Wegovy can interact with other medicines
When you decide to take Wegovy, you must let your healthcare provider know which other medicines you may be taking. This is because Wegovy can interact with other drugs making them less effective or can cause dangerous effects if used together.
We will take you through which medications interact with Wegovy and which you may need to avoid where possible when starting your weight loss treatment.
Reviewed by: Amie Anand
Published: February 2025
Next review: February 2028
If you are taking medicine for type 1 or type 2 diabetes, such as insulin, vildagliptin, tolbutamide, metformin and gliclazide, you need to tell the healthcare professional who is prescribing Wegovy for you. This is because both diabetes drugs and Wegovy lower your blood sugar levels.1
If these types of drugs are taken together it can cause you to have a dangerously low blood sugar, leading to:
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Fast heartbeat
- Confusion
- Sweatiness and body shakes.
These symptoms are associated with hypoglycaemia (extreme low blood sugar), which is when your blood sugar drops below 4 mmol/l.
The active ingredient in Wegovy, semaglutide, can reduce the blood thinning effect of some anticoagulants, like acenocoumarol. If you have a heart condition, you need to disclose this before taking Wegovy. Your GP may be able to adjust the dose of your medication to make sure you aren’t losing any of the positive effects of the drugs.1
Medicines like somapacitan and somatrogon, used to treat growth hormone deficiencies, can increase your blood sugar levels. This can impact Wegovy which lowers your blood sugar. If you are taking medication like this, make sure your GP knows beforehand as they will be able to adjust your dose to account for the effects somapacitan and somatrogon have on your blood sugar. They may also suggest an alternative weight loss medicine.1
Some drugs used to treat depression called SSRIs can cause serotonin syndrome if they are taken with another medication. This condition happens when you have too much serotonin in your body.
It causes symptoms like:
- Confusion
- Sweating and shivering
- Diarrhoea
- Muscle twitching and agitation.2
It is not a common condition, but it can be serious if it happens. Stop using the weight loss medication immediately if you experience these symptoms and get advice from your GP.2
Call 999 immediately if you, or someone you know, experience severe symptoms such as:
- Fitting (seizures)
- An irregular heartbeat
- Loss of consciousness.2
The use of antibiotics with Wegovy can cause severe low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). Symptoms include sweating, tiredness, confusion, weakness, hunger and sweating. If you are taking Wegovy and are taking antibiotics for a short-term illness, tell your doctor if you experience these symptoms.3
Other weight loss medications
You should not take more than one weight loss medication at a time. So, you can’t use Wegovy with Mounjaro or orlistat. This is because it can increase your chance of developing side effects, like nausea vomiting and diarrhoea. It can potentially be dangerous.
Tell your doctor if you are already taking a weight loss medicine before starting to use Wegovy. You can change your weight loss medicine but there is no additional benefit of taking more than one at the same time.4,5
- Semaglutide | Interactions | BNF content published by NICE. Accessed January 20, 2025. https://bnf.nice.org.uk/interactions/semaglutide/
- Side effects - Antidepressants. nhs.uk. February 5, 2021. Accessed January 24, 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/medicines-and-psychiatry/antidepressants/side-effects/
- Amoxicillin / clarithromycin / lansoprazole and Wegovy Interactions - Drugs.com. Accessed February 4, 2025. https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/amoxicillin-clarithromycin-lansoprazole-with-wegovy-188-0-3878-19763.html
- Prescription Medications to Treat Overweight & Obesity - NIDDK. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Accessed January 28, 2025. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/prescription-medications-treat-overweight-obesity
- Drug Interaction Report: Mounjaro, Wegovy. Drugs.com. Accessed February 4, 2025. https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=3878-19763,4363-20051