Title: Unraveling Wegovy: Duration, Initial Dose, and Outcomes
Using Wegovy for weight loss is a long-term endeavor that could continue indefinitely, as long as your doctor deems it safe and you can manage its side effects. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Wegovy for weight management in individuals with obesity or overweight, coupled with at least one weight-related health condition. It's prescribed to adults and children aged 12 and older, accompanying increased physical activity and a reduced calorie diet [1, 2].
To inject Wegovy, which contains the active ingredient semaglutide, you'll inject it under the skin of your abdomen, upper arm, or thigh, once a week, maintaining the same day each week [1]. The journey starts with a dose of 0.25 mg per week for the first 4 weeks, and your doctor might increase the dosage based on your tolerance to the initial dose [1].
- Weeks 5 through 8: 0.5 mg
- Weeks 9 through 12: 1 mg
- Weeks 13 through 16: 1.7 mg
- From Week 17 onwards: 2.4 mg (maintenance dose) [1]
After reaching your goal weight, your doctor may prescribe the 2.4 mg maintenance dose, which helps maintain weight loss. In case you find this dosage to be intolerable, your doctor might reduce it to 1.7 mg [1].
The FDA approved Wegovy for weight loss following clinical trials where participants experienced an average weight loss of 2\% in the first 4 weeks. This translates to losing more than 5 lbs for a person weighing 200 lbs [1]. The results continue as long as 4 years for some individuals [1].
To illustrate, a study published in 2024 reported that 67.8\% of participants using semaglutide had lost at least 5\% of their body weight or more, while only 21.3\% of participants in the placebo group achieved the same results [1]. After 104 weeks, 44.2\% of participants using semaglutide had lost at least 10\% of their body weight compared to 6.9\% from the placebo group [1].
To boost your weight loss results while using Wegovy, consider these measures:
- Reducing your daily calorie intake
- Increasing physical activity
- Choosing nutrient-dense foods for balanced nutrition while avoiding excess calories
- Managing stress effectively
- Getting quality sleep
Possible reasons for failing to lose weight while using Wegovy may include encountering a plateau or needing more time for significant weight loss. Factors such as taking certain medications, like beta-blockers, diabetes drugs, or antipsychotics, may contribute to weight gain [1].
Upon stopping Wegovy, you might regain the weight you've lost. A study reported that participants regained two-thirds of the weight they lost after 1 year of stopping semaglutide. To maintain weight loss, consider talking to your doctor about safely ceasing Wegovy and continuing with healthy lifestyle changes [1].
After reaching and maintaining your goal weight with the 2.4 mg maintenance dose of Wegovy, you might need to adjust it if you find it intolerable, reducing it to 1.7 mg [1]. When considering measures to boost your weight loss results while using Wegovy, reducing your daily calorie intake, increasing physical activity, choosing nutrient-dense foods, managing stress effectively, and getting quality sleep are all important [1].
