IS WEGOVY® PILL RIGHT FOR ME?
The once-daily Wegovy® pill, along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, may help adults with obesity, or with overweight and at least one weight-related medical problem, lose weight and keep it off.
Information on this page:
Weight-loss results with Wegovy® pill
In a 64-week medical study: 307 adults living with obesity or with overweight and at least one weight-related medical problem were studied. Everyone was instructed to follow a reduced-calorie diet and increase their physical activity.
Adults who took Wegovy® pill achieved on average 14% weight loss
~33 lb
235 lb starting weight
Adults who took placebo achieved on average 2.4% weight loss
~6 lb
231 lb starting weight
In addition to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity: 76% (~8 in 10) of adults taking Wegovy® pill lost 5% or more of their weight compared with 31% (~3 in 10) taking placebo, 60% (~6 in 10) of adults taking Wegovy® pill lost 10% or more of their weight compared with 14% (less than 2 in 10) taking placebo, and 47% (~5 in 10) of adults taking Wegovy® pill lost 15% or more of their weight compared to 6% (less than 1 in 10) taking placebo.
In the same study
some lost even more
About 1 in 4 adults lost 20% or more
LOST ~47 lb
OR MORE
Based on 235 lb starting weight.
28% of adults taking Wegovy® pill lost 20% or more weight compared with 3% of adults taking placebo, based on 235 lb starting weight for Wegovy® pill and 231 lb for placebo.
Results are from a 64-week medical study of 307 adults with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), or with overweight (BMI ≥27 kg/m2) and at least one weight-related medical problem, including high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Adults with type 2 diabetes were excluded. Patients were taking either Wegovy® pill or placebo. During the trial, 18% of adults in the Wegovy® group discontinued treatment compared with 26% of adults in the placebo group.
BMI=body mass index.
Learn more about Wegovy® pill for weight loss
GETTING WEGOVY®
FOR A DAILY ROUTINE
Remember, if it’s not made by Novo Nordisk®, it’s not FDA-approved Wegovy®.
Your healthcare professional will determine the right dose of the pill and make any needed adjustments. Always follow the detailed instructions provided by your healthcare professional and in the Medication Guide, including specific timing and food considerations.
FDA=Food and Drug Administration.
FAQs about Wegovy® pill
In a medical study, adults living with obesity, or with overweight and at least one weight-related medical problem, who took Wegovy® pill, along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, lost on average about 33 lb, which was about 14% of their starting body weight. In comparison, adults who took placebo lost on average about 6 lb, or about 2.4% of their starting body weight. The average starting weights were 235 lb and 231 lb for the Wegovy® and placebo groups, respectively.
76% or about 8 in 10 adults achieved 5% or more weight loss with Wegovy® compared with 31% taking placebo.
Results are from a 64-week medical study of 307 adults with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), or with overweight (BMI ≥27 kg/m2) and at least one weight-related medical problems, including high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Adults with type 2 diabetes were excluded. Patients were taking either Wegovy® pill or placebo. During the trial, 18% of adults in the Wegovy® group discontinued treatment compared with 26% of adults in the placebo group.
BMI=body mass index.
While everyone’s response to treatment will be different, in the medical study, people who took Wegovy® pill lost on average about 14% of their starting weight. Use the weight loss calculator to get an idea of how much weight you could lose with Wegovy®.
In the medical study, adults living with obesity, or with overweight and with at least one weight-related medical problem, who took Wegovy® pill, along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, lost on average about 33 lb which was about 14% of their starting body weight. In comparison, adults who took placebo lost on average about 6 lb, or about 2.4% of their body weight. The average starting weights were 235 lb and 231 lb for the Wegovy® pill and placebo groups, respectively.
76% or about 8 in 10 adults achieved 5% or more weight loss with Wegovy® compared with 31% taking placebo.
Results are from a 64-week medical study of 307 adults with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) or with overweight (BMI ≥27 kg/m2) and at least one weight-related medical problems, including high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Adults with type 2 diabetes were excluded. Patients were taking either Wegovy® or placebo. During the trial, 18% of adults in the Wegovy® group discontinued treatment compared with 26% of adults in the placebo group.
BMI=body mass index.
People respond to medication, including Wegovy®, differently, so there is no set time when you can expect to see results with Wegovy®. Ask your healthcare professional about what might be realistic for you.
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Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy® and medicines that work like Wegovy® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
- Do not use Wegovy® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
Do not use Wegovy® if:
- you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
- you have had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of the ingredients in Wegovy® injection or Wegovy® tablets. See symptoms of serious allergic reaction in “What are the possible side effects of Wegovy®?”
Before using Wegovy®, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical conditions, including if you:
- have or have had problems with your pancreas or kidneys
- have type 2 diabetes and a history of diabetic retinopathy
- have or have had depression, suicidal thoughts, or mental health issues
- are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Wegovy® may harm your unborn baby. You should stop using Wegovy® 2 months before you plan to become pregnant
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with Wegovy® tablets. It is not known if Wegovy® when received through an injection passes into your breast milk
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Wegovy® may affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect the way Wegovy® works. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other medicines to treat diabetes, including sulfonylureas or insulin. Wegovy® slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly.
