Wegovy 2.4mg (semaglutide) injection

What is Wegovy?

Wegovy is an injection weight loss treatment that uses the active ingredient semaglutide. The glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist is injected subcutaneously once a week. It acts on part of the brain that regulates hunger and appetite.

How Does Wegovy Work?

The active ingredient in Wegovy is semaglutide and it acts like a synthetic version of a substance in the body called GLP-1. This substance is released into the system when you’ve eaten a large meal. It interacts with receptors found in the brain that tell us when we’re full or hungry. If you feel full more often then you’re likely to reduce your intake of calories and go on to lose weight.

What are the side effects of Wegovy?

Only 5.3% of patients in one clinical trial stopped Wegovy due to side effects however, there are common side effects; headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, and fatigue. These side effects usually improve over time as your body gets used to the medicine. Gradually increasing the dose every 4 weeks helps to reduce the risk of experiencing these side effects. If you find your side effects are severe or aren’t improving, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. spc

Is Wegovy Suitable for me?

Wegovy won’t be a suitable weight loss treatment for everyone. You’ll need to meet certain criteria for it to be considered as a treatment. This means your BMI needs to be over 30 or over 27, when combined with a weight-related health condition. You’ll need to answer some questions on your health so that our prescribers can assess whether Wegovy is a suitable option.

How should I use Wegovy?

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 2 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 2 clicks during the injection. Click 1 is when the injection has started and click 2 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.

Dosage

The dose starts low and escalates to minimize the 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 4 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. 

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Use the medicine as soon as you can and then go back to your regular schedule. But If your next dose is due in less than 2 days (48 hours), skip the missed dose and return to your regular schedule.
• Call your doctor if you miss more than 2 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.