Wegovy (semaglutide) injection is a prescription medicine used for weight loss in obese adults and teenagers, or overweight adults with other weight-related medical issues. Wegovy works by regulating appetite and reducing calorie intake, leading to weight loss and helping with weight management.

Wegovy belongs to the class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. GLP-1 receptor agonists are a manufactured version of GLP-1, a naturally occurring hormone in the body that acts in several areas in the brain to regulate food intake. When Wegovy is administered, it activates the GLP-1 receptors in the brain. This lowers appetite, reducing the calories consumed, leading to weight loss.

This medicine should be used together with a decreased-calorie meal plan and increased physical activity to help weight management.

Wegovy is given as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection) once a week.

What is Wegovy used for?

Wegovy is an FDA-approved anti-obesity medicine to be used by people 12 years and older for chronic weight management when used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. 

Wegovy is indicated for use in: 

Adults:

• Obese (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater)
• Overweight (BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater) and have medical problems (e.g.high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol) due to your weight. 

Pediatric (12 years and older):

• Obese (initial BMI 95th percentile or greater for age and sex)

Wegovy contains semaglutide which is the same active ingredient in Ozempic and Rybelsus, therefore these products should not be used together. Ozempic (subcutaneous weekly injection) and Rybelsus (once-a-day tablet) are used lower blood sugar levels for type two diabetic patients. Ozempic is also used to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events for some type 2 diabetic patients.

Call your doctor at once if you have signs of a thyroid tumor, such as swelling or a lump in your neck, trouble swallowing, a hoarse voice, or shortness of breath. In studies with rodents, Wegovy and medicines that work like Wegovy caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if this medicine will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people.

You should not use this medicine if you have tumors in your glands called multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2  (MEN 2), or a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC).

Read the Instructions for Use that is with your prescription and use this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to. Your healthcare provider should train you on how to use this medicine before you start using it.

• Wegovy is injected under the skin (subcutaneously) of your stomach (abdomen), thigh, or upper arm, using a pen device. You should not inject this medicine into a muscle (intramuscularly) or vein (intravenously).
• This medicine should be used one time each week, on the same day each week, at any time of the day.
• You can take Wegovy with or without food.
• Prepare an injection only when you are ready to give it. Call your pharmacist if the medicine looks cloudy, has changed colors, or has particles in it.
• If you choose a different weekly injection day, start your new schedule after at least two days have passed since the last injection you gave.
• Rotate your injection site with each injection. You may inject in the same body area each week, but it is important to use a different spot each time. Do not inject into an area where the skin is tender, bruised, red, or hard. Avoid injecting into areas with scars or stretch marks.
• The Wegovy pen is for one-time use only, and the dose is already set on your pen. 
• The needle is covered by the needle cover and the needle will not be seen.
• Remove the pen cap when you are ready to inject.
• You should not touch or push on the needle cover as you could get a needle stick injury.
• To inject, push the pen firmly against the skin and hold until the yellow bar has stopped moving.
• If the yellow bar does not start moving, you should press the pen more firmly against your skin.
• You will hear two clicks during the injection. Click 1 is when the injection has started, and click two the injection is still ongoing.
• Do not remove the pen from your skin before the yellow bar in the pen window has stopped moving. If you remove the needle earlier, you may not get your full dose.
• If the yellow bar does not start moving or stops during the injection, contact your healthcare provider or Novo Nordisk at Wegovy.com or call Novo Nordisk Inc. at 1-833-934-6891.
• The needle cover will lock when the pen is removed from your skin. You cannot stop the injection and restart it later.
• Put the used Wegovy pen in an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container right away after use. Do not throw away (dispose of) the pen in your household trash.
• People who are blind or have vision problems should not use the Wegovy pen without help from a person trained to use the pen.

For complete instructions with diagrams on how to use Wegovy, click on this link: Instructions for Wegovy Use

The dose starts low and escalates to minimize gastrointestinal side effects.

Initial Dose Escalation Schedule for patients aged 12 years and older:

• Weeks 1 through 4 (month one): 0.25 mg subcutaneously once a week
• Weeks 5 through 8 (month two): 0.5 mg subcutaneously once a week
• Weeks 9 through 12 (month three): 1 mg subcutaneously once a week
• Weeks 13 through 16 (month four): 1.7 mg subcutaneously once a week

Maintenance Dose:

• Week 17 and onward: 2.4 mg subcutaneously once a week. See additional notes below about maintenance dosing.

