Whether you're starting treatment, considering a dose increase, or deciding whether to stay on your current dose, understanding how Foundayo doses work can help you make informed decisions throughout your weight loss journey.
In this guide, we've explained how the dosing schedule works, what might affect your progress through the different strengths, and how to decide whether your current dose is still meeting your needs.
Three key takeaways
Foundayo is available in six strengths, from the 0.8mg starter dose to the 17.2mg maximum dose.
The best Foundayo dose is the one that supports steady, sustainable weight loss while remaining comfortable for you to take.
Factors like how well you tolerate treatment and how effective your current dose is can affect how quickly you progress through the different Foundayo strengths.
Foundayo dosages
Foundayo is available in six strengths, allowing your dose to be increased gradually over time. They are:
0.8mg (starter dose)
2.5mg (step-up dose)
5.5mg (maintenance dose)
9mg (maintenance dose)
14.5mg (maintenance dose)
17.2mg (maximum dose)
You’ll start your treatment at 0.8mg, and, if you’re tolerating the medication well, gradually increase your dose. However, not everyone follows the same path through treatment.
While some people continue increasing their dose until they reach 17.2mg, others may find that a lower maintenance dose provides a good balance between weight loss results and tolerability.
0.8mg (starter dose)
The 0.8mg dose is the starting dose of Foundayo. It's designed to help your body get used to the medication before moving on to higher strengths.
Although weight loss can begin during this stage, the main purpose of the starter dose reduce the likelihood of side effects while you and your body get to grips with the treatment.
2.5mg (step-up dose)
After completing the starter dose, most people move on to Foundayo 2.5mg. This is the first dose increase and helps your body continue adjusting to treatment.
At this stage, you may notice stronger appetite control and increased feelings of fullness after eating. Some people also find it easier to reduce portion sizes and manage cravings as the dose increases.
If side effects remain manageable, you'll normally continue to the next dose according to your prescriber's recommendations.
5.5mg, 9mg, 14.5mg, 17.2mg (maintenance doses)
The 5.5mg, 9mg, 14.5mg, and 17.2mg strengths are maintenance doses. These are the doses intended for longer-term treatment and are where most people spend the majority of their weight loss journey.
Your prescriber may suggest for you to stay on a particular maintenance dose if you're losing weight consistently and tolerating treatment well. Increasing the dose isn't always necessary if you're already achieving good results.
Do you lose more weight at the highest dose of Foundayo?
“While clinical trials show that as you increase the Foundayo dose, the average weight lost goes up, this doesn’t mean that the highest dose is automatically the ‘best’ for everyone.
“In the ATTAIN-1 trial those who stayed on 17.2mg for the full 72 weeks lost an average of 12.4%. This is only an average and shouldn’t be something you compare your own progress to during your weight loss journey.
“If a lower dose is working well for you, you may not need to move up to the highest dose. For example, if you're losing weight consistently, feeling fuller between meals, and not experiencing troublesome side effects, there may be little benefit in increasing your dose further.”
Everyone's weight loss journey is different, so there isn't a single dosing schedule that's right for everyone.
However, most people will start on the lowest dose and gradually increase their treatment over time. This gives your body a chance to adjust to each strength before moving on to the next one.
An example dosing schedule may look like:
Month
Foundayo dose
Month 1
0.8mg
Month 2
2.5mg
Month 3
5.5mg
Month 4
9mg
Month 5
14.5mg
Month 6+
17.2mg
What might affect your dosing schedule?
Everyone responds to Foundayo differently, which means your dosing schedule may look slightly different to someone else's. Two of the biggest factors are:
How well you’re tolerating treatment
Foundayo doses are increased gradually to give your body time to adjust. If you're experiencing side effects on Foundayo, you may decide to stay on your current dose for longer before increasing.
Taking more time between dose increases can help side effects settle and make treatment easier to stick with in the long term.
How well the treatment is working for you
You might not want to increase your dose straight away if your current dose is helping you to:
manage your appetite
feel fuller for longer
lose weight at a steady rate
On the other hand, if you’re finding it harder to manage your appetite or feel like your weight loss is slowing down, then you might be more likely to increase.
When should you increase your Foundayo dose?
Foundayo is designed to be increased gradually, but there's no single dosing schedule that's right for everyone. While some people may be ready to move up to the next dose after four weeks, others may benefit from staying on their current dose for longer.
In general, you may wish to consider increasing your dose if:
your current dose is no longer providing the same level of appetite control
your weight loss has started to slow or plateau
you're tolerating treatment well with few or manageable side effects
you feel ready to progress to the next stage of treatment
It's also important to consider how you're feeling on treatment. If you're experiencing side effects like:
Then giving your body more time to adjust at your current dose may help make treatment more comfortable.
What happens when you increase your dose?
When you increase your Foundayo dose, you may notice stronger effects on your appetite, like:
feeling fuller after eating
staying satisfied for longer
finding it easier to manage cravings
For some people, moving up a dose can also lead to greater weight loss. However, this isn't always the case, and everyone's experience will be different.
Increasing in dose is also the point in your journey when side effects are most commonly reported. Digestive symptoms like nausea, diarrhoea and constipation are most likely to happen when you’re going up a strength of your treatment.
Finding the right Foundayo dose for you
Finding the right Foundayo dose is about more than simply moving up to the highest strength available. For many people, the best dose is the one that helps them make steady progress while keeping side effects manageable.
When looking for the right dose for you, it can be beneficial to ask yourself a few questions:
Are you happy with your weight loss progress?
Do you feel your appetite is under control?
Are any side effects manageable?
Do you feel comfortable staying on your current dose long term?
If the answer to most of these questions is yes, your current dose may be the one for you.
How Chemist4U can help
Whether you're just getting started or you're considering a dose increase, our prescribing pharmacists take the time to understand your progress and make sure you're on a dose that supports your weight loss goals.
Our team can also answer any questions you have about Foundayo, including side effects, dose increases, and what to expect as treatment progresses.
That way, you can feel confident that you're making informed decisions throughout your weight loss journey.
It may be possible to reduce your Foundayo dose if you're struggling with side effects, though you should always speak to your prescriber before making any changes to your treatment.
Do you have to increase to the highest dose of Foundayo?
No. Some people continue increasing their Foundayo dose throughout treatment, while others stay on a lower maintenance dose because they're happy with their weight loss results and are tolerating treatment well.
What is the maintenance dose for Foundayo?
Foundayo has four maintenance doses: 5.5mg, 9mg, 14.5mg and 17.2mg. The right maintenance dose for you will depend on factors such as your weight loss progress, any side effects you experience, and your prescriber's advice.
Why are Foundayo doses different to the Wegovy pill?
Although both treatments are taken as a tablet once a day, they contain different active ingredients and follow different dosing schedules.
Foundayo contains orforglipron and is available in six strengths ranging from 0.8mg to 17.2mg
Wegovy pill contains semaglutide and is available in five strengths, ranging from 1mg to 25mg
Sources
Foundayo PIL (2026). EMC. [Accessed 25 August 2026]
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