What dosages does Wegovy come in, and how does the schedule work?

Step 1: Starting at 0.25 mg, settling in, not treating yet

The first four weeks of Wegovy are less about weight loss and more about tolerance. Your body is meeting a new molecule for the first time, and the 0.25 mg injection gives it space to adjust without the nausea and digestive discomfort that can hit harder if you go straight to a higher strength. Most people notice mild side effects here (a little queasiness after injection day, perhaps some fatigue) and they tend to settle as the weeks pass.

It can feel slow. Patients sometimes ask our prescribers why nothing seems to be happening yet, and the honest answer is that 0.25 mg is the runway, not the flight. Sticking with it sets you up for the doses that do the real work. You can read more about how the Wegovy treatment fits together if you'd like the broader picture alongside this dose breakdown.

Your prescriber will want to know how you're tolerating this level before moving you on. That review matters, it is not a box-ticking exercise.

Step 2: Moving through 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg and 1.7 mg

After the first month, a prescriber typically steps you to 0.5 mg, then to 1.0 mg at around week nine, and 1.7 mg at around week thirteen, and if you want a clear overview of what doses Wegovy comes in across the full schedule, that page lays it out in one place. The pace is deliberate: pushing up too fast increases the chance of nausea and vomiting, which is the most common reason people feel like stopping early.

Appetite suppression tends to become more noticeable as the dose climbs. Gastric emptying slows more noticeably too, which can affect when (and how much) you feel like eating. If a side effect becomes difficult at a given dose, your prescriber may suggest holding it for longer rather than pressing on. That is a clinical call, not something to navigate from the patient leaflet alone.

For context on how these strengths compare with the other licensed weight-loss injection, the semaglutide strength breakdown walks through the numbers alongside real-world considerations.

Side effects at these mid-range doses are still largely gastrointestinal: loose stools, constipation (which affects some people more than nausea), burping, and occasional headaches. Keeping well hydrated makes a difference.

Step 3: Reaching 2.4 mg, and what the 7.2 mg approval changes

The standard maintenance dose for Wegovy has historically been 2.4 mg per week, reached at around week seventeen. The STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found an average weight reduction of around 15% over 68 weeks at this maintenance dose in adults with obesity. That is a meaningful figure, though individual results vary considerably, and the trial involved people who also made lifestyle changes alongside the injection.

The picture shifted in early 2026. On 14 April 2026, the MHRA approved a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg pen, one pre-set weekly injection with a built-in covered needle that locks after use. The approval is specifically for adults with a BMI of 30 or above; it does not extend to the cardiovascular indication. Trials at 7.2 mg reported average weight loss of around 20.7% over 72 weeks, which starts to close the gap with tirzepatide's higher-dose results. If you want to understand what the dosages for Wegovy are and how 7.2 mg fits into the broader picture, that page covers it in detail. You can also explore how high the Wegovy dose goes for more detail on where 7.2 mg fits.

Whether 7.2 mg is the right endpoint for any individual patient is something a prescriber works out based on response, tolerability and clinical history, not something to assume from a trial headline. Specific dose and pen availability is always confirmed through a clinical consultation rather than in advance.

A note on cost and what the schedule means practically

Because Wegovy is not available on the NHS outside specialist services, most people access it privately. The dose you're on affects the cost, higher strengths tend to carry higher prices, and the monthly outlay changes as you move through the schedule. If you're weighing up what this costs across a full titration, the Wegovy cost guide sets out the UK pricing landscape honestly, including what to watch for in providers advertising headline prices that don't reflect the full picture.

One practical thing worth knowing: Wegovy pens need refrigerating between 2°C and 8°C. If your pen arrives on a Monday morning before the school run, get it straight into the fridge rather than leaving it on the kitchen counter while the day disappears. The Patient Information Leaflet gives the exact window for room-temperature use, follow that rather than any general guide online.

If you'd like a prescriber to review whether Wegovy is clinically suitable for you and talk through the dose schedule in your specific context, you're welcome to speak to our prescribers through a free consultation.