Wegovy® (semaglutide) weight loss injections
Wegovy® (semaglutide) weight loss injections
Wegovy® (semaglutide) weight loss injections
- How does Wegovy® work? It suppresses appetite and reduces cravings
- How effective is Wegovy®? Approx. 85% of people lose weight with lifestyle changes
- How much is Wegovy®? Priced from £37.25 a week
Wegovy® is a weight loss drug which is used to help people with high body mass indexes (BMI) lose weight. Our clinicians will check your BMI, before they prescribe this treatment.
Wegovy is a new drug with the active ingredient, semaglutide, that can be used to help people lose weight by around 17.4% (over 68 weeks).
What is Wegovy® (semaglutide)?
Wegovy® is a weight loss drug containing the active ingredient, semaglutide. It’s injected into the body once a week to help you lose weight. Wegovy® is thought to be an effective weight loss drug when used alongside a healthy, reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise.
The drug has recently been approved in the UK and is available now. It was approved in the USA in 2021.
How does Wegovy® work?
Wegovy® essentially works by suppressing the appetite and regulating food intake. The active ingredient, semaglutide, mimics the action of the hormone that’s involved in regulating appetite. This means you feel fuller for longer and less hungry. This can help you to eat less and hopefully lose weight.
The starting dose is 0.25mg, if you’re tolerating the treatment after 4 weeks you’ll step up in dose. The highest dose 2.4mg, which has seen positive results in 2 year trials.
Wegovy® works best when it’s taken at the same time as making lifestyle changes (healthier diet and increased exercise). In fact, around 85% of users lost at least 5% of their weight, compared to just 40% losing 5% when no lifestyle changes were made.
“Wegovy® is a weekly injection which suppresses your appetite and slows digestion. Combined with a reduced-calorie diet and becoming more physically active, this should help you on your weight-loss journey.” - Dr Bhavini Shah
How effective is Wegovy® (semaglutide)?
When Wegovy® is combined with a reduced calorie diet and increased exercise, a 68-week study has shown that:
- Around 85% of people lost more than 5% of their body weight
- 66% of people lost more than 10% of their body weight
- 48% of people lost more than 15% of their body weight
- 30% of people lost more than 20% of their body weight
This compares to just 63.5% of people losing 5% of their weight when taking Saxenda® along with a reduced calorie diet and physical activity counselling.
Wegovy® vs. other weight loss injections
Wegovy® is one of several weight loss injections available via prescription. Other popular treatments include Mounjaro® and Ozempic®. Even though Ozempic® has the same active ingredient as Wegovy®, it can only be prescribed off-book as it is intended to be used for type-2 diabetes. We’ve highlighted the key differences between the injections below:
| Name | Wegovy® | Mounjaro® | Ozempic® |
| Active ingredient | Semaglutide | Tirzepatide | Semaglutide |
| Primarily used for | Weight loss | Weight loss | Blood sugar regulation for type-2 diabetics |
| How to take it | Weekly injection | Weekly injection | Weekly injection |
| How it works | Reduces / regulates appetite | Reduces / regulates appetite | Reduces / regulates appetite |
| Effectiveness | 84% | 96% | N/A |
*% of people losing more than 5% of body weight. Ozempic® does not have a value as it has not been tested as a weight loss drug.
“There are many different options for weight loss. You can compare the different treatments and our clinicians will help to find out what works best for you.” - Dr Bhavini Shah
Who can use Wegovy®?
Wegovy® can be used by adults ages 18-75 who have:
- A BMI of 30 or above
- A BMI of 27 or above and you have a weight-related health condition such as:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes (As we are an online service, we are unable to prescribe Wegovy to diabetics for patient safety reasons)
- High blood pressure
- PCOS
- Sleep apnoea
You won’t be able to take Wegovy® if you:
- Are over 75
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Have liver, kidney or heart failure, an eating disorder or pancreatitis
- Are taking insulin, sulphonylureas or other weight loss drugs that work in the same way as Wegovy®, e.g. Victoza.
Wegovy® Dosage
Wegovy® injections come in a variety of doses. Depending on where you are in your Wegovy® journey, you will need to take a different dose.
The dose is gradually increased to make sure you cope with any potential side effects until you get to a maintenance dose, this process is known as titration. Find out how to know when to increase your dose.
If all goes to plan and you can tolerate the treatment, the dosing schedule will be as follows:
| Treatment stage | Weeks 1-4 | Weeks 5-8 | Weeks 9-12 | Weeks 13-16 | Weeks 17+ |
| Dosage | 0.25mg weekly | 0.5mg weekly | 1mg weekly | 1.7mg weekly | 2.4mg weekly |
How to use Wegovy®
You inject Wegovy® just once a week into your tummy, thigh or upper arm. Read our article to find out more about how to inject yourself.
What foods can’t you eat whilst taking Wegovy®?
Wegovy® works best when it’s taken at the same time as making lifestyle changes (healthier diet and increased exercise). In fact, around 85% of users lost at least 5% of their weight, compared to just 40% losing 5% when no lifestyle changes were made.
Being on Wegovy® doesn’t forbid you from eating any food (though it won’t get rid of any current allergies or intolerances you already have). However, it’s best to avoid the following foods if you want to eat a reduced calorie diet:
- Foods high in saturated fats
- Fried foods
- Fast food
- Processed meat
- Full-fat dairy
What happens if you miss a dose of Wegovy®?
If you’ve missed a dose of Wegovy®, check how many days it has been since your last injection.
If your last Wegovy® injection was 5 days ago or shorter
Inject Wegovy® as soon as possible. After that, return to your original dose schedule.
If your last Wegovy® injection was longer than 5 days ago
Skip your missed dose and do not inject Wegovy® until your next scheduled day. Do not take a double dose of Wegovy®. This will not ‘make up’ for the dose you’ve missed – you’re just increasing the likelihood of suffering from side effects like nausea or vomiting.
Wegovy® side effects
Like all medications, some people might feel some side effects from taking Wegovy®. We’ve listed these possible side effects, some common and others not-so-common, below:
| Likelihood | Serious side effects | Other side effects |
| Common (may affect 1 in 10 people) |
|
|
| Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people) |
|
|
| Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1000 people) |
| N/A |
| Not known |
| N/A |
If you start experiencing any side effects, please talk to your GP. For more information about Wegovy®, read the patient information leaflet or our guide to Wegovy® side effects.
