GLP-1 Titration Schedule Calculator — Semaglutide & Tirzepatide

See the standard dose-escalation schedule for semaglutide and tirzepatide, your current step, and how many weeks to the maintenance dose. ⚕️ Educational

📈

GLP-1 Titration

Dose schedule • By week

wk

⚕️ Educational only — standard manufacturer schedules. Your prescriber may go slower if you have side effects. Not medical advice.

📈
Pick a medication to see the schedule

How GLP-1 Titration Works

  1. Pick your medication.
  2. Enter the week you're on.
  3. See your current dose, the next step-up, and the full schedule to the maintenance dose.

Standard GLP-1 Dose Escalation

GLP-1 medications are titrated slowly — increased every 4 weeks — to reduce nausea and side effects while your body adjusts. Semaglutide (Wegovy) steps through 0.25 → 0.5 → 1.0 → 1.7 → 2.4 mg weekly, reaching the maintenance dose around week 17. Tirzepatide (Zepbound) steps through 2.5 → 5 → 7.5 → 10 → 12.5 → 15 mg, reaching maximum around week 21.

These are the standard manufacturer schedules; your prescriber may hold you at a lower dose longer if it controls appetite well or if you have side effects. Never increase faster than directed. This is educational, not medical advice.

Formula & Logic

GLP-1 medications are escalated gradually — typically every four weeks — because starting at a therapeutic dose causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea severe enough to make most people stop. The titration schedule is set by the manufacturer and validated in trials, so the dates are arithmetic once the start date is known. Clinically, a step is often held longer than four weeks if side effects are troublesome, which delays subsequent steps without changing the sequence. Missed doses have their own rules depending on how long the gap has been, and a long gap can require restarting at a lower dose.

Step n start date = Treatment start + (n − 1) × 4 weeksTotal escalation time = (number of steps − 1) × 4 weeksHolding a step adds its extra duration to every later date

where:

step interval
typically 4 weeks per dose level
maintenance
the target dose at the end of escalation
hold
staying at a step longer for tolerability, which shifts all later dates

Assumptions: General information only, not medical advice. Schedules differ by product and indication and are set by the prescriber. Do not accelerate titration to reach a target dose sooner — the schedule exists for tolerability, not convenience.

Step-by-Step Example: A Five-Step Escalation From 3 March

Map a standard four-week titration onto real dates, then account for a hold.

  • Start date3 March 2026
  • Step interval4 weeks
  • Steps5 dose levels
  1. Step 1 begins 3 March.
  2. Step 2: 3 March + 4 weeks = 31 March.
  3. Step 3: 31 March + 4 weeks = 28 April.
  4. Step 4: 28 April + 4 weeks = 26 May.
  5. Step 5 (maintenance): 26 May + 4 weeks = 23 June — 16 weeks from the start.
  6. Holding step 3 for an extra 4 weeks pushes maintenance to 21 July.

ResultMaintenance dose reached 23 June — 16 weeks from starting

Roughly four months to reach maintenance is the expected timeline, and it is worth knowing at the outset, because early weeks are on sub-therapeutic doses. Extending a step for tolerability is common and delays the endpoint without compromising it.

GLP-1 Titration FAQ

Typically every 4 weeks, as long as you're tolerating it. Slower escalation is common if you have nausea — many people stay at a dose that works rather than reaching the maximum.
No. The maintenance dose is whatever controls appetite with manageable side effects. Many people do well below the maximum. Your prescriber decides.
After a longer gap you may need to re-titrate from a lower dose to avoid side effects. Follow your prescriber's guidance — this tool only shows the standard schedule.

Related Calculators

✔ Written & reviewed by Dr Sam — 20+ yrs in management & research leadership📅 Last updated June 2026📚 Sources: CDC & USDA / HHS Dietary Guidelines📑 How we build & check these⚖ General information only — not medical advice