General Instructions
How To Store Your Medication
Storage instructions can differ slightly depending on the prescription and pharmacy, so always follow the specific guidance that comes with your medication.
Temperature: Keep your medication in the refrigerator at 36°F–46°F (2°C–8°C).
Expiration: After opening, check the Beyond Use Date (BUD) printed on your label. Discard any remaining medication once that date passes, even if the vial isn’t empty.
Light protection: Store vials in a dark place. If your refrigerator has a constant light, put them in a non-transparent container.
Handling: Take care with vials and syringes, as they can break or cause injury.
Safety: Always keep medication and supplies out of the reach of children.
Dosing tip: Prepare your injection only at the time of use. Do not pre-fill syringes in advance.
Understanding Concentration and Additives
We know prescriptions can sometimes feel overwhelming—that’s why we break them down into simpler terms.
Concentration
Think of concentration as the “strength” of your medication. It describes how much active ingredient is mixed into each milliliter (mL) of liquid inside the vial. Because different pharmacies may prepare medications with slightly different concentrations, the same prescribed dose might fill your syringe with more or less liquid depending on how it was made.
You don’t have to do the math yourself—just follow the units shown on your prescription label and in your patient portal. That’s the number that matters.
Additives in Compounded GLP-1 Medications
Compounded prescriptions sometimes include extra ingredients called additives. These are safe, supportive components that help in several ways:
Stability & preservation: They keep the medication effective during storage.
Comfort: Some additives reduce irritation, making injections easier on your body.
Extras: Certain pharmacies may add supplements like Vitamin B12 (which can give the liquid a reddish color).
Important Note: Additives do not interfere with how well your GLP-1 medication supports weight management.
Making Sense of Units, mL, and cc
Medical terms can feel confusing, so let’s break them down into plain language.
Units
Units measure the potency (strength) of a medication, not how much liquid is in the syringe.
For GLP-1 prescriptions, doses are written in units because that’s the most precise way to track how much active drug you’re taking.
Conversion: 100 units = 1 milliliter (mL).
Example: If you’re prescribed 20 units, that number tells you the exact dose of medication—not just the liquid amount.
mL (Milliliters)
A milliliter (mL) is a metric measurement of liquid volume.
It shows how much liquid is actually in the syringe.
Example: 1 mL is one-thousandth of a liter—roughly equal to 1/5 of a teaspoon.
cc (Cubic Centimeters)
A cc is simply another way of saying mL.
They are interchangeable: 1 cc = 1 mL.
Some syringes or instructions may use “cc,” but it means the exact same thing.
What if my Pharmacy Changes?
Tip: If your medication looks a little different—like the vial is a new color, the liquid has a tint, or you received two vials instead of one—that’s usually due to concentration or additives. If you’re ever unsure, check your prescription label and confirm in your portal.Please consult your Mochi provider if you have questions about your units or dosing.
