How to Inject Zepbound in 5 Easy Steps (Plus, Where to Inject It)

Zepbound (tirzepatide) is a popular injectable medication. It’s best known for its weight-loss benefits. But it’s also FDA approved for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea. And it continues to prove useful in managing other conditions.

If you’re new to Zepbound, it’s common to have questions about how and where to inject your dose. Here, we provide instructions and tips on how to inject Zepbound, so you can get the most from your medication.

Good to know: Zepbound’s manufacturer has a barcode scanning tool online to help you verify that the medication you’re taking is legitimate. Using your phone’s or computer’s camera, scan the barcode on your product. The tool will tell you if it’s authentic Zepbound.

How to inject Zepbound properly

There are five main steps to injecting Zepbound. But before you start, determine where you want to administer your dose. The stomach, upper arm, and thigh are all acceptable injection sites. Once you decide where to inject Zepbound, follow the steps below to properly inject it.

Good to know: It’s ideal to store Zepbound pens in the refrigerator between 36°F and 46°F. But take the pen out of the fridge about 30 minutes before using it. This can help make the injection more comfortable.

1. Gather your supplies

Gather the following supplies:

• The Zepbound pen you’ll be using

• An alcohol swab

• A gauze pad

• A bandage

• A sharps container or suitable alternative

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Check your Zepbound pen before administering your dose. Make sure the pen isn’t damaged and the liquid inside is clear and free of particles. And don’t forget to check the expiration date.

Zepbound pens come with a needle already attached. Don’t remove the gray safety cover until you’re ready to inject. This helps avoid accidental needle sticks or loss of medication.

2. Clean the injection site

Before you clean the desired injection site, wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water. If you don’t have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Wipe your preferred injection site with an alcohol swab, and let the area air-dry. Avoid fanning or blowing on the area. This can cause the site to become contaminated with bacteria or other germs. Once the injection site has dried, you’re ready to inject your Zepbound dose.

3. Remove the gray safety cover

Before removing the gray safety cover, make sure your Zepbound pen is in the locked position. Look for a green line near the purple injector button. This is the lock ring. And it should line up with a gray, closed padlock symbol.

After confirming that your Zepbound pen is locked, carefully remove the safety cover. Place the clear, triangular base flat on the injection site. Turn the lock ring so that the pen is unlocked (the green, opened padlock symbol). Don’t replace the safety cover once it’s removed since it can damage the needle inside.

4. Inject your dose

To inject your dose, press and hold the purple injection button for up to 10 seconds. You should hear two clicks: one when the injection begins and another when it’s finished. You should also see a gray plunger in the medication window when the injection is complete.

Remove your Zepbound pen from the injection site. It’s common to see a little blood or fluid. Use a gauze pad to gently dab the area. Rubbing can cause skin irritation. Apply a bandage if needed.

5. Dispose of your pen

After injecting your dose, throw your Zepbound pen away in a disposal container. An FDA-cleared sharps container is ideal. But if you don’t have one, you can use a heavy-duty plastic container with a tightly fitted lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Don’t throw away used or damaged Zepbound pens in your regular trash.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Tips for best use: Our pharmacist-backed tips for using Zepbound (tirzepatide) will help you get the most out of your medication.

• Compare options: Zepbound is one of several medications that work like the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Learn more about available GLP-1 agonists.

• Possible side effects: Read about Zepbound’s potential side effects — from diarrhea to hair loss — and how to manage them.

How does using Zepbound vials differ from using Zepbound pens?

Zepbound is also available as single-dose vials. Unlike Zepbound pens, you’ll need to purchase syringes to use with the vials. A healthcare professional can help you determine the most appropriate syringe and needle to use.

There are a few differences between using Zepbound pens and vials. After gathering your supplies and cleaning the injection site, follow the step-by-step instructions below to inject Zepbound using a single-dose vial.

1. Prepare the vial

Place your Zepbound vial on a flat, sturdy surface, such as a table. Remove the protective, plastic cap from your vial. Wipe the rubber stopper under the cap with an alcohol swab. Make sure you’re using a fresh alcohol pad — not the one you used to clean your injection site.

2. Prepare the syringe

Carefully remove the protective covering from the needle of the syringe. Hold the syringe barrel in one hand with the needle pointing up. Pull the syringe plunger down to the 0.5 mL line with your other hand.

Turn the needle over. Push the needle straight through the vial’s rubber stopper. Press the syringe plunger into the vial. This pushes the 0.5 mL of air into the vial, making the medication easier to draw into the syringe.

3. Prepare the dose

Carefully turn the vial and syringe upside down. Use one hand to hold the Zepbound vial and the other hand to pull down the plunger just past the 0.5 mL line. If you see air bubbles in the liquid, gently tap the syringe so they rise to the top.

Slowly push the plunger back to the 0.5 mL line. This places excess air back into the vial. Remove the syringe from the vial.

4. Inject your dose

Your prescriber will tell you if you should gently pinch your skin or pull it flat for your injection. Insert the needle at a 90-degree angle into your desired injection site. Push down on the plunger to administer your Zepbound dose. Leave the needle in the area for at least 5 seconds before removing it. This helps make sure your entire dose is injected.

If there’s blood or fluid at the injection site, dab (don’t rub) the area with a gauze pad. Apply a bandage if needed.

5. Dispose of your syringe and vial

Put your syringe and needle in your sharps container (or heavy-duty plastic container) after removing it from the injection site. The empty Zepbound vial can be discarded in your regular trash.

Where can you inject Zepbound?

You can inject Zepbound into one of three areas:

• Stomach: Inject at least 2 inches from your belly button. Avoid your waistline and areas near the hip bones.

• Thigh: Inject into the outer side of your upper thigh. Avoid the inner thigh.

• Upper arm: Inject at the back of the upper arm, at least 3 inches below your shoulder and 3 inches above your elbow. This area isn’t easy to use if you’re self-injecting. But if another person administers your Zepbound dose, they could inject it here for you.

There’s no “best” place to inject Zepbound. Clinical studies show that all three areas absorb Zepbound similarly. But many people find it easier to inject their dose into their stomach.

Be sure to use a different injection site with each Zepbound dose. This helps limit injection site reactions. It’s OK to use the same body area for each dose. Just use another section within the area. For example, if you’re using your stomach, inject into the right side for one dose and then the left side for the next dose.

Tips and tricks to make sure you receive your full Zepbound dose

Following the steps above can help you inject Zepbound properly. Here are some pharmacist-backed tips and tricks to help you receive your entire dose with every injection:

• Make sure your Zepbound pen or vial isn’t damaged or expired.

• Don’t remove the gray safety cover or unlock the pen until you’re ready to use it.

• Rotate injection areas to avoid injection site reactions.

• Don’t inject Zepbound into skin that’s cut, bruised, or damaged.

• Use fresh supplies with each injection. Don’t reuse syringes.

• Keep your Zepbound pen in your body until you hear both clicks (up to 10 seconds). If you’re using Zepbound vials, keep the syringe in your body for at least 5 seconds.

How to save on Zepbound

There are ways to save on Zepbound, which is available as a brand-name medication. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $25 per prescription through the manufacturer’s copay savings program.

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Written by:

Kristina D. Carter, PharmD, MBA, MHA

Kristina D. Carter, PharmD, MBA, MHA, has over 25 years of experience working in healthcare. She is registered as a licensed pharmacist in Georgia, Indiana, and Tennessee.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

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