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How to Take Mysimba: Your Dosage Guide

Getting your Mysimba dosage right is an important first step in your treatment. We explain how to take Mysimba & what your dose should be.
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When taking any medication, finding the right dosage for you is essential.

This can be easy with some medicines, for example, taking two paracetamol when you have a headache is a simple choice for most people, but other medicines are trickier.

If you start taking the weight loss medication Mysimba, your prescriber will guide you through a slow process of increasing your dose, but why is this necessary?

We’ll answer these questions and more, so keep reading as we explain your Mysimba dosage plan.

How do you take Mysimba tablets?

You should always take your Mysimba tablets the way your prescriber has told you to or follow the guidelines set out by their manufacturer.

You should swallow the tablets whole, and shouldn’t cut them up, chew them, or crush them.

The number of tablets you should take will depend on the stage of treatment you’re at, but can be anything from one to four tablets a day.

If you’re having trouble taking Mysimba you should speak to your prescriber and ask for their advice so they can decide how to continue your treatment.

Do I need to take Mysimba with food?

Yes, the manufacturer of Mysimba recommends that you should take Mysimba with food if you can.

Medicines are usually taken with food as a way to reduce side effects like stomach irritation or indigestion.

The most common side effects of Mysimba are sickness, nausea, constipation, and headaches, so three out of the four affect your digestive system.

Naturally, we recommend following the manufacturer’s guidelines, as it can help to prevent these side effects, which are all too common in patients taking this medicine.

The NHS recommends that taking your medicine with a few biscuits, a sandwich, or a glass of milk should be enough to reduce side effects like nausea, so take the time to consider a suitable meal or snack you can take your medicine with while sticking to a balanced diet.

How many tablets should I take?

The number of Mysimba tablets you should be taking will depend on your current dosage and where you’re up to in your treatment.

At the start of your treatment, you’ll take one tablet a day, in the morning, and over time you’ll work up to taking four tablets a day in total.

When you’ve reached the highest dose of this medication you’ll take two tablets in the morning and two in the evening.

As we mentioned earlier, you should take your tablets with food, so you may want to work them into your routine along with your regular meals — your first dose with breakfast and your second with dinner.

Of course, you should follow the dosage instructions given to you by your prescriber, which will tell you how many tablets to take every step of the way.

The Mysimba dosage titration plan

You will increase your Mysimba dosage slowly over a few weeks after starting, a process that’s called titration.

Your prescriber will explain your titration plan to you in detail if you are prescribed Mysimba, but the typical progression is as follows:

Number of TabletsWhen to Take Your DoseTotal Daily Dose
Week 1One tablet a dayOnce a day, in the morning8mg Naltrexone Hydrochloride / 90mg Bupropion Hydrochloride
Week 2Two tablets a dayOne tablet in the morning, one in the evening16mg Naltrexone Hydrochloride / 180mg Bupropion Hydrochloride
Week 3Three tablets a dayTwo tablets in the morning, one in the evening24mg Naltrexone Hydrochloride / 270mg Bupropion Hydrochloride
Week 4 onwardsFour tablets a dayTwo tablets in the morning, two in the evening32mg Naltrexone Hydrochloride / 360mg Bupropion Hydrochloride

Although this is the usual dosage timeline, you should follow the instructions given to you by your prescriber if they’re any different.

Your prescriber will have taken your personal circumstances into account and may have adjusted your titration period to better suit you.

Why do I need to increase my dosage slowly?

Increasing your dosage slowly over a month is essential, as it helps your body get used to Mysimba.

This helps to reduce any side effects you may experience, just like taking your tablets with food.

The most common side effects of Mysimba can affect 1 in 10 people, so taking these precautions is necessary if you’re going to get the most out of your treatment from the very start.

It also helps your prescriber assess how your treatment is going and whether they should change your dosage schedule to make you more comfortable.

How long will it take to get to the highest dose of Mysimba?

If you follow the standard dosage plan you should reach the highest dose of Mysimba in four weeks.

Again, this can differ from person to person and you may find that you reach the highest dose sooner or later than is usually planned, or perhaps not at all.

You should always stick to the dosage given to you by your prescriber, and they may decide that you don’t need as many as four tablets a day to get the most out of Mysimba.

As long as you’re seeing results from your treatment and your side effects aren’t severe, your prescriber will be reassured that you’re taking the right dose for you and alter your treatment accordingly.

Can I increase my dose more quickly than planned?

You should only increase your Mysimba more quickly than recommended if your prescriber has told you to do so.

If not, then you should stick to your dosage plan and the slow increase in the number of tablets you’re taking every day.

Increasing your dose too quickly can make potential side effects worse, so make sure you take your time and let your prescriber know about any side effects you’re experiencing.

They will help you go at the right pace with your treatment.

Now you know more about taking Mysimba, the usual dosage plan, and why your titration plan may be different to other patients.

If you’d like to learn more about Mysimba, we’ve written some more helpful articles that cover topics like side effects and how the medication works.

Here are a few of our most popular articles to take a look at, who knows, you may learn something new!

Content Written By

Laura Henderson

Laura Henderson

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Content Written By

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