Ozempic is dispensed as a pre-filled, disposable injection pen that you pick up from a pharmacy with a prescription. Each pen contains multiple doses of semaglutide, and you inject yourself once a week at home. The medication comes as a clear, colorless liquid inside the pen, and the pharmacy will hand it to you in refrigerated packaging since it requires cold storage until you start using it.
What You Get From the Pharmacy
When you fill an Ozempic prescription, you receive a box containing a pre-filled pen and a set of NovoFine Plus 32-gauge, 4mm disposable needles. The pen is a single-patient-use device, meaning it holds several weeks’ worth of doses for one person but should never be shared. You attach a fresh needle before each injection and remove it afterward.
Ozempic pens come in different strengths depending on where you are in treatment. The lower-dose pen delivers either 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg per injection (you select which one with the dial). A separate pen delivers 1 mg per injection, and another delivers 2 mg. Each pen has a colored label so you can confirm you have the correct strength. Your pharmacist will dispense the pen that matches your current prescribed dose.
How the Pen Works
The pen uses a simple dial-and-click mechanism. A dose selector on the pen lets you turn to the correct dose, which appears in a small dose counter window. Once you’ve dialed your dose, you press the dose button at the end of the pen to inject. You hold the button until the counter reads zero, confirming the full dose has been delivered.
If the counter stops before reaching your prescribed dose, the pen doesn’t have enough medication left for a full injection. In that case, you’ll need a new pen to complete the dose.
Priming a New Pen
Every time you start a new pen, you need to do a “flow check” before your first injection. This means dialing to a flow check symbol on the counter, pressing the dose button until a small drop of liquid appears at the needle tip, and confirming the counter returns to zero. This step clears any air from the pen and ensures the medication is flowing correctly. You only do this once per new pen, not before every injection.
The Dose Escalation Schedule
Ozempic is not dispensed at your full maintenance dose right away. You start at the lowest strength and increase gradually over several weeks, which helps minimize side effects like nausea.
- Weeks 1 through 4: 0.25 mg once weekly. This is a starter dose, not a treatment dose.
- Weeks 5 onward: 0.5 mg once weekly.
- If more effect is needed: After at least 4 weeks at 0.5 mg, your dose can increase to 1 mg once weekly.
- Maximum dose: After at least 4 weeks at 1 mg, the dose can go up to 2 mg once weekly.
This means your pharmacy may dispense different pen strengths over time as your dose changes. Each step up requires a new prescription or adjustment from your provider, so expect to check in with them before moving to a higher dose.
Storage Before and After Opening
Before you use a pen for the first time, it needs to stay refrigerated between 36°F and 46°F. An unopened pen stored this way remains good until its printed expiration date. Do not place it in the freezer or directly against the cooling element inside your refrigerator. If the medication freezes at any point, it’s ruined and cannot be used.
Once you’ve used the pen for the first time, the clock starts ticking. An opened pen is good for 56 days, whether you keep it in the refrigerator or at room temperature (59°F to 86°F). After 56 days, you discard the pen even if medication remains inside. Many people find it helpful to write the date on the pen when they first use it.
If a pen (opened or unopened) gets exposed to temperatures above 86°F or below 36°F, it should be thrown away. This matters if you’re traveling, leaving the pen in a hot car, or picking it up from a pharmacy on a warm day. When you receive the pen from the pharmacy, get it into your refrigerator promptly.
Needles and Injection Sites
The included NovoFine Plus needles are 4mm long and 32-gauge, which is extremely thin. Most people describe the injection as a quick pinch or report barely feeling it at all. You inject into the fatty tissue of your stomach, thigh, or upper arm, rotating the site each week to avoid irritation. Each needle is used once and then disposed of in a sharps container.
The pen is also compatible with other NovoFine disposable needles up to 8mm in length, though the standard 4mm needles work for most people regardless of body size. Your pharmacist can supply additional needles if you run out before your pen is empty.
Current Availability
Ozempic experienced widespread supply shortages in recent years due to surging demand. As of early 2025, semaglutide no longer appears on the FDA’s official drug shortage list, meaning national supply has largely stabilized. That said, individual pharmacies may still occasionally have trouble stocking specific pen strengths. If your pharmacy is out of stock, they can typically order it within a few days or direct you to a nearby location that has it available.