Why am I using MOUNJARO KwikPen?
MOUNJARO KwikPen contains the active ingredient tirzepatide. MOUNJARO KwikPen is a type of medicine called ‘GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonists’.
- – In adults, this medicine is used to help treat diabetes.
- – In adults who are overweight or have obesity, this medicine is used to reduce weight or maintain weight loss.
- – In adults with obesity, this medicine is also used to treat moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which your pancreas does not produce enough insulin to control your blood sugar (glucose) level.
In adults with type 2 diabetes, MOUNJARO KwikPen is used to improve blood sugar control.
MOUNJARO KwikPen may be used alone or in combination with other diabetes medicines to control your blood sugar levels.
Weight Management
In adults who are overweight or have obesity, MOUNJARO KwikPen is used for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance.
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA).
In adults with obesity, MOUNJARO KwikPen is used to treat moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
OSA is a disease causing frequent brief interruptions of breathing during sleep.
MOUNJARO KwikPen may be used together with or without positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. Check with your doctor if you are unsure or need further information.
2. What should I know before I use MOUNJARO KwikPen?
Warnings
Do not use MOUNJARO KwikPen if:
- – you are allergic to tirzepatide, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
- – Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine.
Children and adolescents
This medicine should not be given to children and adolescents under 18 years of age because it has not been studied in this age group.
Check with your doctor if you:
- – have any other medical conditions such as:- gastrointestinal disease, including severe gastroparesis (also called delayed gastric emptying), a condition affecting your digestive system. Your doctor may need to monitor your condition more closely and in some cases your doctor may need to change your dose or stop MOUNJARO KwikPen if symptoms are severe.- malnutrition (your body does not get enough of the right nutrients to meet your body’s needs).- inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)- an inflamed pancreas causing severe stomach and back pain which does not go away. MOUNJARO KwikPen may cause inflammation of the pancreas.- problems with your eyes (diabetic retinopathy). Your doctor may need to monitor your condition more closely while you are using MOUNJARO KwikPen.- thoughts of suicide or death.- congestive heart failure.
- – are taking other medicines to treat type 2 diabetes (such as a sulfonylurea or insulin) as this may cause your blood sugar to be too low (hypoglycaemia). Your doctor may tell you to test your blood sugar to decide if any of the medicine/s or doses need to be changed.
- – take any medicines for any other condition.
- – have had an allergic reaction to any medicine which you have used previously to treat type 2 diabetes.
- – you have kidney or liver disease/impairment (kidneys or liver are not working as well as they should). Each MOUNJARO KwikPen contains 5.4 mg benzyl alcohol in each 0.6 mL dose. Benzyl alcohol may cause allergic reactions. Large amounts of benzyl alcohol can build-up in your body and may cause side effects (called “metabolic acidosis”).
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
Do not use MOUNJARO KwikPen if you are pregnant as the effects of this medicine during pregnancy have not been studied.
If there is a chance you could become pregnant while using MOUNJARO KwikPen, it is recommended to use contraception (birth control).
MOUNJARO KwikPen may affect how well birth control taken by mouth (‘the pill’) works. If you already take the pill:
- – Switch to a different type of birth control medicine, or
- – Add a barrier method of birth control (e.g., condom). Use this barrier method for 4 weeks when beginning treatment with MOUNJARO KwikPen and for 4 weeks after each time your dose is increased.
Talk to your doctor before using MOUNJARO KwikPen if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed. A risk to newborns/infants cannot be excluded. You and your doctor should decide if you should stop breastfeeding or delay using MOUNJARO KwikPen.
Dehydration
- – When starting treatment with MOUNJARO KwikPen, you may experience dehydration due to vomiting or diarrhoea.
- – Dehydration can lead to kidney problems. It is important to avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids.
- – Symptoms of dehydration include dry mouth, decreased frequency of urination, dark urine, headache, muscle weakness, or dizziness. Check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket, or health food shop.
Some medicines may interfere with MOUNJARO KwikPen and affect how it works.
When MOUNJARO KwikPen is used with a medicine that contains sulfonylurea or insulin, hypoglycaemia can occur. The dose of your sulfonylurea or insulin may need to be reduced.
Some medicines may be affected by MOUNJARO KwikPen and affect how they work.
MOUNJARO KwikPen delays stomach (gastric) emptying. If you take any medicines via mouth (orally), such as slow-release medicines, medicines with quick absorption from the stomach, medicines that have a narrow therapeutic index (e.g., warfarin, digoxin), medicines that need to reach a certain level in the body before they are effective, or an oral birth control (‘the pill’), MOUNJARO KwikPen may affect how well these medicines work. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
