What to expect in the Mounjaro pack?
Once you have been prescribed Mounjaro, you will receive your prescribed medicine in a box containing a single pre-filled pen with four fixed doses to be used as a subcutaneous injection once weekly. Your pharmacy may also supply compatible pen needles, alcohol swabs and a sharps disposal container. Needles are not included inside the manufacturer’s pen pack.
How to use a Mounjaro pen?
1. Cleanliness and Inspection: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling the device. Inspect the pen to confirm it has not been frozen and that the pen is not damaged or expired and that the liquid is clear (colourless to pale yellow) without any cloudiness or particles. Verify that the prescription label on the box shows your name and the correct medication name and strength.
2. Needle Attachment: Disinfect the red rubber seal using an alcohol swab. Peel the paper tab off a new pen needle and twist the needle securely onto the pen. Take off the outer needle shield (setting it aside for later) and discard the inner needle shield.
3. Priming the Pen: Before each injection, slowly rotate the dose knob until you hear two clicks and the extended line is shown in the dose window. Point the pen upward and gently tap the cartridge to collect air bubbles at the top. Fully depress the knob, holding it down for a slow 5-second count until the dose window shows 0. A small amount of medicine should appear at the needle tip. Do not inject while priming. If none appears, repeat the priming steps no more than twice; if still absent, change the needle and repeat them no more than once. If medicine still does not appear, contact Lilly or your healthcare professional.
4. Setting and Administering the Dose: Turn the dose knob until it stops and the number 1 (representing a full 0.6mL dose) is displayed in the window. Insert the needle into your chosen injection site: abdomen (at least 5cm from the navel), thigh, or the upper arm (with assistance from another person). Press the knob all the way down until it stops, holding it while counting slowly to 5 until the display reads 0. Withdraw the needle. If the window did not return to 0, reinsert the needle to finish the injection without turning the dial again. If you still think you did not receive the full dose, do not start over or repeat the injection; contact your healthcare professional.
5. Post-Injection Care: Carefully slide the outer needle cap back onto the needle, unscrew the needle, and drop it into a sharps container. Always store the pen with its cap on and without a needle attached to prevent leakage, air contamination, or blockages.
Why is there some liquid left after the last dose?
After completing your fourth Mounjaro injection, you may notice leftover solution remaining inside the pen cartridge, often referred to as ‘Golden Dose’. Leftover liquid alone does not mean you received less than your prescribed dose. If you are unsure whether you received the full dose, do not repeat the injection; contact your healthcare professional.
The manufacturer, Eli Lilly, intentionally includes this extra fluid to allow for priming and delivery of the four fixed doses. It is not an additional prescribed dose.
After four doses, do not attempt to inject the remaining liquid or force the pen. There may not be enough for a full 0.6mL dose. Never attempt to extract this remaining liquid using an external syringe, as doing so poses serious safety risks and unpredictable health consequences.
Additionally, your Mounjaro pen must be safely disposed of after four weekly doses or 30 days after first use, whichever comes first.
