MedExpress can help you achieve lasting weight loss results with medications like Wegovy. However, it’s important you take Wegovy correctly to make sure you receive the full dose and reduce the risk of discomfort. This is our guide to taking Wegovy at home so you can feel confident administering injections yourself and taking control of your weight loss results. 

How does Wegovy work?

Wegovy contains the active ingredient semaglutide, a type of drug known as a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It mimics a natural hormone in your gut, helping to regulate your blood sugar levels, reducing your appetite and making you feel full for longer. 

Combined with a healthy diet and regular physical activity, Wegovy could help you lose up to 15% of your body weight. [1]

How to take Wegovy 

You take Wegovy as a weekly dose. Try to take every injection at the same time of the day, or set reminder alerts for yourself, so it becomes part of your routine. This will help minimise the risk of you forgetting to take a dose.  

This is our guide to using the Wegovy pen: 

1. Check your pen 

You should store your Wegovy pen in the refrigerator, between 2°C and 8°C. When it’s time for your dose, take your Wegovy pen out of the refrigerator at least half an hour before your injection so it can reach room temperature. Check the injection pen to ensure: 

• The medication and dose is correct 
• The pen isn’t expired or damaged
• The medicine isn’t discoloured — it should be clear and colourless

Don’t use the pen if the medication is cloudy, frozen or contains any particles. 

2. Wash your hands

Clean your hands with hot water and soap before every injection to reduce the risk of infection. If someone is injecting your dose for you, make sure they wash their hands. 

3. Choose your injection site 

You administer Wegovy as a subcutaneous injection, which means you inject it into the fatty tissue just under your skin. You should rotate your injection sites with every dose to prevent hard lumps from developing under your skin. The recommended injection sites are: 

• Stomach — Avoid scar tissue and stay at least two inches away from your belly button.
• Back of your upper arm — You may need someone to help you reach. 
• Thigh — Choose a different area for every dose to minimise the risk of scar tissue or injection. 

Don’t inject into areas where your skin is irritated or bruised. When you’ve chosen your injection site, clean the area with an alcohol wipe or soap and water. 

4. Prepare the pen

Wegovy comes as a pre-filled pen, but you need to prepare it with a new needle before each dose. Check your new needle to make sure it isn’t damaged — the outer needle cap and paper tab should be intact to ensure the needle is sterile. When you’re ready for your dose, remove the paper tab, push the needle straight onto your pen and turn it to tighten. Remove the outer needle cap and keep it to one side as you’ll need it later. Then, pull off the inner needle cover and dispose of it. 

If this is your first dose from a new pen, you need to prime it. If not, go straight to the next step. 

To prime the pen, you need to check the flow. Turn the dose knob until the flow check symbol lines up with the dose pointer. Point the pen needle up and hold down the dose button until the dose counter shows ‘0’. You should see a drop of medicine at the tip of the needle, and any air bubbles in the pen will be released. If you can’t, check the flow once more — if there’s still no drop, try another two times with a new needle. Don’t use the pen if there’s no flow after this. 

Now your pen is ready for your injection. 

5. Injection

Before injecting, you need to set your dose. Turn the dose selector until you see the correct dose in the counter window. Insert the needle into your skin, making sure you can still see the dose counter window — you may need help with this if your injection site is difficult to reach. Press and hold the dose button until you see ‘0’ in the dose window, then slowly count to six to ensure you receive the entire injection. 

Once you’ve injected, carefully remove the needle from your skin and gently apply pressure with a cotton ball if there’s any blood. 

6. Safely dispose of your pen

Place the outer needle cover on a flat surface to help you guide the needle tip in. Once the needle cap is in place, push it to secure it. Twist the needle to remove it and dispose of it in a sharps container. 

What to avoid when taking Wegovy 

• If you miss a dose, you can take it within 5 days of your scheduled dose. If more than 5 days have passed, skip the dose and stick to your normal dosing schedule. Never take a double dose to make up for missed injections as this can cause adverse effects. 
• Your Wegovy pen contains glass parts, so you shouldn’t use it if it’s been dropped. 
• Keep the pen cap on until you’re ready to inject to keep the needle sterile and reduce the risk of infection. 

Your Wegovy pen comes with a patient information leaflet that contains detailed injection instructions. If you have any other questions about self-injecting, please reach out to our dedicated clinical team for advice. 

Looking for support with your weight loss goals?

If you’re at the start of your weight loss journey, you can maximise your results with a clinically proven weight loss treatment. 

Find out if you qualify on MedExpress today. 

References:

1. Chronic Weight Results | Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg [Internet]. novoMEDLINK. 2023 [cited 2024 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.novomedlink.com/obesity/products/treatments/wegovy/efficacy-safety/chronic-weight-management.html#wegovy-and-significant-weight-loss