All Wegovy Doses and How the Titration Schedule Works

Why the schedule exists and what each dose is actually doing

Semaglutide works by activating GLP-1 receptors in the brain and gut, reducing appetite and slowing how quickly the stomach empties. Those same mechanisms are also what cause most of the side effects people notice early on, nausea, bloating, occasional vomiting. The titration schedule isn't arbitrary pacing; it's designed to give your gut time to adapt at each level before the dose rises. The Wegovy treatment overview covers the mechanism in more detail, but the short version is this: starting low means far fewer people abandon treatment in week two because they feel terrible.

The 0.25 mg starting dose produces little measurable weight change on its own. That's by design. If you want a clear picture of every step from the starting dose through to maintenance, the full breakdown of all the doses of Wegovy lays out what each one is and what it's intended to achieve. The 1.7 mg step is where the clinical effect really consolidates. The 2.4 mg maintenance dose is what the pivotal STEP 1 trial studied, participants on 2.4 mg for 68 weeks achieved an average body-weight reduction of around 15%, as published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The NHS patient information page on semaglutide gives a plain-English summary of how the medicine works and what to watch for at each stage.

The 7.2 mg dose: what it is and who it's for

Since January 2026, a higher maintenance dose of 7.2 mg has been available in the UK following MHRA approval. On 14 April 2026 the MHRA confirmed a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg pen, one pre-set weekly injection with a built-in covered needle that locks after use. This higher dose showed approximately 20.7% average weight loss over 72 weeks in trials, narrowing the gap with tirzepatide's results at the highest doses. It's worth reading the guide to Wegovy pen doses if you want to understand how the pens themselves differ across the schedule.

The 7.2 mg dose is licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, it does not extend to the lower BMI threshold (27–29.9 with a weight-related condition) that applies to the standard maintenance dose. The starting point is still 0.25 mg; reaching 7.2 mg means completing the full titration, which takes well over a year. Whether 7.2 mg is appropriate for a given patient is a clinical decision made at review, not a default. If you're wondering about specific dose availability, that's confirmed during consultation, what's in stock can change, and a prescriber's advice always takes precedence over what any information page says.

When staying at a lower dose might be the right call

Not everyone titrates to 2.4 mg on schedule. Persistent nausea, significant vomiting, or other GI effects at a given dose are signals that the body needs more time. A prescriber may hold a dose for an extra four weeks rather than stepping up, this is clinically sensible, not a setback. Some people find a lower maintenance dose suits them well, particularly if weight loss is progressing steadily and side effects are manageable. The Wegovy doses guide goes into this in more detail, including what the evidence says about lower maintenance doses.

Equally, if you've been on 2.4 mg for six months and weight loss has stalled, that plateau deserves a proper clinical conversation rather than simply waiting. There's guidance on what to do if you've hit a plateau on Wegovy 2.4 mg, covering what the evidence says and when stepping up to 7.2 mg might be discussed with a prescriber. NICE's guidance on semaglutide (TA875) also recommends reviewing whether treatment is working after six months on the maintenance dose, fewer than 5% weight loss at that point is a signal to reassess. You can read the full NICE recommendation at nice.org.uk/guidance/ta875.

What this means for choosing where to get treatment

The titration schedule is the same whether treatment comes through the NHS or a private pharmacy. The difference is in access, speed, and the level of ongoing clinical support. NHS waiting lists for specialist weight management services are long in most areas, and Wegovy is only recommended by NICE within those specialist settings. Private prescribing through a regulated pharmacy means no referral and no waiting list, but the same clinical rigour applies: every prescription requires assessment by a qualified prescriber, and every repeat order should be reviewed before the next pen is issued.

If you're comparing private routes, the Wegovy price comparison for UK services sets out the cost landscape honestly. At nume, every order is reviewed by a GPhC-registered Independent Prescriber before anything ships, not a screening algorithm, a named clinician. Your pen arrives the next working day in plain, unbranded packaging via DPD, with tracking on your phone so you know exactly when it will land. The weight-loss treatment overview covers the full range of options available through our pharmacy if you're still weighing up which medicine suits your situation. When you're ready to take the next step, a free consultation is the place to start.