Maintenance Dosage Adult Patients. The maintenance dosage is 2.4 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly. If the patient does not tolerate the maintenance 2.4 mg once-weekly dosage, then the dosage can be temporarily decreased to 1.7 mg once a week, for a maximum of 4 weeks. After four weeks, the dose should be increased to the maintenance 2.4 mg once-weekly dosage. Discontinue this medicine if the patient cannot tolerate the 2.4 mg dosage.

Pediatric Patients Aged 12 Years and Older. The recommended maintenance dosage of Wegovy is 2.4 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly. If the patient does not tolerate the maintenance 2.4 mg once-weekly dosage, the maintenance dosage may be reduced to 1.7 mg once weekly. Discontinue this medicine if the patient cannot tolerate the 1.7 mg dose. 

You should not use Wegovy if you are: 

• allergic to it or any of the ingredients. See the end of this page for a complete list of ingredients. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, problems breathing or swallowing, severe rash or itching, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and a very rapid heartbeat.
• multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (tumors in your glands); or
• a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (a type of thyroid cancer).

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• a stomach or intestinal disorder;
• pancreatitis;
• kidney disease; 
• eye problems caused by diabetes (diabetic retinopathy);
• have or have had depression or suicidal thoughts, or other mental health issues.

In animal studies, semaglutide caused thyroid tumors or thyroid cancer. It is not known whether these effects would occur in people. Ask your doctor about your risk.

Pregnancy

You should stop using this medicine at least two months before you plan to get pregnant. This medicine may harm your baby. Ask your doctor for a safer medicine to use during this time. Controlling diabetes is very important during pregnancy, as is gaining the right amount of weight. Even if you are overweight, losing weight during pregnancy could harm the unborn baby.

There is a pregnancy exposure registry for women who use Wegovy during pregnancy. The reason for this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk to your doctor about how you can take part in this registry, or you may contact Novo Nordisk at 1-800-727-6500.

Breastfeeding

Tell your healthcare professional if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is unknown if this medicine passes into your breast milk. You should talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby while using this medicine.

• Use the medicine as soon as possible and then return to your regular schedule. But If your next dose is due in less than two days (48 hours), skip the missed dose and return to your regular schedule.
• Call your doctor if you miss more than two doses in a row of Wegovy. You may need to restart the medicine at a lower dose to avoid stomach problems.
• Do not use two doses of semaglutide at one time.

• Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
• Overdose may cause severe nausea, vomiting, or low blood sugar.

What strengths is Wegovy available in ?

Wegovy is available in five strengths:

• Wegovy 0.25 mg (semaglutide) pen
• Wegovy 0.5 mg (semaglutide) pen
• Wegovy 1 mg (semaglutide) pen
• Wegovy 1.7 mg (semaglutide) pen
• Wegovy 2.4 mg(semaglutide) pen

Never share an injection pen, even if you changed the needle. Sharing this device can pass infection or disease from person to person.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives, itching; dizziness, fast heartbeats, difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Semaglutide may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

• vision changes;
• unusual mood changes, thoughts about hurting yourself;
• pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;
• a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
• signs of a thyroid tumor--swelling or a lump in your neck, trouble swallowing, a hoarse voice, feeling short of breath;
• symptoms of pancreatitis--severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea with or without vomiting, fast heart rate;
• gallbladder problems--upper stomach pain, fever, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
• low blood sugar--headache, hunger, weakness, sweating, confusion, irritability, dizziness, fast heart rate, or feeling jittery;
• kidney problems--swelling, urinating less, feeling tired or short of breath; or
• stomach flu symptoms--stomach cramps, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea (may be watery or bloody).

Common side effects of semaglutide may include:

• low blood sugar (in people with type 2 diabetes);
• upset stomach, heartburn, burping, gas, bloating;
• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite;
• diarrhea, constipation;
• runny nose or sore throat;
• stomach flu symptoms; o
• headache, dizziness, tiredness.

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Wegovy can slow your digestion, and it may take longer for your body to absorb any medicines you take by mouth.

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially insulin or other diabetes medicine, such as dulaglutide, exenatide, liraglutide, Byetta, Trulicity, Victoza, and others.

Other drugs may affect Wegovy, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use.