How many mg does Wegovy go up to — and what decides your final dose?

What the licensed UK dose schedule actually looks like

Wegovy is injected once a week, and the dose climbs in four stages. Treatment begins at 0.25 mg, the step that exists purely to help your body adjust rather than to produce meaningful weight loss. After four weeks that rises to 0.5 mg, then 1.0 mg, then 1.7 mg, with roughly a month at each level. The standard maintenance dose (2.4 mg) is where most people arrive at around week 16. For a fuller look at each stage and what to expect from them, the Wegovy dose stages page covers the clinical reasoning behind each step.

Dose increases aren't automatic. Your prescriber reviews how well you've tolerated the previous level before moving you up. If side effects are significant at one stage, the schedule can be paused at that dose for longer. If you're curious about what dose Wegovy goes up to and how the ceiling has changed with recent MHRA approvals, that page walks through the full range now available.

The NHS medicines page for semaglutide sets out the standard schedule and lists what to tell your prescriber before starting, which is a useful grounding read alongside any clinical consultation.

The 7.2 mg dose: who it's for and what the evidence says

In January 2026, the MHRA approved semaglutide 7.2 mg as a higher maintenance option, initially supplied as three 2.4 mg pens administered weekly. On 14 April 2026, a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg pen with a built-in covered needle that locks after use received separate approval, tidier and more practical for most people. Clinical trial data at this dose reported an average weight reduction of around 20.7% over 72 weeks, which sits noticeably closer to tirzepatide results than the 2.4 mg figure does. For context on how the two medicines compare, the Wegovy overview explores the head-to-head evidence.

The 7.2 mg approval applies specifically to adults with a BMI of 30 or above, it is not licensed at the lower 27–29.9 threshold, and it is not approved for the cardiovascular risk-reduction indication. The starting dose is still 0.25 mg; 7.2 mg is the ceiling, not an entry point. Whether your prescriber considers it appropriate depends on your response at 2.4 mg, your tolerance of the treatment, and the broader clinical picture.

If you're thinking about what the pen itself contains, the mg-per-pen breakdown explains each pen's contents in detail.

What drives the decision about where your dose settles

Most people work through the titration schedule and stay at 2.4 mg. Some reach that dose and find their prescriber considers the newer 7.2 mg ceiling worth discussing, particularly where the response has plateaued. A smaller number find they do well at an intermediate dose and don't need to go further, the goal is the lowest dose that gives a meaningful clinical effect without unacceptable side effects.

The main factor that slows or limits titration is gastrointestinal tolerance. Nausea, loose stools and bloating are the most common complaints and are typically most pronounced in the first week or two after a dose increase. They usually settle. But if they don't, that's a conversation for your prescriber rather than something to push through alone. Guidance on when symptoms warrant attention is worth reviewing before you start; the frequently asked questions section covers several of the queries our prescribers hear most often at this stage.

There's also a cost dimension to the decision, particularly for people on a private prescription. The per-pen price differs by strength, so moving to 7.2 mg affects what you spend each month. The Wegovy cost page sets out the honest price context without burying any surprises.

Treatment decisions are made afresh at every review. At nume, a GPhC-registered prescriber reads your consultation and any supporting evidence personally (a real clinician, not automated processing) before any prescription is issued or renewed. If you'd like to understand whether Wegovy is clinically suitable for you, and at what stage in the schedule that conversation would begin, you can start your free consultation at any point. There's no obligation and the clinical review happens the same day for orders placed before noon.