Ozempic / Wegovy

Ozempic and Wegovy are once-weekly injections that both contain semaglutide. In the UK, Ozempic is licensed for adults with type 2 diabetes, to help control blood sugar. Wegovy is licensed for weight management in adults, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more activity. At MedsRus, a UK prescriber reviews a confidential online consultation, including checks on your weight and health, before supplying either medicine.

Ozempic and Wegovy at a glance

For a full side-by-side guide, read Ozempic vs Wegovy: what's the difference?

How does semaglutide work?

Semaglutide copies a natural gut hormone called GLP-1. It helps your body release insulin when your blood sugar rises, slows down how quickly your stomach empties, and acts on the brain to make you feel full sooner and less hungry. In type 2 diabetes this lowers blood sugar; at Wegovy's doses it also helps people eat less and lose weight.

Ozempic for type 2 diabetes

Ozempic is used alongside diet and exercise, and often with other diabetes medicines. The usual starting dose is 0.25mg once a week for 4 weeks, then 0.5mg. Your prescriber may increase it to 1mg and then 2mg if your blood sugar needs more help. Keep having your usual diabetes checks while you use it.

Ozempic isn't licensed for weight loss, but our prescribers can prescribe it off-label for weight management when they judge it suitable.

Wegovy for weight management

Wegovy is for adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related health problem such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. It's used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased activity.

The dose goes up every 4 weeks to help your body get used to it: 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg, then the usual maintenance dose of 2.4mg. A higher 7.2mg dose is licensed for some adults. UK pharmacies have to check your weight before supplying weight-management medicines, so you'll be asked for verification as part of your consultation.

How to use the pen

• Inject once a week, on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without food.
• Inject under the skin of your stomach, thigh or upper arm, changing the spot each time.
• If you miss a dose, follow the advice in the leaflet for your pen. You'll usually take it if it's within 5 days, otherwise skip it.
• Keep unused pens in the fridge; check the leaflet for how long a pen in use can be kept at room temperature.

Side effects

• Very common: feeling sick, diarrhoea, constipation, vomiting, stomach pain, especially when starting or increasing the dose.
• Common: indigestion, burping, bloating, tiredness, dizziness, headache; low blood sugar if used with insulin or a sulfonylurea.
• Get medical help for severe ongoing stomach pain that may spread to your back (possible pancreatitis), pain in the upper right of your tummy or yellow skin (gallbladder problems), or signs of a severe allergic reaction.

Eating smaller meals and stopping when you feel full can help with sickness.

Who shouldn't use Ozempic or Wegovy?

Semaglutide isn't suitable if you:

• are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant (use effective contraception; stop at least 2 months before trying to conceive);
• have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2;
• have had pancreatitis, or have a serious stomach or bowel condition;
• have type 1 diabetes.

Tell the prescriber about all your medicines, especially insulin and other diabetes medicines.

How MedsRus prescribes semaglutide

1. Complete a confidential online consultation about your health, medicines and, for weight management, your weight.
2. A UK prescriber reviews it and recommends the right medicine and dose, or another option if semaglutide isn't suitable.
3. Your pens are dispensed by our UK pharmacy and sent chilled in plain packaging.

Ozempic and Wegovy FAQs

Are Ozempic and Wegovy the same?

They contain the same medicine, semaglutide, but are licensed for different things: Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight management. They also come in different doses.

Can Ozempic be used for weight loss?

In the UK, Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy is licensed for weight management. Our prescribers can also prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight management when they judge it suitable, and will explain what that means for you.

How quickly does Wegovy work?

Most people notice less hunger in the first few weeks. Weight loss builds gradually as the dose increases over the first 4 months.

What happens if I stop?

Appetite usually returns and some weight may come back, which is why it's used alongside longer-term changes to diet and activity.

Can I switch between Ozempic and Wegovy?

Only with your prescriber's advice. The pens and doses are different, so you may need to restart at a lower dose.

How is it delivered?

In plain, temperature-controlled packaging. Put the pens in the fridge as soon as they arrive.

Further reading

• Ozempic vs Wegovy
• Ozempic vs Mounjaro
• Weight loss treatments

Sources:

• NHS: Semaglutide
• NICE TA875
• MHRA: Drug Safety Update