Everything you need to know about your Wegovy dosage, whether it’s injections or tablets

For many people who take a GLP-1 weight-loss medication like Wegovy, there’s a learning curve at first. That’s because there are two different versions of the medication, one that’s a weekly injection and the other that’s a daily oral pill. Then there’s the matter of dosage. There are different doses of Wegovy (semaglutide) that’s FDA-approved for weight loss — and it’s likely you’ll be on different doses at different stages of your weight journey. “Every patient has their own genetics and underlying factors, so some may fare better on a higher or lower dose,” says Dr. Michelle Ponder, M.D., an endocrinologist and assistant professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. Finding your sweet spot — the dose where you’re steadily losing weight with least amount of side effects — can take a little experimentation and conversation between you and your doctor. Here’s what you need to know.

Wegovy is a brand name of the drug semaglutide, which comes as a weekly injection or a daily oral pill, and show comparable weight loss effects. Another semaglutide is Ozempic, which is made by the same manufacturer, Novo Nordisk. But the two have some differences: Ozempic is approved by the FDA to treat type 2 diabetes in adults aged 18 and over. Wegovy is approved for weight loss for people aged 12 and older living with obesity or overweight plus a related condition, such as high blood pressure.

Injectable Wegovy

Weekly injectable Wegovy comes in prefilled injectable pens that are available in five different strengths, each with a different colored pen:

• 0.25 mg (light green)

• 0.5 mg (pink)

• 1 mg (brown)

• 1.7 mg (blue)

• 2.4 mg (black)

Tablet Wegovy

Daily Wegovy tablets come in four different strengths:

• 1.5 mg (light green label on the bottle)

• 4 mg (pink label on the bottle)

• 9 mg (brown label on the bottle)

• 25 mg (black label on the bottle))

To start, whether you’re using the pill or the injection, your doctor will prescribe that you start with the smallest dose of Wegovy, says Dr. Rachel Pessah-Pollack, M.D., an endocrinologist and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “The reason is to ensure that you can tolerate the medicine,” she says. Starting small will reduce your chances for experiencing severe Wegovy side effects, including diarrhea, nausea, headache, fatigue, and stomachaches. (Find a full list of side effects on the Wegovy site.)

Every month, you’ll check in with your healthcare provider either in person or online if you’re using a virtual telehealth clinic. You’ll go over your weight loss, hunger level, cravings, and side effects. If you do well on your current dose and lose weight at about one to two pounds a week, your provider may decide to continue with that dose another month, says Dr. Eleanor Yusupov, D.O., an assistant professor and obesity medicine physician at New York Institute of Technology’s Medical School. Struggling with food noise or hunger? That’s a sign your provider may have you to step up to the next dosage. Or, if you’re miserable because of the side effects, your provider may have you go back down to a lower dose.

Injectable Wegovy dosage schedule

Note that your timeline may vary from this based on guidance from your doctor.

Weeks 1-4: 0.25 mg each week

Weeks 5-8: 0.5 mg each week   

Weeks 9-12: 1 mg each week

Weeks 13-16: 1.7 mg each week

Weeks 17 and beyond: 2.4 mg each week

Source: Novo Nordisk

Tablet Wegovy dosage schedule 

Note that your timeline may vary from this based on guidance from your doctor.

Days 1-30: 1.5 mg daily

Days 31-60: 4 mg daily

Days 61-90: 9mg daily

Days 91 and beyond: 25 mg daily

Source: Novo Nordisk

After you pick up your Wegovy prescription, keep it in its original box and store it in the refrigerator. If needed, you can keep it at room temperature for up to 28 days. You’ll inject yourself with the medicine on the same day once a week. “Some people prefer to take it at the end of the week, so if they have any side effects, it’s over the weekend,” says Pessah-Pollack. But this is really all about preference — it doesn’t matter what time of day, and you can take Wegovy with or without food.

Because the medicine comes in a prefilled pen, it’s simple to administer. You’ll inject yourself in the upper arm, leg, or stomach. You can choose the same body part each week, but don’t use the exact same spot two times in a row. After cleaning the area with alcohol or soap and water, you’ll place the pen against your skin and push the button to inject the medicine beneath the skin. Because the needle is hidden, some patients don’t even see it, says Yusupov. 

Listen for two clicks; the first means that the injection has started and the second signals that the injection is in process. Look at the yellow bar on the pen. When it stops moving, that means the injection is complete and you can lift the pen slowly.

“Each pen contains one dose,” says Pessah-Pollack. They’re single-use, so you dispose of the pen after you administer the medicine. To do that, put it in a sharps  container (you can get these at a pharmacy or online) or a heavy-duty plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty liquid laundry detergent jug.

Take your Wegovy pill on an empty stomach in the morning with water (up to 4 ounces) — not any other liquid other than water. Wait at least 30 minutes before eating food, drinking, or taking other oral medications to give Wegovy pill time to absorb. Always swallow the pill whole; don’t crush, cut, chew, or dissolve the pill.

Store the medication at room temperature, between 68°F to 77°F. Keep the bottle in a dry place, away from moisture. (You may not want to keep Wegovy in the bathroom if it gets too hot and steamy.)

For the weekly injectable:

• If you miss a dose and your next scheduled dose is more than two days (48 hours) away, take the missed dose as soon as possible. 

• If you miss a dose and you’re within that 48-hour window for your next shot being due, skip the missed dose and wait to take your next scheduled one. 

• If you’ve missed more than two weeks of Wegovy, check in with your doctor to find out the right way to handle it. “You may need to go back to a lower dose or even the starting dose to prevent side effects,” says Ponder. 

For the daily pill:

Skip that day’s dose and get back on track with your regular dose the next day; don’t try to “double-up.”

Too much Wegovy can lead to an increase in side effects like nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Most of the time, you’ll recover on your own. In rare cases, these symptoms are dangerous. If you experience severe vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, or low blood sugar, go to urgent care or the emergency room to prevent dehydration or hypoglycemia.

To avoid confusion and maintain the right amount of medicine in your body, it’s best to take Wegovy on the same day each week. But you can switch days, says Ponder. The main thing to remember is not to take two doses within 48 hours of each other. So if you want to switch from taking it on Mondays to taking it on Fridays, for example, move it one day later each week until you get to your desired day, then stick with it. Always check with your doctor before making any changes to your medication.

Whether you’re using the Wegovy injectable pen (weekly) or the Wegovy oral pill (daily) you’ll begin with the smallest dose and gradually increase that amount, depending on your weight loss results and your side effects. This approach helps your body adjust to the medicine and reduce the side effects. But everyone’s body is different, so you’ll work together with your doctor to find the best Wegovy dosage \schedule for you.