Overview
Wegovy is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in combination with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction in adults and children 12 years and older diagnosed with obesity. It is also approved for use in adults with overweight who have at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. It is also approved to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular (heart-related) events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight. Wegovy is also known by its drug name, semaglutide.

Semaglutide belongs to the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist category. It works by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, which helps regulate appetite and food intake. By increasing feelings of fullness and slowing digestion, semaglutide helps people eat less and lose weight.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Wegovy is available as a once-weekly subcutaneous (under the skin) injection and as a once-daily oral tablet.

The injection is administered into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, on the same day each week, with or without meals. Treatment typically begins with a low starting dose once weekly for four weeks, followed by gradual dose increases every four weeks to reach the recommended maintenance dose.

Wegovy tablets are typically taken once daily on an empty stomach in the morning with up to 4 ounces of water. A person should wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking anything other than water, or taking other oral medications. The tablet dose is gradually increased every 30 days to reach the maintenance dose. Tablets must be swallowed whole and should not be split, crushed, chewed, or dissolved.

The drug should be taken exactly as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Side effects
Common side effects of Wegovy include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia (indigestion), dizziness, abdominal distension (bloating), eructation (belching), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in individuals with type 2 diabetes, flatulence (gas), gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and nasopharyngitis (common cold).

Rare but serious side effects may include thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (a type of thyroid cancer), acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), acute gallbladder disease, severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), acute kidney injury due to volume depletion, severe gastrointestinal reactions, hypersensitivity reactions (including anaphylaxis and angioedema), complications of diabetic retinopathy (damage to the eyes in people with diabetes), increased heart rate, suicidal behavior and thoughts, and pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or sedation. Wegovy is contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or in those with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).

For more information about this treatment, visit:

Wegovy (Semaglutide) Tablets, for Oral Use — Novo Nordisk

Label: Wegovy — Semaglutide Injection, Solution; Wegovy — Semaglutide Tablet — DailyMed