Trulicity (dulaglutide) is a prescription medication used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. In 2017 alone, there were 2,169,781 prescriptions for dulaglutide in the United States. Considering how popular it is, it pays to know a little more about this medication, including how long Trulicity stays in your system.
The FDA states the following information regarding dulaglutide half-life:
Elimination half-life: ~5 days
Time to steady-state: 2 to 4 weeks after once-weekly dosing
Mean peak plasma concentration: 114 ng/mL
Accumulation ratio: ~1.56
Dulaglutide has a mean absolute bioavailablity of 65% (single 0.75 mg SC dose) and 47% (single 1.5 mg SC dose). While experts are not 100% certain of how the body metabolizes Trulicity, they believe it is through catabolism, with this drug breaking down into its component amino acids.
FAQ
What is the half-life of Trulicity?
The FDA states the elimination half-life of Trulicity for both available doses is approximately five days.
How long does Trulicity stay in your system?
It takes rough 5.5 half-lives for the body to clear most, if not all, of a substance. That means with a half-life of 5 days, it will likely take 27.5 days–almost a whole month–for the body to clear this drug.
Can you just stop taking Trulicity?
Just like with any other prescription medication, it is not advisable to stop taking your medication without first consulting your prescribing physician. You should not stop taking Trulicity abruptly unless your doctor instructs you to do so.
The FDA states that in some cases, people taking Trulicity may experience a hypersensitive reaction. Alternatively, some people may experience severe pain in their abdomen/stomach/back area as a result of taking Trulicity. This type of pain may or may not go away, and vomiting may or may not occur. In these cases, call your physician immediately for further instructions on dosage. The FDA says to stop taking Trulicity if these severe side effects occur but to notify your doctor immediately.
For more information on withdrawal, please visit our withdrawal page.
For more information on side effects, please visit our side effects page.
Disclaimer: this article does not constitute or replace medical advice. If you have an emergency or a serious medical question, please contact a medical professional or call 911 immediately. To see our full medical disclaimer, visit our Terms of Use page.
