Wegovy dosage, forms, and strengths

Wegovy is a prescription drug used along with diet and exercise to treat obesity . Its active ingredient is semaglutide, a drug originally developed by Novo Nordisk as Ozempic to control blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. 

Belonging to a family of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 agonists), semaglutide stimulates insulin secretion, increases people’s sense of fullness when eating, and promotes weight loss. It also lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, and improves heart function. People prescribed Wegovy will start with a low dose of 0.25 milligrams (mg) taken once per week for four weeks. The dose will gradually increase over the next several months until a maximum maintenance dose of 2.4 mg once weekly is reached. Doses are self-administered using a prefilled single-dose injector pen.

Wegovy forms and strengths

Wegovy is taken as a subcutaneous injection once per week. It comes packaged in single-dose injector pens. Each carton contains four Wegovy pens, enough medication for 28 days of treatment.

Single-dose injector pens: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, 2.4 mg

Wegovy dosage for adults

Wegovy is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help people manage excess body weight. It is used together with dietary changes and exercise. The FDA has approved the medication for use in adults who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kilograms per square meter of body surface area (30 kg/m2) or more. Healthcare professionals may also prescribe Wegovy for people with a lower BMI of 27 kg/m2 or more if they have a weight-related medical condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Wegovy dosage for chronic weight management

Wegovy is prescribed for weight management as an adjunct to dietary changes and physical activity. The first month’s dosage is 0.25 mg weekly for four weeks. That’s followed by four weeks at a 0.5 weekly dose. Then people will take a 1 mg weekly dose for another four weeks, followed by 1.7 mg weekly for four weeks. After four months of gradually increasing doses, people begin the final and maximum dose of 2.4 mg weekly.

• Standard adult dosage for chronic weight management: 2.4 mg taken as a subcutaneous injection weekly

Wegovy dosage for children

Wegovy is FDA-approved to treat children 12 years and older with chronic weight problems whose BMI puts them in the 95th percentile or above for their age group and sex. The prescribing information includes a table that shows the BMI cutoffs for each age group and sex. For instance, the minimum BMI for a 12-year-old is 24.2 kg/m2 for males and 25.2 kg/m2 for females. 

Pediatric patients will follow the same dose escalation schedule as adults: 

• 0.25 mg starting dose taken once per week for weeks one to four

• 0.5 mg dose weekly for weeks five to eight

• 1 mg dose weekly for weeks nine to 12

• 1.7 mg dose weekly for weeks 13 to 16,

• 2. 4 mg weekly maintenance dose starting at week 17

Wegovy dosage restrictions

Wegovy has no dosage restrictions for renal impairment, hepatic impairment, or age. Wegovy is contraindicated in pregnant women, people with a history or family history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), people with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (a type of thyroid and adrenal gland cancer), or people who have had allergic reactions to semaglutide or any of the ingredients in the injection. It should also not be taken by those with current or past thoughts or plans of suicide.

How to take Wegovy

Patients self-inject each Wegovy dose. Although it comes in a convenient single-dose injector pen, the process is a bit complex at first. A healthcare provider will demonstrate how to administer injections. If you have any questions or doubts, ask the healthcare provider before leaving. Additionally, the Wegovy website has instructions (see below) on the injection process. Watch this video before administering the first injection.

This medication comes packaged with a Medication Guide and Instructions for Use. Please review both of these before administering the first injection. If one of them is missing, ask a pharmacist for a copy. 

Wegovy can be taken with or without food.

Here are the steps per the Wegovy website:

• Take the Wegovy injection once per week on the same day of the week. Take it at any time on the scheduled day.

• If the injection day needs to be changed, this can be done provided the next scheduled dose is not two days (48 hours) away.

Preparation

• Wash your hands.

• Do not remove the pen cap until ready to inject.

• Check the Wegovy pen to make sure it’s undamaged. If it appears damaged or broken, do not use it. Dispose of it safely in a sharps container.

• Check the pen injector to make sure that it’s the correct medicine and the correct dose.

• Check the expiration date. If the medicine has exceeded its expiration date, do not use it. Dispose of it safely in a sharps container.

• Check the medicine in the pen window to make sure it is clear and colorless. If it is discolored, cloudy, or has particles in it, do not use it. Air bubbles are okay.

• Make sure the needle is hidden.

Injection site

• The medicine can be injected in the front of the thighs, upper arm, and lower abdomen (below and at least two inches away from the belly button).

• Do not inject Wegovy into a muscle or vein.

• Although the same area of the body can be used each week, do not inject the medicine in the exact same spot each week.

• Don’t inject the medicine through skin that is red, bruised, tender, hard, or scarred.

