Wegovy pills are an oral form of semaglutide used for weight management that contain the same active ingredient as Wegovy injectable pens, but are taken once a day by mouth rather than once a week by injection.

Like all prescription medicines, the Wegovy pill can cause side effects. Some are common and may improve as your body adjusts to treatment, while others are less common and may need further medical attention. Before starting any semaglutide treatment, you should speak to your pharmacist, read the patient information leaflet, and make sure the medicine is both safe and clinically suitable for you.

The most common side effects of Wegovy are gastrointestinal. This means they affect the stomach and digestive system. Common Wegovy side effects can include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Stomach pain
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Bloating
• Belching or burping
• Indigestion or heartburn
• Excess gas
• Gastroenteritis
• Low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes
• Hair loss
• Changes in skin sensation, such as sensitive skin, tingling, burning, or prickling sensations

Not everyone will experience side effects, and not everyone will experience them with the same severity. Some people may only have mild symptoms, while others may find side effects difficult enough to speak to their doctor about changing dose, delaying dose escalation, or stopping treatment.

Wegovy contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. GLP-1 medicines affect appetite, fullness, digestion, and blood sugar control. Because they slow the emptying of food from the stomach, digestive side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, and stomach discomfort are among the most common.

These side effects are more likely during the early stages of treatment or when the dose is increased. This is why Wegovy tablets are started at a low dose and increased gradually.

Nausea is one of the most commonly reported side effects of Wegovy treatment.

In clinical trials of Wegovy injections, nausea was reported by 44% of adults taking Wegovy 2.4mg once weekly, compared with 16% taking a placebo. In the clinical trial of Wegovy 25mg tablets, the types and frequency of common side effects were reported as similar to those seen with Wegovy injections.

This means nausea is a common side effect to be aware of with Wegovy pills, but the exact likelihood can vary between individuals. It may be more noticeable when starting treatment or increasing the dose. This is something to keep in mind if taking the Wegovy pill whilst you're on the contraceptive pill, as vomiting after taking your contraceptive pill will significantly reduce the effectiveness of your contraception.

If nausea is mild, simple changes may help. You should still follow the dosing instructions from your prescriber.

Wegovy pills must be taken exactly as directed because incorrect use can reduce absorption and may affect results. Take it on an empty stomach, even before your coffee. Take your tablet first thing in the morning, right when you wake up after an 8-hour fast. Why? If the tablet gets mixed up with any food mass, it’ll prevent the SNAC coating from touching the stomach wall. Your stomach fires up its enzymes, and the semaglutide will be broken down

To summarise, Wegovy tablets should be taken:

• Once daily
• In the morning, following an 8-hour fast
• On an empty stomach
• With water only
• With no more than 120ml of water
• Swallowed whole
• At least 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or taking other oral medicines

You should not split, crush, chew, or dissolve the tablet. Taking it with food, coffee, juice, or other medicines too soon after dosing may reduce absorption.

Wegovy can lower blood sugar, but low blood sugar is more likely in people with type 2 diabetes, especially if they also take insulin or sulfonylureas. Symptoms of low blood sugar can include:

• Shaking
• Sweating
• Hunger
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Headache
• Feeling anxious or irritable
• Fast heartbeat
• Blurred vision
• Confusion or drowsiness

If you have diabetes, your doctor may advise blood sugar monitoring before and during treatment. They may also need to review your other diabetes medication. In addition, our pharmacist would still need to assess suitability.

Most side effects are digestive and are often manageable, but some symptoms need urgent medical advice. You should seek medical help quickly if you experience:

• Severe stomach pain that does not go away, especially if it spreads to your back, with or without vomiting.
• Symptoms of gallbladder and pancreas problems, such as pain in the upper stomach, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or pale stool.
• Ongoing vomiting or diarrhoea, especially if you cannot keep fluids down.
• Signs of dehydration, such as dizziness, very dark urine, reduced urination, or feeling faint.
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Trouble breathing or swallowing.
• A severe rash or itching.
• A racing heartbeat while resting.
• Changes in vision, especially if you have type 2 diabetes.
• Severe constipation or stomach swelling that does not improve.

Wegovy Pill may not be suitable for everyone. It should not be used by people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, or by people with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2. A clinician will also need to check whether it is suitable if you have certain pancreatic, gallbladder, kidney, stomach, eye, or diabetes-related concerns.

Wegovy slows stomach emptying. This may be important if you are having surgery or a procedure that requires general anaesthesia or deep sedation.

If you are taking Wegovy, you should tell your healthcare team before any planned surgery, dental procedure, or medical procedure involving sedation. They can advise you on what to do before the procedure.

You should speak to a doctor before starting Wegovy pills or any semaglutide treatment. You should also contact them if side effects continue, worsen, or interfere with daily life.

Seek urgent medical help if you feel very unwell, have severe stomach pain, have symptoms of an allergic reaction, cannot keep fluids down, or have signs of dehydration.

Data Sources & Clinical Trials