How To Use The Wegovy Pen: From Preparation To Injection

We understand that starting Wegovy can take some getting used to. It's important you take each injection correctly to make sure you get the correct dose and minimise any discomfort. Levity is with you for every step of your weight loss journey, so our experts created this guide to help you understand how to use the Wegovy pen so you can carry out your treatment plan with confidence.  

How Wegovy works 

Wegovy contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which belongs to a drug class known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. These medications mimic a naturally occurring hormone in your gut — glucagon-like peptide-1 — helping you regulate your blood sugar levels, reduce your appetite and increase feelings of fullness. 

Combined with a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity, Wegovy can help you lose up to 15% of your body weight. 

How to take Wegovy 

You take Wegovy once a week. We recommend setting reminders for yourself, or taking it at the same time of day each time, to help reduce the risk of you forgetting a dose. 

Here's our step-by-step guide to taking your Wegovy dose: 

1. Check your pen 

You should store your Wegovy pen out of direct sunlight, in the refrigerator between 2°C and 8°C. When you're ready for your weekly dose, remove your Wegovy pen from the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature — this should take at least half an hour. Before injecting, check your pen to make sure: 

  • The medication name and dose is correct
  • Your pen isn't expired or damaged
  • The medicine is the right colour — clear and colourless. If the medication is cloudy, frozen or contains any particles, don't use it. 

2. Wash your hands 

Clean your hands thoroughly with hot water and soap before injecting to reduce the risk of infection. If someone is helping you take your dose, make sure their hands are clean too.  

3. Pick your injection site

Wegovy is a subcutaneous injection, meaning you inject it into the fatty tissue just beneath your skin. It's important that you rotate injection sites with each dose to reduce the risk of irritation or hard lumps. You should choose a site from the following areas:

  • Your stomach, avoiding scar tissue and a two-inch area around your belly button.
  • The back of your upper arm — you may need help reaching here. 
  • The front or side of your thigh, in a different area each dose.

You should avoid injecting into any skin that's irritated or bruised. Once you've decided on an injection site, clean the area with an alcohol wipe or soap and water. 

4. Prepare your pen

Wegovy is a pre-filled pen that you prepare with a new needle for each dose. Pick a new needle and check the paper tab and outer needle cap for damage. If damaged, the needle won't be sterile, so you should dispose of it in your sharps bin and use a new one. When you're ready to inject, tear off the paper tab. Push the needle straight onto your pen and twist until tight. The needle is covered by two caps — remove the outer needle cap and keep it aside for later, then pull off the inner needle cover and dispose of it. 

If this is your first injection with a new pen, you need to check the flow. If it's not, go to the next step. 

To check the flow, turn the dose knob until the flow check symbol lines up with the dose pointer. Hold the injection pen with the needle pointing up, then press and hold the dose button until the dose counter returns to 0. A drop of medicine should appear at the tip, and any air bubbles should be released from the pen. If a drop doesn't appear, check the flow one more time, and if there's still no drop, try again with another needle. Don't use the pen if a drop still doesn't appear. 

Once you see the Wegovy drop, your pen is ready for use. 

5. Inject the medicine

To set your dose, turn the dose selector until the dose counter shows your prescribed dose. Insert the needle into your skin, ensuring you can see both the dose counter and pen window — you may need some help if your injection site is hard to reach. Press and hold the dose button until you see 0 in the dose window, then slowly count to six. This ensures you receive the entire injection. Then, carefully remove the needle from your skin. If there's a small amount of blood, gently apply pressure with a clean cotton ball. 

6. Dispose of your pen

After your injection, place the outer needle cover onto a flat surface and feed the needle tip in to replace the cap. Take care not to touch the needle. Once the needle is covered, you can push the cap to secure it. Twist the needle to remove it and safely dispose of it in your sharps container. 

Things to avoid when taking Wegovy 

  • If you miss a dose, you can take it as long as you're within 5 days of the scheduled injection. If more than 5 days have passed, skip the missed dose and continue your typical dose schedule. Never take a double dose — it won't make up for the missed dose, and it could cause adverse effects. 
  • Don't use your pen if you've dropped it, as it contains some glass parts.
  • Keep the pen cap on until you're ready to inject. This keeps the needle sterile and reduces the risk or infection. 

We're here to support you

If you have any questions about injecting, or other areas of your treatment plan, don't hesitate to reach out to our clinical team. We're on hand to help you achieve your weight loss goals. 

Not started your Levity journey yet? See if you're eligible for weight management treatment today. 

References:

1. Chronic Weight Results | Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg [Internet]. novoMEDLINK. 2023 [cited 2024 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.novomedlink.com/obesity/products/treatments/wegovy/efficacy-safety/chronic-weight-management.html#wegovy-and-significant-weight-loss

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