Do You Need to Take Wegovy Forever? Maybe, If You Want to Maintain Weight Loss
Key takeaways:
Most people take Wegovy indefinitely to maintain their weight loss.
Taking Wegovy long term might increase your risk of certain risks, like pancreatitis and gallbladder problems. But for many people, the health benefits associated with weight loss outweigh these risks.
Research studies show that when people stop taking Wegovy, they regain up to two-thirds of their weight on average. But there are lifestyle changes you can make to help maintain weight loss.
Table of contents
While there’s no such thing as a magic weight loss pill, Wegovy (semaglutide) and other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists seem to come pretty close. People who take these medications often experience dramatic weight loss that hasn’t been possible for them through other means.
But like anything that seems too good to be true, Wegovy has its downsides as well. There are certain risks to taking any medication, and Wegovy is no exception. You may be wondering, how long does it take to see results with this medication — and can you stop taking it once you see results?
How does Wegovy work?
Wegovy is a GLP-1 agonist. GLP-1 is a hormone that affects multiple pathways in your digestive system. And so Wegovy — and other medications like it — mimic that hormone’s effect on the body. It helps with weight loss in the following ways:
It slows down the rate at which food leaves your stomach, making you feel full for longer.
Wegovy decreases the hunger cues created by your brain. Many people report they spend a lot less time thinking about food. Others find it decreases their cravings for certain foods, such as ultra-processed foods.
It changes the levels of hormones that regulate hunger, such as ghrelin and leptin.
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How long does it take to lose weight on Wegovy?
Wegovy works quickly for weight loss, typically within a few weeks. You’ll probably notice a decrease in your appetite within a day or two. In one study, participants noticed weight loss in the first 4 weeks after they started treatment. On average, participants taking Wegovy lost more than 2% of their body weight in that time period. So, a person who weighs 200 lbs might expect to lose about 5 lbs in the first month.
But for many people, it may take a little more time. Research shows that after 3 months of treatment, the average weight loss with Wegovy is about 6% of body weight. Additional research suggests people lose about 11% of body weight after 6 months, and about 16% of body weight after 16 months.
Even if you don’t lose this much weight, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It just means your body might be responding to Wegovy a little differently. At this point, it would be a good time to talk with your healthcare team about whether to try another weight-loss strategy.
It’s also important to keep in mind that Wegovy leads to weight loss at different rates from person to person. This will partly depend on your dosage schedule.
How long does it take to reach the right Wegovy dosage?
Wegovy dosages start out small (0.25 mg weekly). You’ll work with your prescriber to gradually work up to the full maintenance dosage over the course of 16 weeks (about 4 months). The typical maintenance dosage is 2.4 mg weekly — but it may be 1.7 mg weekly in some cases.
Since you’ll start at a low dosage, it may take several weeks before you notice more significant weight loss. This may feel like a long time. But it’s important to follow the recommended dosage escalation plan for Wegovy. This will help reduce unwanted side effects, which include:
Nausea
Diarrhea
Constipation
Upset stomach
How long do you take Wegovy for weight loss?
Most people need to stay on weight-loss medications like Wegovy indefinitely to maintain their weight, said Dr. Sonal Chaudhry, a board-certified endocrinologist and assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at New York University.
“If the medication is stopped, there is typically a significant amount of weight regain,” she said. “In my experience, weight-loss treatment with medication is long term.”
She added that some people may be able to cycle on and off of weight-loss medications, but this really depends on the individual.
What happens if you stop taking Wegovy? Wegovy is designed to be taken long term, but sometimes people need to stop the medication. Find out what to expect if you need to stop taking Wegovy.
Tips for affording Wegovy: Learn about coverage from different insurance plans, plus savings tips from GoodRx.
Not losing weight? Read some reasons you might not be losing weight with Wegovy, and find out what you can do about it.
Wegovy side effects: Before you start taking Wegovy, read about these possible long-term side effects.
The pros of staying on Wegovy long term
Staying on Wegovy long term can help you maintain your weight. If you stop Wegovy, you might regain some or most of the weight you lost. In one study, people who stopped Wegovy after 16 months of treatment regained about two-thirds of the lost weight within a year. And, unfortunately, their blood glucose (sugar), blood pressure, and cholesterol all returned toward baseline as well.
