Wegovy is taken once a week. You inject it on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without food. That’s the schedule from the first dose through long-term maintenance.
Choosing Your Weekly Injection Day
Pick whichever day works best for your routine. Monday, Saturday, Wednesday night before bed: it doesn’t matter. What matters is consistency. If you choose Tuesday, every injection lands on a Tuesday. You can also change the time of day or injection site from week to week without adjusting your dose.
If you need to switch your injection day, you can do so as long as there are at least 48 hours between your last dose and the new one. So if you normally inject on Fridays but want to move to Sundays, just make sure at least two full days separate the doses during that transition.
The Dose Escalation Schedule
You don’t start at the full dose. Wegovy uses a gradual ramp-up over about 16 to 20 weeks to reduce nausea and other stomach-related side effects. The schedule works like this:
- Month 1 (weeks 1–4): 0.25 mg once weekly
- Month 2 (weeks 5–8): 0.5 mg once weekly
- Month 3 (weeks 9–12): 1 mg once weekly
- Month 4 (weeks 13–16): 1.7 mg once weekly
- Month 5 onward: 2.4 mg once weekly (maintenance dose)
Each step lasts four weeks. You’re still injecting once per week throughout the entire process. Only the milligrams change, not the frequency. Each dose level comes as a separate pre-filled pen, so you’ll pick up a new pen strength from the pharmacy roughly every month during this ramp-up period.
The Maintenance Dose
The recommended long-term dose for adults is 2.4 mg once weekly. If that causes side effects you can’t manage, your prescriber may keep you at 1.7 mg once weekly instead. Both are considered valid maintenance doses. For adolescents 12 and older, the target is also 2.4 mg weekly.
If you can’t tolerate even the 1.7 mg dose, the medication is typically discontinued rather than dropped to a lower level. The escalation phases aren’t meant for long-term use on their own.
What to Do If You Miss a Dose
The rule is built around a 48-hour window. If you realize you missed your shot and your next scheduled dose is more than two days away, take it as soon as you can. Then resume your normal weekly schedule.
If your next scheduled dose is less than two days away, skip the missed one entirely. Don’t double up. Just take your next dose on the regular day. Missing a single week won’t reset your progress, but try to stay as consistent as possible to keep steady levels of the medication in your system.
Where and How to Inject
Wegovy goes under the skin (subcutaneous injection) in one of three areas: your stomach (at least two inches from your belly button), the front of your thigh, or the upper arm. The pen is pre-filled and disposable, with a hidden needle that you won’t see during the injection. You press the pen against your skin, hold a button, and wait for a click that signals the dose is complete.
Rotate your injection site each week. If you used your left thigh last Tuesday, try your stomach or right thigh this Tuesday. This helps prevent skin irritation or small lumps at the injection site. You can inject at the same general body area, but vary the exact spot by at least an inch or two.
Storing Your Pens
Wegovy pens are stored in the refrigerator before use. If you need to travel or don’t have fridge access, a pen can stay at room temperature (up to 86°F) for up to 28 days, as long as it remains in its original carton. After 28 days at room temperature, throw it away even if there’s medication left. Never freeze the pens, and keep them out of direct sunlight or heat.
Common Side Effects During the Weekly Schedule
Most side effects are digestive: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and constipation. They tend to be worst during the first few weeks at each new dose level, which is exactly why the escalation schedule exists. Many people find that symptoms settle down after a week or two at each step. Eating smaller meals on injection day and staying hydrated can help take the edge off.
More serious but less common concerns include inflammation of the pancreas (severe abdominal pain that doesn’t go away), gallbladder problems (pain in the upper right abdomen, especially after eating fatty food), and allergic reactions like swelling of the face or throat. Low blood sugar is mainly a risk if you’re also taking insulin or certain diabetes medications.