Wegovy® is a weight loss drug containing the active ingredient, semaglutide. It’s injected into the body once a week to help you lose weight. Wegovy® is thought to be an effective weight loss drug when used alongside a healthy, reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise.

The drug has recently been approved in the UK and is available now. It was approved in the USA in 2021.

Wegovy® essentially works by suppressing the appetite and regulating food intake. The active ingredient, semaglutide, mimics the action of the hormone that’s involved in regulating appetite. This means you feel fuller for longer and less hungry. This can help you to eat less and hopefully lose weight.

It works best when it’s taken at the same time as making lifestyle changes (healthier diet and increased exercise). In fact, around 85% of users lost at least 5% of their weight, compared to just 40% losing 5% when no lifestyle changes were made.

When Wegovy® is combined with a reduced calorie diet and increased exercise, a 68-week study has shown that:

• Around 85% of people lost more than 5% of their body weight
• 66% of people lost more than 10% of their body weight
• 48% of people lost more than 15% of their body weight
• 30% of people lost more than 20% of their body weight

This compares to just 60% of people losing 5% of their weight when taking Saxenda® along with a reduced calorie diet and physical activity counselling.  

Wegovy can be used by adults ages 18-75 who have:

• A BMI of 30 or above
• A BMI of 27 or above and you have a weight-related health condition such as:
• Asthma
• Cardiovascular disease
• Depression
• Fatty liver disease
• Gallbladder disease
• High blood pressure
• History of certain cancers
• Osteoarthritis or gout
• PCOS
• Sleep apnoea

You won’t be able to take Wegovy® if you:

• Are over 75
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Have liver, kidney or heart failure, an eating disorder or pancreatitis
  Are taking insulin, sulphonylureas or other weight loss drugs that work in the same way as Wegovy, e.g. Victoza.

You inject Wegovy® just once a week into your tummy, thigh or upper arm.

Wegovy® injections come in a variety of doses. Depending on where you are in your Wegovy® journey, you will need to take a different dose.

The dose is gradually increased to make sure you cope with any potential side effects until you get to a maintenance dose, this process is known as titration.

If all goes to plan and you can tolerate the treatment, the dosing schedule will be as follows:

• Weeks 1-4:    0.25mg weekly
• Weeks 5-8:   0.5mg weekly
• Weeks 9-12:  1mg weekly
• Weeks 13-16: 1.7mg weekly
• Weeks 17 onwards:  2.4mg weekly

Wegovy® has been shown to be an effective weight loss treatment, when used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.  

In clinical trials=around 85% of people lost more than 5% of their body weight when using Wegovy and following a reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise plan:  

• Around 85% people lost at least 5% of their starting body weight after 6 months.

• Around 66% people lost more than 15% of their starting body weight after one year 

Like all medications, some people might feel some side effects from taking Wegovy®. It’s thought that more than one in 10 people might experience headaches, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, tummy ache or nausea. 

Some people might also experience dizzy spells, indigestion and bloating among other symptoms. Find out more by reading the patient information leaflet here.

Any Wegovy® pens that haven’t been opened should be kept in the fridge. During use you can keep the pens for 6 weeks in the fridge or room temperature (below 30°C).

Pens need to be disposed of in the sharps bin you’re given when you start your treatment. When you’re prescribed Wegovy® we’ll let you know how to get rid of the sharps bin and its contents.

• Although made by the same manufacturer Wegovy® and Saxenda® are different. The main difference is how often you need to use them. You would need to inject Wegovy® once a week but Saxenda® needs to be injected daily.

• They also contain different active ingredients. Wegovy® contains Semaglutide while Saxenda® contains Liraglutide. Yet, these work in similar ways to suppress your appetite to help you to lose weight

Wegovy can be used by adults ages 18-75 who have:

A BMI of 30 or above, or

A BMI of 27 or above and you have a weight-related health condition such as:

• Asthma
• Cardiovascular disease
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Fatty liver disease
• Gallbladder disease
• High blood pressure
• History of certain cancers
• Osteoarthritis or gout
• PCOS
• Sleep apnoea 
•  

You won’t be able to take Wegovy® if you:  

• Are over 75
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Have liver, kidney or heart failure, an eating disorder or pancreatitis
• Are taking insulin, sulphonylureas or other weight loss drugs that work in the same way as Wegovy.

Ideally, Wegovy should be kept refrigerated between 36°F to 46°F( 2°C to 8°C). Wegovy can remain for up to 28 days at room temperature (46°F to 86°F, or 8°C to 30°C).

When traveling with Wegovy, keep Wegovy in its original carton and avoid exposing it to direct sunlight or extreme temperatures.