What are the possible side effects of Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Wegovy® and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without nausea or vomiting. Sometimes you may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back
- gallbladder problems. Wegovy® may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Some gallstones may need surgery. Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms, such as pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools
- increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), especially those who also take medicines for diabetes such as insulin or sulfonylureas. This can be a serious side effect. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before you start and while you take Wegovy®. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include dizziness or light-headedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability or mood changes, sweating, slurred speech, hunger, confusion or drowsiness, shakiness, weakness, headache, fast heartbeat, or feeling jittery
- dehydration leading to kidney problems. Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration), which may cause kidney problems. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that does not go away
- severe stomach problems. Stomach problems, sometimes severe, have been reported in people who use Wegovy®. Tell your healthcare provider if you have stomach problems that are severe or will not go away
- serious allergic reactions. Stop using Wegovy® and get medical help right away, if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; or very rapid heartbeat
- change in vision in people with type 2 diabetes. Tell your healthcare provider if you have changes in vision during treatment with Wegovy®
- increased heart rate. Wegovy® can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes
- depression or thoughts of suicide. You should pay attention to any mental changes, especially sudden changes in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any mental changes that are new, worse, or worry you
- food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). Wegovy® may increase the chance of food getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Wegovy® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures
The most common side effects of Wegovy® may include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdomen) pain, headache, tiredness (fatigue), upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and runny nose or sore throat.
Please see Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for Wegovy®.
Wegovy® is a prescription medication.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
This site is intended for US patients only.
What is Wegovy®?
Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg and Wegovy® (semaglutide) tablets 25 mg are prescription medicines used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to:
- reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
- help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.
Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg is used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to help children 12 years and older with obesity to lose weight and keep the weight off
Wegovy® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.
It is not known if Wegovy® injection is safe and effective:
- to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years
- to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off
It is not known if Wegovy® tablets are safe and effective for use in people under 18 years of age.
Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg and Wegovy® (semaglutide) tablets 25 mg are prescription medicines used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to:
- reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
- help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.
Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg is used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to help children 12 years and older with obesity to lose weight and keep the weight off
Wegovy® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.
It is not known if Wegovy® injection is safe and effective:
- to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years
- to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off
It is not known if Wegovy® tablets are safe and effective for use in people under 18 years of age.
What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy® and medicines that work like Wegovy® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
- Do not use Wegovy® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy® and medicines that work like Wegovy® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
- Do not use Wegovy® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
Do not use Wegovy® if:
- you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
- you have had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of the ingredients in Wegovy® injection or Wegovy® tablets. See symptoms of serious allergic reaction in “What are the possible side effects of Wegovy®?”
Before using Wegovy®, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical conditions, including if you:
- have or have had problems with your pancreas or kidneys
- have type 2 diabetes and a history of diabetic retinopathy
- have or have had depression, suicidal thoughts, or mental health issues
- are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Wegovy® may harm your unborn baby. You should stop using Wegovy® 2 months before you plan to become pregnant
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with Wegovy® tablets. It is not known if Wegovy® when received through an injection passes into your breast milk
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Wegovy® may affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect the way Wegovy® works. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other medicines to treat diabetes, including sulfonylureas or insulin. Wegovy® slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly.
What are the possible side effects of Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Wegovy® and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without nausea or vomiting. Sometimes you may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back
- gallbladder problems. Wegovy® may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Some gallstones may need surgery. Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms, such as pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools
- increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), especially those who also take medicines for diabetes such as insulin or sulfonylureas. This can be a serious side effect. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before you start and while you take Wegovy®. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include dizziness or light-headedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability or mood changes, sweating, slurred speech, hunger, confusion or drowsiness, shakiness, weakness, headache, fast heartbeat, or feeling jittery
- dehydration leading to kidney problems. Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration), which may cause kidney problems. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that does not go away
- severe stomach problems. Stomach problems, sometimes severe, have been reported in people who use Wegovy®. Tell your healthcare provider if you have stomach problems that are severe or will not go away
- serious allergic reactions. Stop using Wegovy® and get medical help right away, if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; or very rapid heartbeat
- change in vision in people with type 2 diabetes. Tell your healthcare provider if you have changes in vision during treatment with Wegovy®
- increased heart rate. Wegovy® can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes
- depression or thoughts of suicide. You should pay attention to any mental changes, especially sudden changes in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any mental changes that are new, worse, or worry you
- food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). Wegovy® may increase the chance of food getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Wegovy® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures
The most common side effects of Wegovy® may include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdomen) pain, headache, tiredness (fatigue), upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and runny nose or sore throat.
Please see Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for Wegovy®.
Wegovy® is a prescription medication.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
This site is intended for US patients only.
What is Wegovy®?
Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg and Wegovy® (semaglutide) tablets 25 mg are prescription medicines used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to:
- reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
- help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.
Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg is used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to help children 12 years and older with obesity to lose weight and keep the weight off
Wegovy® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.
It is not known if Wegovy® injection is safe and effective:
- to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years
- to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off
It is not known if Wegovy® tablets are safe and effective for use in people under 18 years of age.