Semaglutide

How to use Semaglutide

One injection, same day weekly. Semaglutide for weight management is injected under the skin once a week, at any time of day, with or without food. Most people pick a fixed day and set a reminder, because the weekly rhythm is easy to lose track of.

Choose and rotate injection sites. The approved sites are the abdomen, the thigh and the upper arm. The site can be changed from week to week. Rotating between sites is standard practice for injections under the skin and helps avoid repeated irritation in one spot.

Use a fresh needle every time. Attach a new needle for each injection and remove it afterwards, storing the pen without a needle attached. The product information says this helps prevent blocked needles, contamination, infection, leaking solution and inaccurate dosing. Compatible needles are 30G, 31G or 32G.

Check the liquid before injecting. Look at the solution first. It should be clear and colourless. The product information says not to use the pen if the liquid looks otherwise, or if it has been frozen at any point. Pens must never be shared between people.

Follow the pack instructions exactly. Each pen type has its own instructions for use inside the carton, and the product information asks patients to read them carefully before the first injection. With a single-dose pen you press it firmly against the skin until the yellow bar stops moving.

If you miss a dose. Take a missed dose as soon as possible, as long as fewer than five days have passed. If more than five days have gone by, skip it and take the next dose on the normal day. Ask the prescriber before restarting after several missed doses.

Moving your weekly dosing day. The day of the week can be changed if needed, provided at least three days, meaning more than 72 hours, separate one dose from the next. After moving to a new day, carry on with the once-weekly pattern from there.

Storing the pen correctly. Before first use, keep the pen in the fridge between 2°C and 8°C, away from the cooling element, and never freeze it. Keep the cap on to protect it from light. After first use a FlexTouch pen keeps for six weeks below 30°C.

Common side effects

Stop and get urgent medical help if (seek medical help immediately): Severe, persistent stomach pain, often spreading through to the back, Sudden loss of vision, including partial loss in one eye, Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or trouble breathing, Severe stomach pain with bloating, vomiting and no bowel movements, Pain under the right ribs with fever or yellowing skin, Vomiting or diarrhoea so severe that you cannot keep fluids down, Shakiness, confusion or sweating if you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea

Very common (very common (≥1/10)): Feeling sick (nausea), Being sick (vomiting), Diarrhoea, Constipation, Stomach pain, Headache, Tiredness

Common (common (≥1/100 to <1/10)): Dizziness, Altered sense of taste, Unusual skin sensations such as tingling or numbness, Indigestion, heartburn or acid reflux, Inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis), Burping, wind or a bloated stomach, Gallstones, Hair loss, Reactions where the injection was given, Low blood sugar, in people who also have type 2 diabetes, Worsening of diabetic eye disease, in people with type 2 diabetes

Uncommon (uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100)): Inflammation of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis), The stomach emptying more slowly than usual, A faster heart rate, Low blood pressure, Feeling dizzy on standing up (orthostatic hypotension), Raised amylase and lipase, two pancreatic enzymes, in blood tests

Rare (rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000)): Severe allergic reaction affecting the whole body (anaphylaxis), Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat (angioedema)

Very rare (very rare (<1/10,000)): Sudden loss of vision caused by damage to the optic nerve

Reported, frequency not known (frequency not known): Blockage of the bowel (intestinal obstruction)