Wegovy Injection

About Wegovy

Wegovy is a prescription weight management injection from Novo Nordisk containing semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It is licensed specifically for weight management in adults and adolescents aged 12 and over, and is taken once a week.

Wegovy comes as a single-use FlexTouch pen, one pen per weekly dose, with the needle already attached. There is nothing to assemble and no dose to dial.

Expected weight loss

In the STEP-1 trial, adults without diabetes taking 2.4mg weekly alongside lifestyle support lost an average of around 15% of their starting body weight over 68 weeks. Roughly a third of participants lost 20% or more.

Beyond the scales

The SELECT trial found that semaglutide reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by 20% in adults with established cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity, independent of the weight loss itself. Trial participants also reported improvements in physical function and knee pain.

Who can take Wegovy?

Wegovy may be prescribed if you have a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above with a weight-related health condition. Adjusted thresholds apply for people of South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean family background.

How Wegovy works

Semaglutide is a close copy of the natural hormone GLP-1, modified so it survives in the bloodstream for about a week rather than a few minutes.

In the brain

Semaglutide crosses into the appetite-regulating regions of the hypothalamus and increases satiety signalling while dampening hunger signalling. Many people describe this as the "food noise" quietening, the constant low-level mental chatter about the next meal simply becomes less insistent.

In the stomach

It slows gastric emptying, so food stays in your stomach longer and the physical sensation of fullness lasts well beyond the meal itself.

In the pancreas

It prompts insulin release when blood glucose rises and suppresses glucagon, which smooths out the blood sugar swings that drive cravings.

The combined result

You eat less without the constant effort of restraining yourself. Trial participants typically reduced their daily intake by around a third without deliberately counting calories.

How to use Wegovy

When

Once a week, the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without food. If you need to move your injection day, leave at least three days between doses.

Where

Stomach, thigh or upper arm, into the fat just under the skin. Rotate between sites. Avoid injecting into skin that is bruised, tender or hardened.

Step by step

• Take the pen out of the fridge and check the liquid is clear and colourless
• Pull off the cap, the needle is already attached
• Press the pen flat against your skin until the yellow bar starts to move
• Keep it pressed until the yellow bar stops moving and you have counted to six
• Lift away and dispose of the whole pen in a sharps bin

Dose schedule

Wegovy follows a fixed 16-week escalation: 0.25mg for four weeks, then 0.5mg, 1mg and 1.7mg for four weeks each, reaching the 2.4mg maintenance dose in week 17. If a step-up is not well tolerated, your prescriber may hold you at your current dose for longer.

Missed dose

If you remember within five days, inject as soon as you can. If more than five days have passed, skip it and resume your normal schedule. If you miss two or more consecutive doses, contact us before restarting. You may need to step back down.

Side effects

Very common (more than 1 in 10 people)

• Nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Abdominal pain

Common (up to 1 in 10 people)

• Dizziness, indigestion, burping and bloating
• Gallstones
• Hair loss
• Injection site reactions
• Altered sense of taste

Seek medical advice urgently

• Severe, persistent stomach pain radiating to the back, possible pancreatitis
• Signs of an allergic reaction, including swelling of the face or throat
• Rapid heartbeat that does not settle
• Changes to your vision if you have type 2 diabetes

Managing the early weeks

Nausea is most likely in the first four weeks and after each step-up. Eating slowly, keeping portions small, avoiding greasy food and staying well hydrated makes a substantial difference. Constipation responds well to fibre and fluids.

Ingredients

Active ingredient: semaglutide.

Other ingredients: disodium phosphate dihydrate, sodium chloride, hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide for pH adjustment, and water for injections.

Supplied as single-use FlexTouch pre-filled pens in 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg strengths. Each pack contains four pens, one month's supply.

Important safety information

Do not use Wegovy if you:

• Are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding, stop at least two months before trying to conceive
• Have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2
• Have had pancreatitis
• Have type 1 diabetes
• Are allergic to semaglutide or any other ingredient

Discuss with your prescriber if you have diabetic retinopathy, severe kidney or liver impairment, a history of eating disorders, inflammatory bowel disease or gastroparesis, or take insulin or a sulfonylurea.

Do not take Wegovy alongside any other GLP-1 medicine, including Mounjaro, Saxenda, Nevolat, Ozempic or the Wegovy Pill.

Always read the patient information leaflet supplied with your medicine.