Wegovy dosages for weight loss

Wegovy weight loss injections are prescribed alongside dietary and exercise changes to help you lose weight. When taking Wegovy, you may need to change your dosage to get the best out of your weight loss treatment.

Read more to find out which dosage of Wegovy can help you lose the most weight, both safely and effectively.

Wegovy is available in 6 dose strengths:

• Wegovy 0.25mg
• Wegovy 0.5mg
• Wegovy 1mg
• Wegovy 1.7mg
• Wegovy 2.4mg
• Wegovy 7.2mg

When you take Wegovy, you start on the lowest dose of 0.25mg before increasing the dose every 4 weeks if tolerated, until you reach the full dose of 7.2mg.

When taking a course of Wegovy, your dosage will increase over time. Your doctor will always explain the correct dosage to you when they prescribe it, and when you will change dosage. You’ll still take Wegovy in the same way, it’s just the dosage in the pen that will change. To make it easier, Wegovy pens are pre-loaded with the correct dose, so you do not need to change anything on the pen – just make sure you’re using the correct pen before each injection.

It’s also possible to switch from other weight loss medications to Wegovy, such as Saxenda (now called Nevolat), under the supervision of your doctor.

To help you keep on track with your doses, you can follow a Wegovy dosage chart.

It’s important to follow your Wegovy dosage schedule to allow your body to get used to the medication. The starting dose of Wegovy is always 0.25mg once a week for 4 weeks if you are not currently taking weight loss injections. If you are taking another weight loss injection and want to switch to Wegovy speak to your doctor about the starting dose they’d recommend.

The dose usually increases over 20 weeks until you reach the recommended maximum Wegovy 7.2mg dose. However, you can stay on a lower dose if you need to due to side effects, or because you’re happy with your weight loss and do not want to take a higher dose. You should speak to your doctor if this is the case.

Once you have chosen your maintenance dose, you will inject this once per week for as long as you need, as long as it remains safe and effective, and as instructed by your doctor. If you decide to stay on a lower maintenance dose than 7.2mg, you may increase your dose later on if you and your doctor think it's suitable, so long as it’s been at least 4 weeks on your current dose, and you’ve been tolerating it well.

Your Wegovy medication should come in a coloured pen. Each pen is pre-filled with 4 doses, with the exception of Wegovy 7.2mg which is a single-dose pen so for a 4 week supply you will have 4 pens and must inject one weekly and safely dispose of it. When you need to change your dose, you will change to the correct coloured pen for that dose.

The Wegovy pen colours are:

• green (Wegovy 0.25mg)
• pink (Wegovy 0.5mg)
• brown (Wegovy 1mg)
• blue (Wegovy 1.7mg)
• black (Wegovy 2.4mg)
• purple (Wegovy 7.2mg)

The Wegovy starting dose is 0.25mg. You’ll need to take this for 4 weeks by injecting on the same day once per week.

At what dose does Wegovy start working?

Wegovy starts to work fairly quickly, with some people reporting a reduction in their appetite within the first few days of treatment. It’s also possible to notice some weight loss in the first 4 weeks of starting the lowest dose, but Wegovy is most effective at the maximum maintenance dose (7.2mg).

Can you start on 1mg of Wegovy?

No, it’s important to start Wegovy on the starting dose of 0.25 mg once a week for 4 weeks to allow your body to get used to the active ingredient, semaglutide. If you’ve been on high doses of other weight loss injections before Wegovy, speak to your doctor about what starting dose of Wegovy would be most suitable for you.

What dose of Wegovy is best for weight loss?

The Wegovy recommended dosage is 7.2mg once per week, as this is the dose which was tested in clinical trials for maximum weight loss results. This is also referred to as the maintenance dose. If this is not tolerated, then 2.4mg may be administered once weekly.

Maximum dosage of Wegovy pens

The maximum Wegovy dose is 7.2mg once per week.

Lowest dosage of Wegovy pens

The lowest dose of Wegovy is 0.25mg, but this is only a starting dose and not a maintenance dose.

What is the maintenance dose for Wegovy?

Once you have titrated to the maximum dose of Wegovy, which is 7.2mg, your doctor may find it suitable for you to stay on that dose as a maintenance dose until you reach your weight loss goals. They may only change or reduce this dose if:

• you experience side effects
• you find that the dose is not effective

If you experience side effects, your doctor may reduce this dose to 2.4mg as a maintenance dose.

