Medication safetyLast medically sourced: 21 July 2026

Wegovy® Pen: Important safety information

Read this information before starting Wegovy Pen and keep the patient leaflet supplied with your medicine. This page does not replace advice from your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.

Wegovy is a prescription medicine. It is not suitable for everyone. Completing a DarDoc assessment does not guarantee a prescription.

Do not use Wegovy if

You are allergic to semaglutide or any other ingredient in Wegovy.

You are pregnant.

You are breastfeeding.

Do not use Wegovy with another GLP-1 receptor agonist. Wegovy must not be used as a substitute for insulin.

Tell your clinician before using Wegovy

Tell your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse about every health condition and all medicines you use. In particular, tell them if you:

Have type 1 diabetes.

Have severely reduced kidney function.

Have severely reduced liver function.

Have severe heart failure.

Have diabetic eye disease or unstable diabetic retinopathy.

Have or have previously had pancreatitis.

Have delayed stomach emptying, or gastroparesis, especially if it is severe.

Have inflammatory bowel disease.

Use another treatment for weight management.

Are 85 years of age or older.

Take insulin or a sulfonylurea for type 2 diabetes.

Take warfarin or another similar oral anticoagulant. More frequent blood-clotting tests may be needed.

Are planning surgery or another procedure involving general anaesthesia or deep sedation. Delayed stomach emptying may increase the risk of stomach contents entering the lungs.

Are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, are planning pregnancy, or are breastfeeding.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Wegovy should not be used during pregnancy. Use contraception while receiving treatment. Stop Wegovy at least two months before a planned pregnancy. If you become pregnant while using Wegovy, contact your clinician promptly so treatment can be stopped and reviewed.

Do not use Wegovy while breastfeeding because a risk to the breastfed child cannot be excluded.

Stop using Wegovy and seek urgent medical help if you experience

Possible pancreatitis

Severe, persistent pain in the stomach area, which may move to the back. Acute pancreatitis requires immediate medical assessment.

A severe allergic reaction

Difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, throat, arms, or legs; rapid swelling under the skin; light-headedness; fast heartbeat; sweating; or loss of consciousness.

Sudden loss or rapid worsening of vision

Sudden loss of vision or rapidly worsening eyesight requires urgent eye assessment. Semaglutide has been associated with a very rare condition called non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy, or NAION.

Possible bowel obstruction

Severe constipation together with stomach pain, bloating, or vomiting requires urgent medical assessment.

Contact your clinician promptly if you experience

New or worsening vision problems, especially if you have diabetes or diabetic retinopathy.

Ongoing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea that makes it difficult to drink enough fluid.

Signs of dehydration, such as reduced urination, dark urine, or persistent dizziness.

Persistent severe digestive symptoms or symptoms of delayed stomach emptying.

Possible gallbladder symptoms, including persistent upper abdominal pain, fever, or yellowing of the skin or eyes.

A fast heartbeat, faintness, or persistent dizziness.

Any severe or persistent adverse effect.

Low blood sugar

Using Wegovy with insulin or a sulfonylurea can increase the risk of low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Your clinician may adjust your diabetes medicine and ask you to monitor your blood sugar.

Warning signs may include:

Cold sweat or cool, pale skin

Headache

Fast heartbeat

Hunger or nausea

Changes in vision

Sleepiness or weakness

Nervousness, anxiety, confusion, or difficulty concentrating

Shaking

Ask your clinician how to recognize and treat low blood sugar. Avoid driving or using machinery if you have symptoms that affect concentration or vision.

Possible side effects

Like all medicines, Wegovy can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Very common

These may affect more than 1 in 10 people:

Headache

Nausea

Vomiting

Diarrhoea

Constipation

Stomach pain

Feeling weak or tired

These effects are mainly reported while the dose is being increased and often improve over time. They should not be described as proof that Wegovy is working. Vomiting and diarrhoea can cause dehydration and may worsen kidney function.

Common

These may affect up to 1 in 10 people:

Dizziness

Indigestion

Burping

Gas or bloating

Gastritis

Reflux or heartburn

Gallstones

Hair loss

Injection-site reactions

Changes in taste

Changes in skin sensation

Low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes

Complications of diabetic eye disease

Uncommon

These may affect up to 1 in 100 people:

Acute pancreatitis

Low blood pressure

Dizziness or light-headedness when standing or sitting up

Fast heartbeat

Increased pancreatic enzymes on a blood test

Delayed stomach emptying

Rare, very rare, or frequency not known

Severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema

NAION, which may cause sudden loss of vision

Bowel obstruction

Read the leaflet supplied with your Wegovy pack for the complete current list.

How to use Wegovy safely

Use Wegovy exactly as prescribed. Your clinician will normally start treatment at a low dose and increase it gradually to reduce gastrointestinal effects. Do not change your dose yourself.

Inject Wegovy under the skin once weekly, preferably on the same day each week.

It may be used at any time of day, with or without meals.

Inject into the upper arm, upper leg, or stomach. Do not inject into a vein or muscle.

Rotate injection sites.

A doctor, pharmacist, or nurse should show you how to use the pen before your first injection.

Check the medicine name, strength, expiry date, and appearance before use. The solution should be clear and colourless.

Do not use a pen that is expired, damaged, previously used, stored incorrectly, frozen, or contains cloudy solution.

Do not share a pen.

Follow the instructions supplied with your pen because pen systems can differ.

If you miss a dose

If five days or less have passed since the missed dose, inject it as soon as you remember. Take the next dose on the usual scheduled day.

If more than five days have passed, skip the missed dose and take the next dose on the usual scheduled day.

Do not use a double dose.

If you use more than prescribed

Contact your doctor promptly. Overdose may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and dehydration and may require observation and supportive treatment.

Storage and disposal

Keep Wegovy out of the sight and reach of children.

Store it in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C, away from the cooling element.

Do not freeze it.

Keep the pen cap on when the pen is not in use to protect it from light.

After first use, store the pen for up to six weeks below 30°C or in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C.

Do not use Wegovy after the expiry date or if the solution is not clear and colourless.

Dispose of used pens safely and ask your pharmacist how to dispose of unused medicine. Do not place medicine in wastewater or household waste.

Report a suspected side effect in the UAE

Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any suspected side effect.

Emirates Drug Establishment: pv@ede.gov.ae · EDRUG call centre 800 33784

Novo Nordisk UAE safety: nnuaesafety@novonordisk.com

Seek emergency care first for severe or life-threatening symptoms.

Sources and review date

This page was medically sourced on 21 July 2026 from:

This page should be updated whenever the product information or safety guidance changes.