Starting Wegovy is mostly about patience: the first weeks use small doses on purpose. Here is what the prescribing information says, and what to expect.
The dose schedule
The Wegovy prescribing information starts low and increases every 4 weeks:
| Weeks | Weekly dose |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg |
| 5 to 8 | 0.5 mg |
| 9 to 12 | 1 mg |
| 13 to 16 | 1.7 mg |
| 17 and after | Maintenance dose set by your prescriber |
Your prescriber may adjust this. If a step is hard to tolerate, the label allows waiting longer before the next increase.
What week 1 looks like
Shot day. Any time of day, with or without food, on the same day each week. Stomach area, thigh or upper arm, rotating each time.
Days 1 to 3. Semaglutide peaks 1 to 3 days after the shot. If you get side effects, many people notice them in this window.
Days 4 to 7. The level eases off. With a half-life of about a week, about half of the dose is still there by your next shot, so the level builds up week after week.
On 0.25 mg, many people notice little. That is expected.
The side effects the label lists
The most common are digestive: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, plus headache, tiredness, indigestion, dizziness, bloating and burping, among others. They are more common during dose increases.
Get medical help for severe stomach pain that does not go away, signs of an allergic reaction, or if you cannot keep fluids down. Read the medication guide in the box for the full list of warnings.
What to track
- Shot date, time and site
- A starting weight
- A quick daily word on nausea, appetite, food noise and energy
When you go up a dose, you will be glad to have a record of how the last step felt.
Sources
- Wegovy prescribing information and medication guide: dosage and administration, pharmacokinetics, adverse reactions, warnings.