{"id":626908,"date":"2024-02-20T12:02:38","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T17:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=626908"},"modified":"2026-10-27T21:45:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T01:45:11","slug":"how-quickly-does-wegovy-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/how-quickly-does-wegovy-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How quickly does Wegovy work? What to know before you start"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wegovy<\/a> (semaglutide) is an injected and oral prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic weight management in adults and children 12 years and older\u2014along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise. While individual results vary, a New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) <\/i>clinical study showed that people who took semaglutide lost an average of 15% of their body weight over a period of 68 weeks.<\/p>\n

Many people ask: How long will Wegovy<\/a> take to work? The short answer is that it may start working within a few weeks. However, to get the best results, you need to take Wegovy as prescribed, combining it with dietary changes<\/a> and increased physical activity.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

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Save up to 80% on Wegovy with SingleCare<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Different pharmacies offer different prices for the same medication. SingleCare helps find the best price for you.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWegovy 2.4 mg\/0.75 mL (4 Pens)\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t23666 - Hampton, VA\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\"Kroger\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t$1171.36\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\ti<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPrice with signup<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tGet free coupon<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\"Harris\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t$1171.36\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\ti<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPrice with signup<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tGet free coupon<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\tSee Wegovy prices at all pharmacies<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

How does Wegovy work?<\/h2>\n

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a hormone that regulates appetite and calorie intake. According to the prescribing information, Wegovy is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that works by binding to and activating the GLP-1 receptor in the brain. By doing so, it helps decrease appetite and regulate food intake, helping people eat less. It also delays stomach emptying, which makes people feel full for longer.<\/p>\n

How to take Wegovy<\/h2>\n

Wegovy is now available as oral tablets and autoinjector pens. The tablets should be taken once daily on an empty stomach in the morning with up to four ounces of water. It should not be taken with any other liquid. You should wait at least 30 minutes to eat, drink, or take other medications after taking a Wegovy pill. Your healthcare provider can teach you how to use Wegovy autoinjector pens. When selecting a Wegovy injection site<\/a>, you can choose from the stomach, thigh, or upper arm once weekly. Be sure to choose a different injection site each week.<\/p>\n

You can inject Wegovy at any time of the day, but it should be injected on the same day each week. If you need to change the injection day, you can talk to your prescriber or pharmacist to determine the best way to change it. If you miss an injected dose of Wegovy and your next dose is more than two days away, inject your dose right away. If you miss an injected dose of Wegovy and your next dose is less than two days away, you can skip the missed dose and take the next dose on the regularly scheduled day. If you miss Wegovy injections for more than 14 days, you can take your next dose on the regularly scheduled day or consult your healthcare provider on how to restart treatment. If you miss a Wegovy tablet dose, skip the missed dose and continue taking one tablet daily the next morning.<\/p>\n

Your healthcare provider will give you instructions on how to slowly increase your Wegovy dose. Generally, you will inject a dose of 0.25 mg every week for one month, then 0.5 mg every week during the second month. In the third month, you will inject 1 mg every week, and in the fourth month, you will inject 1.7 mg every week. For the fifth month and thereafter, your healthcare provider will let you know if you should keep the dose at 1.7 mg per week or increase it to 2.4 mg weekly. Wegovy tablets are typically started at 1.5 mg daily for 30 days, then increased every 30 days to achieve the maintenance dose, which is usually 25 mg daily. These titration doses help the body adjust to the medication and reduce the risk of side effects.<\/p>\n

You can take Wegovy autoinjector pens with or without food, but the tablets should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning, at least 30 minutes before anything else is consumed.<\/p>\n

How long does it take for Wegovy to work?<\/h2>\n

Wegovy starts working right away, reaching its maximum concentration in the body within one to three days for the pen and one hour for the tablet. However, it can take about one to four weeks for both dosage forms to start showing effects after consistent dosing because the medication has to build up in the body.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that everyone is slightly different, so the time that it takes to become effective may vary. Most patients will notice a reduced appetite within the first few weeks. The maximum effects can occur after taking it for a few months. The dose is gradually increased each month as well, helping the effects increase even more over the first few months.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/b> Can I start Wegovy at 1.7 mg?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Always remember that the rate of weight loss is different for each person. It may seem like the weight falls off for some individuals, while others struggle more. Studies have found that using Wegovy with lifestyle changes (like eating a healthy diet and exercising) leads to a significant reduction in body weight. What\u2019s more, the weight loss results tend to be sustained, meaning you are likely to keep the weight off with continued use of Wegovy and lifestyle changes. According to the NEJM<\/i> study<\/a>, after 68 weeks of treatment (1.3 years):<\/p>\n