Switching between GLP-1 products is a clinical decision — your provider determines the right move and starting dose based on your history. This article explains what to expect for each type of switch so you can come to that conversation prepared.
Quick reference
Switch type | What to expect |
Compounded → name brand (same molecule) | Dose-matched. Stay at current dose. No restart. |
Name brand → compounded (same molecule) | Dose-matched. Stay at current dose. No restart. |
Wegovy injection ↔ Wegovy oral tablet | Same molecule, different route. Provider maps your dose — 2.4 mg/wk injection and 25 mg/day tablet are equivalent maintenance doses. Re-titration from one step below mapped dose. |
Semaglutide ↔ tirzepatide | Different molecules. Conversion is based on clinical effect, not milligrams. Provider directs starting dose. |
Any GLP-1 → Foundayo | Always restart at Foundayo's lowest dose (0.8 mg) and titrate up. No exceptions regardless of prior GLP-1 history. |
Foundayo → any injectable GLP-1 | Restart at the injectable's lowest dose and titrate up normally. |
Compounded to name brand (or name brand to compounded)
If you're switching between compounded and name-brand versions of the same medication — for example, compounded tirzepatide to Zepbound, or compounded semaglutide to Wegovy — the dose carries over directly. Your provider matches you milligram-for-milligram to whatever dose you're currently on. No restarting from the beginning.
Note that your plan structure will change. Compounded is available on 1, 4, 6, and 12-month plans. Name brand is monthly only. If you're mid-plan on a multi-month compounded plan, message support to handle the adjustment.
Wegovy injectable to Wegovy oral tablet (or vice versa)
Same molecule, different route. Because oral semaglutide has much lower bioavailability than the injectable, the doses don't match milligram-for-milligram — a 25 mg oral tablet delivers roughly the same systemic exposure as a 2.4 mg weekly injection. Your provider maps your current injectable dose to the closest oral equivalent and typically starts you one step below that equivalent to ease the transition.
Going from oral back to injectable works similarly — your provider maps your oral dose to the injectable equivalent. Expect a short re-titration period either way.
Semaglutide to tirzepatide (or vice versa)
Different molecules. Tirzepatide acts on two receptors (GLP-1 and GIP); semaglutide acts on one. There's no milligram-to-milligram conversion — your provider chooses a starting dose based on where you are clinically and how you've responded to your current medication. Expect a re-titration period as your body adjusts to the new molecule.
Switching to Foundayo
Foundayo (orforglipron) is structurally different from all other GLP-1 medications at Maximus — it's a small molecule rather than a peptide, and it binds the GLP-1 receptor differently. Your prior tolerance to semaglutide or tirzepatide does not carry over. Every patient switching to Foundayo starts at the lowest dose (0.8 mg) and titrates up through the full six-step ladder, regardless of how long they've been on another GLP-1 or what dose they were on.
This is not a Maximus policy — it's how the medication works clinically. Skipping steps is not an option.
Also worth knowing: Foundayo's top dose (17.2 mg) delivers somewhat less weight-loss effect than the top doses of Wegovy or Zepbound. If maximizing weight-loss outcome is the priority, your provider can help you weigh whether Foundayo is the right fit. See Foundayo: What Patients Need to Know for full details.
Will switching make side effects worse?
Possibly, especially during re-titration. Most GLP-1 side effects come from your body adjusting to each new dose level. Any switch that involves stepping back to a lower dose and titrating up means going through that adjustment period again. Most patients find side effects ease over a few weeks at each new dose.
How do I start a switch?
Go to Manage Orders & Plans in the app, or message support. A provider consult will determine your starting dose on the new product. Do not stop your current medication before confirming the switch with your care team.
Still have questions?
For clinical questions about whether a switch is right for you, message your clinician through your Maximus dashboard. For plan or billing questions related to a switch, contact support.