How to inject Mounjaro: a step-by-step guide for your first injection

Taking the Mounjaro injection (also known as Mounjaro KwikPen) for the first time is the moment most users feel the most uncertain about.

You've had the consultation, the pen has arrived in cold packaging, and now there's a small object on the kitchen counter that you're supposed to use on yourself.

That hesitation is universal. It doesn't mean you're not ready.

The Mounjaro injection pen is designed to be self-administered.

Its needle is one of the shortest used in any injectable medication.

You don't need to attach the needle, prime the pen, dial a dose, or measure anything; the pen does all of that.

All you need to do is choose a clean injection site, hold the pen flat, press the button, and count slowly to ten.

Before we begin: A little bit about OnlineClinic:

OnlineClinic has been operating since 2011 and has treated more than 2.1 million patients.

Our pharmacy is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), our prescribers are registered with the General Medical Council (GMC), and the service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

On Trustpilot, the service rating is 4.6 out of 5 based on 6,209 reviews.

Every Mounjaro order ships with full written instructions and a sharps bin, and you can message a prescriber through your account at any time, at no charge.

This guide is designed to walk you through a step-by-step process of injecting Mounjaro.

Before you begin your Mounjaro injection, here’s a small list of things you should have handy:

• Your pre-filled, fixed-dose, single-use Mounjaro KwikPen. We dispatch the correct dose for your prescription each time; you don't need to set or measure anything.
• The patient information leaflet that came in the box.
• An alcohol wipe (we include these with each order).
• A clean tissue or cotton wool ball.
• Your sharps bin (we provide one with your first order; let us know if you need a replacement).

Next, choose a flat surface in a clean room.

Many people prefer the kitchen or bathroom because they can wash their hands and reach everything in one place.

The Mounjaro KwikPen is a pre-filled, single-use, fixed-dose injection pen.

Here are the main parts of the pen:

• The cap covers the needle before use. Pull it straight off when you're ready to inject; don't twist.
• The needle area is the clear, narrow base. The needle is short and thin.
• The viewing window/dose display is a small window on the side of the pen. Before you inject, check the liquid inside to ensure it is either clear, colourless, or slightly yellow. If it's cloudy or has particles, don't use it; contact us.
• The body is the main barrel that you hold.
• The button is at the opposite end from the needle. This is the part you press to deliver the dose.
• The fill level indicator shows how much medication has been delivered as the injection progresses.

Mounjaro is given as a subcutaneous injection, meaning just under the skin, not into a muscle or vein.

There are three injection sites for injecting Mounjaro:

1. The abdomen:

   Anywhere across the front of your stomach, avoiding a roughly 5cm (2-inch) circle around your belly button.

   Most people choose this site because it's the easiest to see and reach.

2. The front of the thigh:

   The fleshy area on the upper front of your thigh, midway between your hip and knee.

3. The back of the upper arm:

   If you plan to inject into the back of the upper arm, you need someone to inject it for you, as you cannot reach the back of the upper arm at a right angle yourself.

Rotating injection sites every week

Use a different site each week for the following two reasons:

• The skin around repeated injection sites can get tender or develop a small lump.
• Rotating injection sites reduces the risk of injection-site reactions building up over time.

If you are confused about where to inject the Mounjaro KwikPen week after week, this quick table may help you get things in order.

Nervous about injecting yourself with the Mounjaro KwikPen?

We get it.

That’s why we have broken down the entire injection process into twelve steps for you. Read on.

Step 1:

Wash your hands with soap and warm water, then dry them.

Step 2:

Let the pen come to room temperature for around 30 minutes if it's been refrigerated.

A cold injection is more uncomfortable than a room-temperature one.

Don't warm it up with a hairdryer, hot water, or a radiator; just let it sit out.

Step 3:

Check the pen. Look at the expiry date.

Confirm the dose printed on the label matches the one your prescriber has issued.

Look through the viewing window: the liquid should be either clear, colourless or slightly yellow.

Don't use a pen with cloudy liquid, visible particles, or any sign of damage.

Step 4:

Choose your injection site. Make sure the skin isn't bruised, broken, or irritated.

Step 5:

Clean the site with an alcohol wipe and let it air-dry for a few seconds. Injecting into damp skin can sting.

Clean the site in a small circle and let it dry. Injecting into damp alcohol stings briefly; dry skin doesn't.

