Wegovy Pen Instructions: Step-by-Step Guide

Wegovy FlexTouch Pen Components

Familiarize yourself with each component of the FlexTouch pen before your first injection. The pen contains several critical parts:

• Outer needle cap (gray): Protective covering that keeps the needle sterile until injection
• Inner needle cap (purple): Secondary needle protection that creates an airtight seal
• Dose window: Display that shows your selected dose as you turn the dose knob
• Dose knob: Rotating dial used to select your prescribed dose
• Pen body: Contains the medication and operates the injection mechanism
• Injection button: Purple button you press to deliver the medication
• Needle: Fine, small needle that delivers medication subcutaneously
• Medication cartridge: Contains the semaglutide solution inside the pen

Before Your First Injection

Before using your first Wegovy pen, watch instructional videos provided by your pharmacy or Novo Nordisk. Visual demonstrations are extremely helpful for understanding proper technique. Additionally, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist to demonstrate injection technique if possible.

Have your healthcare provider or pharmacist confirm your specific dose before your first injection. Write down your dose schedule for reference.

Before First Use Storage

Store unopened Wegovy pens in the refrigerator at 36-46°F (2-8°C) until you\'re ready to use them. Keep pens in their original packaging to protect from light exposure. Do not freeze pens. Freezing damages the medication and renders the pen unusable.

If you receive pens in the mail, they arrive in cooling packs designed to maintain appropriate temperature. Remove pens from shipping materials immediately and place them in your refrigerator as soon as possible.

Temperature Control During Use

When ready to inject, remove a single pen from the refrigerator. You must use the pen within 30 minutes of removing it from cold storage. After removing the pen from the refrigerator, allow it to warm to room temperature gradually during these 30 minutes.

Do not attempt to speed warming by using external heat sources like hot water, microwaves, or heat lamps. Allow the pen to reach room temperature naturally over the 30-minute period.

After-Injection Storage and Disposal

After injection, immediately dispose of the pen. Do not attempt to reuse the pen, refill it, or store it. Used pens should be disposed of as medical waste according to your healthcare provider\'s instructions or local guidelines.

Many healthcare facilities and pharmacies have sharps disposal programs. Ask your pharmacy about proper disposal options. Some communities offer sharps collection sites or home disposal kits.

Storage Tips and Best Practices

Keep pens in a dedicated, clearly labeled container in your refrigerator away from freezer sections. Some users find keeping pens in a labeled box or bag helps organize them and prevents accidental freezing.

Set a phone reminder for your injection day each week. This helps you remember to remove your pen from the refrigerator at the appropriate time to allow for warming.

If traveling, ask your pharmacy about travel-appropriate storage options. Keep pens cool during travel using insulated containers and cooling packs. Never leave pens in hot cars or direct sunlight.

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace and Gather Supplies

Find a clean, well-lit workspace where you can focus on the injection without distractions. Gather all necessary supplies:

• One Wegovy FlexTouch pen (at room temperature)
• Alcohol wipes or sterile alcohol pads
• Cotton ball or small gauze pad
• Sharps disposal container
• Your dose card or written dose schedule

Having everything within reach reduces stress and ensures you don\'t need to leave mid-injection to gather forgotten items.

Step 2: Inspect the Pen and Medication

Examine the pen\'s outer appearance for any signs of damage. Check that the medication inside is clear and colorless or slightly yellow. Do not use the pen if:

• The medication appears cloudy, discolored, or contains particles
• The pen exterior is cracked or damaged
• You\'re uncertain about the pen\'s integrity

If the pen appears compromised in any way, contact your pharmacy for a replacement. Never inject medication that appears abnormal.

Step 3: Remove the Needle Caps

Hold the pen upright with the injection button (purple button) facing down. Gently pull off the outer gray needle cap by gripping the cap and pulling straight away from the pen. The gray cap simply pulls off without twisting.

Next, remove the inner purple needle cap using the same gentle pulling technique. Pull straight away from the pen. The inner cap creates an airtight seal, so it may require slightly more force than the outer cap. Once the inner cap is removed, the needle is exposed and the pen is ready for dosing.

Keep the outer gray cap in a safe location, as you\'ll use it to cover the pen needle if you need to set it down before injection. Never reuse the inner purple cap after removal.

Step 4: Select Your Dose Using the Dose Knob

Hold the pen upright and look at the dose window. Turn the dose knob (the rotating dial on the lower portion of the pen) clockwise until the dose window displays your prescribed dose. The dose increments are marked on the window, typically showing doses like 0.25 mg, 0.50 mg, 0.75 mg, etc.

