This website has been produced and funded by Novo Nordisk and is
intended for adult patients in the United Kingdom who have been
prescribed Wegovy®▼ (semaglutide injection). Side effect
reporting information can befound in the footer of this page.
How do I take my medicine?
Knowing how to use Wegovy® can help you get the most out of your treatment and help you stick to your dosing plan. On this page, you can find a step-by-step guide on how and when to inject Wegovy®. You can also find support on how to store and dispose of Wegovy®.
If you are taking Wegovy® for weight management or risk reduction of serious heart issues your treatment will start at a low dose which will be gradually increased over 16 weeks of treatment as follows:
- When you first start using Wegovy®, the starting dose is 0.25 mg once weekly.
- Your doctor will instruct you to gradually increase your dose every 4 weeks until you reach the dose of 2.4 mg once weekly.
For weight management in adult patients living with obesity
If needed, for adult patients living with obesity taking Wegovy® for weight management, a dose increase to the next maintenance dose of 7.2 mg once weekly (three injections of 2.4 mg) can be made after a minimum of 4 weeks on 2.4 mg. The maximum dose is 7.2 mg once weekly.
This image is for illustrative purposes only and does not reflect the actual size of the pen.
Get to know your Wegovy® FlexTouch® pen
Wegovy® is a once-weekly injectable treatment that comes in a pre-filled pen. Each Wegovy® pack contains:
- One pre-filled Wegovy® FlexTouch® pen, which contains four doses.
- Four disposable needles
- The Patient Information Leaflet
Learn more below about what your Wegovy® FlexTouch® pen looks like and what each part is used for.
This image is for illustrative purposes only and does not reflect the actual size of the pen. The image shown above is of the 2.4 mg Wegovy® FlexTouch® pen.
Always use Wegovy® exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are not sure.
How to use once-weekly Wegovy®
Wegovy® is a pre-filled pen that you can self-administer. Before you use the pen for the first time, ask your doctor or nurse how to use it. Below, you can find a step-by-step guide on how to use Wegovy®. This guide is here to support you, along with information from your doctor and the Wegovy® Patient Information Leaflet (PIL). Before you begin using your once-weekly Wegovy® FlexTouch® pen, always read the detailed instructions provided in the PIL carefully.
If you are on the 7.2 mg once weekly maintenance dose of Wegovy® (three injections of 2.4 mg), please refer to this guide.
Your guide to Wegovy®
Read this step-by-step guide on how to use your Wegovy® pen.
1. Get started
- Check the name and dose of the pen to make sure it contains the prescribed dose of Wegovy®
- Pull off the pen cap
- Look through the pen window. Check that the Wegovy® in the pen is clear and colourless. If Wegovy® looks cloudy or coloured, do not use the pen
2. Attach a needle
- Always use a new needle for each injection, including between the injections for the three x 2.4 mg (7.2 mg) dose. Never use a bent or damaged needle. Check the paper tab and outer needle cap for damages
- If you see any damage, dispose of it and use a new needle
- Tear off the paper tab
- Push the needle straight onto the pen. Turn until it is on tight
- The needle is covered by two caps
- Pull off the outer needle cap and keep it for later
- Pull off the inner needle cap and dispose of it
3. Check the flow
- Only check the Wegovy® flow before your first injection with each new pen
- Turn the dose selector until the flow check symbol lines up with the dose pointer
- Hold the pen with the needle pointing up
- Press and hold in the dose button until the dose counter returns to -0-. The -0- must line up with the dose pointer
- A drop of Wegovy® should appear at the needle tip. This drop indicates that the pen is ready for use
- If a drop does not appear, check the flow again. This should only be done twice
- If there is still no drop, change the needle and check the flow once more
- Do not use the pen if a drop of Wegovy® still does not appear
4. Set the dose
- Turn the dose selector until the dose counter stops, and it shows your prescribed dose. If you are on the 7.2 mg once-weekly dose you will need to administer three injections of 2.4 mg therefore you will need to turn the dose selector until it shows "2.4 mg".
