Trulicity medication reference

Trulicity (dulaglutide): dosing and safety facts

An independent educational summary of the current FDA-approved Trulicity label, with every medical claim linked to an official source.

Dosley showing Trulicity pen details

Trulicity is the brand name for dulaglutide, a once-weekly injectable medicine prescribed alongside diet and exercise to improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. This independent reference summarizes the publicly available FDA-approved label, covering dosing, safety, missed doses, and storage. It does not replace the label or instructions from your healthcare provider.

At a glance

Active ingredient
Dulaglutide 1
Drug class
GLP-1 receptor agonist 1
Manufacturer
Eli Lilly and Company 2
FDA approval
September 2014 (BLA 125469) 3
Indication
Adjunct to diet and exercise for type 2 diabetes in adults; reduces risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established or multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease 1
Schedule
Once weekly, subcutaneous injection 1
Starting dose
0.75 mg once weekly 1
Maximum adult dose
4.5 mg once weekly 1
Missed-dose window
Take if at least 3 days (72 hours) remain before the next scheduled day; otherwise skip 1
Storage
Refrigerated at 2–8°C; up to 14 days at room temperature not above 30°C 1

Important safety information

Boxed warning

Dulaglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors in rats. It is unknown whether Trulicity causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans. Trulicity is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC and in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2. 1

Contraindications

  • Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). 1
  • Known serious hypersensitivity to dulaglutide or any of the excipients in Trulicity. 1

Common side effects

  • Nausea ≈21% at 1.5 mg vs 5% placebo 1
  • Vomiting ≈13% at 1.5 mg vs 2% placebo 1
  • Diarrhea ≈13% at 1.5 mg vs 7% placebo 1
  • Abdominal pain ≈9% at 1.5 mg vs 5% placebo 1
  • Decreased appetite ≈9% at 1.5 mg vs 2% placebo 1

Discuss benefits and risks with your healthcare provider before starting or continuing this medication.

Dosing and titration

Your prescriber decides every step on the schedule below. The summary here is for orientation while you log treatments - it is not a recommendation.

Treatment begins at 0.75 mg once weekly. The prescriber may increase to 1.5 mg for additional glycemic control, then to 3 mg, and to a maximum of 4.5 mg once weekly, with at least four weeks on the current amount before any further increase. 1

Trulicity does not have a fixed escalation interval. The prescribing information says any increase happens at the prescriber's discretion when additional glycemic control is needed, after at least four weeks on the current amount. 1

When you record a treatment in Dosley, you can attach the amount, the day, and any notes about how you tolerated it. The app does not change your schedule - it only records what your prescriber has set.

Injection sites and storage

Trulicity is given by subcutaneous injection in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Rotating sites between treatments is recommended in the prescribing information. 1

Pens should be kept refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C until use. The prescribing information allows each single-dose pen to be kept at room temperature, not above 30°C, for a total of 14 days. 1

Site tagging is optional. Turn it on and Dosley shows which sites you rotated through in the last few weeks, which is the part people forget.

The Trulicity pen

Each Trulicity pen is single-use and prefilled with one weekly amount of medicine. The needle is built into the pen and the pen is designed to be used directly out of the carton without priming. 1

This means there is one pen for one weekly injection. After the injection, the pen is finished and disposed of according to the leaflet - there are no remaining uses to count.

In Dosley this shows up as a simpler weekly entry: log the injection and the pen is finished. There is no per-pen counter to maintain.

Missed dose

If a Trulicity injection is missed, the FDA label says it can be taken as soon as possible if at least 3 days (72 hours) remain before the next scheduled day. If less than 3 days remain, skip the missed amount and resume on the next regular day. 1

Questions

About this medication and Dosley

How often is Trulicity injected?

Trulicity is a once-weekly subcutaneous injection. Your prescriber sets the day of the week and the amount; Dosley records what they have set so you can see your history. 1

What if I forget my Trulicity on the scheduled day?

The FDA-approved label says a missed dose may be taken as soon as possible if at least 3 days (72 hours) remain before the next scheduled day. If less than 3 days remain, the label says to skip it and resume on the next regularly scheduled day. If you are unsure, contact your clinician. 1

What are the most common Trulicity side effects?

In the FDA label's adverse-reaction tables, the most common side effects at the 1.5 mg dose were nausea (about 21%), vomiting (about 13%), diarrhea (about 13%), abdominal pain (about 9%), and decreased appetite (about 9%). 1

Do I need to prime the Trulicity pen before injecting?

No. The label states each Trulicity pen is single-use and is designed to be used directly without priming. Always follow the patient leaflet that came with your pen. 1

Where is Trulicity injected?

The label specifies subcutaneous injection in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, with site rotation. Dosley lets you tag the site for each entry so you can see at a glance where you have already injected. 1

How should Trulicity be stored?

The FDA label says Trulicity should be kept refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C until use. Out of the fridge, a pen can be kept at room temperature, not above 30°C, for a total of 14 days. 1

On Dosley

How Dosley supports a Trulicity routine

The home screen shows the next scheduled day, so you stop counting weeks off the calendar. Logging takes about five seconds - the day, the amount you were prescribed, the site. Most weeks that is the whole interaction.

Side-effect notes live next to each entry: pick from a list or type your own, and rate the severity. At your next appointment the log shows which weeks the symptoms clustered in, instead of asking you to remember.

Weight is tracked in the same place. Manual entry is two taps; a chart shows the trend rather than the daily noise, so a single bad-scale day does not break your week. If you use Apple Health, weight syncs automatically.

Because each Trulicity pen is a single weekly injection, there is no per-pen counter to maintain in the app. Dosley simply records each weekly entry and reminds you about the storage window in the leaflet you were given.

Guest Mode keeps entries on the device, so you can track without an account. Sign in and entries sync to your Dosley account, so a new phone does not start you over. Dosley does not automatically send your log to a clinic or anyone else, and there is no clinic dashboard or advertising. You control sharing: the free JSON export can be shared, and Premium adds a formatted PDF.

Track your treatment with Dosley

Log an injection with the day, dose, and site. Track weight and side effects separately.

App Store Google Play

References

  1. 1. FDA-approved Trulicity (dulaglutide) prescribing information (DailyMed)
  2. 2. Trulicity USPI (Eli Lilly and Company)
  3. 3. Drugs@FDA: Trulicity (BLA 125469)

Last reviewed:

Trulicity is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company. Dosley is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company.