Stop turning when the dose window shows your correct prescribed dose. Confirm the dose against your dose card or written schedule to ensure accuracy. Turning the dose knob too far and then back will not affect pen function.

If you\'re uncertain about the correct dose, STOP and check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before proceeding with the injection.

Step 5: Prepare Your Injection Site

Choose your injection site from the approved areas: abdomen (at least 2 inches from your belly button), front of thighs, or back of upper arms. You can inject into the same body area each week but rotate the exact location within that area to avoid repeated injections in the identical spot.

If injecting into your abdomen, choose an area with soft tissue away from muscles and bony prominences. The thighs offer excellent injection sites with minimal nerve endings. The back of the upper arm requires someone else to assist with injection or significant flexibility.

Clean the skin at the injection site with an alcohol wipe using a circular motion, working from the center outward. Allow the alcohol to air dry completely (approximately 30 seconds) before injecting. Do not blow on the area or use non-sterile materials.

If you have bruising or other skin irritation at your planned injection site, select a different location at least 1 inch away from the irritated area.

Step 6: Hold the Pen Correctly

Hold the pen firmly and steadily with the injection button (purple button) facing down. Your grip should be firm enough to maintain control but not so tight that you accidentally press the button prematurely.

If you\'re nervous about self-injection, practice holding the pen without actually injecting several times to build confidence.

Step 7: Insert the Needle

At a 90-degree angle (perpendicular) to the skin, quickly insert the entire needle into your prepared injection site. The needle is thin and short, designed to deliver medication into the subcutaneous layer of fat beneath your skin.

Many users find that quick insertion causes less discomfort than slow or hesitant insertion. Take a deep breath and insert with confidence. The needle insertion itself is typically painless or causes only minimal sensation.

Step 8: Press the Injection Button

Once the needle is fully inserted, press the purple injection button straight down and hold it there. You\'ll hear a click as the injection mechanism activates. The click indicates that the medication is being delivered.

Keep the button pressed and count to 3-6 seconds. This ensures that the full dose is delivered. The medication delivery takes only a few seconds, but holding the button longer ensures complete medication transfer.

Step 9: Remove the Needle and Cover the Injection Site

While continuing to hold the button down, slowly withdraw the needle from your skin at the same angle of insertion (90 degrees). Do not jab or twist the pen as you withdraw. A slow, steady withdrawal is gentler and safer.

Release the button once the needle is fully withdrawn. You may see a drop of medication or blood at the injection site. If this occurs, gently press a cotton ball or gauze pad against the site for a few seconds to control minor bleeding.

You do not need to massage the injection site. Simple pressure from a cotton ball is sufficient. Some users apply a small bandage if desired, though this is optional.

Step 10: Dispose of the Pen and Clean Up

Immediately place the used pen into a sharps disposal container. Do not attempt to recap the needle or reuse the pen. Place the outer needle cap back on if you\'re concerned about the exposed needle, then place the entire pen in the sharps container.

Dispose of any cotton balls, gauze, or other used materials in regular trash. Wash your hands with soap and water after completing the injection.

If you don\'t have a sharps disposal container, ask your pharmacy about obtaining one. Many pharmacies provide them free or for minimal cost.

Standard Titration Schedule

Most Wegovy users follow a standard four-week titration schedule, increasing the dose every week:

• Week 1: 0.25 mg once weekly
• Week 2: 0.50 mg once weekly
• Week 3: 0.75 mg once weekly
• Week 4 and ongoing: 1.0 mg once weekly (maintenance dose)

Some healthcare providers use a slower 8-week titration schedule for patients sensitive to side effects. In this schedule, you spend two weeks at each dose level before increasing:

• Weeks 1-2: 0.25 mg once weekly
• Weeks 3-4: 0.50 mg once weekly
• Weeks 5-6: 0.75 mg once weekly
• Week 7 and ongoing: 1.0 mg once weekly (maintenance)

Higher Maintenance Doses

Some patients require higher maintenance doses for optimal weight loss. If your healthcare provider prescribes a dose higher than 1.0 mg, continue escalating by 0.25 mg increments every week (or every two weeks on the slower schedule) until reaching your target dose.

Higher maintenance doses include 1.7 mg, 2.4 mg, and potentially higher. Once you reach your target maintenance dose, continue using that dose weekly indefinitely.

Confirming Your Dose Before Each Injection

Before each injection, verify the correct dose against your written dose schedule or the information your healthcare provider gave you. This simple check prevents accidental administration of incorrect doses.

Keep your dose schedule posted somewhere visible or save it in your phone. If you\'re unsure about the correct dose for your current week, call your healthcare provider or pharmacist before injecting.