If you find that the dose is not effective, for example, you may notice that you’re still finding it hard to lose weight even though you have also adapted your exercise routine and lifestyle, it may be a sign that you need an alternative treatment.

What is the maintenance phase?

Once you have reached your weight loss goal or are nearing it, this is called the maintenance phase. This is the stage where you shift your focus from losing weight to managing the progress you have made.

If you choose to continue taking medication (such as Wegovy) at this stage, your doctor will assess the right maintenance dose for you based on your health, medical history and tolerance of Wegovy. Not everyone takes medication at the maintenance stage, some people choose to work on their fitness routines and new food habits. It is important to do what feels right for you.

You may find it suitable to take medication at this stage to help curb your cravings and keep your appetite under control as you adjust to your new lifestyle.

For more information about our maintenance service, see our guide.

When to increase Wegovy dosage

Wegovy is available in 6 different doses. Your doctor will increase your dose after 4 weeks until you reach the full Wegovy maintenance dose of 7.2mg if this is well tolerated with minimal side effects. You may increase your Wegovy dosage more slowly if you get side effects.

Why do you have to increase Wegovy doses?

Wegovy doses are gradually increased to help your body adjust to the medication and reduce the chance of side effects. Starting on a lower dose gives your digestive system time to adapt, minimising gastrointestinal discomfort, such as feeling or being sick, diarrhoea, and constipation.

This stage of your treatment can help you adjust and make the treatment plan safer and comfortable for you in the long term. However, the lowest Wegovy doses are not the most effective for weight loss. So, to achieve the full benefit, you will need to increase the dose until you reach a tolerable maintenance dose that supports your weight loss goals.

There are 4 doses of Wegovy in each pen with the exception of the 7.2mg dose which is a single-dose pen (this means that for 4 doses of 7.2mg you will have 4 pens and must use 1 of them once weekly).

For multi-dose pens (for doses 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg) each pen contains a different strength of the medication, but there will always be 4 doses of any given strength in each pen.

All Wegovy doses are injected once per week.

You should inject your Wegovy dose on the same day each week.

Watch the video below to find out more about Wegovy:

Before you inject Wegovy for the first time, you must read the patient information leaflet to help you get a better understanding of how to take Wegovy for effective weight loss.

To inject Wegovy, you should:

1. Check that the medication is clear and colourless through the pen window.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly.
3. Check the flow if you have not used the pen before.
4. Set your dose using the dose selector.
5. If you skipped step 3, remove the inner needle cap.
6. Insert the needle into your chosen injection site (thigh, abdomen, or upper arm).
7. Hold the button down until it reaches 0, then count to 6.
8. Remove the Wegovy pen from your skin.
9. Dispose of the needle safely in a sharps bin, replace the outer cap, and store your Wegovy pen in a safe place until your next dose

Injecting 7.2mg:

1. Check you have the correct dose and the expiry date on the back.
2. Check in the dose window that the liquid is clear and colourless, it must not be cloudy.
3. Choose your injection site.
4. Once you are ready to inject, remove the pen cap and needle cover.
5. Press the pen firmly against your skin where you have chosen to inject. The injection takes around 5-10 seconds. You should hear 2 clicks. The first click happens when your injection starts, and at the second click you should begin to see a yellow bar in the dose window.
6. Once you see the yellow bar stop moving, the injection is complete.
7. Lift the pen away slowly and safely dispose of it.

For more detailed guidance, please refer to our step-by-step guide.

How do I change the dose on my Wegovy pen?

For multi-dose pens (0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg) – You can change the dose on your Wegovy pen, turn the dose selector until the dose counter stops and display the correct dose in the dose window. Once your prescribed dose lines up with the dose pointer, you have selected the correct dose.

If the dose counter stops before you reach your prescribed dose, it may be because you have not got enough Wegovy left. So, you will need to dispose of your current pen and use a new one.

Only inject your prescribed dose: do not increase it without your doctor’s approval.

For 7.2mg pens – You cannot change the dose on these pens as they are single-dose pens intended for single-use and safe disposal.

How many pen clicks are there for each Wegovy dose?

