Wegovy Dosage Chart
This chart shows the standard Wegovy dosing schedule exactly as published in the FDA approved prescribing information for Wegovy (semaglutide), the once weekly injection used for weight management. It is the schedule prescribers start from, presented here for education only. Your own dose is decided by your prescriber.
On this page: the dosing schedule, what if you miss a dose.
The published Wegovy schedule, week by week
Every dose below is one injection, once a week, on the same day each week.
| Week range | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg once weekly | Starting dose. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same drug, semaglutide, but their published schedules are different. The semaglutide dosage chart puts both schedules side by side.
How dose increases work
The schedule is built around slow, step by step increases, with a full 4 weeks at each dose before the next step. The early doses are there to let your body get used to the medicine. The full effect of Wegovy is expected at the maintenance dose, not at the starting doses.
Whether and when to increase is your prescriber's decision. They weigh how well the medicine is working against how well you are tolerating it. 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 extra weeks instead of following the fastest version of the schedule.
One reason the steps are spaced out is that semaglutide leaves the body slowly, so the level in your system builds up gradually over the first weeks on a new dose. If you want to see how long a dose stays in your system, our GLP-1 half-life calculator shows the fall week by week.
What if you miss a dose
The Wegovy label gives a rule based on how close the next dose is. If your next scheduled dose is more than 2 days away, take the missed dose as soon as possible. If your next scheduled dose is less than 2 days away, skip the missed dose and take the next one on your regular day. Never take two doses within 3 days of each other. If you are ever unsure, your pharmacist can walk you through it.
When prescribers pause or lower a dose
A prescriber may pause treatment, keep the dose the same for longer, lower it back to a dose that was tolerated, or stop the medicine. Common reasons include side effects that are severe or not settling, such as ongoing vomiting or diarrhea that risks dehydration. Treatment is also commonly paused before planned surgery, because these medicines slow stomach emptying, so tell any surgical team that you take this medication. People who are planning a pregnancy are generally advised to stop treatment ahead of time. The exact decision and timing belong to your prescriber, so raise any of these situations with your care team early.
Frequently asked questions
What is the starting dose of Wegovy?
The published starting dose is 0.25 mg once a week for weeks 1 to 4. The dose then rises in steps every 4 weeks: 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and then the maintenance dose from week 17.
What is the maintenance dose of Wegovy?
The standard maintenance dose in the label is 2.4 mg once a week, reached at week 17. If 2.4 mg is not tolerated, the label gives 1.7 mg once a week as the maintenance dose instead.
What do I do if I miss a Wegovy dose?
It depends on how close the next dose is. If the next scheduled dose is more than 2 days away, take the missed dose as soon as possible. If it is less than 2 days away, skip the missed dose and carry on with the regular schedule. Never take two doses within 3 days of each other.
How long does it take to reach the full Wegovy dose?
On the standard published schedule, the maintenance dose starts at week 17, so about 4 months after starting. In practice many people take longer, because a prescriber may keep them on a dose for extra weeks if side effects are troublesome.
Related: Semaglutide dosage chart (Ozempic and Wegovy side by side)