How is Wegovy injected?

Wegovy is a weight loss treatment containing a GLP-1 medication called semaglutide. It can help people with overweight or obesity lose weight by increasing the feeling of fullness after eating, reducing hunger and reducing cravings. It is delivered by self-injection on a weekly basis: in this article, we’ll look at how Wegovy is injected in more detail.

If you are using Wegovy, you should always read the patient information leaflet carefully and, if you have any questions before your first injection, seek advice from a healthcare professional.

What does the Wegovy injection pack look like?

• Wegovy is delivered in a pre-filled injector pen called a FlexTouch pen
• Injector pens are available in five different doses (0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg)
• The dose of each pen is marked on the pen label – it is always important to double-check that the dose you have been prescribed is the same as the label on the pen
• Each pen contains four doses of medication, to be used once per week, over four weeks
• The pen has a built-in dose counter to help with dosing
• You will also get four needles in the pack – one for each dose – that need to be attached to the pen before use, and then carefully removed and disposed of in the sharps bin provided
• Wegovy injector pens should be stored in their boxes, in the fridge, until they are first used
• After the first use, pens can be stored at room temperature (up to 30 °C) for up to six weeks
• Importantly, pens should not be shared; each pen is for a single person only

When and where is Wegovy injected?

Wegovy is injected once per week, on the same day each week. You should choose a day when giving the injection is convenient, and you are unlikely to forget.

You can take it at any time of the day, but doing it at the same time consistently can help maintain the medicine's effect and can help make it part of your routine. You may notice any side effects, and the impact of Wegovy on appetite is felt most in the first few days after injection, so this may guide you to choose your injection day.

Wegovy is given by subcutaneous injection – this means it is injected just under the skin (not into the muscles, and not into a vein). You give yourself the injection, but you can get help from someone else if you need it.

You will need to choose a place to inject – this can be:

• The upper outer arms
• The front of the thighs
• The tummy (at least 5 cm away from the belly button).

You can choose the same or different parts of the body each week, but do not inject into the exact same spot two weeks in a row, to ensure proper absorption and avoid bruising.

You should choose a spot that you can easily reach, and you need to be able to see the dose counter while you are injecting, so you might find the tummy or thighs easier for this reason.

How is Wegovy injected?

The Wegovy pack contains clear and detailed instructions on how to give the injection, and these should be followed carefully.

Here’s a step-by-step video that walks through how to inject Wegovy correctly:

In summary, the steps include:

1. Wash your hands
2. Check and prepare the pen for injection. A new needle should be used for every injection.
3. Prime the pen (remove any air and check the flow of medicine through the needle) if it’s the first use of this pen
4. Set the dose using the dose counter
5. Choose the injection site and inject the dose into the skin
6. Remove the needle from the pen and discard it in a sharps pen
7. Store the pen for next week or dispose of the pen if all four doses have been used, or it has been open for more than 6 weeks

What if you miss a dose, or want to give Wegovy on a different day?

If you miss a dose of Wegovy and:

• It is five days or less since you should have taken it. You can take your dose as soon as you remember, then take your next dose on your usual day.
• It is more than five days since you should have taken it; you should skip the missed dose and take your next dose on your usual day. You should not take a double dose to make up for any missed dose.
• If it has been 2 or more weeks since your last dose, take the next dose on your usual day.

If you want to change the day you give your injection, you can do this, so long as you wait at least three days after your last injection.

You may notice an increase in side effects if you take Wegovy doses only 3 days apart, so it may be best to adjust your injection time more slowly, for example, moving it by one day each week, until you reach your new preferred day and stick to this new injection day after that.

What if it doesn’t go to plan?

The instructions should be followed every time, but what happens when something doesn’t go as expected? Your healthcare professional should be able to answer questions and guide you, for example:

• If you are not sure how to inject Wegovy, after reading the leaflet, you should ask a healthcare professional for advice.
• If your pen does not contain your correct prescribed weekly dose, you should not give the injection, and you should seek advice.
• If the pen, medication or needle is not in good condition (e.g., cloudy or coloured medication, damaged needles, medication does not flow when tested), you should not give the injection, and you should seek advice.
• If you think you have injected too little or too much Wegovy, you should seek advice.
• If you think your pen does not contain enough Wegovy for a dose, you should not give the injection, and you should seek advice. Remember, each pen contains four doses. Even if there is some liquid remaining in the pen, you should not try to give a fifth dose.

Key messages

• Wegovy should be injected once weekly, on the same day every week, just below the surface of the skin, in the upper arms, thighs or tummy.
• The instructions should be followed carefully every time to make sure the injection is delivered safely and correctly.
• If you have any questions about giving the injection, you should contact your healthcare professional.

Genwell Reflections

Self-injecting a medication can sometimes be a bit daunting, especially the first few times you do it. If you are receiving Wegovy as part of a Genwell weight care programme, your Genwell doctor and wellbeing coach will be there to support and guide you as you build your confidence in injecting. They will be on hand to answer all of your questions to help make sure you receive your weekly dose correctly.