Mounjaro Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others

Does Mounjaro interact with other medications?

Before you start using Mounjaro, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible drug interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The following chart lists drugs that may interact with Mounjaro. This chart does not include all drugs that may interact with Mounjaro. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.

Does Mounjaro interact with albuterol inhaler medications?

No, there are no known interactions between Mounjaro and albuterol inhalers (Ventolin HFA, Proventil HFA). But it’s important to note that Mounjaro may interact with other forms of albuterol, including the tablets and syrup.

Mounjaro makes your stomach empty its contents more slowly. This may affect how your body absorbs drugs that you swallow.

If you have concerns about how Mounjaro may affect the medications you take, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Health history and other considerations before taking Mounjaro

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may increase risk of interactions with Mounjaro. Before using Mounjaro, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Mounjaro is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Mounjaro include:

A personal or family history of thyroid cancer: Mounjaro has a boxed warning for the possible risk of thyroid cancer. (For more information, see the “Boxed warning” at the beginning of this article.)

Due to this risk, your doctor will likely not prescribe Mounjaro if you or a family member has had medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome 2 (MEN 2). Let your doctor know if you or a family member has or has had either of these conditions. They’ll likely recommend a different treatment option for you.

Any upcoming surgery or procedures: Mounjaro may increase the risk of pulmonary aspiration during deep sedation or general anesthesia. Pulmonary aspiration means accidentally inhaling something into your airway (typically food from your stomach). Mounjaro works by slowing how quickly your stomach empties, which might increase the risk of aspiration. More research is needed about this. Be sure that your doctor knows you’re taking Mounjaro before any procedures or surgeries you have.

Pancreatitis: Mounjaro can cause pancreatitis. If you already have this condition, taking Mounjaro may worsen it. If you have problems with your pancreas, talk with your doctor before you start Mounjaro treatment. They’ll determine whether this treatment is safe for you.

Serious digestive problems: Mounjaro can cause digestive side effects in some people. Examples of these side effects include diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. In rare cases, these may be serious.

If you already have serious digestive problems, Mounjaro may worsen them. Let your doctor know if you have any digestive issues before starting Mounjaro treatment. They’ll determine whether this drug is right for you.

Kidney problems: Mounjaro can cause digestive problems, including serious vomiting and diarrhea. In rare cases, these could lead to dehydration and cause kidney damage. If you already have kidney problems, using Mounjaro may worsen them. Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems before you start using Mounjaro. They’ll let you know if this medication is safe for you to use.

Diabetic retinopathy: If you have diabetic retinopathy, tell your doctor before you start Mounjaro treatment. This drug can temporarily worsen diabetic retinopathy. If you have this condition, your doctor will likely monitor your vision more closely during your Mounjaro treatment.

Gallbladder problems: Mounjaro can cause gallbladder problems, such as gallstones. If you already have issues with your gallbladder, Mounjaro may worsen them. Talk with your doctor about any gallbladder problems you have. They’ll let you know if this medication is a safe option for you.

Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Mounjaro is safe to use during pregnancy. But it’s thought that the drug may cause harm to a fetus. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, your doctor may recommend a different treatment for your diabetes. See this Mounjaro and pregnancy article for more details.

Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether Mounjaro is safe to use while breastfeeding. It’s unknown whether the drug passes into breast milk or the effect it could have on a breastfed child. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor about your options.

When should I avoid Mounjaro?

Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you use Mounjaro. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Mounjaro for you. These are known as contraindications.

Contraindications for Mounjaro use include:

Medullar thyroid cancer or MEN2

If you or a family member has had medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), Mounjaro may increase your risk of thyroid cancer. Mounjaro has a boxed warning for this side effect.

History of allergic reaction

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Mounjaro or any of its ingredients, your doctor typically will not prescribe Mounjaro.

Before you start Mounjaro treatment, talk with your doctor if any of these factors apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Mounjaro is safe for you to use.

Supplements and lifestyle interactions

Mounjaro may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See the rest of this section for details. Note that this information does not include all other possible interactions with Mounjaro.

Does Mounjaro interact with supplements?

Before you start Mounjaro treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

Certain supplements could possibly increase the risk of having low blood sugar if taken during treatment with Mounjaro. Examples may include bitter melon and fenugreek. However, this has not been confirmed with clinical trials, so more research is needed.

Mounjaro interactions with herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Mounjaro. However, certain herbs could possibly increase the risk of having low blood sugar if taken during treatment with Mounjaro. One example is fenugreek, but more research is needed to confirm this.

Because of this, you should always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any supplements. They’ll let you know if they’re safe to take with Mounjaro.

Mounjaro interactions with vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Mounjaro. However, certain vitamins could possibly increase the risk of having low blood sugar if taken during treatment with Mounjaro.

Sometimes, your doctor might recommend taking certain vitamins during Mounjaro treatment to make sure your nutritional needs are met. Be sure to follow their recommendations.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamins or minerals. They can determine whether they’re safe to take with Mounjaro.

Does Mounjaro interact with food?

There are currently no reports of Mounjaro interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods while receiving Mounjaro, talk with your doctor.

Does Mounjaro interact with alcohol?

There are no known interactions between Mounjaro and alcohol. But alcohol and Mounjaro may cause similar side effects. These can include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea

Drinking alcohol during your Mounjaro treatment may raise your risk of these side effects or make them worse if you experience them.

