Wegovy Dosages for Weight Loss: Your GoodRx Guide

Wegovy (semaglutide) is a once-weekly injection for weight loss and cardiovascular protection in certain people. It works by mimicking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone that plays a role in regulating appetite and food intake.

Wegovy can cause unpleasant digestive side effects. So you’ll typically start at a low dose that’s gradually increased over time to help your body adjust. Understanding Wegovy’s dosage schedule can help ensure you get the most from treatment — while minimizing side effects. It can also help you stick with Wegovy long term, since rebound weight gain is possible if you stop taking it.

So, how much semaglutide should you take? We break down the typical Wegovy dosage schedule below.

What’s the typical Wegovy dosage?

Wegovy is approved for weight loss in adults and children ages 12 and older who are considered obese. Adults with a larger body size and at least one weight-related health condition (such as high blood pressure) are also eligible.

Wegovy comes as a prefilled injection pen. The pens are available in five different doses, ranging from 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg. Each dose comes in a different colored pen to help you tell the difference between them.

You’ll inject Wegovy once weekly, at any time of day. And you can choose from one of three places to inject each time — under the skin on your stomach, upper arm, or upper thigh. Throw the pen away in a sharps container after injecting your dose.

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Wegovy dosage schedule

The starting Wegovy dosage for adults and children ages 12 and up is 0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks. After that, your dosage will typically be increased every 4 weeks as long as you’re tolerating the medication. The maintenance dosage for Wegovy is 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg once weekly. The maximum Wegovy dosage is 2.4 mg weekly.

Your Wegovy dosing schedule may look like this:

• Weeks 1 through 4: 0.25 mg once a week

• Weeks 5 through 8: 0.5 mg once a week

• Weeks 9 through 12: 1 mg once a week

• Weeks 13 through 16: 1.7 mg once a week

• Weeks 17 and beyond: 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg once a week (maintenance dose)

Following this dosage schedule can help lessen Wegovy side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. But if you can’t tolerate a dose increase, your prescriber may delay your next dose increase by 4 weeks.

Your healthcare team may have you follow a different dosage schedule, depending on how you respond to treatment. Be sure to follow their instructions when taking Wegovy.

What happens if you miss a dose of Wegovy?

It’s always best to take your medication as prescribed. But it’s normal to occasionally forget a dose. If you miss a dose of Wegovy, when your next dose is due will determine the steps you take:

• If your next dose is greater than 48 hours away: Go ahead and take the missed Wegovy dose as soon as you remember.

• If your next dose is within 48 hours: Skip your missed dose and take Wegovy on your next regularly scheduled day. Don’t take 2 doses of Wegovy within 48 hours of each other.

• If you miss your Wegovy dose for more than 2 weeks: Contact your healthcare team. They may have you resume your usual schedule, or have you restart Wegovy at a lower dose to help with side effects.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• How to save: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications like Wegovy don’t need to break the bank. Explore ways to save on your prescription with this GLP-1 savings guide.

• Wegovy injection tips: How should you inject Wegovy? Here are pharmacist-backed tips for Wegovy injections.

• Wegovy side effects: Do you feel nauseated after injecting Wegovy? Learn about potential Wegovy side effects and ways to manage them.

If you’re frequently forgetting your Wegovy dose, there are tools that can help you stay on track. Medication reminder apps, alarms, and visual reminders are a few things you can try. Your pharmacist can also provide useful tips on how to remember to take your medication.

What should you do if you take too much Wegovy?

If you accidentally take too much Wegovy, it’s possible that you’ll experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. You may also feel bloated and have a loss of appetite.

Usual Wegovy doses don’t regularly cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). However, hypoglycemia may be more likely if you’re taking Wegovy with diabetes medications. And if you take too much Wegovy, you’ll need to watch for hypoglycemia symptoms, too. These can include shaking, nausea, and a fast heartbeat.

If you experience hypoglycemia symptoms, check your blood glucose levels (if possible) and consume fast-acting carbohydrates (e.g., ½ cup fruit juice) to help bring them back up. Repeat this every 15 minutes until your levels are above 70 mg/dl. Glucose levels below 55 mg/dl are considered severe and may require emergency care.

If you think you’ve taken too much Wegovy, contact your healthcare team or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance. If any side effects feel severe or life-threatening, go to the nearest ER.

How to save on Wegovy

There are ways to save on Wegovy, which is available as a brand-name medication.

• If your commercial insurance plan covers Wegovy: You could pay as little as $0 per month for Wegovy with a copay savings card.

• If your commercial insurance plan doesn’t cover Wegovy or you’re uninsured: You could pay as little as $499 with the Wegovy savings card. You could also pay as little as $499 per month through NovoCare Pharmacy.

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Written by:

Julie Adkison, PharmD, BCACP, CDCES

Julie Adkison, PharmD, BCACP, CDCES, is a clinical pharmacist specializing in ambulatory care practice and diabetes care and education. She has worked in a faculty position in family medicine for many years.

Edited by:

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD, is the director of pharmacy content for GoodRx. She has over a decade of experience as a pharmacist and has worked in clinical, academic, and administrative roles.

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