Step 6:

Pull the pen cap straight off. Don't twist it or put it back on after you've taken it off.

Step 7:

Place the pen flat against your skin at 90 degrees. Straight on, not at an angle.

Allow the clear base of the pen to be in full contact with the skin.

You don't need to pinch the skin first; the pen is designed for a flat placement.

Flat against the skin, 90° angle. No pinching, no tilting.

Step 8:

Press the button firmly until you hear the first click. Keep your hand steady. The first click means the injection has started.

Step 9:

Hold the pen against your skin for ten full seconds. Count slowly to ten until you hear the second click.

The second click means the full dose has been delivered.

Only lift the pen after you’ve heard the second click.

The fill indicator on the pen will also change, indicating that the dose has been successfully delivered.

Two clicks, ten seconds. The second click is the all-clear: the full dose has been delivered.

Step 10:

Lift the pen straight away from the skin. Pull it directly upward; don't tilt or slide it across.

Step 11:

Apply gentle pressure to the spot with a cotton wool ball or clean tissue.

Don't rub.

You may see a small drop of blood or clear fluid oozing out of the skin. Don’t worry, it’s quite normal.

Step 12:

Dispose of the pen in your sharps bin straight away. The pen and the needle count as clinical sharps waste and shouldn't go in household bins.

That's it.

From washing your hands to disposing of the pen in a sharps bin, the entire injection process takes only about two minutes.

Three things most first-timers ask about:

• The needle itself. Most people describe the sensation while injecting the needle into the skin as a brief pinch or nothing at all.

  The Mounjaro KwikPen needle is one of the shortest and thinnest used in any injectable medication, so there’s no need to worry about pain or discomfort.

• A cold sensation. If the pen isn’t at room temperature, you may feel a brief cool sensation as the medication goes in.

  This isn't harmful, just uncomfortable; next time, allow the pen to sit out at room temperature for a little longer.

• Tenderness afterwards. Mild soreness or a small bump at the site is normal and usually settles within 24 hours.

While the injection doesn't restrict driving, working, exercise, or daily activity, there are some precautions you need to follow for the first 24 to 48 hours after injecting yourself.

• A small bump or faint redness at the site may be visible. But it is normal and usually fades within a day or two.

• Side effects such as nausea, slight queasiness, and mild fatigue often appear 24 to 48 hours after the injection.

  These are quite common and can be managed easily. We cover the timeline of side effects and how to manage them in Mounjaro side effects week by week.

• Drink adequate water, eat smaller and slightly plainer meals than usual, and avoid very rich, fatty, or alcohol-heavy meals in the first 24 to 48 hours after the injection.

  To know more about an ideal diet after the injection, check out our guide on What to eat on Mounjaro.

While the Mounjaro Kwikpen is really easy to use, sometimes, things might go a bit awry.

But even then, these things can be easily fixed.

Here are some things which might go wrong and what to do about them.

Storing your Mounjaro KwikPen correctly is important to continue using Mounjaro week after week.

Here’s how to store Mounjaro correctly.

• Before first use:

  Keep the pen refrigerated at 2°C to 8°C. Don't freeze it, as it damages the medication and the pen can't be used.

• Once warmed for first use:

  The pen can be kept at room temperature (below 30°C) for up to 21 days.

• Don't shake the pen:

  Don't shake the pen, expose it to direct sunlight, or store it near a radiator or in a warm car.

• While travelling:

  Mounjaro is temperature-sensitive, and travel needs a small amount of planning.

  We cover this in Travelling with Mounjaro, including cool bags, flights, and airport security.

• Cold-chain handling at delivery:

  We ship Mounjaro in insulated packaging with cold packs and aim for next-day delivery for exactly this reason.

  Our full cold-chain protocol is covered in GLP-1 cold-chain handling.

Message us through your account if any of the following apply:

• The pen has a defect (stuck, leaking, cracked, cloudy liquid).
• You have persistent redness, swelling, or pain at the injection site that hasn't eased in three to four days.
• You have a missed dose, and you're not sure which rule applies.
• You're anxious about the technique and would prefer to talk it through with a prescriber before your next injection.
• You think you've taken the wrong dose, or used the pen incorrectly.

A GMC-registered prescriber reviews messages on the same working day in most cases. There's no charge for clinical advice during your treatment.