Wegovy Pill Side Effects: What to Expect and How to Manage

Wegovy Pill (semaglutide) is a newer option for weight management that uses the same active ingredient as injectable Wegovy, but in a pill form. 

It works by slowing digestion and affecting appetite signals in the brain. These effects can lead to weight loss. But they can also cause side effects.

Most oral Wegovy side effects are mild to moderate and tend to improve over time as your body adjusts to the medication. In this guide, we’ll walk through the most common Wegovy pill side effects, how they compare with injectable Wegovy, and when it’s important to seek medical care.

What is oral Wegovy?

Wegovy pill is a prescription medication that’s FDA approved for weight management and to lower the risk of strokes and heart attacks in people who are considered obese. 

It contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient found in injectable Wegovy. But it’s taken as a daily pill instead of a weekly injection. 

Oral Wegovy comes in several different concentrations. People usually start with a low dose and gradually increase it over time. A typical dosage schedule looks like this:

• Days 1-30: 1.5 mg once daily

• Days 31-60: 4 mg once daily

• Days 61-90: 9 mg once daily

• Day 91 and beyond: 25 mg once daily

Wegovy pill has similar effects on weight loss and metabolism as the injectable version. But some people prefer a pill over an injection. 

The trade-off is that the pill needs to be taken every day with specific instructions. You have to take it on an empty stomach with a small amount of water and wait before eating. 

What are the most common oral Wegovy side effects?

The most common side effects of Wegovy pills affect your digestive system. These include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Constipation

• Stomach pain

• Heartburn

These are the same side effects seen with injectable Wegovy and tend to occur at similar rates.

Semaglutide slows digestion and changes how quickly food moves through your stomach. Because of this, food stays in your stomach longer. This can lead to feelings of fullness, nausea, or discomfort. 

Like injectable Wegovy, oral Wegovy has also been linked to more serious side effects, including:

• Gallstones

• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), especially when used with other diabetes medications

• Severe digestive problems, such as gastroparesis

• Worsening diabetic retinopathy (an eye disease caused by diabetes)

It’s not yet clear whether these side effects are more common with oral Wegovy or injectable Wegovy. It also isn’t clear whether Wegovy directly causes these conditions or whether other factors play a role. As more people take the Wegovy pill, researchers will have a better understanding of these risks over time.

Does oral Wegovy have worse side effects than regular Wegovy?

Oral and injectable Wegovy have similar overall side effect profiles. There’s no clear evidence that one causes worse side effects than the other. But each person’s experiences can be different. Some people may be more sensitive to side effects than others. For example, some studies suggest that women and older adults may experience side effects more strongly.

The biggest differences in side effects appear to be timing and duration.

How long do Wegovy side effects usually last?

Oral Wegovy is a new medication. So, researchers are still learning how long its side effects last. But studies suggest that side effects are most likely to appear or worsen when your dose increases. This happens because your body is still adjusting to the medication.

For many people, side effects improve over time once they reach a stable dose. As your body gets used to the medication, symptoms like nausea and stomach discomfort often become less noticeable or go away.

But here’s some good news: In clinical studies, only 7% of people stopped taking the Wegovy pill because of side effects. This suggests that either side effects were manageable or the benefits of the medication outweighed the discomfort of side effects.

When should you seek medical care for Wegovy side effects?

Most people experience only mild side effects while taking Wegovy. These side effects tend to get better or go away over time. Because of this, most people don’t need medical care for Wegovy side effects.

But you should seek immediate medical care if you develop more serious symptoms like:

• Severe stomach or back pain

• Bloating

• Inability to eat or drink

• Vomiting or diarrhea that lasts more than 2 days

• Fainting or feeling faint

• Dizziness

• Making less urine

• Yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice)

• Vision changes

• Fever

You should also seek care if you experience mild or moderate side effects that make it difficult to take your medication. Your healthcare team can recommend ways to reduce your symptoms so you can keep taking your medication. This may include strategies like:

• Keeping you at your current dose longer before increasing it

• Reducing your dose if symptoms become hard to tolerate

• Using the lowest dose that still gives you results

• Recommending ways to manage nausea, constipation, or diarrhea

• Checking whether another medication or health condition is making symptoms worse

Don’t stop the Wegovy pill on your own. If it’s not the right fit for you, your healthcare team can help you stop taking the medication safely.

How to save on the Wegovy pill

There are ways to save on the Wegovy pill, which is available as a brand-name medication. GoodRx coupons and manufacturer copay savings cards can help make your prescription more affordable:

• Save with GoodRx. If you’re new to using GoodRx for Wegovy savings, you may pay an introductory price of $149 per month for the first two fills of the Wegovy pill (only available for certain doses). After that, and for other Wegovy doses, the price is $299 per month. GoodRx for Weight Loss subscribers can also access FDA-approved brand-name GLP-1 medications.

• Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may pay as little as $25 per month for the Wegovy pill with the savings card.

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Written by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Reviewed by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

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