Approved Injection Sites

Wegovy can be injected into three approved areas:

• Abdomen: The soft tissue area of your belly, avoiding the area within 2 inches of your belly button. The abdomen is an excellent injection site because of the large soft tissue area and accessibility.
• Front of thighs: The outer front area of your thighs provides good injection sites with easy accessibility and minimal pain.
• Back of upper arms: The back side of your upper arms can be used, though most people require assistance from another person to inject themselves in this location.

Site Rotation Best Practices

Rotate your injection sites to prevent lipodystrophy (abnormal fat deposition or loss at injection sites) and to reduce injection site irritation. While you can use the same body area each week (for example, always injecting into your abdomen), vary the exact location within that area.

A practical rotation system: if injecting into your abdomen, imagine dividing the area into quadrants. Inject into a different quadrant each week, or rotate within those quadrants monthly.

Avoid injecting into the same exact spot more than once per month. This prevents tissue damage, scarring, and abnormal fat changes at injection sites.

Managing Injection Site Reactions

Minor injection site reactions like redness, mild bruising, or small bumps at injection sites are normal and usually resolve within a few hours to days. These typically cause no discomfort and require no treatment.

If you experience more significant reactions like persistent redness, swelling, warmth, or pain lasting longer than a few days, avoid injecting into that area again. Select a new injection location at least 1 inch away from the reaction.

Ensure the medication has warmed to room temperature, use alcohol wipes to clean the site, and inject with proper technique to minimize local tissue irritation.

Needle Won\'t Extend or Retract

If the needle won\'t extend when you turn the dose knob, or won\'t retract after injection, the pen may have a mechanical issue. Do not force the needle or attempt to inject. Contact your pharmacy for a replacement pen.

If the needle partially extends but won\'t fully come out, ensure the inner needle cap is completely removed. Sometimes the inner cap isn\'t fully separated, preventing the needle from fully extending.

Medication Leaking from the Pen

If you notice medication leaking from the pen before injection, the pen may be damaged or the inner cap may not be properly seated. Do not use the pen. Contact your pharmacy for a replacement.

Leaking after injection is normal and no cause for concern. A small amount of medication may leak from the injection site as you withdraw the needle. This is not a sign that the full dose wasn\'t delivered.

Pen Frozen or Too Cold

If a pen is accidentally frozen, do not attempt to thaw or use it. Freezing damages semaglutide and renders the medication ineffective. Contact your pharmacy for a replacement.

To prevent freezing, store pens in the main section of your refrigerator, not in the freezer compartment. If you accidentally stored a pen in the freezer, it\'s safer to discard it and request a replacement than to risk using damaged medication.

Difficulty Selecting the Correct Dose

If the dose knob is difficult to turn or gets stuck, do not force it. Forced turning may damage the pen. Contact your pharmacy for a replacement.

The dose knob should turn smoothly. Some resistance is normal, but it shouldn\'t require excessive force.

Medication Appears Cloudy or Discolored

Wegovy solution should be clear and colorless to slightly yellow. If the medication appears cloudy, milky, has particles, or is significantly discolored, do not use the pen. Contact your pharmacy for a replacement.

Abnormal appearance indicates the medication may have been frozen, overheated, or is otherwise compromised and should not be injected.

Injecting While Traveling

If traveling, pack your Wegovy pens in insulated containers with cooling packs to maintain proper temperature. TSA allows injectable medications in carry-on luggage with documentation. Bring a letter from your healthcare provider confirming that Wegovy is prescribed for you.

Never leave pens in a hot car or exposed to direct sunlight. If traveling to a very warm climate, consider requesting additional cooling packs or asking your pharmacy for backup pens in case any are damaged by heat.

Injecting for the First Time: Anxiety Management

It\'s completely normal to feel anxious before your first injection. Many people find that the reality is much easier than anticipated. The Wegovy needle is very small and thin, designed to minimize discomfort.

Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist to demonstrate or watch a video demonstration multiple times before your first injection. Deep breathing exercises before injection help reduce anxiety. Remember that many millions of people use subcutaneous injections successfully every day.

Injection Site Numbness or Reduced Sensation

Some people experience reduced sensation or temporary numbness at the injection site. This is temporary and resolves within hours. Avoid injecting into the same exact location repeatedly to prevent repeated trauma to that area.

Accidental Double Injection

If you accidentally inject twice in one week, contact your healthcare provider or poison control for guidance. Most likely they\'ll monitor you for side effects, as doubling a dose can intensify nausea and gastrointestinal side effects, but is not typically dangerous. Do not panic—accidental double doses occur and are usually manageable.