The first month is when most questions come up. Here is a checklist you can actually use.
Before your first shot
- Read the medication guide that came with your pens, especially the warnings
- Pick a shot day that fits your week (the shot day planner can help) and set a weekly reminder
- Check how to store your pens (see how to store and travel with GLP-1 pens)
- Get a sharps disposal container
- Write down a starting weight, and measurements if you like
- If you take birth control pills and are starting Zepbound or Mounjaro, ask your prescriber about the label’s advice on backup contraception
Week 1
- Take your first shot and write down the date, time, dose and site
- Note how you feel each day in a word or two
- Eat smaller meals and stop when you feel full
- Drink enough fluids, especially if you have nausea or diarrhea
Weeks 2 to 4
- Rotate injection sites (a printable rotation chart helps)
- Keep an eye on protein and fiber with a smaller appetite (see the protein & fiber benchmark)
- Check how many doses you have left and when to order the refill (run-out date)
- Weigh yourself the same way each time, and look at the trend rather than the day
Before your next dose step
- Look back at your notes: which days were hard, which side effects, how long they lasted
- Write down your questions for your prescriber
- Make sure your new dose is ordered in time
When to call your prescriber
- Severe stomach pain that does not go away
- Vomiting where you cannot keep fluids down
- Signs of an allergic reaction
- Anything that worries you
Sources
- Prescribing information and medication guides on DailyMed.
- FDA, Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home.