In this article:
1/ How to inject Wegovy properly
2/ Wegovy injection sites: where to inject
3/ Wegovy injection site reactions
When you get a new prescription medication, you may think about how long it takes to work or ways you can manage potential side effects — but the process of actually taking it may not cross your mind since the vast majority of drugs come in pill or tablet or form. With GLP-1 weight-loss medications like Wegovy, however, you need to give yourself an injection every week. And that can pose a bit of a learning curve. This step-by-step guide on how to inject Wegovy will tell you everything you need to know.
How to inject Wegovy properly
It won’t take long to get the hang of taking your Wegovy prescription each week. Here’s how to do it:
1. Gather your supplies
First, make sure you have access to soap and water so you can wash your hands. Grab a clean, sterile cotton ball or pad and rubbing alcohol to disinfect the skin where you’ll be injecting the medication. You could also use a premoistened disinfectant wipe meant for skin (not the kind for surfaces). You’ll also need an FDA-approved sharps container or other heavy-duty container with a tight lid, such as an empty coffee canister or laundry detergent bottle. Next, remove the box of Wegovy from your refrigerator. If you don’t mind giving yourself a cold injection, you can move on to step two now. Otherwise, you can wait 20 or 30 minutes to let the solution come to room temperature.
2. Examine your Wegovy pen
Wegovy pens come prefilled and in five different colors, based on their dose (0.25 mg to 2.4 mg). Check the pen to make sure it lists your correct prescribed dose. You also want to ensure the package is sealed, the expiration date hasn’t passed, and the liquid inside looks clear, not cloudy.
3. Clean the injection site
Wash your hands with soap and water, then sanitize the skin where you’ll be doing the injection. “Using a little bit of alcohol on a cotton swab on the site is fine,” says Dr. Brian S. Wojeck, M.D., assistant professor of endocrinology at Yale School of Medicine. You could also use a premoistened alcohol wipe.
Cleaning the area first prevents bacteria on the skin from getting into the injection site, which could cause an infection, says Dr. Brynna Connor, M.D., a family medicine physician in Austin, Texas. Do not touch the cleaned area with your hands until after you’ve completed the injection.
4. Inject your dose
Uncap the pen just before you’re ready to inject the medication. This will expose the tip of the needle (don’t touch it or you may stick yourself and contaminate the needle with germs). Press the pen firmly into the injection spot and hold the trigger button. You’ll hear two clicks: The first indicates the injection has begun, and the second tells you the injection is in progress. You’ll see a yellow bar and plunger slowly move down the view window. Wait five to 10 seconds, until the yellow bar stops moving and fully fills the view window, before removing the pen from the skin, Wojeck says. This will ensure all of the medication has been thoroughly injected.
5. Discard the pen
Because there’s a needle at the end of the injector pen, the pen should be thrown away in a dedicated sharps container. When the container is full, don’t toss it in the trash. Find out from your state or city’s health department or your local trash-removal service how to dispose of it properly. A local hospital or medical center may have a collection box or you might be able to drop it off at a household hazardous waste site.
Wegovy injection sites: where to inject
Wegovy is a subcutaneous injection, meaning it needs to be injected into a fatty area just under the surface of the skin. You have your choice of three places.
Stomach
This is one of the easiest places for people to see and reach. Wojeck recommends picking a spot at least two inches away from the belly button and rotating around each week. So one week go to the right of the belly button, then the next week the left, the next week above, and the next week below.
Upper arm
It’s fine to inject Wegovy into the fattier part of the upper arm, but it can be a little awkward for some people to reach one arm across to the other. The medication needs to go into fatty tissue to work, Wojeck says, so make sure you relax the arm first so you avoid injecting into a flexed muscle.
Upper thigh
The upper thigh can be easier to reach than the arm and allows you to sit down while doing the injection, helping you feel more in control. Be sure to inject Wegovy into the fleshier part of the upper thigh, not directly into the muscle.
Wegovy injection site reactions
Some people may experience skin irritation at the injection site, including rash, itchiness, or redness. These reactions are usually quite mild and clear up on their own, Connor says. More severe reactions, like a large rash, hives, or swelling should be discussed with your doctor.
Wegovy injection tips
Here are some expert recommendations for getting your Wegovy shot right every time.
Rotate injection sites
It’s fine to inject Wegovy into the same body part every week, but the exact location on the skin should be different each time. Rotating injection sites can lower the risk of skin irritation from the shot, Connor says.
Inject Wegovy into healthy skin
Do not inject Wegovy into skin that’s bruised or has a rash, cut, or other irritation or injury. “It might affect absorption,” Wojeck says. It could also make existing skin reactions worse.
Store pen properly
It’s best to keep Wegovy in the refrigerator to ensure it stays good until its expiration date. But if needed, Wegovy can be kept out of the fridge for 28 days at temperatures between 46 degrees F and 86 degrees F, according to manufacturer instructions.
Do Wegovy injections hurt?
It depends on the individual, but most of Connor’s and Wojeck’s patients say the injections don’t hurt since Wegovy needles are small and thin. Plus, Wegovy is injected into fatty tissue, not muscle, which is a less painful spot to get a shot.
The bottom line
Single-use Wegovy pens are easy to use and relatively painless for most people. Each dose comes in a different colored pen with a pre-attached needle. By making sure your hands and the injection site are clean first, you’ll reduce your risk of irritation and infection. The medication can be injected into fatty areas on the stomach, upper arm, or upper thigh. You can use the same spot each week, but try to rotate exactly where you do the injection to let your skin heal fully.
FAQs
You’ll know the injection has been finished when the yellow bar in the view window stops moving. You also should not see any medication seeping from the needle or on the surface of the skin when you remove the pen.
It’s a personal preference. Some people prefer to let their Wegovy pen sit out for about a half-hour before injecting, as they prefer the medication be at room temperature rather than straight from a cold fridge.
Wegovy can be injected any time of day, but Connor recommends doing it on the same day at the same time every week to establish a consistent routine.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be regarded as a substitute for guidance from your healthcare provider.