Where and How to Inject Wegovy in a Few Easy Steps

How to inject Wegovy properly and safely

There are several steps you’ll need to take to properly and safely inject your Wegovy doses.

1. Gather what you’ll need: You’ll need your Wegovy pen, an alcohol swab (or soap and water), a cotton ball or gauze pad, and an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container. If you’re sensitive to cold fluid, you may leave the pen out of the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes before use, but keep the cap on.
2. Check the pen: First, make sure you have the correct dose your doctor prescribed. Then, be sure the pen is undamaged, the drug hasn’t passed its expiration date, and the fluid in the pen window is clear and colorless. If you have any issues with the pen, call the drug manufacturer at 833-WEGOVY-1 (833-934-6891).
3. Clean the injection site: Wash your hands, then clean your chosen injection site with an alcohol swab or soap and water. Let the skin air-dry completely, and do not touch the area again before injecting.
4. Inject your dose: Pull the pen cap straight off. Press the pen firmly against your skin and hold it. You will hear two clicks: the first means the injection has started, and the second means it is ongoing. Continue pressing until the yellow bar stops moving (this typically takes 5 to 10 seconds).
5. Dispose of the pen: Once the yellow bar has stopped, slowly lift the pen away from your skin and place it immediately into a sharps disposal container. If a drop of blood appears, press it lightly with your gauze pad. For more information, check out this article about how to dispose of Wegovy pens.

For step-by-step instructions about how to inject Wegovy, check out the video on the manufacturer’s website.

You’ll inject a Wegovy dose once per week. You can inject the drug at whatever time of day works best for you, without regard to meals. You can change the day of the week that you take your dose as long as it’s been at least 2 days since your last dose.

Where to inject Wegovy

Wegovy can be injected into your lower stomach, the front of your upper thigh, or your upper arm. While all three sites provide the same level of medication absorption and effectiveness, each area offers different advantages for the user:

• Lower stomach: This is often the easiest site to see and reach during self injection. When using this area, ensure you stay at least 2 inches away from your belly button.
• Upper thigh: This site is ideal for those who prefer to sit down while injecting, which can help you feel more in control of the pen. Additionally, the thigh provides a firmer surface, which is helpful if you have trouble injecting into softer areas of the body.
• Upper arm: This serves as a great alternative for rotating your injection sites. However, it may be more difficult to reach on your own and could require the help of a caregiver.

The Wegovy pen uses a tiny needle that injects the drug into an area of fat just under your skin. Because the needle is so thin and short, many people don’t even feel it.

However, some people are sensitive to the injection of cold fluid. If you’re concerned about this, you can take Wegovy out of the fridge an hour or two before injecting your dose. But do not remove the cap until you’re ready to inject your dose. Injecting the drug once it reaches room temperature will help reduce any discomfort you might have from the injection.

How to store Wegovy properly

It’s critical that you store Wegovy properly to ensure that the drug will be fully effective:

• Keep Wegovy in a refrigerator at a temperature of 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C).
• Do not freeze Wegovy.
• Keep the drug in its original container to protect it from light.

You’ll need to discard your Wegovy pen if it’s been:

• frozen
• exposed to temperatures over 86°F (30°C)
• left out of the fridge for 28 days or more
• exposed to light

Tips for Wegovy injections

To help you maintain a safe and consistent routine, here are a few expert-recommended best practices for administering your weekly dose.

Rotate your injection sites

While you can use the same general area of the body (like your stomach) every week, you should vary the exact injection spot. Rotating where the needle enters the skin helps reduce the risk of skin irritation or the development of hard lumps.

Inject only into healthy skin

Always choose a spot that’s free of scars, stretch marks, bruises, or redness. Injecting into damaged or tender skin can be more painful and may interfere with how well the medication is absorbed into your system.

Know what to do if you miss a dose

If you miss a dose and your next scheduled dose is more than 2 days away, take the missed dose as soon as possible. If your next dose is less than 2 days (48 hours) away, skip the missed dose entirely and resume your regular schedule on your next injection day. If you miss two or more doses in a row, contact your healthcare professional for instructions on how to restart the medication. They may advise you to restart the dose-escalation schedule depending on how long it’s been since your last dose.

Create a firm surface

If you’re having trouble with the pen’s needle cover retracting, try standing up to make the skin on your abdomen more taut, or choose a naturally firmer location like the front of your thigh. Pressing more firmly against the skin can also help trigger the injection if the yellow bar does not start moving right away.

Takeaway

You can inject Wegovy into your upper arm, the front of your upper thigh, or your abdomen (at least 2 inches from your belly button). Keep the pen pressed firmly against your skin until the yellow indicator stops moving to show that the full dose has been dispensed.

For detailed injection directions, check out the tutorial video on the manufacturer’s website. These instructions are also described on the last two pages of the drug’s prescribing information, and in the Instructions for Use that come with Wegovy.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about injecting Wegovy.