Foundayo Dosage and Titration Schedule: Complete Guide
Foundayo follows a six-step titration schedule, starting at 0.8mg once daily and increasing through 2.5mg, 5.5mg, 9mg and 14.5mg to a maximum dose of 17.2mg once daily. Each step must last a minimum of 30 days before the next increase, meaning the full schedule takes at least five months to reach the highest dose — though not everyone needs to, or should, reach the maximum. Your prescriber will personalise your titration pace based on how you tolerate each dose and how you're responding, exactly as with Mounjaro and the Wegovy pill.
The schedule below reflects the dosing structure set out for Foundayo's UK authorisation. Your prescriber may keep you at any given dose for longer than the minimum if that's what suits you best — reaching 17.2mg is not a requirement of treatment.
| Stage | Dose | Minimum duration |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 0.8mg once daily | At least 30 days |
| Titration | 2.5mg once daily | At least 30 days |
| Titration | 5.5mg once daily | At least 30 days |
| Titration | 9mg once daily | At least 30 days |
| Titration | 14.5mg once daily | At least 30 days |
| Maximum dose | 17.2mg once daily | Maximum dose |
Take one tablet daily at any time, with or without food; there is no water restriction. Swallow it whole rather than splitting, crushing or chewing it. Do not combine tablets to make a higher dose. Keep tablets in the original packaging to protect them from light.
Why Titration MattersStarting any GLP-1 medicine at its full therapeutic dose would significantly increase the risk and severity of gastrointestinal side effects like nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, because the body hasn't had time to adjust to the medicine's effect on digestion and appetite signalling. Gradual titration allows your digestive system to adapt at each step, which is why skipping ahead or increasing your own dose without medical guidance is never recommended, however tempting it might be to reach results faster.
Titration also serves a second purpose: it lets your prescriber assess how you're responding at each dose before deciding whether to increase further. Many people achieve meaningful weight loss at a dose below the maximum, and continuing to increase the dose is a decision made collaboratively based on your results and tolerability — not an automatic progression everyone follows to the top.
All three treatments use the same underlying principle — start low, increase gradually, minimum time at each step — but the specific doses, number of steps and total timeline differ. Our weight loss drugs comparison also considers treatment format and the questions to discuss with your prescriber.
| Foundayo | Mounjaro | Wegovy Pill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting dose | 0.8mg | 2.5mg | 1.5mg |
| Number of dose steps | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Minimum time per step | 30 days | 28 days (4 weeks) | One month |
| Maximum dose | 17.2mg | 15mg | 25mg |
| Minimum time to reach maximum | 150 days | 20 weeks | About 3 months (start of month 4) |
Worth knowing
Foundayo has six dose levels compared with four for Wegovy pills. At the minimum intervals, Foundayo reaches its highest dose after 150 days; Wegovy pills reach 25mg after three monthly increases. Reaching a maximum dose is different from reaching a final weight-loss result.
The Starter Dose (0.8mg)
The 0.8mg dose starts the gradual adjustment to treatment. Appetite changes and side effects vary, so an early response does not tell you what your longer-term result will be. Do not increase early because you have not noticed a change.
The Middle Titration Steps (2.5mg–9mg)
Your prescriber reviews your response and tolerability before each increase. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are more frequent during dose escalation, but symptoms do not follow the same timetable for everyone. See our Foundayo side effects guide for practical advice and warning signs. If drinking alcohol is part of your usual routine, read our Foundayo and alcohol guide before discussing this alongside your dose-increase plan.
Higher Titration and Maintenance (14.5mg–17.2mg)
Higher doses are not necessary or appropriate for everyone. The ATTAIN-1 weight-loss trial studied capsule doses equivalent to 5.5mg, 9mg and 17.2mg tablets; 14.5mg was not a separate assigned dose in that trial. Your prescriber decides whether a further increase is appropriate.
If you are switching from another GLP-1 medicine, your prescriber must plan the change. Foundayo has its own licensed starting dose of 0.8mg daily; do not convert the milligrams from Mounjaro or Wegovy or carry over your previous dose.
Your prescriber will specify when to stop the previous medicine and when to start Foundayo. Do not overlap treatments or choose a washout interval yourself.
Factors That Can Affect Your Titration PaceWhile the minimum 30-day interval between doses is fixed, the pace at which you actually progress through the schedule — and whether you reach the maximum dose at all — is genuinely individual.
- How well you tolerate gastrointestinal side effects at each step — some people move through the schedule at the minimum pace with few issues, others need longer at certain doses
- How you're responding in terms of appetite and weight loss — if you're seeing strong results at a mid-range dose, your prescriber may suggest staying there rather than increasing further
- Other medicines can require avoidance, extra monitoring or a lower dose limit; for example, certain strong CYP3A4 inhibitors or OATP1B inhibitors limit Foundayo to 9mg daily. Your prescriber must check the combination
- Your own preference — titration is a collaborative decision between you and your prescriber, not a fixed path you're required to follow to the end
This individual variation is completely normal and expected. Clinical trial data itself reflects this: not every participant in the ATTAIN trials reached the highest dose, and meaningful weight loss was observed across the different dose levels studied, not only at the maximum.
What If Side Effects Make It Hard to Progress?Contact your prescriber before the next increase if a dose is difficult to tolerate. They may delay escalation, change the dose or stop treatment depending on the symptoms. Do not keep taking a poorly tolerated dose without advice. See the Foundayo side effects and urgent-help advice.
Foundayo may reduce oral contraceptive effectiveness. Use a non-oral method or add a barrier method for 30 days after starting and after each dose increase. Check the Foundayo eligibility guide and discuss your medicines and contraception with your prescriber.
Important
Never adjust your Foundayo dose yourself, whether increasing early or taking more than prescribed to "catch up." Titration timelines exist for safety reasons, and taking more than your prescribed dose significantly increases the risk of severe side effects. Always speak to your prescriber if a dose isn't agreeing with you, rather than changing your regimen independently.
Foundayo Treatment Information
Check the Foundayo product page for current availability and prices. Your prescriber will confirm suitability and the correct dose schedule.
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