What dosage of Wegovy should I take?

The titration ladder: what the licensed steps actually look like

Wegovy's dose schedule in the UK is set out in the medicine's approved prescribing information and follows a stepwise pattern. Treatment begins at 0.25 mg once weekly, a dose chosen specifically to ease your gut into the medicine, not to produce weight loss at this stage. After roughly four weeks, the dose typically moves to 0.5 mg, then to 1.0 mg, then 1.7 mg, and finally to the 2.4 mg maintenance dose. Each step takes about a month, so reaching 2.4 mg from the start takes around five months in most cases.

The MHRA approved a 7.2 mg maintenance dose in January 2026, with a dedicated single-dose pen confirmed on 14 April 2026. Trials at this higher dose reported an average weight reduction of around 20.7% over 72 weeks, approaching the results seen with tirzepatide at its highest licensed dose. The 7.2 mg pen is licensed for adults with BMI of 30 or above; it is not automatically the right choice, and your prescriber decides whether it suits your situation. Details about the full range of Wegovy doses available in the UK, including the newer 7.2 mg option, cover this in more depth. For context on what mg of Wegovy you should start with at the very beginning, the starting dose page walks through that first decision specifically.

The schedule is not a ladder you climb at your own pace. A prescriber confirms each step. That matters because some people need longer at an intermediate dose, perhaps their body is still adjusting, or a period of illness set things back. Others reach 2.4 mg without difficulty and stay there. There is no universal timeline, only a licensed framework applied to the individual.

What your prescriber weighs up before confirming a dose increase

Deciding when (and whether) to move to the next dose is a clinical judgement. Several things bear on it. Side-effect tolerance is the most common factor: if nausea, diarrhoea or reflux is still disruptive after four weeks, a prescriber may recommend staying at the current dose for another month rather than escalating. That is not a setback; it is the schedule working as designed.

Response to treatment also matters. When to increase your Wegovy dose is partly about clinical response, if weight loss has stalled on a dose you are tolerating well, moving up becomes more relevant. Conversely, if someone is losing weight steadily and tolerating the current dose poorly, the clinical case for escalating quickly is weaker.

Medical history shapes the picture too. Certain conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract, a history of pancreatitis, or concurrent medicines can all influence how a prescriber approaches titration. This is precisely why a dosing decision is not something a general article (or a calculator) can settle definitively. The clinical team at nume reviews each case individually before any prescription is issued or renewed, covering current weight, medical history and how the previous dose has been tolerated. According to NHS guidance on semaglutide, patients should always follow their prescriber's advice on dose and timing rather than adjusting independently.

Timing, consistency and a few practical realities

Once your dose is confirmed, consistency in how you take it matters. Wegovy is injected once weekly, the same day each week works well for most people. If your usual day shifts (say your regular Monday order falls around a bank holiday, or you're travelling), the Patient Information Leaflet sets out what to do; your prescriber is the right person to ask for advice specific to your situation, and you can reach the team at our aftercare line seven days a week.

Injection site rotation (abdomen, thigh, upper arm) is recommended to avoid localised reactions. Storage follows the leaflet too: Wegovy pens need refrigeration, with a limited window at room temperature that the official guidance specifies exactly. Never adjust the dose based on storage difficulties; speak to a prescriber first.

If you miss a dose, refer to the Patient Information Leaflet rather than doubling up. Dose decisions, missed-pen guidance and switching questions are all clinical matters, this page explains the framework, but your prescriber applies it. You can find a broader overview of weight-loss treatment options if you are still deciding which medicine suits you, or explore how many mg of Wegovy is right for you in more detail before your consultation.

Private access and cost: a brief note before you consult

Wegovy on the NHS is available through specialist weight management services under NICE appraisal TA875, but waiting lists are commonly long. Private prescribing is the faster route for people who meet the clinical criteria but cannot access NHS services quickly. Private prices vary by dose and provider; since Eli Lilly's UK list-price adjustment in September 2025 the wider market has shifted, and a useful frame for understanding what you might pay is the Wegovy private price comparison page. What a legitimate private price includes matters as much as the headline figure: consultation, prescription, clinical review and aftercare should all be covered, not added later. At nume, one transparent price covers everything, no subscription, no automatic renewal, and a prescriber reviews every repeat order before anything is dispatched. If you are ready to find out whether Wegovy is clinically right for you and at what dose, start your free consultation and a GPhC-registered prescriber will review your answers the same day.