Guides / GLP-1 dosing

Missed a GLP-1 dose? The rule for each medicine

How late is too late depends on your medicine. Each US label sets its own window, and a few UK rules differ.

By PeptideTracker editorial team · Updated November 8, 2026 · 16 sources

[00] Short answer

  1. Ozempic: take the missed dose within 5 days. After that, skip it and take the next dose on your usual day1.
  2. Mounjaro and Zepbound: take it within 4 days (96 hours). After that, skip it3–4.
  3. Wegovy injection (US): take it if your next dose is more than 2 days (48 hours) away. If it is less than 2 days away, skip it2.
  4. Trulicity: take it if at least 3 days (72 hours) are left before the next dose5. Daily tablets like Rybelsus and Wegovy tablets: skip the missed one and take the next dose the following day2,8.

What to do if you miss a GLP-1 dose: the rule for each medicine

Take a missed weekly GLP-1 injection late only inside the window your label sets: 5 days for Ozempic, 4 days (96 hours) for Mounjaro and Zepbound. Wegovy and Trulicity use a "days until the next dose" rule instead. Outside the window, skip the missed dose and go back to your usual day. No label tells you to take two doses to catch up.

Missed-dose rules from each US prescribing information (UK differences in the section below)
Medicine (ingredient)How oftenIf you miss a doseShortest gap or limit the label gives
Ozempic injection (semaglutide)WeeklyTake it as soon as possible within 5 days. More than 5 days: skip it and take the next dose on your usual day1At least 2 days (more than 48 hours) between two doses1
Wegovy injection (semaglutide)WeeklyNext dose more than 2 days away: take it as soon as possible. Less than 2 days away: skip it2Change your day only if your last dose was 2 or more days before2
Mounjaro, Zepbound (tirzepatide)WeeklyTake it as soon as possible within 4 days (96 hours). More than 4 days: skip it3–4At least 3 days (72 hours) between two doses3–4
Trulicity (dulaglutide)WeeklyAt least 3 days (72 hours) until the next dose: take it. Less than 3 days: skip it5Last dose 3 or more days before the new day5
Saxenda, Victoza (liraglutide)DailySkip it and take the next scheduled dose. Don't take an extra dose or a bigger dose to make up6–7More than 3 days missed: the label says to restart at 0.6 mg6–7
Rybelsus, Ozempic tablets, Wegovy tablets (semaglutide)DailySkip it and take the next dose the following day2,8No more than one tablet a day2,8
Foundayo (orforglipron)DailyTake it as soon as possible. Don't double up the next dose97 or more doses in a row missed: restart the dose increases at a lower dose9

"Skip it" means leave out the missed dose and take your next dose on your normal day. After that, the labels say to carry on with your usual schedule.

Foundayo (orforglipron) is a daily GLP-1 tablet the FDA approved on April 1, 2026, for weight management in adults10. It's in the table because its label is now published9.

Missed your weekly injection by 1 to 6 days: take it or skip it?

Ozempic can be taken up to 5 days late. Mounjaro and Zepbound can be taken up to 4 days late, and so can Trulicity, because 3 days then remain before the next dose. The table applies each US label's rule to each day, counted from your usual dose day.

Days since your usual dose day → what each US label says (weekly injections on a 7-day schedule)
How lateOzempicWegovy injectionMounjaro, ZepboundTrulicity
1 day late (next dose in 6 days)Take it nowTake it nowTake it nowTake it now
2 days late (next dose in 5 days)Take it nowTake it nowTake it nowTake it now
3 days late (next dose in 4 days)Take it nowTake it nowTake it nowTake it now
4 days late (next dose in 3 days)Take it nowTake it nowTake it nowTake it now
5 days late (next dose in 2 days)Take it nowCount the hours: take it only if more than 48 hours are leftSkip itSkip it
6 days late (next dose in 1 day)Skip itSkip itSkip itSkip it

Built from the rules in Ozempic section 2.1, Wegovy section 2.4, Mounjaro section 2.1, Zepbound section 2.3 and Trulicity section 2.31–5. "Skip it" means take your next dose on your usual day.

