to achieve a 14 mg dose has not been studied and is therefore not recommended.
Patient information leaflet:
Tirzepatide –
For instructions to use this pen please click the link below:
How to use the Mounjaro pen: Step-by-step guide
Always read the leaflet. Terms and Conditions apply.
Please click here for the Patient Information Leaflet
Please see prescribing information taken from the BNF: Tirzepatide | Drugs | BNF | NICE
Type 2 diabetes mellitus as monotherapy [if metformin inappropriate],
Type 2 diabetes mellitus in combination with other antidiabetic drugs (including insulin) [if existing treatment fails to achieve adequate glycaemic control]
For tirzepatide:
Adult
Initially 2.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, then increased to 5 mg once weekly for at least 4 weeks, then increased if necessary up to 15 mg once weekly, dose to be increased in steps of 2.5 mg at intervals of at least 4 weeks.