A Beginner's Guide to Wegovy

Wegovy (semaglutide) is a once-weekly injectable medicine licensed to support weight management in adults living with obesity, or with overweight and at least one weight-related health condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea or raised cholesterol. It belongs to a family of medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which work with your body's own appetite signalling rather than acting as a stimulant or a fat blocker.

For many women, starting Wegovy is the first time weight loss has felt less like a fight against hunger. That relief is real, and it is also only the beginning. The medication does part of the work; the habits you build around it decide how comfortable, healthy and lasting your results will be.

How Wegovy actually works GLP-1 is a hormone your gut releases after you eat. It tells your pancreas to release insulin, slows the speed at which food leaves your stomach, and signals to your brain that you are satisfied. Semaglutide mimics this hormone, but at a much steadier level than your body produces on its own.

The practical effect is threefold. You feel full sooner during a meal. You stay full for longer between meals. And the mental noise around food - the constant thinking, planning and craving that many women describe - tends to quieten. Clinical trials show an average weight loss of around 15% of body weight over 68 weeks when Wegovy is combined with lifestyle changes, though individual results vary widely.

How it is prescribed in the UK Wegovy is a prescription-only medicine. In the UK it is available through specialist NHS weight management services for a narrow group of patients, and through registered private clinics and pharmacies for a broader group. A responsible prescriber will always take a full medical history, check your BMI, ask about your mental health and eating history, and screen for conditions where Wegovy is not appropriate - including a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, pancreatitis, or current pregnancy.

Be cautious of any service that will prescribe without a proper consultation, does not offer follow-up, or ships from an unregulated source. This medication is safe when used correctly and monitored properly; it is not something to buy off social media.

The dose escalation schedule Wegovy is started at a low dose and increased in steps, typically every four weeks, to give your body time to adjust. The standard schedule is 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg, with the 2.4 mg dose being the licensed maintenance dose. Some people stay on a lower dose if it is working well and tolerated better.

Each step up is where side effects most commonly appear or return. This is normal and expected. If a step feels too much, your clinician may keep you at the previous dose for longer rather than pushing on regardless.

What the first month often feels like - A noticeably smaller appetite, sometimes within days - Feeling full after only a few mouthfuls - Mild nausea, especially in the evenings or after fatty meals - Occasional constipation or looser stools - Slight fatigue for the first week or two - A quieter relationship with food - fewer cravings, less snacking

Most of these effects settle as your body adapts. The women who cope best in month one tend to eat smaller portions of familiar foods, keep water and electrolytes within easy reach, and resist the temptation to eat as little as possible just because hunger has vanished.

What good progress looks like Weight loss on Wegovy is rarely linear. A steady average of around 0.5 to 1% of your body weight per week is a healthy pace once you are on an effective dose. Plateaus of two or three weeks are normal, especially around your menstrual cycle or after a dose increase. What matters more than any single week on the scale is the trend across a month or two.

Take a body measurement or a photograph every four weeks in the same clothes and light. Muscle, water and fat all shift at different rates, and the scale alone will mislead you.

Building the foundations that make Wegovy work Think of the medication as a tailwind. It makes the journey easier, but you still need to steer.

• Protein at every meal to protect muscle as you lose weight
• Enough fibre and water to keep digestion comfortable
• Two to three short strength sessions each week
• Consistent sleep, because poor sleep blunts appetite regulation
• A relationship with food that you would be happy to keep for life

Questions worth asking your prescriber - What dose are we aiming for, and how quickly? - What side effects should prompt me to contact you sooner? - How will we monitor my progress and health markers? - What is the plan if I plateau, or if I want to stop in future? - Are there interactions with my other medications or supplements?

Wegovy is not a shortcut and it is not a life sentence. Used thoughtfully, with the right support around it, it can be the moment a difficult relationship with weight finally begins to loosen.