The labels count in hours as well as days (48, 72 or 96 hours). If you're close to the edge, count the hours from the time you would normally have injected. In the UK, the Wegovy rule is written as "within 5 days", the same as Ozempic12.

Can you change your GLP-1 injection day?

Yes. Every weekly GLP-1 label lets you move your injection day, as long as enough time has passed since your last dose. For Ozempic in the US that is at least 2 days (more than 48 hours). For Mounjaro, Zepbound and Trulicity it is at least 3 days (72 hours)1,3–5.

  • Ozempic (US): at least 2 days (more than 48 hours) between two doses1.
  • Wegovy (US): the Medication Guide says you may change the day if your last dose was 2 or more days before2.
  • Mounjaro and Zepbound: at least 3 days (72 hours) between two doses3–4.
  • Trulicity: the last dose must be 3 or more days before the new day5.
  • UK Ozempic and Wegovy: the SmPCs ask for at least 3 days (more than 72 hours)11–12.

Example: you inject on Monday morning and want to move to Wednesday evening. That is more than 2 days (48 hours), which fits the US Ozempic and Wegovy rules. Monday morning to Wednesday morning is exactly 48 hours. That fits the Wegovy wording (“2 or more days”) but not Ozempic's “more than 48 hours”, and neither fits the 3-day rule for Mounjaro, Zepbound or Trulicity. Moving from Monday to Thursday (3 days) fits all of them. After you pick the new day, keep using it every week11–12.

Missed a daily GLP-1 dose (Rybelsus, Wegovy tablets, Saxenda, Victoza, Foundayo)?

For daily semaglutide tablets (Rybelsus, Ozempic tablets and Wegovy tablets), the US labels say to skip the missed tablet and take the next one the following day2,8. The labels say not to take more than one tablet a day.

  • Saxenda and Victoza (liraglutide): skip the missed dose and take the next scheduled one. Don't take an extra dose or increase the dose to make up for it6–7.
  • Foundayo (orforglipron): take the missed dose as soon as possible, but don't double up the next dose9.
  • UK Saxenda: the SmPC uses a 12-hour rule. If you are within 12 hours of your usual time, take it. If there are less than 12 hours to the next dose, skip it14.

Missed 2 weeks or more of a GLP-1: do you restart?

Only some GLP-1 labels say what to do after a longer gap. The US Wegovy label is one: if 2 or more doses in a row are missed, it says your prescriber may restart the dose increases at a lower dose, to lower the chance of stomach side effects2.

  • Wegovy (US): the Medication Guide says, "If you miss doses of WEGOVY for 2 or more consecutive weeks, contact your healthcare provider to talk about how to restart your treatment."2
  • Wegovy (UK): "If more doses are missed, reducing the starting dose for re-initiation should be considered."12
  • Saxenda and Victoza: if more than 3 days have passed since the last dose, the labels say to restart at 0.6 mg a day6–7.
  • Foundayo: if 7 or more doses in a row are missed, restart the dose increases at a lower dose9.
  • Ozempic, Mounjaro, Zepbound and Trulicity (US): the missed-dose sections don't give a restart rule for long gaps1,3–5.

UK missed-dose rules that differ from the US

In the UK, the Ozempic, Mounjaro and Trulicity missed-dose windows match the US labels: 5 days, 4 days and "at least 3 days until the next dose"11,13,15. A few details differ.

  • Wegovy: the UK SmPC says take it within 5 days, and skip it after that12. The US label uses "more than 2 days until the next dose"2.
  • Changing your day on Ozempic or Wegovy: 3 days (more than 72 hours) in the UK, 2 days in the US1–2,11–12.
  • Saxenda: the UK uses a 12-hour rule for a missed daily dose14.
[Tool]See how long your medicine stays in your systemUses the half-life from each label

Questions

Should I take two GLP-1 doses to catch up?

