This website has been produced and funded by Novo Nordisk and
is intended for adult patients in the United Kingdom who have been prescribed Wegovy®▼ (semaglutide
tablets). Side effect reporting information can be found in the footer of this page.
Welcome to the Wegovy®▼ (semaglutide tablets) website
This website is here to support your journey with Wegovy® pill — a once-daily pill that is prescribed to adult patients, in addition to a reduced-calorie meal plan and increased physical activity, to help with weight loss and weight management.
Education & How-To Videos
'Getting started with the Wegovy® pill' video series
We have developed a digital brochure with you in mind to support you throughout your Wegovy® pill treatment. It will give you information about Wegovy® pill, tips to manage possible side effects and some things to remember when taking Wegovy® pill.
If you still have any questions or queries, please speak with your healthcare professional.
Wegovy® tablet Patient Information Leaflet (PIL)
The information on this website does not replace the Patient Information Leaflet, which you are advised to read in full. It is not intended as a substitute for clinical advice provided by your healthcare professional. Please contact your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your treatment and for clinical advice.
You can access the four Wegovy® tablet Patient Information Leaflets on the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC).
The pack shots and tablet images are for illustrative purposes only and do not reflect the actual size of the pack or tablet.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Losing weight is not easy. No matter how hard you try, sometimes your body works against you. It’s a matter of biology.
As you lose weight, several things can happen. Your metabolism may slow. Metabolism is the sum of all the processes that happen in your body to turn food into energy. Additionally, your body‘s hormones may adapt to make you feel more hungry and less full as more weight is lost, which can make keeping weight off challenging.
Making life-long changes to your diet and exercise routine can help you maintain a healthy weight.
Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Wegovy® and is what helps you lose weight, along with diet and exercise. Compounded or knockoff semaglutide has not been approved by the MHRA and has not been proven to be effective.
MHRA = The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Your brain gets signals from different places in your body. Some of these signals are called appetite hormones, like GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), which help regulate how much food you eat. Wegovy® works like GLP-1 to regulate appetite and calorie intake by helping to reduce appetite, so you eat less and lose weight.
People respond to medication, including Wegovy®, differently, so there is no set time when you can expect to see results with Wegovy®. Ask your treatment provider about what might be realistic for you.
Take your Wegovy® pill on an empty stomach after a recommended fasting period of at least 8 hours. Swallow it whole with a sip of water (no more than 120 ml). Then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or taking other oral medicines. This small window helps the Wegovy® pill absorb properly.
SNAC (salcaprozate sodium) is included in every Wegovy® pill. It allows the medicine to be taken by mouth once daily because it helps the medicine survive in the stomach long enough to be absorbed into your bloodstream. Technically, SNAC protects the medicine from acid and enzymes in the stomach and temporarily increases local absorption through the stomach lining so the medicine can reach the circulation when taken by mouth. Without SNAC, almost none of the medicine would be absorbed from the pill so there would be no treatment effect.
‘Dose escalation’ means that your dose will be gradually increased. If you are new to Wegovy®, your treatment will start at the lowest available dose — 1.5 mg once weekly.
Your treatment provider will gradually increase your dose every four weeks until you reach the recommended maintenance dose. Your treatment provider will assess your treatment on a regular basis.
If you experience side effects, your treatment provider may decide to lower to a previous dose or delay increasing your dose until your symptoms are better. It’s really important that you let them know about any side effects you experience so they can make sure you’re on the right dose. You can learn more about dose escalation by visiting the ‘How do I take my medicine?’ section of this website.
You should follow the dosing plan as prescribed by your treatment provider.
If you miss a dose of Wegovy® pill, simply skip that day's dose. Resume your treatment the next day at your regularly scheduled time. Do not take two pills at once to make up for a missed dose. If you have any concerns about a missed dose, consult your treatment provider.
If you have taken more Wegovy® than you should, contact your healthcare professional straight away. They will be able to advise you on what to do next. You may get side effects, such as feeling sick (nausea).
Reporting side effects
▼This medicine is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information promptly. You can help by reporting any side effects you may get. See https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ for how to report side effects.
If you get any side effects, talk to your treatment provider. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/. Side effects should also be reported to Novo Nordisk Limited (Telephone Novo Nordisk Customer Care Centre 0800 023 2573). Calls may be monitored for training purposes. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
A full list of side effects, warnings and precautions can be found in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL).