- When the prescribed dose lines up with the dose pointer, the dose has been selected
- Do not set the dose by counting the number of clicks you hear
5. Choose an injection site and inject Wegovy®
Wegovy® is given as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Do not inject it into a vein or muscle. Before you use the pen for the first time, ask your doctor or nurse where to inject. These are the best places to give the injection:
You may inject in the same body area each week, but you must make sure it is not in the same spot you used the last time. If you are injecting three x 2.4 mg (7.2 mg) injections on the same day, you may inject in the same body area but make sure each injection is at least 5cm apart.
- Insert the needle into your skin. Make sure the dose counter is visible
- Press and hold down the dose button until the dose counter shows -0-
- Keep pressing the dose button with the needle in your skin and slowly count to six. The -0- must line up with the dose pointer, you may hear or feel a click when the dose counter returns to -0-
- Remove the needle from your skin
- If blood appears at the injection site, press lightly on the area to stop the bleeding
- Please refer to the 7.2 mg dose patient brochure
6. After injection
- Lead the needle tip into the outer needle cap on a flat surface without touching the needle
- Never try to put the inner cap back on the needle as you may stick yourself with the needle
- Once the needle is covered, carefully push the outer needle cap completely on. Unscrew the needle
- Put the pen cap on the pen after each use to protect Wegovy® from light
- If you are injecting three x 2.4 mg (7.2 mg) injections on the same day, place a new needle on the pen as described in step two and perform the second and third injections as per step four and five above. If you are on the 7.2 mg dose, you may need to use multiple pens. Do not discard the pen until it is empty. Partially used pens must be stored in the fridge with the needle removed.
Make sure you have a sufficient supply of pens to complete your 7.2 mg dose before you start injecting.
How to dispose of your needles and pens
When the pen is empty, dispose of the pen without a needle on as instructed by your doctor, pharmacist, nurse or local authorities. The pen cap and the empty carton can be disposed of in your household waste.
Always dispose of the needle immediately after each injection using a sharps bin. Never store your pen with the needle attached. Keep your sharps bin in a safe place so it’s not a risk to other people and is out of the sight and reach of children.
Sharps bins must not be disposed of in household waste. Discuss with your healthcare professional the procedure for disposing of sharps bins in your area.
Novo Nordisk also provides a pre-filled pen recycling initiative, PenCycle®. You can discover more about it here.
*The ‘How to use Wegovy®‘ poster is intended for adult patients on doses of Wegovy® up to 2.4 mg once-weekly.
If you have any questions or are unsure of anything, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
For full information on how to use your Wegovy® FlexTouch® pen, refer to the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL).
Before you begin using your once-weekly Wegovy® FlexTouch® pen, always review these instructions carefully in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL), and talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse about how to inject Wegovy® correctly.
Your dosing plan for Wegovy®
At first, your treatment with Wegovy® will start at a low dose, which is 0.25 mg once weekly. Then the dose will be gradually increased every 4 weeks, until you get to the recommended dose. This is to help lower the risks of getting side effects related to the gut, such as feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting).
Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are not sure.
Stepping up your dose
Follow the three steps below to make sure you’re always taking the correct dose of Wegovy®.
1. Start
When you first start using Wegovy®, the starting dose is 0.25 mg once weekly
2. Step-up
Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will tell you when to gradually increase your dose every four weeks. The dose will increase until you reach the recommended maintenance dose
3. Stay
Once you reach the recommended maintenance dose , do not increase the dose further
This image is for illustrative purposes only and does not reflect the actual size of the pens.
If you are experiencing side effects when using Wegovy®, your doctor, pharmacist or nurse may delay increasing your dose or lower to the previous dose until your symptoms are better.
Remember, it’s important to…
- Follow the dosing plan as prescribed by your doctor, pharmacist or nurse
- Talk to them about any side effects you may be experiencing
- Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are not sure of anything
Getting into a routine with Wegovy®
Wegovy® is a once-weekly injection, so it can be easy to forget when to use it. If possible, you should use Wegovy® on the same day each week so it's important to try and get into a routine of using Wegovy® once weekly.
