YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO WEGOVY® PEN
If you‘re an adult with obesity, or with overweight and at least one weight-related medical problem, here‘s what you need to know about using the once-weekly Wegovy® pen, along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, to help you lose weight and keep it off.
Information on this page:
Once-Weekly Injection
Get to know Wegovy® pen
Wegovy® comes in a prefilled pen and is used once a week. Use exactly as your healthcare professional has shown you.
Want more of the details? Grab the guide!
5 steps for using your Wegovy® pen
- Get your supplies together in one place: you‘ll need your Wegovy® pen, 1 alcohol swab or soap and water, 1 gauze pad or cotton ball, and an FDA-approved sharps container for the used Wegovy® pen
- Wash your hands
- Check your Wegovy® pen
Do not use the pen if:
- It appears to have been used
- Any part appears broken
- The Wegovy® medicine is not clear and colorless through the pen window (air bubbles are normal)
- The expiration date (EXP) has passed
Your healthcare professional can help you choose the injection site that is best for you.
- You may inject into your upper leg (front of the thigh), lower stomach (keep 2 inches away from your belly button), or upper arm—but make sure you can clearly see the pen window while injecting
- Do not inject into an area where the skin is tender, bruised, red, or hard. You should also avoid injecting into areas with scars or stretch marks
- You may inject into the same body area each week, but not in the exact same spot each time
Before taking Wegovy®, clean your chosen injection site with an alcohol swab or soap and water.
Do not touch the injection site after cleaning. Allow the skin to dry before injecting.
- Pull the pen cap straight off your pen
- The needle is hidden, so you don’t have to see or handle it
- Just because you can’t see it, doesn't mean it isn’t there! Be careful not to push down on the needle cover to avoid needlestick injuries
Push the pen firmly against your skin and keep applying pressure.
You’ll know your injection has started when the yellow bar starts moving. If you don’t see it moving, press the pen more firmly against your skin.
The injection should take about 5-10 seconds
Don’t stop after 2 clicks. You will hear 2 clicks during the injection
After injecting your Wegovy® dose, do not throw away the pen in your household trash or recycling bin. Instead, use either
- An FDA-cleared sharps disposal container
- A sturdy household container with a tight-fitting lid, like a heavy-duty plastic container. Make sure to write on the container that there is hazardous waste inside.
You can request a complimentary sharps disposal container from Novo Nordisk®. Learn more
How you dispose of your sharps container is also important. Follow the guidelines for where you live. To find a sharps disposal location near you, visit safeneedledisposal.org.
Learn more in the Wegovy® Medication Guide.
What if blood appears after the injection?
If blood appears at the injection site, press lightly with a gauze pad or cotton ball.
Watch this! See how to use the pen
This video is based on the Instructions for Use that come with your Wegovy® Pen.
You should store Wegovy® in the refrigerator. If needed, however, Wegovy® can be kept outside of the refrigerator between 46 °F and 86 °F for up to 28 days. Keep Wegovy® in the original carton to protect it from light. Throw away the pen if Wegovy® has been frozen. You may consider leaving your pen out to reach room temperature before using it. Make sure to leave the cap on your pen during this time.
Before you use your Wegovy® pen for the first time, make sure you read the Instructions for Use and Medication Guide that come with your pen and that you talk to your healthcare provider about how to prepare for and inject Wegovy® correctly.
In each pack of Wegovy®, you’ll get 4 pens that are all the same dose. You will use 1 pen each week, on the same day each week, at any time of day. Each pen is for one-time use only and comes with a preset dose. The needle is covered and will not be seen.
Now let’s talk about how to use your Wegovy® pen. We’ll discuss preparation, injection, and disposal.
To prepare, start by washing your hands. Next, let’s check a few things.
Make sure the pen indicates the correct medication and dose your healthcare provider prescribed. Check the pen window to make sure the medicine is clear and colorless. Do not use your Wegovy® pen if the pen appears to have been used or any part of the pen appears broken (for example, if the pen has been dropped) or if the expiration date on the back has passed. If you notice any of these things, call 1-833-934-6891. Today I’m demonstrating with the 0.25 mg pen, which is the first dose you’ll start on with Wegovy®.
Next, your healthcare provider can help you choose the injection site that is best for you. This can be your upper legs, lower stomach, or upper arms. You can inject Wegovy® in the same part of your body each week, but make sure it is not in the exact same spot each time.
Make sure to clean your injection site with an alcohol swab or soap and water, and don’t touch the area after cleaning. Allow your skin to dry before injecting.
Now let’s walk through the injection from start to finish.
Remove the pen cap by pulling it straight off your Wegovy® pen. It may help to create a firm area to inject. Line up the pen straight against your injection site so you can clearly see the pen’s window.