Speak to your treatment provider about your treatment plan with Wegovy®. They will assess your treatment on a regular basis as everyone’s treatment journey is personal. Your needs may be different to someone else who is on Wegovy®.
Always use this medicine exactly as your treatment provider has informed you. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are not sure.
Do not stop using Wegovy® without talking to your treatment provider.
Store in the original package in order to protect from light and moisture. This medicine does not require any special temperature storage conditions.
No. Do not remove pills from the original packaging in advance or store them in a daily pill organiser. The original packaging is specially designed to protect the pills from moisture. Only remove one pill at the moment you are ready to take it. This helps ensure the medication remains effective.
No. Do not crush, cut or chew the Wegovy® pill.
No. The exact time you wake up does not matter. What matters is that you take your pill after a recommended fasting period of at least 8 hours, on an empty stomach — whether you wake up at different times on weekdays and weekends.
No. You do not need to take it at exactly the same clock time every day. The key is to take it on an empty stomach after a recommended fasting period of at least 8 hours before eating or drinking. If your schedule changes — due to shift work, travel, or time zones — simply ensure there was a fasting period of at least 8 hours and then take it before your first meal or drink of the day.
Side effects
Like all medicines, Wegovy® pill can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Serious side effects
Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people
- Complications of diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy). If you have diabetes you should inform your doctor if you experience eye problems, such as changes in vision, during treatment with this medicine
Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people
- Inflamed pancreas (acute pancreatitis) which could cause severe pain in the stomach and back which does not go away. This is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition. You should see a doctor immediately if you experience such symptoms. Stop using this medicine and seek urgent medical help if you experience: Severe, persistent pain in the stomach area (abdomen), with or without nausea and vomiting. This could be a sign of acute pancreatitis, which is serious and potentially life-threatening
- Kidney or bladder stones. Signs may include back or lower abdomen pain, difficulty in urination or change in colour of your urine
Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people
- Severe allergic reactions (anaphylactic reactions, angioedema). You should seek immediate medical help and inform your doctor straight away if you get symptoms such as breathing problems, swelling of face, lips, tongue, and/or throat with difficulty swallowing, wheezing, fast heartbeat, pale and cold skin, feeling dizzy or weak
- Hip fractures
Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people
- A medical condition of the eye called non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which may cause loss of vision to one of your eyes without any pain. You should urgently contact your doctor if you notice sudden or gradually worsening eyesight (see section 2 of your Patient Information Leaflet (PIL): “Sudden changes to your eyesight”)
Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data
- Bowel obstruction. A severe form of constipation with additional symptoms such as stomach ache, bloating, vomiting etc.
Other side effects
Very common side effects: may affect more than 1 in 10 people
- Headache
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Being sick (vomiting)
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Stomach pain
- Feeling weak or tired
- Upset stomach or indigestion
These usually go away over time.
Common side effects: may affect up to 1 in 10 people
- Feeling dizzy
- Burping
- Gas (flatulence)
- Bloating of the stomach
- Inflamed stomach (‘gastritis’) — the signs include stomach ache, feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- Reflux or heartburn — also called ‘gastro-oesophageal reflux disease’
- Gallstones
- Hair loss
- Change in the way food or drink tastes
- Change in skin sensation
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) in patients with diabetes
The warning signs of low blood sugar may come on suddenly. They can include: cold sweat, cool pale skin, headache, fast heartbeat, feeling sick (nausea) or very hungry, changes in vision, feeling sleepy or weak, feeling nervous, anxious or confused, difficulty concentrating or shaking.
Your doctor will tell you how to treat low blood sugar and what to do if you notice these warning signs.
Low blood sugar is more likely to happen if you also take a sulfonylurea or insulin. Your doctor may reduce your dose of these medicines before you start using this medicine.
For a full list of side effects, please refer to the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL).
The information on this website does not replace the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL), which you are advised to read in full. It is not intended as a substitute for clinical advice provided by your healthcare professional. Please contact your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your treatment and for clinical advice. Please refer to the PIL found in the product carton for further information on Wegovy®, further information on how to use Wegovy® and a full list of side effects, warnings and precautions.
Reporting side effects
▼This medicine is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information promptly. You can help by reporting any side effects you may get. See https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ for how to report side effects.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/. Side effects should also be reported to Novo Nordisk Limited (Telephone Novo Nordisk Customer Care Centre 0800 023 2573). Calls may be monitored for training purposes. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.