Wegovy (semaglutide) medication is a once-weekly injection used to aid weight loss in adults with obesity, who are overweight (excess weight), or who have weight-related medical problems, to help them lose weight and keep the weight off.

It is specifically used for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of:

• 30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity) or,
• 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes or dyslipidemia.
  Wegovy works by helping to regulate food intake and appetite. It is one of the most effective weight management products that has been shown to help users shed a percentage of their body weight, with the maintenance dose helping users maintain a healthy weight.

Wegovy should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Wegovy (semaglutide) should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.

Wegovy is a synthetic version of the a naturally occurring hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It mimics the action of GLP-1 which is produced naturally by the gut, and to a lesser extent the pancreas and nervous system.

GLP-1 targets areas of the brain that help to regulate appetite, especially after eating. It also slows how quickly the stomach empties, which makes you feel fuller for longer. In addition to this, GLP-1 enhances the production of insulin.

The active ingredient in Wegovy is semaglutide, a synthetic version of a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels.

The inactive ingredients are:

• Disodium phosphate dihydrate
• Sodium chloride
• Water for injection
• Hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide (to adjust pH)

The inactive ingredients are used to make the medication safe and effective.

What is the usual dosage for Wegovy?
Wegovy is available in a pre-filled pen containing either 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, or 2.4 mg of semaglutide.

Users should follow the dose escalation schedule under the supervision of medical professionals. The dosage is gradually increased over the first 16 weeks of treatment. The starting dose is 0.25 mg once weekly and increases to 2.4 mg once weekly.

Our specialists at Pharmacy Online can offer advice and discuss whether you can increase the dosage, or if you should wait.

Wegovy is a prescription medication that should only be taken under the supervision of a doctor.

Wegovy is suitable for adults with obesity or overweight who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher with at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or sleep apnea.

Wegovy is not a weight loss pill that you can take and expect to lose weight without making any lifestyle changes. It is a tool that can help you lose weight when used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Wegovy can be a safe and effective way to lose weight and keep it off, but it is important to weigh the risks and benefits before starting treatment.

Wegovy is not right for everyone, and it is important to talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits before starting treatment.

Do not take Wegovy if you have any of the following conditions:

• A history of pancreatitis
• Thyroid problems
• Certain types of cancer
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Allergic to semaglutide or any of the inactive ingredients in Wegovy

You should also talk to your doctor if you have any of the following conditions before starting Wegovy:

• Kidney or liver problems
• Eating disorders
• Mental health problems
• A history of low blood sugar

If Wegovy isn't suitable for you, our current range of weight loss programmes can be found here, which are effective for 85% of patients prescribed.

This medicine should not be used during pregnancy, as it is not known if it may affect your unborn
child. Therefore, it is recommended to use contraception while using this medicine. If you wish to
become pregnant, you should stop using this medicine at least two months in advance. If you become
or are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby when using this medicine,
talk to your doctor straight away, as your treatment will need to be stopped.

You should not use this medicine if you are breast-feeding, as it is unknown if it passes into breast
milk.

Like the Saxenda weight loss injection pen, the Wegovy pen is an injection that can be used to suppress your appetite and aid in your weight loss journey.

The only difference between Saxenda and Wegovy is that Saxenda is once daily dosing and Wegovy follows a once weekly dosing schedule.

We have had great experience with Saxenda over the past 7 years, but Saxenda requires an injection every day. Further, compared to Saxenda, the Wegovy offers more than 50% greater weight loss on average, with the typical patient losing 15% of their body weight compared to those on other weight loss medications. Many even lose 20% – or more! This is significantly more potent than all of the currently available weight loss medications.

 
Orlistat comes in a capsule, unlike Wegovy or Saxenda, and works in an entirely different way.

Orlistat reduces the fat absorbed from meals by about 30% and is taken after each main meal. While this is favourable for those afraid of injections, it can cause more unfavourable side effects and is inconvenient with a requirement to be taken after each meal rather than once a week.

In clinical trials (68 weeks), 48% of participants lost more than 15% of their initial body weight, which equates to 35 lbs across all participants. An impressive 86% of people lost more than 5% of their baseline body weight, while 66% of participants lost 10% or more.

The placebo patients e.g. those people given a placebo rather than Wegovy, lost an average of 6lbs, showing that this new weight loss drug offers many benefits.

If you forgot to inject a dose and:
• it is 5 days or less since you should have used wegovy, use it as soon as you remember. Then
inject your next dose as usual on your scheduled day.
• it is more than 5 days since you should have used wegovy, skip the missed dose. Then inject
your next dose as usual on your next scheduled day. Do not take a double dose to make up for a
forgotten dose.