Semaglutide Dose Schedule: Ozempic and Wegovy by Week
Semaglutide is sold as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight management, and each brand has its own published dose schedule. This page sets out both semaglutide dose schedule tables week by week, explains how increases are decided, and points to the missed dose rules. It is education only. Your own dose is decided by your prescriber.
The Ozempic schedule, week by week
Ozempic is the semaglutide brand approved for type 2 diabetes. Every dose in this table is one injection, once a week, on the same day each week. The schedule starts low and rises in steps, and the later steps are not automatic. The label frames the moves above 0.5 mg as decisions the prescriber makes when more blood sugar effect is needed, which is why some people stay on an in between dose for a long time while others move up on the fastest version of the chart.
| Week range | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg once weekly | Starting dose, for initiation only. The label states this dose is not intended for blood sugar control. |
| Week 5 onward | 0.5 mg once weekly | The first dose intended for blood sugar control. |
| After at least 4 weeks on 0.5 mg | 1 mg once weekly | Optional increase, only if the prescriber decides more effect is needed. |
| After at least 4 weeks on 1 mg | 2 mg once weekly | Maximum dose for Ozempic. |
The same schedule, with notes on each step, is on the Ozempic dosage chart page, and both brands are shown together on the semaglutide dosage chart page.
The Wegovy schedule, week by week
Wegovy is the semaglutide brand approved for weight management, and its published schedule climbs higher than the Ozempic schedule. It has five steps instead of four, including a 1.7 mg step that Ozempic does not have, and it ends at a set maintenance dose rather than at a maximum that is only used when needed. Each step lasts at least 4 weeks, so the fastest possible route to maintenance takes about four months.
| Week range | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg once weekly | Starting dose, the same as Ozempic. |
| Weeks 5 to 8 | 0.5 mg once weekly | First increase. |
| Weeks 9 to 12 | 1 mg once weekly | Second increase. |
| Weeks 13 to 16 | 1.7 mg once weekly | Third increase. Ozempic has no step like this one. |
| Week 17 onward | 2.4 mg once weekly | Maintenance dose. If 2.4 mg is not tolerated, the label gives 1.7 mg once weekly as the maintenance dose instead. |
The Wegovy schedule on its own page, including what happens when a step is not tolerated, is on the Wegovy dosage chart page.
Reading the two schedules side by side
The first two steps are identical, which is why the early weeks feel the same whichever brand is prescribed. The schedules part ways at the top end, and they part for a reason. Ozempic dosing is guided by blood sugar response, so the label stops at 2 mg and treats the higher steps as optional. Wegovy dosing is guided by the weight management schedule studied in its trials, so the label sets 2.4 mg as the usual maintenance dose, with 1.7 mg as the fallback when 2.4 mg is not tolerated. Same drug, same weekly rhythm, different approved purpose and a different finish line.
Neither schedule is a promise about timing for any one person. The week ranges in the tables are the minimum time at each step, not a guarantee that the dose will rise the moment a new step becomes possible. Real schedules are often slower, and a slower schedule is still the published schedule being followed as the labels intend.
How dose increases are decided
Whether and when to increase is the prescriber's decision. Two things are weighed at each step: how well the medicine is working for its approved purpose, and how well it is being tolerated. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are most common while doses are going up, and side effects are the usual reason a prescriber keeps someone on the same dose for longer, or holds an increase back entirely. A prescriber may also pause treatment, return to a dose that was tolerated, or stop the medicine, for example before planned surgery, because these medicines slow stomach emptying.
The spacing itself is part of the design. Semaglutide has a half-life of about 1 week, so the level in the body builds up gradually over the first weeks on a new dose. Moving up before that build up has settled would make it hard to tell which dose caused a benefit or a problem. That slow build is one reason the labels insist on at least 4 weeks at a dose before the next step.
Keeping track of your place in the schedule
Because every step lasts at least a month, it is easy to lose track of which week of a dose you are on. Many people note the dose and the date of each injection on a calendar or in a phone reminder, and note the date of their next possible increase as well. Bringing that simple record to appointments helps the prescriber see exactly how long you have spent at each dose and how each step felt, which is the information increase decisions are based on.
Missed doses and schedule changes
The missed dose rules differ by brand, so they are not repeated in full here. In brief, the Ozempic label works on a 5 day window and the Wegovy label works on how close the next dose is, and for both brands two doses should never be taken within 3 days of each other. The full rules, worded as the labels give them, are on the semaglutide dosage chart page and on each brand chart page. If you have changed your injection day, missed more than one dose, or restarted after a break, ask your prescriber or pharmacist how your schedule should resume rather than guessing from a chart.
Frequently asked questions
What is the semaglutide dose schedule?
Both brands start at 0.25 mg once a week for 4 weeks, then rise to 0.5 mg. Ozempic can then rise to 1 mg and a maximum of 2 mg when the prescriber decides more effect is needed. Wegovy follows set steps through 1 mg and 1.7 mg to a 2.4 mg maintenance dose, with at least 4 weeks at each step.
How long do you stay on each semaglutide dose?
At least 4 weeks. The labels set 4 weeks as the minimum time at a dose before an increase, and prescribers often keep people on a dose for longer, most commonly because of side effects or because the current dose is already working well enough.
What is the maintenance dose of semaglutide?
For Wegovy, the maintenance dose is 2.4 mg once a week, or 1.7 mg once a week if 2.4 mg is not tolerated. Ozempic does not use the same maintenance wording. Its doses above 0.5 mg are optional increases based on blood sugar response, up to a maximum of 2 mg once a week.
Why do the Ozempic and Wegovy schedules differ?
They are approved for different purposes. Ozempic dosing is guided by blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes and stops at 2 mg. Wegovy dosing follows the weight management schedule from its trials and escalates to a 2.4 mg maintenance dose. The starting steps are the same for both brands.
What happens if I miss a week on the schedule?
The missed dose rule depends on the brand. Ozempic uses a 5 day window, while Wegovy depends on how close the next dose is, and neither brand should ever have two doses taken within 3 days of each other. The full rules are on the semaglutide dosage chart page, and your pharmacist can apply them to your situation.