A female healthcare professional points at a brochure while consulting with a patient at her desk.

Wegovy Injections: How to do it

Watch the video and follow the steps for your injection.

Before your first injection, watch the video and read your medicine's leaflet. Wegovy and Ozempic both contain semaglutide and are injected in the same way. Below you'll find what to check, where and when to inject, and what to do if you forget a dose.

Wegovy and Ozempic Instruction Video

A hand holds a pregnancy test horizontally in a blurred bathroom setting.
Wegovy and Ozempic Injection Instruction Video
Close-up of a person injecting medication into their stomach with an insulin pen.

Always Check Your Medication

Check that you have received the correct medication and the correct dosage. Also check if the pen is still within its expiry date and if the liquid is clear and colourless. If something is wrong, do not use the pen and contact us.

Healthcare professional demonstrates an injection pen to a patient at a desk.

Always Check the Flow

Needles bend easily. A flow check helps you see if the needle is working properly. Turn the pen until you see a line with 2 dots in the window and press the button. A drop should appear on the needle. If no drop appears, repeat this step. Still no drop after the 2nd test? Use a new needle.

Your Injection Time and Dose Escalation

none provided
Fixed Day
Wegovy and Ozempic are injected once a week, on a fixed day. The time doesn't matter, and you can use them with or without food.
Maag-darmkanaal: langer vol gevoel door vertraagde maaglediging bij medisch afvallen bij The Body Clinic
Where do you inject?
You inject into the abdomen (at least 5 cm from your navel), the thigh, or the upper arm. Change injection sites each time.
none provided
Escalation
You start with the lowest dose. This is gradually increased, according to your doctor's schedule. This allows your body to get used to it. Never increase or decrease your dose yourself.
Brein en medisch afvallen: vermindert de eetlust en versterkt het verzadigingsgevoel bij The Body Clinic
Forgot a dose?
If it's within 5 days of your fixed day, inject the forgotten dose as soon as you remember and then continue on your fixed day. If more than 5 days have passed, skip the forgotten dose and inject the next dose on your usual day. Never take a double dose.

Storing medication and travelling

Store a new pen in the refrigerator (2-8 °C), but not in or against the freezer compartment, as a pen that has been frozen should not be used. After first use, a Wegovy or Ozempic pen may be stored outside the refrigerator for a maximum of 6 weeks, as long as it remains below 30 °C.

Are you travelling? Take your pens with you in your hand luggage, as they can freeze in the aircraft's cargo hold. A cool bag helps, but do not let the pen lie directly against a cooling element. Ask your pharmacy for an English medical passport.

Bright yellow cylindrical container with a matching lid on a minimalist beige shelf.

Responsible Disposal of Your Waste Medication

An empty pen can be thrown away with general waste. If there is still medication in it, it is small chemical waste (KCA): hand in the pen at the recycling centre, pharmacy, or your municipality's KCA depot. Used needles should always be placed in a yellow sharps container, never loose with household waste. You hand these in at your municipality and can order new ones via The Body Clinic.

A person holds out a clear glass water bottle containing water and lime slices.

Side Effects: What to Expect?

In the first few weeks and after a dose increase, you may experience nausea, a feeling of fullness, diarrhea, or constipation. For most people, these symptoms subside after a while. This can help:

  • Eat smaller portions, eat slowly, and stop as soon as you feel full
  • Limit fatty, fried, and very sweet foods
  • Drink plenty of water, especially with diarrhea or vomiting
  • For constipation, fiber, sufficient fluids, and exercise can help
  • Suffering from redness or itching at the injection site? Keep changing spots
Intake gesprek met arts: telefonisch consult voor persoonlijke begeleiding bij medisch afvallen bij The Body Clinic

Contact a Doctor Immediately

if experiencing: severe, persistent abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back, with or without vomiting; persistent vomiting or diarrhea with little urination, pain in the upper right abdomen, fever, or yellow eyes or skin.

Call 112 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, or shortness of breath.

Outside our opening hours, you can go to the general practitioner's post, or check our page Medical emergencies.

Related Videos

0:40
A smiling woman with glasses and curly hair eats a slice of cake from an open refrigerator.
Commercial Medical Weight Loss

Commercial medical weight loss

1:29
Two women meditate on yoga mats in a sunlit room, eyes closed in peace.
Medical weight loss coach

Introducing the medical weight loss coach

2:11
Medisch afvallen arts begeleidt client tijdens medisch afvaltraject bij The Body Clinic
Medical weight loss with injections

Video about the medical weight loss program with injections

Frequently Asked Questions 

  • For most people, the complaints diminish as the body gets used to the medication. They may temporarily return after a dose increase. If they persist, consult your doctor.

  • Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same active ingredient: semaglutide. The difference lies in what they are registered for. Ozempic is intended for type 2 diabetes, Wegovy for weight management in obesity or overweight. That is also why Wegovy goes up to a higher dose (2.4 mg or 7.2 mg). For weight loss, Wegovy is the medication that has been approved for this purpose.

  • Ozempic (semaglutide) is indicated for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise. Source: SmPC §4.1.

  • Take it as soon as you remember, provided you are on an empty stomach. Never a double dose.

  • It is best to drink as little or no alcohol as possible during treatment.

  • An empty pen (with no medication left inside) can be disposed of with your normal household waste.

  • No, this is not permitted. Needles must always be placed in a needle container to prevent injuries and the risk of infection.

  • In that case, the pen is classified as small chemical waste (KCA). Please take it to your local recycling centre or your local authority’s KCA collection point, and do not put it in the general waste.

  • You can order a new needle container via our online shop.

  • Semaglutide affects hunger and satiety, causing you to eat less and gradually lose weight.