To avoid this, you may choose to stay on Wegovy long term. This may help you avoid regaining weight while also maintaining the health benefits of Wegovy — such as lower cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure. The benefits of these changes include:
Higher likelihood of living longer
Lower heart disease risk
Lower stroke risk
Like any medication, it’s important to consider the pros and cons on an individual basis. If regaining weight would put you at risk for serious health conditions, it may be worth continuing Wegovy. But it’s important to understand the cons, too.
The cons of staying on Wegovy long term
Wegovy is a relatively new medication, Chaudhry pointed out. “There is no very long-term data to really know the longer-term complications,” she said. “But we do know that there are long-term complications related to obesity and diabetes. It’s a decision with some degree of unknown.”
Here are some of the possible concerns raised about taking Wegovy long term:
Thyroid cancer
Mental health problems, including suicidal thoughts
Pancreas problems
Paralyzed stomach
Problems with your eyes (if you have diabetes)
Since Wegovy is relatively new, it’s possible that other long-term side effects will emerge as scientists continue to gather information.
Aside from the side effects, Wegovy is expensive. If you’re paying out of pocket, you could be spending over $16,000 per year to stay on it. The bottom line is that you have to weigh the costs and benefits for your particular situation, and decide what makes sense for your lifestyle.
When is the best time to stop Wegovy?
If you do decide to stop Wegovy, you might consider doing so after at least a year. This is generally when the “weight-loss plateau” occurs, meaning weight loss slows or stops. Some people choose to taper off Wegovy. This means they slowly decrease the dose before stopping it completely.
No matter if, how, or when you stop taking Wegovy, it’s important to make sure you’re incorporating healthy lifestyle practices. Eating nutritious foods, moving your body, and managing stress can play an important role in helping you maintain your goal weight.
Alternatively, you might consider switching to a different medication at this time, such as Zepbound (tirzepatide). Chaudhry said that some people respond better to other medications that work a little differently than Wegovy. So, if you still want to lose weight but Wegovy stops working for you, this could be a good strategy to increase weight loss. Like Wegovy, these medications generally need to be continued indefinitely to maintain weight loss.
Frequently asked questions
One study found that people lost about 15% of their body weight when they took Wegovy for 16 months. Keep in mind that this percentage is an average. That means some people lost more and some lost less weight than this. It’s also important to know that the participants in this study incorporated lifestyle changes to help with weight loss.
Ozempic and Wegovy are both versions of the medication semaglutide. But they are not interchangeable. That is because they have different indications and dosages. Wegovy is approved for weight loss, while Ozempic is approved for diabetes. If you’re interested in switching from one medication to the other, talk with your primary care provider or prescriber. They can help you figure out which one is the right medication for you.
You can drink alcohol if you take Wegovy. There’s no direct interaction between the two substances in your body. But Wegovy may make alcohol less appealing. Early research suggests that GLP-1 agonists like Wegovy may reduce the craving for addictive substances like alcohol. And if you’re taking Wegovy for weight loss, keep in mind that alcohol may worsen some of Wegovy’s unwanted side effects, and interfere with your weight-loss goals.
The bottom line
Wegovy (semaglutide) is helping people reach weight-loss goals that may not be possible through other means. But if you stop taking it, you may regain much of the weight. So some people take Wegovy for the long term in order to maintain their weight and other health benefits.
However, taking Wegovy long term isn’t the best choice for everyone. You may prefer to stop Wegovy at some point due to things like side effects or cost. If that’s the case, know that there are other options and lifestyle medications you can make to maintain a weight that feels comfortable for you.
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References
Blundell, J., et al. (2017). Effects of once-weekly semaglutide on appetite, energy intake, control of eating, food preference and body weight in subjects with obesity. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
Cai, L., et al. (2022). Investigating genetic causal relationships between blood pressure and anxiety, depressive symptoms, neuroticism and subjective well-being. General Psychiatry.
Ghusn, W., et al. (2022). Weight loss outcomes associated with semaglutide treatment for patients with overweight or obesity. JAMA Network Open.
Quddos, F., et al. (2023). Semaglutide and Tirzepatide reduce alcohol consumption in individuals with obesity. Scientific Reports.
Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2021). Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine.
Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2022). Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
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