Wegovy

What is Wegovy?

Wegovy is an injection treatment for weight loss. It contains semaglutide, the active ingredient used in a popular diabetes drug, that can also help you lose weight. It works by creating the feeling of fullness, preventing you from consuming too much food.

The self-administered injections are a once-weekly treatment used over the course of several months. Taken with a reduced-calorie diet and with regular physical activity, it can help you lose weight more effectively.

The medication can be used by people who are obese with a BMI of 30 or over. It can also be used by people with a BMI over 27 if they have also been diagnosed with weight-related health problems such as hypertension, type-2 diabetes or sleep apnoea.

Go to

Medically reviewed by

Dr Alexandra Cristina Cowell

Writer & Clinical Content Reviewer

on Mar 18, 2025.

Meet Alexandra Cristina

Last updated on Sep 24, 2025.

Was this article useful?

2 people found this helpful

What does Wegovy look like?

Wegovy comes as a single-use injection pen. The Wegovy pens come in five preset dosages: 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg, with each dose being a different color. You’ll take one dose once a week.

The prescriber will outline the course of treatment and let you know which dosage you should be using and when. Generally, you’ll start with the lowest dose of 0.25mg. If you tolerate the treatment well, every four weeks, your dosage will increase to the next one until you reach the maximum dose of 2.4mg. This will be considered your maintenance dose and you’ll remain on that till you reach your weight loss goals.

How should I store Wegovy?

Keep Wegovy pens in the original box refrigerated between 36°F to 46°F. This will help protect the medication from sunlight and stop it from deteriorating. If needed, Wegovy pens can be kept outside of the fridge at room temperature with the cap on for 28 days.

Don’t freeze the pens or keep them out in direct sunlight. If you accidentally leave the pens in these conditions, throw away the pens and don’t use them.

How does Wegovy work?

Wegovy contains the active ingredient semaglutide. Semaglutide is known as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which means that it binds to the GLP-1 receptors in the brain involved with appetite regulation. This reduces feelings of hunger and increases the feeling of fullness, helping you eat less food, reducing your calorie intake and causing you to lose weight.

Alongside Wegovy, you should stick to a healthy lifestyle involving a calorie-deficit diet (typically around 300-500 fewer calories than your body burns per day) and regular physical activity.

How fast does Wegovy work?

Every person will react differently to Wegovy, so we can’t say how soon you’ll be able to start seeing results. But it is a highly effective treatment and users have reported noticing differences in their weight fairly early on during their treatment.

You might start to feel the effects of the treatment in the first few weeks, such as having a smaller appetite or not feeling as hungry. In the first month or so, you might also notice you’ve lost some weight.

Using a weight loss treatment like Wegovy does require some patience and dedication to the process. Don’t give up on your treatment within a couple of weeks or months. To see an actual difference, you should use it long term. But, if you’ve been using it for a while and you’re not seeing any changes, message your doctor so they can decide what to do next.

Is Wegovy effective?

Wegovy has been found to be a highly effective and well tolerated treatment to aid weight loss.
A number of clinical trials have produced impressive results. In clinical trials I, II and III 83.5%, 67.4% and 84.8% of participants taking Wegovy were found to experience a weight loss of at least five percent of their body weight.
In another study, patients using Wegovy lost 5.9% of their body at month three, and at month six 10.9%.
As you lose weight, you might notice other aspects of your health improve, such as sleep apnea.

How long should I use Wegovy for?

It usually takes several months to build up to the full dose of Wegovy for weight loss. If the medication proves to be suitable and produces good results for you, you can continue to use it for as long as it remains beneficial. This might be for weight loss or weight maintenance.

Getting the best out of Wegovy

In order to get the best results out of Wegovy, you should also adopt a reduced-calorie diet as well as a regular exercise regime. This aspect of the weight loss course should be explained to you when you’re initially prescribed the medication. If you have questions about your diet plan or physical activity, you can speak to a clinician.

What diet should I follow?

There’s no specific diet you need to follow, just choose healthier options that will make you full for longer. It’s best to go on a calorie-deficit diet (for most people, this means eating 300-500 fewer calories per day than your body burns), so use your calories wisely. Opt for low-calorie dense foods like rice, oats and lentils. And eating whole fruits and vegetables can make you feel fuller for longer.

How to use Wegovy

Get to know your medication before you start taking it. Read the instructions that come with your Wegovy treatment.
Each Wegovy pen is preset at one particular dose. Make sure you follow the dosage plan outlined by the prescriber and use the corresponding pen.
Things to do before using Wegovy:
Check that your pen is good for use. This means that there are no signs of damage or discolouration.
Always wash your hands before you inject your medication.
You can use Wegovy on the top of the thighs, upper arm or stomach (keeping two inches away from the belly button.) Just make sure the injection site is free from bruising, damaged skin, scars or stretch marks.
Don’t use the exact same injection site as the previous week.
How to use Wegovy:
Clean the site with an alcohol swab or water and soap.
Remove the cap and press the pen firmly against the skin. You should hear an initial click to tell you that the injection has started.
You should then hear a second click to tell you that the injection is ongoing.
The process usually takes around 10 seconds from the first click.
Each pen is used only once. Dispose of the pen in a sharps bin.
If you notice bleeding at the site of the injection, then you can gently press it with a clean gauze pad or cotton ball.

Can you drink alcohol using Wegovy?

It’s a good idea to speak to your prescriber before you drink alcohol when using Wegovy. Alcohol can lower blood sugar levels, so if you have diabetes this could be problematic. Also, most alcoholic drinks are high in calories and might interfere with your reduced calorie diet.

What to do if I forget a Wegovy dose

If you miss taking a dose of Wegovy and it’s been less than five days, then you should take the missed dose. However, if you miss a dose and it’s been more than five days, then you shouldn’t take the missed dose. Instead, wait for your regular day to continue treatment as usual.

Where can I buy Wegovy?

There are a few options.

Many private healthcare providers now offer Wegovy through an online consultation. You can find out whether Wegovy is right for you by answering a few questions. Your clinician will then review your answers to make sure it’s safe and suitable for you to use. They’ll also provide you with more information on how to use it, lifestyle changes to make and anything extra.

You may also be able to get a private prescription from your doctor for Wegovy, which enables you to buy it from a range of pharmacies.

The price of Wegovy can vary depending on where you get it from, and higher doses may be more expensive too. So it’s better to do your research before getting it from the first place you find it.

Is Wegovy right for you?

Wegovy injections can help overweight and obese patients lose weight in a controlled and safe manner. A course of Wegovy should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased exercise.

If you think Wegovy could help you to improve your health — chat to a clinician. They’ll ask you about your health needs, preferences and history in order to make sure that it’s a safe and suitable treatment option for you.

How we source info.

When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.

Give us the inbox treatment.

We're making healthcare more about you. Sign up to our newsletter for personalized health articles that make a difference.