How to inject Wegovy 0.25mg correctly

What do you need to prepare before you inject?

Good preparation takes about two minutes and makes the injection itself straightforward. Start by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Take your Wegovy pen out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for around 15 to 30 minutes, injecting cold medicine from the fridge can sting more than it needs to. Check the label confirms 0.25mg and that the expiry date has not passed.

Look at the liquid through the pen window. It should be clear and colourless. If it looks cloudy, discoloured or contains particles, do not use that pen; contact your prescriber or pharmacy. You will also need an alcohol swab to clean the injection site and a sharps bin to dispose of the pen safely afterwards, a dedicated sharps container keeps disposal simple and legal.

One common misconception is that you need to prime the pen or expel a small amount of medicine before injecting, the way some older insulin syringes require. You do not. If you are wondering whether adjusting your dose is ever appropriate, our guide on whether you can inject half a dose of Wegovy explains the clinical position clearly. The Wegovy pen is pre-set and factory-calibrated; fiddling with it risks losing part of your dose. Uncap it, choose your site, and it is ready.

Where and how do you actually give the injection?

Choose one of the three licensed sites: the abdomen (at least 5cm away from your navel), the front outer thigh or the upper arm. The abdomen is the site most people find easiest to reach on their own. Clean the chosen area with an alcohol swab and let it dry completely, a wet site can sting.

Pinch a small fold of skin if you are injecting into the abdomen or thigh, though pinching is not always necessary and is a matter of personal comfort. For a full walkthrough of the technique at this stage of treatment, our page on how to use the Wegovy 0.25mg pen covers each step in detail. Hold the pen against the skin at a 90-degree angle. Press the injection button firmly and hold the pen in place for a full six seconds before lifting it away. That pause gives the medicine time to disperse properly under the skin rather than trailing back out as you withdraw the pen.

After removing the pen, apply gentle pressure with a clean swab if there is any minor redness; do not rub the site. The pen needle retracts automatically and the pen locks, so there is no exposed needle to handle. Drop it straight into your sharps bin. If you want a closer look at the broader Wegovy dose schedule and what comes after 0.25mg, the full dose guide covers the titration steps your prescriber will follow.

What should you expect after the injection, and when should you get help?

Some mild redness, itching or a small bruise at the injection site is normal and usually fades within a day. The most common reactions to semaglutide are gastrointestinal: nausea, loose stools, constipation or indigestion. At 0.25mg these tend to be mild precisely because the dose is low; they are most likely in the first few days after each injection and generally settle as your body adapts. Eating smaller, lower-fat meals around injection day helps many people.

Get urgent medical attention for severe or persistent stomach pain that radiates towards the back, with or without vomiting. This can occasionally indicate pancreatitis, an infrequent but serious side effect highlighted in MHRA safety communications for GLP-1 medicines. Other signs that warrant a call to your GP or 111: symptoms of a serious allergic reaction (swelling of the face or throat, difficulty breathing), or significant dehydration from repeated vomiting or diarrhoea.

If you miss a dose or are unsure how to handle a delay between injections, your Patient Information Leaflet and prescriber are the right sources of advice rather than online forums. Our guidance on a late Wegovy dose covers the general principles. You can also explore the full Wegovy overview for context on how semaglutide works during treatment. If you have concerns about your progress or side effects, our aftercare team is available seven days a week.

Starting Wegovy is a clinical decision, and if you have not yet had a consultation, starting a free consultation with our prescribers is the first step towards finding out whether treatment is right for you.