Wegovy basics: what to know while you track
Wegovy (semaglutide) is a medication from Novo Nordisk, approved by the FDA in 2021 for chronic weight management in adults and adolescents with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, alongside diet and exercise. It is also approved to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events in adults with heart disease and obesity or overweight. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist: it enhances glucose-dependent insulin secretion, slows gastric emptying, and reduces appetite. The same molecule is sold as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and as Rybelsus in pill form.
In clinical trials, weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg alongside lifestyle changes produced statistically significant, superior weight loss compared with placebo and lifestyle changes alone. The most common side effects are digestive: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea, and they are most likely around dose increases.
Wegovy dose schedule
Wegovy steps up over about four months. Per the FDA prescribing information, treatment begins at 0.25 mg once weekly and increases every four weeks through 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 1.7 mg before reaching the 2.4 mg maintenance dose. Shotsy tracks your dose at every step, matches your pen colors, and charts your progress by dosage.
| Dose |
Phase |
Typical duration |
| 0.25 mg |
Starting dose |
Weeks 1 to 4 |
| 0.5 mg |
Step 2 |
Weeks 5 to 8 |
| 1 mg |
Step 3 |
Weeks 9 to 12 |
| 1.7 mg |
Step 4 |
Weeks 13 to 16 |
| 2.4 mg |
Maintenance dose |
Week 17 onward |
Your prescriber sets your schedule, and some people maintain at 1.7 mg if 2.4 mg is hard to tolerate. This table summarizes the FDA label for education only and is not medical advice.