Medication reference

Wegovy: FDA-sourced dosing, safety, and storage facts

A cited educational summary of the FDA-approved Wegovy label, including dosing, safety, missed-dose, and storage information.

Dosley showing Wegovy pen details

Wegovy is the brand name for semaglutide approved for chronic weight management in adults and certain adolescents who meet the indication criteria, used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. This page summarises the publicly available FDA-approved label as educational reference material. It does not give medical advice. If anything here differs from what your clinician has told you, follow your clinician.

At a glance

Active ingredient
Semaglutide 1
Drug class
GLP-1 receptor agonist 1
Manufacturer
Novo Nordisk 2
FDA approval
June 2021 (NDA 215256) 3
Indication
Chronic weight management in adults and certain adolescents who meet the BMI criteria, alongside diet and increased physical activity 1
Schedule
Once weekly, subcutaneous injection 1
Starting dose
0.25 mg once weekly 1
Maximum dose for adult weight reduction
7.2 mg once weekly after at least 4 weeks at 2.4 mg, when additional weight reduction is clinically indicated 1
Other presentations
Also available as a once-daily oral tablet; Dosley tracks the injection only 1
Missed-dose window
Take if more than 2 days remain before the next scheduled day; otherwise skip 1
Storage
Refrigerated at 2–8°C until first use; in-use room-temperature limits given on the label and patient leaflet 1

Important safety information

Boxed warning

In rodents, semaglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures. It is unknown whether Wegovy causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans. Wegovy is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC and in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2. 1

Contraindications

  • Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). 1
  • Known serious hypersensitivity to semaglutide or any of the excipients in Wegovy. 1

Common side effects

  • Nausea ≈44% at 2.4 mg vs 16% placebo 1
  • Diarrhea ≈30% at 2.4 mg vs 16% placebo 1
  • Vomiting ≈24% at 2.4 mg vs 6% placebo 1
  • Constipation ≈24% at 2.4 mg vs 11% placebo 1
  • Abdominal pain ≈20% at 2.4 mg vs 10% placebo 1

Discuss benefits and risks with your healthcare provider before starting or continuing this medication.

Dosing and titration

Your prescriber decides every step on the schedule below. The summary here is for orientation while you log treatments - it is not a recommendation.

Wegovy uses a 16-week ramp before the maintenance amount: 0.25 mg for four weeks, then 0.5 mg for four weeks, then 1 mg for four weeks, then 1.7 mg for four weeks, then 2.4 mg as the maintenance amount. Each step is held for at least four weeks before the next increase. 1

For chronic weight management, the current label lets some adults increase beyond 2.4 mg to a maximum of 7.2 mg once weekly, supplied as the WEGOVY HD pen. Whether to move to this higher amount is a decision for your prescriber. 1

The first three ramp steps - 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg - are escalation-only. The fourth step, 1.7 mg, may also be a maintenance dose depending on the indication and tolerability. The label holds each escalation step for four weeks. 1

When you record a treatment in Dosley, you can attach the amount, the day, and any notes about how you tolerated it. The app does not change your schedule - it only records what your prescriber has set.

Injection sites and storage

Wegovy is given by subcutaneous injection in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Rotating sites between treatments is recommended in the prescribing information. 1

Pens should be kept refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C until first use. Wegovy is supplied as single-dose pens; the room-temperature in-use period is set by the prescribing information - follow the limit printed on your packaging or in the patient leaflet. 1

Site tagging is optional. Turn it on and the entry screen shows which sites you used in the last few weeks.

Wegovy and Ozempic

Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same active ingredient. They are different brand names with different FDA-approved indications.

Semaglutide is sold as Wegovy for chronic weight management and as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes in adults who meet the indication criteria. Each brand has its own FDA-approved labeling, packaging, and patient leaflet, and the maintenance amounts differ. 1 3

Whether you have been prescribed one or the other is a question for your clinician. Dosley supports tracking either brand and treats them as separate treatments.

Missed dose

If a Wegovy injection is missed, the FDA label says it can be taken as soon as possible if more than 2 days remain before the next scheduled day. If 2 days or fewer remain, skip the missed amount and resume on the next regular day. 1

Questions

About this medication and Dosley

How often is Wegovy injected?

Wegovy is a once-weekly subcutaneous injection. Your prescriber sets the day of the week and the amount; Dosley records what they have set so you can see your history. 1

What if I forget my Wegovy on the scheduled day?

The FDA-approved label says a missed dose may be taken as soon as possible if more than 2 days remain before the next scheduled day. If 2 days or fewer remain, the label says to skip it and resume on the next regularly scheduled day. If you are unsure, contact your clinician. 1

What are the most common Wegovy side effects?

In the FDA label's adverse-reaction tables, the most common side effects at the 2.4 mg dose were nausea (about 44%), diarrhea (about 30%), vomiting (about 24%), constipation (about 24%), and abdominal pain (about 20%). 1

Is Wegovy the same molecule as Ozempic?

Yes. Both Wegovy and Ozempic contain semaglutide, but each has its own FDA approval, indication, and maintenance amount: Wegovy is approved for chronic weight management and Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes. Speak to your clinician about which is appropriate for your situation. 3

Where is Wegovy injected?

The label specifies subcutaneous injection in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, with site rotation. Dosley lets you tag the site for each entry so you can see at a glance where you have already injected. 1

How should Wegovy be stored?

The FDA label says Wegovy should be kept refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C until first use. After first use, the pen has a room-temperature in-use window - check the leaflet that came with your pen for the exact number of days. 1

On Dosley

How Dosley supports a Wegovy routine

The home screen shows the next scheduled day, so you stop counting weeks off the calendar. Logging takes about five seconds - the day, the amount you were prescribed, the site. Most weeks that is the whole interaction.

Side-effect notes live next to each entry: pick from a list or type your own, and rate the severity. At your next appointment the log shows which weeks the symptoms clustered in, instead of asking you to remember.

Weight is tracked in the same place. Manual entry is two taps; a chart shows the trend rather than the daily noise, so a single bad-scale day does not break your week. If you use Apple Health, weight syncs automatically.

Pen tracking helps with the practical side. Each Wegovy pen is used once for one weekly injection, so each entry in Dosley records one pen used; the app reminds you about the storage window in the leaflet you were given.

Guest Mode keeps entries on the device, so you can track without an account. Sign in and entries sync to your Dosley account, so a new phone does not start you over. Dosley does not automatically send your log to a clinic or anyone else, and there is no clinic dashboard or advertising. You control sharing: the free JSON export can be shared, and Premium adds a formatted PDF.

Dosley guides

Educational guides for Wegovy tracking

What to track during a GLP-1 routine

Which details to write down during a GLP-1 routine, from injection dates and body region to pen supply, symptoms, and questions for your next appointment.

Track your treatment with Dosley

Log an injection with the day, dose, and site. Track weight and side effects separately.

App Store Google Play

References

  1. 1. FDA-approved Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information (DailyMed)
  2. 2. Wegovy USPI (Novo Nordisk A/S)
  3. 3. Drugs@FDA: Wegovy (NDA 215256)

Last reviewed:

Wegovy is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S. Dosley is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Novo Nordisk A/S.