Wegovy

During menopause, losing weight can be particularly challenging due to hormonal changes. Wegovy can be a useful aid in this context. This medication contains semaglutide, which influences the sensation of fullness. As a result, you are less likely to overeat and it becomes easier to adhere to weight loss. 

 You administer Wegovy using a pre-filled injection pen. This medication is always used in combination with a modified diet and sufficient physical activity. 

Wegovy is prescribed to adults with: 

- Obesity: a BMI of 30 kg/m² or above; 

- Overweight: a BMI between 27 and 30 kg/m², in combination with health conditions such as: 

• type 2 diabetes; 
• high blood pressure; 
• raised blood lipid levels; 
• sleep apnoea (breathing difficulties during sleep); 
• cardiovascular disease or a previous stroke. 

Administration 

Wegovy is administered once a week by injection under the skin (subcutaneously). The best injection sites are: 

• the front of your upper arm; 
• your thigh; 
• your abdomen. 

Rotate injection sites to prevent bruising. Always inject under the skin, not into a vein or muscle. 

Before you begin, your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse will show you how to use the pen. Full instructions can also be found in the package leaflet or in our video below this section. 

Each Wegovy FlexTouch pen contains four doses and comes with four NovoFine Plus disposable needles. One pen therefore lasts four weeks. 

Stepwise dosing 

Treatment starts with a low dose and is gradually increased to the recommended maintenance dose. This allows your body to adjust and side effects such as nausea often become less pronounced. 

Schedule for adults: 

• Week 1–4: 0.25 mg, once a week (1 pen = 4 weeks) 
• Week 5–8: 0.5 mg, once a week (1 pen = 4 weeks) 
• Week 9–12: 1 mg, once a week (1 pen = 4 weeks) 
• Week 13–16: 1.7 mg, once a week (1 pen = 4 weeks) 
• From week 17: 2.4 mg, once a week (recommended dose) (1 pen = 4 weeks) 

Note: this is the standard dosing schedule. Your doctor may prescribe a slightly different dose or schedule depending on your personal circumstances. Always follow your doctor's advice. 

Your doctor will supervise this process and regularly monitor your progress. 

Are you experiencing nausea or vomiting? Consult your doctor to see if the dose can be temporarily reduced or increased later. 

Useful tips for use 

• Choose a set day of the week for your injection. 
• The time of day does not matter: you can inject yourself at any time, regardless of meals. 

Used too much or too little? 

• Used too much: contact your doctor immediately. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration. 
• Missed dose: 
• Less than 5 days ago: inject the dose as soon as possible and then continue your regular schedule; 
• More than 5 days ago: skip the dose and continue with your regular schedule; 
• Never use a double dose to make up for a missed injection. 

More information 

For detailed instructions for use, see the official package leaflet. There is also a video with instructions on how to use the Wegovy pen.

Instructional video:

Do not use Wegovy if: 

• you are allergic to semaglutide or any of the other ingredients in this medicine (see package leaflet). 

Take extra care with Wegovy 

Always consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before starting Wegovy. The use of this medicine is not recommended if you: 

• are already taking other weight loss medications; 
• have type 1 diabetes; 
• have severely impaired kidney function; 
• have severely impaired liver function; 
• have severe heart failure; 
• have an eye condition caused by diabetes (retinopathy). 

This is an overview of the main warnings. In the package leaflet you will find a complete overview of all precautions. 

Do not stop using Wegovy without discussing it with your doctor. Only a doctor can determine whether it is safe and appropriate to end the treatment. 

Use with other medicines 

Are you using other medicines in addition to Wegovy, or have you used any recently? Always inform your doctor or pharmacist. 

Wegovy may interact with certain medicines. You can read more about this in the package leaflet. 

Especially for type 2 diabetes 

Are you using Wegovy and do you have type 2 diabetes? Inform your doctor. Sometimes the dose of your diabetes medication needs to be adjusted to prevent low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). 

Driving and using machines 

Wegovy may cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery if you experience this. 

Not everyone experiences them, but some people have side effects while using Wegovy. These symptoms often occur during the dose escalation period. For many people, they decrease after a while. 

Serious side effects 

• Common (≤1 in 10 users): complications of eye conditions caused by diabetes (diabetic retinopathy). If you have diabetes and notice changes in your vision, contact your doctor immediately. 
• Uncommon (≤1 in 100 users): inflammation of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis). This is recognised by severe, persistent abdominal pain that may radiate to the back. In this case, contact your doctor immediately. 

This list is not exhaustive. An overview of all serious side effects can be found in the package leaflet. 

Other side effects 

- Very common (≥1 in 10 users): headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, feeling tired or weak ➝ These symptoms mainly occur during dose escalation and usually disappear after a while. 

- Common (≤1 in 10 users): 

• Dizziness; 
• stomach or digestive problems; 
• belching; 
• flatulence or bloating; 
• inflamed stomach (gastritis) with symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting; 
• reflux or heartburn (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease); 
• gallstones; 
• hair loss; 
• reactions at the injection site; 
• altered taste; 
• low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) in people with type 2 diabetes. 

This is also a brief overview. The complete list of side effects can be found in the package leaflet. 

Are you experiencing side effects? Always contact your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. This also applies to possible symptoms not listed in the package leaflet. 

The active ingredient in Wegovy is semaglutide. 

Each strength of the pre-filled pen contains: 

• Wegovy 0.25 mg: 0.25 mg semaglutide in 0.5 ml (0.5 mg/ml) 
• Wegovy 0.5 mg: 0.5 mg semaglutide in 0.5 ml (1 mg/ml) 
• Wegovy 1 mg: 1.0 mg semaglutide in 0.5 ml (2 mg/ml) 
• Wegovy 1.7 mg: 1.7 mg semaglutide in 0.75 ml (2.27 mg/ml) 
• Wegovy 2.4 mg: 2.4 mg semaglutide in 0.75 ml (3.2 mg/ml) 

In addition to the active ingredient, Wegovy also contains excipients: 

• Disodium phosphate dihydrate; 
• Sodium chloride; 
• hydrochloric acid/sodium hydroxide (for pH adjustment); 
• water for injections. 

The manufacturer: 

• Novo Nordisk A/S, Denmark 
• Novo Nordisk Production SAS, France 

Wegovy is available in the United Kingdom by prescription only. During an online consultation, a doctor will determine whether this medication is appropriate for you. If the doctor issues a prescription, it will be sent directly to a partner pharmacy. 

The cost of the consultation is included in the price of Wegovy.