No label says to. The Saxenda and Victoza labels say not to take an extra dose to make up for a missed one, and Foundayo says not to double up. The weekly injections say to skip the missed dose once the window has passed.

I took my Mounjaro 3 days late. When is my next dose?

On your usual day. The Mounjaro and Zepbound labels say that after a late dose you go back to your regular once-weekly schedule. The labels also ask for at least 3 days (72 hours) between two doses.

Can I take Ozempic 6 days late?

Not by the label. The US and UK Ozempic labels give a 5-day window for a missed dose. After 5 days, skip it and take the next dose on your usual day.

I missed 2 weeks of Ozempic or Mounjaro. Do I start again at the lowest dose?

The Ozempic and Mounjaro US labels don't give a restart rule for long gaps. The Wegovy label does: after 2 or more missed doses in a row it says your prescriber may restart at a lower dose. Ask your prescriber what dose to restart on.

I use compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide. Which rule applies?

Compounded drugs are not FDA approved, so they have no FDA label of their own. Ask the prescriber or pharmacy that supplied yours which missed-dose rule to follow.

How long does semaglutide stay in your body after a missed dose?

The Ozempic label says semaglutide has a half-life of about 1 week and is present in the blood for about 5 weeks after the last dose. The Mounjaro label gives tirzepatide a half-life of about 5 days.

Sources

Checked against US prescribing information for Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Trulicity, Saxenda, Victoza, Rybelsus/Ozempic tablets and Foundayo (2025–2026), and the UK SmPCs for Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Trulicity and Saxenda. How we check

  1. 1Ozempic (semaglutide) injection, US prescribing information, sections 2.1, 12.3 and 17. Novo Nordisk, revised 05/2026
  2. 2Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets, US prescribing information and Medication Guide, sections 2.4 and 2.1. Novo Nordisk, revised 06/2026
  3. 3Mounjaro (tirzepatide) US prescribing information, sections 2.1 and 12.3. Eli Lilly, revised 08/2026
  4. 4Zepbound (tirzepatide) US prescribing information, sections 2.3 and 17. Eli Lilly, revised 08/2026
  5. 5Trulicity (dulaglutide) US prescribing information, section 2.3. Eli Lilly, revised 03/2026
  6. 6Saxenda (liraglutide) US prescribing information and Medication Guide, section 2.1. Novo Nordisk, revised 02/2026
  7. 7Victoza (liraglutide) US prescribing information, section 2.2. Novo Nordisk, revised 10/2025
  8. 8Rybelsus and Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets, US prescribing information, section 2.1. Novo Nordisk, revised 01/2026
  9. 9Foundayo (orforglipron) tablets, US prescribing information, section 2.3. Eli Lilly, revised 07/2026
  10. 10FDA news release: FDA approves first new molecular entity under National Priority Voucher program (Foundayo). April 1, 2026
  11. 11Ozempic 0.25 mg solution for injection, UK SmPC, section 4.2. eMC, updated 28 Jul 2026
  12. 12Wegovy FlexTouch solution for injection, UK SmPC, section 4.2. eMC, updated 22 Sep 2026
  13. 13Mounjaro KwikPen solution for injection, UK SmPC, section 4.2. eMC, updated 8 Sep 2026
  14. 14Saxenda 6 mg/mL solution for injection, UK SmPC, section 4.2. eMC, updated 27 Nov 2025
  15. 15Trulicity solution for injection, UK SmPC, section 4.2. eMC, updated 17 Mar 2026
  16. 16FDA: FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss. content current as of 10/01/2026

This guide explains what labels and published studies say. It isn't medical advice and doesn't replace your prescriber or pharmacist.

Spotted a mistake or something out of date? Tell us. We aim to fix factual errors within two working days.