Should I use Wegovy? What to consider before you decide

Imagine you've already looked it up, here's what the numbers actually mean

Most people researching Wegovy arrive with a number in mind: 15%, maybe 20%. Those figures come from real trials and they're not inflated. The STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, randomised nearly 2,000 adults with obesity or overweight plus a weight-related condition. At 68 weeks, those using semaglutide 2.4mg lost around 15% of body weight on average. That's a meaningful result, and it came with lifestyle support alongside the medicine.

What the headline numbers don't tell you is how individual the response is. Some people lose more, some less. Factors like your starting weight, other health conditions, how your gut tolerates the medicine, and how closely you can follow the dietary guidance all play into it. A prescriber reviewing your case isn't being pedantic about this, they're trying to judge whether the benefit is likely to outweigh any risks for you specifically.

It's also worth knowing that semaglutide works gradually. The starting dose is low, increasing over several months, because that titration schedule is what makes the treatment tolerable for most people. Results build across that period, not overnight. If you want to understand more about semaglutide's mechanism and licensed uses in the UK, the NHS medicines page on semaglutide is a clear starting point.

Whether Wegovy fits your situation: the eligibility picture

The licensed criteria in the UK are a starting point, not a guarantee. Broadly, Wegovy is licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with at least one weight-related health condition, things like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, or obstructive sleep apnoea. Lower BMI thresholds can apply for some ethnic backgrounds under UK clinical guidance.

But eligibility isn't just a number check. A prescriber also looks at your medical history. Wegovy isn't suitable during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or if you're actively trying to conceive. It isn't licensed for under-18s. Certain conditions (including a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2 syndrome) rule it out, and a history of pancreatitis requires careful clinical discussion. Ongoing medications matter too, particularly for people using oral contraceptives alongside treatment.

On the NHS, access to Wegovy is through specialist weight management services under NICE guidance (TA875), and waiting lists are often lengthy. Many people explore what private Wegovy treatment costs as an alternative route, particularly if they don't meet the current NHS criteria or don't want to wait. Private access still requires a full prescription and clinical assessment; the difference is speed and convenience, not a bypass of safety.

If you're still deciding between treatments, it's worth reading up on the weight-loss treatment options available to get the broader picture before committing to one.

Side effects: what to expect honestly, and what needs urgent attention

Gastrointestinal effects are the most common: nausea, loose stools, constipation, indigestion, and burping are all reported regularly, particularly in the first weeks of treatment or after a dose increase. For most people these settle as the body adjusts. Fatigue, headache, and mild dizziness also appear in the trial data.

A small number of people experience more significant effects. Acute pancreatitis is a known, infrequent but serious risk associated with GLP-1 medicines. In January 2026 the MHRA issued a Drug Safety Update on this, advising that severe or persistent stomach pain, especially if it radiates toward the back and is accompanied by vomiting, needs urgent medical attention. Don't wait to see if it passes.

Gallbladder-related symptoms, dehydration from prolonged vomiting or diarrhoea, and allergic reactions are also listed in the safety profile. If any of those arise, contact your prescriber or seek medical help promptly. Any suspected side effect can be reported via the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme, that reporting is genuinely useful and is how the safety picture on newer medicines improves over time.

Living with these effects is manageable for the majority of people who use Wegovy, but it's worth being realistic before you start. Knowing what's normal helps you stay calm when nausea hits the first week; knowing the warning signs helps you act quickly if something more serious arises.

If you're leaning towards trying it, what the next step looks like

The decision to start Wegovy isn't one you finalise on a page like this, that happens in a clinical consultation. At nume, a GPhC-registered prescriber personally reads every submission the same day, and the consultation is free. There's no algorithm making that call. If treatment is clinically appropriate, your prescription is issued, and the pen is dispatched the same working day for free next-working-day delivery by DPD. It arrives in a plain, unbranded box, tracked on your phone, temperature-maintained in transit.

That practical picture matters because starting a new medicine takes some adjustment, and knowing the support is there makes a difference. Our prescribers are available seven days a week for any questions that come up once you've started. You can explore everything about Wegovy as a treatment in more detail, or take a closer look at the clinical factors that go into the prescribing decision before you begin.

There's no pressure here. If you're still not sure, reading about how people decide whether to go on Wegovy or whether Wegovy is the right choice for your situation might help you think it through, and you can also look at what to consider if you're thinking about trying it for the first time to get a clearer sense of where you stand. When you're ready, our clinical team at nume (sorry, at nume) is there to take it from here. Speak to our prescribers whenever that feels right.