What dose does Wegovy go up to, and how does the schedule work?

Step 1: where treatment starts (0.25 mg, weeks 1–4)

The first pen contains 0.25 mg of semaglutide per dose. This is a tolerability step, not a therapeutic one. At this level, the medicine is doing very little to reduce appetite; its job is to let your digestive system acclimatise before the clinically meaningful doses begin. Most people notice mild nausea around the first few injections, keeping the pen in the fridge door and setting a consistent weekly injection day both help build the habit without drama.

Wegovy is injected once weekly, subcutaneously, into the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. Injection sites should be rotated. The Patient Information Leaflet that comes with every pen contains the precise storage instructions; the room-temperature window is limited, so refrigeration is the default. Never rely on a third-party source for those specifics.

At the end of four weeks on 0.25 mg, a prescriber reviews tolerability before moving you to the next rung. That review is not optional; the full clinical picture of how Wegovy is prescribed in the UK makes clear why skipping steps carries real risk.

Step 2: moving through 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg and 1.7 mg (months 2–4)

After 0.25 mg, the standard titration runs through 0.5 mg, then 1.0 mg, then 1.7 mg, spending roughly four weeks at each level. This is the phase where appetite suppression becomes noticeable for most people. Semaglutide works as a GLP-1 receptor agonist: it mimics a gut hormone that signals fullness to the brain and slows the rate at which the stomach empties. As the dose rises, that effect strengthens.

Side effects (typically nausea, loose stools, constipation or reflux) peak after a dose increase and tend to settle within one to two weeks. They are rarely a reason to stop, but they are a reason to stay in contact with your prescribing team. If a dose increase produces intolerable effects, a prescriber may hold the current dose for an extra four weeks before moving up; that flexibility is built into the licensed pathway.

Understanding when a dose increase is clinically appropriate is a conversation worth having with your prescriber early, so expectations are calibrated before it comes up.

Step 3: reaching the standard maintenance dose of 2.4 mg (from month 5 onwards)

2.4 mg per week was the maximum maintenance dose when Wegovy was first approved in the UK, and it remains the target for most patients. The STEP 1 clinical trial (68 weeks, published in the New England Journal of Medicine) reported an average body-weight reduction of around 15% at this dose, alongside lifestyle changes. Those are trial averages; individual responses vary, and a prescriber considers the full picture when assessing progress.

If fewer than 5% of body weight has been lost after six months at the maintenance dose, NICE's guidance suggests reviewing whether continuing is appropriate. That is not a rule applied mechanically; it is a prompt for a clinical conversation. At what dose Wegovy tends to become effective is a question many patients ask at this point, and the honest answer is that meaningful appetite suppression usually begins around 1.0–1.7 mg, with the full effect seen at maintenance.

For context on what the 2.4 mg level costs privately, this page on Wegovy pricing in the UK sets out what legitimate treatment typically includes beyond the medicine itself.

Step 4: the 7.2 mg option, who it's for and what changed

On 14 April 2026 the MHRA approved a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg Wegovy pen, designed as one pre-set weekly injection with a built-in covered needle that locks after use. This followed an earlier January 2026 approval of 7.2 mg as a dose, initially supplied as three 2.4 mg pens administered together each week. The single pen simplifies that considerably.

Phase 3 trial data reported average weight loss of around 20.7% over 72 weeks at 7.2 mg, narrowing the gap with tirzepatide (Mounjaro) at its highest dose, though the two medicines have not been compared head-to-head at these respective ceilings. If you want a full breakdown of what dosage Wegovy goes up to across the entire approved range, that page covers each step from 0.25 mg through to 7.2 mg. The MHRA's announcement of the 7.2 mg pen approval sets out the approved indication clearly.

The 7.2 mg pen is approved for adults with a BMI of 30 or above. It is not approved for the cardiovascular risk-reduction indication. The starting dose remains 0.25 mg regardless of which maintenance target is planned; the titration steps are the same. Patients already established on 2.4 mg can be considered for further titration up to 7.2 mg, subject to clinical assessment, and a full explanation of how many mg Wegovy goes up to is useful reading before that clinical conversation. Specific dose or pen availability is confirmed at consultation, not assumed.

If you are thinking about whether Wegovy might suit your circumstances, starting a free consultation with our prescribers is the practical next step. A named GPhC-registered prescriber reads every consultation the same day.