• Clean the injection area with soap and water or an alcohol swab before injecting a Wegovy dose.

Injection

• Remove the pen cap by pulling it straight down when ready to administer the injection.

• Push the pen firmly against the skin where the injection is to be made. Keep pressing firmly throughout the injection process.

• The Wegovy pen will click and the injection will start when pressure is put on the bottom of the pen.

• The pen will click a second time as the injection proceeds. The yellow bar will slowly fill the pen window to show the progress of the injection.

• When the yellow bar has completely filled the window, the injection is finished. You can release the pressure on the pen.

• Dispose of the pen in a sharps container.

Wegovy dosage FAQs

How long does it take Wegovy to work?

Weight loss is a long-term process, even with effective weight management drugs like Wegovy. Dietary changes and physical activity are required. It may take weeks or months to notice significant weight loss or meet weight loss goals. 

How long does Wegovy stay in your system?

With a half-life of one week, it takes about five to seven weeks to completely clear semaglutide from the blood.

What happens if I miss a dose of Wegovy?

Wegovy is taken weekly. A missed dose of Wegovy can be taken provided the next scheduled dose is more than two days (48 hours) away. If the next dose is due to be taken in two more days, skip the missed dose and take the next dose on schedule. 

If a missed dose is more than two weeks late, the next dose should be taken as scheduled but you should contact the prescribing healthcare provider in case treatment needs to be restarted at a lower dose.

How long can you take Wegovy?

Wegovy is intended for long-term use. Clinical trials were 68 weeks in duration. No significant side effects due to long-term use were detected in those trials. 

How do I stop taking Wegovy?

Wegovy does not cause physical dependence or withdrawal symptoms. People can stop taking Wegovy at any time without significant problems. 

What is the maximum dosage for Wegovy?

The maximum recommended dosage of Wegovy is 2.4 mg weekly.

Can you overdose on Wegovy?

Do not take too much Wegovy. Symptoms of an overdose include severe nausea, severe diarrhea, and extremely low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia). Symptoms of hypoglycemia include hunger, dizziness, and mood changes. If too much Wegovy is taken, call 911 or go to an emergency room.

What interacts with Wegovy?

Wegovy has no major drug interactions to worry about. The FDA advises that Wegovy not be taken with insulin, other GLP-1 receptor agonists, or any diabetes medicine that increases insulin production such as sulfonylureas. These combinations increase the risk of hypoglycemia. 

Though not prohibited, Wegovy should not be taken with other weight-loss drugs or appetite suppressants.

Semaglutide slows the stomach’s emptying. Any other drugs being taken will have a longer exposure to stomach acid, so they may be less effective. It’s not a big worry, but some doses of other drugs may need to be adjusted. 

Tell the prescribing healthcare professional about all prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, herbal remedies, supplements, and vitamins that you’re taking.

What happens when you mix Wegovy and alcohol?

Alcohol does not interact with Wegovy, and Wegovy does not interact with alcohol. In general, drinking alcohol when trying to meet weight loss goals is not recommended. However, if you are aware of the calorie content of the alcohol you’re drinking and keep to each day’s calorie goals while getting enough nutrients, moderate consumption of alcohol when taking Wegovy probably won’t be a problem.

Is it safe to take Wegovy during pregnancy?

Wegovy should not be given to pregnant women. Animal studies have shown that Wegovy causes death and developmental defects in fetuses. Wegovy and any other weight loss medications should be stopped during pregnancy. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American College of Endocrinology (AACE/ACE) recommend that any woman of childbearing age taking weight loss medications use contraception to prevent pregnancy.

Is it safe to take Wegovy while breastfeeding?

Ask a doctor for medical advice about taking Wegovy while breastfeeding. Healthcare professionals believe very little semaglutide is present in human milk and that it’s poorly absorbed when taken orally but there is no clinical evidence for its effects on breastfeeding infants.

What are the side effects of Wegovy?

The most common side effects of Wegovy are an increase in the resting heart rate, constipation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and injection site reactions. Nausea is often due to the drug making people feel full faster than usual. Normal eating patterns may bring on mild nausea. Serious adverse reactions include an increased risk of thyroid tumors, pancreas problems including pancreatitis, severe allergic reactions, kidney injury, gallstones, and an increase in suicidal thoughts for those with a history of suicidal thoughts or actions.

Sources

• Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, StatPearls

• Semaglutide, Drugs and Lactation Database

• Semaglutide drug summary, Prescriber’s Digital Reference

• Wegovy prescribing information, NIH National Library of Medicine

• Wegovy website, Novo Nordisk