Also, alcohol can raise your risk of low blood sugar if you have type 2 diabetes. Mounjaro can also cause low blood sugar. So drinking alcohol during your Mounjaro treatment may further raise your risk of low blood sugar.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about how much (if any) is safe to consume during your Mounjaro treatment.

Does Mounjaro interact with nicotine patches?

No, Mounjaro should not interact with nicotine patches, such as NicoDerm CQ or Habitrol. (Nicotine patches are used to help quit smoking.)

Mounjaro makes your stomach empty its contents more slowly. This may affect how your body absorbs drugs that you swallow. But the medication in nicotine patches is absorbed through your skin and does not go through your stomach. Because of this, Mounjaro does not affect how nicotine patches work.

But keep in mind that Mounjaro can interact with medications taken by mouth that help you quit smoking, such as bupropion. It may take longer for your body to absorb these drugs and for them to start working.

If you have questions about how Mounjaro may affect your other medications, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Does Mounjaro interact with vaccines?

Currently, there are no reports of vaccines interacting with Mounjaro. If you have concerns about getting vaccines during your Mounjaro treatment, talk with your doctor.

Does Mounjaro interact with lab tests?

There are currently no reports of Mounjaro interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about having certain lab tests during your treatment with Mounjaro, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.

Does Mounjaro interact with cannabis or CBD?

There are currently no reports of Mounjaro interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Mounjaro.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Drug interactions explained

Here are more details about certain drug interactions that can occur with Mounjaro.

Interaction with birth control pills

Mounjaro can interact with birth control pills.

Examples of birth control pills include:

• ethinyl estradiol/norethindrone (Junel)
• ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate (Tri-Sprintec)
• ethinyl estradiol/drospirenone (Yasmin)
• ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate (Estarylla)
• ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate (TriNessa)

What could happen

Mounjaro makes your stomach empty its contents more slowly. This may affect how your body absorbs drugs that you swallow, including birth control pills. This could make birth control pills less effective.

What you can do

If you take birth control pills, tell your doctor before starting Mounjaro treatment. They’ll likely recommend that you switch to a different method of birth control.

Examples of these other birth control methods include:

• medroxyprogesterone (Depo-Provera) injection
• copper intrauterine device (IUD) (Paragard)
• etonogestrel and ethinyl estradiol (NuvaRing) vaginal ring
• norelgestromin and ethinyl estradiol (Xulane) patch

If switching birth control methods isn’t an option (or you prefer not to), your doctor may recommend that you use a barrier method of contraception, such as a condom, along with your birth control pills. You may need to do this for 4 weeks after starting Mounjaro and for 4 weeks after any dosage increases during your treatment.

Interaction with amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR)

Mounjaro can interact with amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR) and other medications that you swallow.

Adderall is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.

What could happen

Mounjaro makes your stomach empty its contents more slowly. This may affect how your body absorbs drugs that you swallow, including Adderall. So it may take longer than usual for Adderall to start working if you take it with Mounjaro.

Also, stimulants, such as Adderall, can raise your blood sugar level. Mounjaro works to lower your blood sugar level. So taking Adderall with Mounjaro may make it harder to manage your blood sugar.

What you can do

If you take Adderall, talk with your doctor before starting Mounjaro treatment. They can adjust your Adderall dosage schedule if needed so that the drug is safe to take with Mounjaro.

Your doctor may also recommend that you check your blood sugar more often while taking these medications together.

Interaction with insulin

Mounjaro may interact with insulin.

In some cases, doctors may prescribe Mounjaro with insulin to help manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Examples of insulin medications include:

• insulin lispro (Humalog)
• insulin NPH (Humulin N)
• insulin glargine (Lantus, Basaglar)

What could happen

One way Mounjaro helps lower your blood sugar is by helping your body release insulin. Insulin helps move sugar from your blood into your cells so your body can use it for energy.

Using Mounjaro with insulin may cause you to have too much insulin in your body. This can lead to low blood sugar.

What you can do

If your doctor prescribes Mounjaro along with insulin, they’ll likely lower your insulin dosage. They’ll also recommend you monitor your blood sugar levels more closely while taking these medications together.

It’s important to know the signs of low blood sugar while you’re using Mounjaro. These can include:

• dizziness
• shakiness
• fast heart rate
• headache
• sweating
• difficulty concentrating
• hunger

Keep in mind that hypoglycemia can become serious and may be life threatening if not treated right away. If you experience symptoms of low blood sugar, eat or drink something that contains carbohydrates. This can help raise your blood sugar level quickly.

How can I prevent interactions?

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Mounjaro. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
• the list of medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs
• what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Mounjaro treatment

It’s also important to understand Mounjaro’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Mounjaro, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.)

Using Mounjaro exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.

Summary

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) may interact with several types of medications, including acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), birth control pills, insulin, other diabetes medications, Adderall, and Paxlovid. You should inform your doctor about any medications you take before starting Mounjaro.

Certain health conditions, such as a history of pancreatitis, serious digestive issues, kidney problems, diabetic retinopathy, or gallbladder problems, may affect whether Mounjaro is a safe treatment option for you. Mounjaro is contraindicated for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer and anyone with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).

This is a summary article. For more details about Mounjaro and possible interactions, see Mounjaro’s prescribing information or talk with your doctor or pharmacist.