There are 2 clicks per Wegovy dose:

• the first click tells you the injection has started
• the second click happens during the injection

For multi-dose pens, you will also hear clicks when you dial in your dose. You will hear a click every time to turn the dose selector, but it will sound different depending on whether you turn it forwards, backwards, or past your dose. Do not mix up clicks with doses. Always check the window of the dose selector to make sure your dose is lined up correctly.

When using the Wegovy 7.2mg pen, the yellow bar in the dose window can help guide you on when your dose is complete.

Taking more Wegovy than you have been prescribed can cause severe gastrointestinal side effects, such as feeling or being sick, diarrhoea, or low blood sugar levels. It can also lead to more serious side effects like pancreatitis.

If you have taken more Wegovy than you should, contact your doctor straight away for advice on the next steps.

If you have forgotten to inject your Wegovy dose or have missed it, what you need to do depends on how many days have passed since your missed dose:

➤ If it has been 5 days or less, inject it as soon as you remember. You should then inject your next dose on your usual scheduled day.

➤ If it has been more than 5 days, you will need to skip the missed dose. Inject your next dose on your usual scheduled day. You must not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.

If you have any concerns or doubts about missing your dose of Wegovy, speak with your doctor or a pharmacist, and they should be able to advise.

Several factors can affect your Wegovy dose, including:

• side effects – if you get uncomfortable, ongoing side effects like being sick or other gastrointestinal issues, your doctor may temporarily keep you at your current dose and adjust the schedule so that your body can adapt comfortably
• body weight and body mass index (BMI) – although Wegovy doses are not only determined by your weight, your doctor may adjust your titration schedule according to your current BMI and how you respond to treatment
• medical conditions – there are some underlying health conditions, like diabetes and heart disease, that may require changes to your dosage schedule to avoid interactions and limit the chance of side effects

What if I can’t tolerate my new dose?

If you’re struggling with your current Wegovy dose, you should speak to your doctor for further advice. They may advise you to delay increasing your dose for a few weeks to see if that helps.

If you have reached the maximum 7.2mg dose once a week and are finding it difficult to tolerate, tell your doctor, who may advise you to reduce it to the lower 2.4mg dose.

Like all medications, Wegovy can cause side effects. Please note that not all patients will experience side effects.

The most common Wegovy side effects include:

• feeling sick (nausea)
• being sick (vomiting)
• diarrhoea
• constipation
• tummy pain
• headache
• feeling tired (fatigue)
• upset stomach
• dizziness
• bloatedness
• gas
• burping
• hair loss
• changes to taste
• heartburn

Note that the most common Wegovy side effect is nausea. Some people also report feeling sick after injecting their first dose.

To help with managing your side effects, we recommend:

• eating plain or bland foods like toast or rice
• eating foods that contain water, such as soup
• eating slowly
• getting some fresh air outdoors

It’s important that you feel safe during your weight loss treatment. If side effects from Wegovy become bothersome or begin to affect your daily life, you must speak with your doctor. They may suggest that you lower your dose or stop taking the medication.

Wegovy can only be prescribed if you meet certain prescribing guidelines, which are created to help keep you safe. To be prescribed Wegovy by a ZAVA doctor, you must have either:

1. At least 1 weight-related condition, like high blood pressure, and a BMI of at least 27kg/m2.
2. A BMI of 30kg/m2.
3. A BMI of 27.5kg/m2 and a higher risk ethnic background such as South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African and African-Carribean background.

Filling in your online health questionnaire can help our doctors assess whether you can take Wegovy. For example, ZAVA doctors will check your personal health history to ensure that Wegovy is safe for you to take and that you have no allergies or potential interactions.

Can I get Wegovy on the NHS?

You can only get Wegovy on the NHS if it's prescribed to you by a specialist weight management service. You must have health problems caused by your weight and a BMI of either:

• 35kg/m2 or more
• 30 to 34.9kg/m2, and you meet other guidelines to be treated by a specialist weight management service

If you're of Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African-Caribbean origin, these BMI guidelines are reduced by 2.5kg/m2. Your access to Wegovy on the NHS will depend on your local guidelines.

Your GP will refer you to a weight loss management service, and you may have to wait for a referral and your first appointment. If you want more information on accessing Wegovy via the NHS, speak to your local GP if you meet the prescribing guidelines and have tried losing weight through diet and exercise already.

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