Wegovy Video Guide: How to Use Your Pen Step by Step

What the official guidance says before you press the button

The starting point for injection technique is the semaglutide patient guidance published on the NHS medicines pages. It confirms that Wegovy is given once a week as a subcutaneous injection, meaning just under the skin, not into muscle. Three sites are licensed: the stomach (at least two inches from the navel), the front of the thigh, or the outer upper arm. Rotating among them each week reduces localised reactions such as redness or firmness at the skin.

Before injecting, remove the pen from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for around 15–30 minutes, a cold injection is noticeably more uncomfortable. Check the liquid through the viewing window: it should be clear or almost clear, colourless to slightly yellow, and free of visible particles. If it looks cloudy, discoloured or contains flakes, do not use that pen and contact your pharmacy.

Wash your hands thoroughly. Clean the injection site with an alcohol swab and allow it to dry completely, injecting through damp skin stings more than it needs to. Pull off the pen cap, attach a new needle (twist until snug), then pull off both needle caps. You are ready.

If you prefer to see the process demonstrated before your first attempt, our video showing how to take Wegovy walks through each of these preparation steps clearly, and our step-by-step Wegovy injection video shows the full sequence in real time, which many people find easier to follow than written instructions alone.

The injection itself: what the trial data tells us about adherence

In the STEP 1 trial (68 weeks, adults with obesity, semaglutide 2.4 mg versus placebo, published in the New England Journal of Medicine) participants who maintained their weekly injection schedule achieved around 15% average body-weight reduction. Adherence was central. Missing injections, particularly during the early dose-escalation phase, can increase the likelihood of nausea returning when you restart, and interruptions longer than two weeks should be discussed with your prescriber before you continue.

To inject: pinch a fold of skin lightly, hold the pen at 90 degrees to the skin, press it flat against the site and hold down the injection button until you hear or feel a click. Keep the pen pressed in for ten full seconds before removing it, this ensures the full dose is delivered. You will usually see the dose indicator move to show the injection is complete.

Do not rub the site afterwards. A little redness or a small raised area is normal and settles within minutes. If you would like a visual walkthrough of this process, our Wegovy injection video guide covers the full hold-and-release technique.

Some patients find the first injection nerve-wracking, that is completely understandable. It is a new skill, and the pen mechanism feels unfamiliar until you have used it a handful of times.

Needle safety, disposal and what happens after the injection

Remove the needle immediately after each injection. Never recap it with two hands, use the outer needle cap one-handed or a recapping device, then unscrew the needle from the pen. Needles are sharps: they must go into a dedicated sharps container, not a household bin. Your local pharmacy or GP surgery will accept full containers for disposal.

Replace the pen cap and return the pen to the fridge. The pen carries multiple weekly doses; the dose counter on the side shows how many remain. Check before each injection, running out mid-week is avoidable with a little forward planning, and knowing where to get extra Wegovy needles is worth sorting before you need them.

Set a weekly reminder on your phone for the same day each week. If you miss a dose and it is within five days of your scheduled injection day, take it as soon as you remember. If more than five days have passed, skip that dose and resume on your usual day the following week. Do not take two doses to make up for a missed one. For anything less straightforward than that, the Patient Information Leaflet is the primary reference, and our clinical team is reachable if you have questions about your specific situation.

For a visual run-through of the full weekly routine, including needle change and disposal, our Wegovy injection technique video covers the post-injection steps in detail.

When to pause and when to get medical help

Most side effects with Wegovy are gastrointestinal: nausea, loose stools, constipation, indigestion. They tend to be most noticeable after a dose increase and settle within a week or two for most people. Staying hydrated and eating smaller, lower-fat meals during the first few weeks reduces the severity considerably.

There are symptoms that require you to stop and seek urgent care rather than waiting to see how things settle. Severe stomach pain that does not ease and radiates toward the back (with or without vomiting) can indicate pancreatitis. The MHRA flagged this specifically in a Drug Safety Update for GLP-1 receptor agonists; do not inject your next dose until you have spoken to a clinician. Signs of a serious allergic reaction (throat swelling, difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat) need emergency attention. You can report any suspected side effect directly at the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

If you are considering Wegovy for weight management and want to understand the full picture before starting, our overview of Wegovy for weight loss in the UK covers eligibility, how treatment is structured and what clinical supervision looks like in practice. Wegovy is not the only injectable option available; if you want to compare approaches, the weight-loss treatment overview sets out the current landscape clearly.