Top tips to help you get started:
What to do if you miss a dose
If you miss a dose, do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Try to remember the ‘five-day rule’:
Five days or less since you should have used Wegovy®:
use it as soon as you remember, then inject your next dose as usual on your scheduled day.
More than five days since you should have used Wegovy®:
skip the missed dose and inject as usual on your next scheduled day. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
What to do if you use more Wegovy® than you should
If you use more Wegovy® than you should, talk to your doctor straight away. You may get side effects such as feeling sick (nausea).
Do not stop using Wegovy® without talking to your doctor.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
Support for using Wegovy®
When using Wegovy®, there are specific ways to store and dispose of the pen. It’s important that you follow these steps as described below.
These are not real patients and are for illustrative purposes only.
How to store Wegovy®
Knowing how to store your medicine is important to ensure Wegovy® works properly.
- Keep your Wegovy® pen out of the sight and reach of children
- Do not freeze Wegovy® and do not use if it has been frozen
- Keep the pen cap on when the pen is not in use to protect it from light
- Do not use this medicine after the expiry date, which is stated on the pen label and carton after ‘EXP’. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month
Before opening: keep the pen refrigerated (2°C to 8°C). Keep the pen away from the cooling element inside the fridge.
During use: you can keep the pen for six weeks when stored at a temperature below 30°C or in a fridge (2°C to 8°C) away from the cooling element.
Never store your pen with the needle attached.
How to dispose of your needles and pens
When the pen is empty, dispose of the pen without a needle on as instructed by your doctor, pharmacist, nurse or local authorities. The pen cap and the empty carton can be disposed of in your household waste.
Always dispose of the needle immediately after each injection using a sharps bin. Never store your pen with the needle attached. Keep your sharps bin in a safe place so it’s not a risk to other people and is out of the sight and reach of children.
Sharps bins must not be disposed of in household waste. Discuss with your healthcare professional the procedure for disposing of sharps bins in your area.
Novo Nordisk also provides a pre-filled pen recycling initiative, PenCycle®. You can discover more about it here.
Support with using injections
If you are unsure, worried or scared about using needles or injections, remember you are not alone. Needle phobia is very common and affects at least 1 in 10 people.
Wegovy® is a once-weekly injection, given as a pre-filled pen. If you are unsure about using the pen, don’t worry. Here are some things you can do to help you get started:
- Remember you are not alone. Do not feel ashamed about being unsure or scared about using needles or injections
- Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse about your worries. They are here to help you every step of the way
- Think about if anything has helped you cope with needles in the past
- You may want to relax yourself by learning some breathing exercises or listening to calming music
- You may want to ask a family member, friend or carer to support you, if you feel comfortable. They can sit with you for moral support, while you take Wegovy®
- Face your fears one step at a time. Before using Wegovy® you may want to prepare yourself before administering your injection. You can start by watching the instruction video on the ‘Support materials’ page, so that you know what to expect
Overcoming your fear can take time and practice. But remember, in time you can feel better able to manage using injections. The more you do this, the more in control you may feel.
If you have any questions about using Wegovy®, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
The information on this website does not replace the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL), which you are advised to read in full. It is not intended as a substitute for clinical advice provided by your healthcare professional. Please contact your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your treatment and for clinical advice. Please refer to the PIL for further information on Wegovy®, further information on how to use Wegovy® and a full list of side effects, warnings and precautions. You can access the Wegovy® Patient Information Leaflet, which can be found on the electronic medicines compendium (eMC), by clicking the following link (clicking this link will take you to an external website): www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/13799/pil
Reporting side effects
▼This medicine is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information promptly. You can help by reporting any side effects you may get. See https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ for how to report side effects.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/. Side effects should also be reported to Novo Nordisk Limited (Telephone Novo Nordisk Customer Care Centre 0800 023 2573). Calls may be monitored for training purposes. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.