Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue, meaning that it mimics the naturally-occuring GLP-1 hormone to stabilise blood sugar levels, stimulate satiety and in turn, encourage weight loss².
Wegovy is most effective when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity.
How Wegovy works for
weight loss
How Wegovy works for weight loss
How much weight can I lose with Wegovy?
People on Wegovy can lose up to 15% of their body weight over 12 months.
A study from 2021 followed 1,961 adults living with obesity or overweight with a related medical problem, and were randomly assigned the GLP-1 injections or a placebo.
After 68 weeks, those taking the GLP-1 lost an average of 15.3kg, whereas the placebo group lost an average of 2.6kg⁴.
How long does Wegovy take to work?
You may lose up to 5% of your body weight during this time⁵
Up to 10% body weight loss by 6 months⁵
Lose up to 15% of your body weight after a year⁴
There’s no shame in turning to weight loss injections to assist you on your weight loss journey. When combined with behavioural and lifestyle changes, you can maintain your healthy weight into the future.
“My weight would always impact on my sleep apnoea. Since Juniper , I really see the difference.”
“Juniper has been my weight loss miracle, we all need help on our weight loss journey, especially because it gets harder the longer it goes on.”
“Juniper's just given me my confidence back. That's what my friends are saying, “You've got your smile back, you've got your sparkle back,” which I know I'd lost.”
Whats the difference?
In the UK, Ozempic is licensed for the treatment of diabetes, whereas Wegovy is specifically designed for chronic weight management and is prescribed as a weight loss medication⁶.
Another difference involves the dosages of the medications, with the maximum dosage of Wegovy going up to 2.4 mg versus 1 mg for Ozempic.
These prerequisites are:
• You have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, indicating obesity
• You have a BMI of 27 or higher, categorised as overweight, coupled with at least one weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes
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You gradually increase your dose every 4 weeks, but you don’t necessarily have to increase to the highest dose — some people don’t tolerate the 2.4 mg dose very well.
Your prescriber will advise you on increasing your dose and what strength is best for your maintenance dose.
administer Wegovy
The most common side effects are usually gastrointestinal (GI) related, namely nausea and vomiting¹⁰.
These mild side effects are generally most noticeable right after an injection, and can last anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. But, the good news is that these should subside as your body becomes used to the weight loss medication.
Juniper's medical team can work with you to adjust your dose or adopt other interventions to manage side effects.
effects include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Stomach (abdomen) pain
- Headache
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Upset stomach
- Dizziness
- Bloating
- Burping
- Heartburn
- Nausea
FAQs
How much weight can you lose on Wegovy?
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A study looking at 1,961 adults living with obesity or overweight with a related medical problem found that participants experienced an average of 15% body weight loss over 68 weeks when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. [4]
These results may vary depending on individuals.
When will I start seeing results with Wegovy?
Everyone responds differently to medication, so the timeline for when you will begin to experience results with Wegovy can differ.
It’s best to speak to your healthcare provider who will be able to provide you with more personalised advice.
Wegovy vs Mounjaro for weight loss?
Wegovy and Mounjaro are both weight loss injections that work to reduce appetite and keep cravings at bay, but they contain different active ingredients — Wegovy contains semaglutide, while Mounjaro contains tirzepatide.
Mounjaro also belongs to a different class of medications. While Wegovy is a GLP-1 medication, Mounjaro contains GIP and GLP-1 agonists, meaning it uses 2 digestive hormones to assist with weight loss.
When it comes to weight loss outcomes, the combined GIP/GLP-1 of Mounjaro has proved to be slightly more effective — in fact, clinical trials have shown it to be the most effective treatment for weight loss available right now.
A study of over 2,500 patients from July 2022 found an average of up to 20.9% body weight loss in patients on GLP-1/GIP after 72 weeks.
In the same study, up to 90.9% of patients were able to achieve at least 5% weight loss, up to 83.5% were able to achieve at least 10% weight loss and 56.7% were able to achieve at least 20% weight loss in 72 weeks of treatment. [12]
In contrast, clinical trials on Wegovy show that people can experience up to 15% body weight loss over 12 months. [4]
Wegovy vs Saxenda for weight loss?
Saxenda is another weight loss injection that plays a similar role to Wegovy in reducing appetite but does this with the active ingredient liraglutide.
While both Saxenda and Wegovy belong to the GLP-1 class of medications, clinical trials have shown Saxenda to be slightly less effective for weight loss outcomes when compared to Wegovy.
Placebo-controlled and randomised clinical trials found that Saxenda resulted in 5-10% body weight loss, when combined with diet changes and physical activity, in comparison to the placebo group. [13]
A 68-week clinical trial, that included 338 participants, directly comparing the medications found that those using Wegovy lost around 15.8% body weight, while participants using Saxenda lost around 6.4%.
Who is eligible for Wegovy?
You’ll need to undergo a prescriber consult and meet certain eligibility conditions to access Wegovy.
To be approved for the weight loss medication, you’ll have to meet the following BMI requirements:
- You have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, indicating obesity
- You have a BMI of 27 or higher, categorised as overweight, coupled with at least one weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes
Wegovy isn’t suitable for everyone and there are a number of other reasons that exclude you from taking the medication.
Do not use Wegovy if:
- You or a family member have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2) [7]
- You have had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of the ingredients in Wegovy
- If you have kidney disease or liver disease
- If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding [8]
For more information, please reach out to your healthcare provider.
Should Wegovy be kept in the fridge?
Yes! Your Wegovy pens need to be kept in the fridge, at temperatures between 2°C to 8°C. If needed, before removing the pen cap, the medication can be stored between 8°C and 30°C in the original cartion for up to 28 days.
Keep the pens in the original cartion to protect them from the light and do not freeze the medication. If your pens have been frozen, exposed to light or temperatures above 30°C, or have been out of the fridge for longer than 28 days, the medication needs to be thrown away.
Can you drink alcohol while taking Wegovy?
In short, yes, you can drink alcohol while taking Wegovy as there aren’t any specific disclaimers on mixing the two. But, research on semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, shows that its effectiveness can be compromised if consuming alcohol in excess. [16]
It’s recommended that you limit alcohol intake to 1 drink daily for women and 2 drinks daily for men. Be sure to discuss this with your prescriber as they’ll be able to provide more tailored advice.
What if I miss a dose of Wegovy?
Try to administer your injection on the same day every week, to ensure consistency and maximise your treatment.
But, we also know that life can also get in the way sometimes and you may not be able to stick to your scheduled day. Here’s what to do in that event.
- If you miss a dose and the next scheduled dose is more than 2 days away, take the missed dose as soon as you can
- If you miss a dose and the next scheduled dose is less than 2 days away, do not administer the dose — instead, take your dose on the regularly scheduled day
- If you miss your Wegovy dose for more than 2 weeks, take the next dose on your scheduled day, or contact your healthcare provider for advice on next steps