To start the injection, push the pen firmly against your skin. Make sure you continue pressing the pen firmly against your skin for the entire injection, which should take about 10 seconds.
When you hear the first click, the injection has started and the yellow bar in the pen window should start moving. If you do not hear the first click and the yellow bar does not start moving, press the pen more firmly against your skin. When the injection is still in progress, you will hear a second click. The second click means the injection is ongoing. So, keep applying pressure until the yellow bar stops moving.
The pen window will look like this when the injection is complete. The yellow bar will not fill the entire pen window. Do not remove the pen from your skin before the yellow bar in the pen window has stopped moving. Once you’re done with your injection, slowly lift the pen away from your skin.
If you’re experiencing difficulties injecting, you can switch to a more firm injection site, such as your upper leg or upper arm. Or consider standing up while injecting into the lower stomach.
If the pen is removed from your skin too early or you have not pressed the pen firmly against your skin for the entire injection, medication may appear on the skin or squirt from the needle, and you may not get your full dose. Make sure the next time you inject to keep applying pressure until the yellow bar stops moving. Then you can lift the pen slowly from your skin.
Now it’s time to safely throw away or dispose of your pen. Do not throw the pen away in your household trash. Instead, use an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container or a sturdy household container with a tight-fitting lid, like a heavy-duty plastic container. Contact your local municipality to find where you can dispose of needles.
And that’s it–you’re done! Now you’re ready to start using your Wegovy® pen. You’ve got this!
And remember: we’re here for you! If you have any questions, call 1-833-4-WEGOVY.
Your once-weekly dosing plan
The starting dosage of Wegovy® pen is 0.25 mg once weekly, and this dose will gradually increase every 4 weeks until you reach your maintenance dose of either 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg. Gradually increasing the dose helps your body get used to the medicine. Talk with your healthcare professional to find the dose that is right for you.
Important instructions for using Wegovy® pen
Taking Wegovy®
- The injection should be given once weekly, on the same day each week, at any time of day
- You can use Wegovy® with or without food
- Wegovy® is injected under the skin (subcutaneously) of your stomach (abdomen), thigh, or upper arm. Do not inject Wegovy® into a muscle (intramuscularly) or vein (intravenously)
- You can inject in the same body area each week. Just make sure not to use the same spot
Missing a dose of Wegovy®
- If the next scheduled dose is more than 2 days away (48 hours), take the missed dose as soon as possible
- If the next scheduled dose is less than 2 days away (48 hours), skip that dose and take your next dose on the regularly scheduled day
- If it‘s been 2 or more weeks (14 days) since your last dose, take the next dose on the regularly scheduled day or talk with your healthcare professional about how to restart your treatment
Increasing your dose
- Increase your dose only when directed by your healthcare professional
- You may need to stay at one dose for longer than 4 weeks to give your body more time to get used to the medicine
- Your healthcare professional will monitor your progress at each dose
Gradually increasing your dose over time is done to help your body get used to the medicine. Before taking your next dose, let your healthcare professional know if you have any side effects that do not go away or that bother you.
Caring for your Wegovy® pen
- Do not drop your pen or knock it against hard surfaces
- Do not expose your pen to any liquids
- If you think that your pen may be damaged, do not use it or try to fix it. Use a new pen
- To reduce the risk of infection, keep the pen cap on until you are ready to inject. Your pen will not be sterile if it is stored without the cap, if you pull the pen cap off and put it on again, or if the pen cap is missing
Tips that may help
FAQs about
using
Wegovy® pen
Get answers to questions about how to
use and dispose of Wegovy® pen.
Wegovy® is a once-weekly injection that you give yourself. It is taken on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without food.
Wegovy® comes in 5 different doses: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg, 1.7 mg, and 2.4 mg. Each dose comes in a pen of a different color.
It’s recommended that you use Wegovy® pen on the same day every week, at a time that is most convenient for you. If you need to change the day of the week, you may do so as long as your last dose of Wegovy® was given 2 or more days before.
It’s important to properly dispose of your used Wegovy® pens. After injecting your dose, do not throw away the pen in your household trash or recycling bin. Instead, use one of the following:
- An FDA-cleared sharps disposal container
- A sturdy household container with a tight-fitting lid, like a heavy-duty plastic container. Make sure it’s puncture and leak resistant, properly labeled to warn of hazardous waste inside the container, and stored upright
You can request a complimentary sharps disposal container from Novo Nordisk®. The way you dispose of your sharps container is also important. Follow the guidelines for where you live. Learn more
Only use Wegovy® pen if the liquid is clear and colorless as seen through the pen window. If it is not clear, properly dispose Wegovy® pen and contact our Patient Customer Care Center at 1-833-934-6891 for a replacement.
Become a WEGOVY® INSIDER
Get the inside scoop on Wegovy®, including tips for using the pen.
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.