The complete Wegovy dosing schedule — every dose level explained.

Wegovy dosing schedule is a carefully designed 5-step titration that takes you from a starting dose of 0.25 mg to a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg over approximately 16 to 20 weeks. Each step exists for a reason — to let your body adjust gradually, minimise side effects, and build toward the full therapeutic dose that produces maximum weight loss. Understanding the Wegovy dosing schedule in detail gives you realistic expectations for what happens at each stage, when weight loss typically begins, how to manage side effects during escalation, and why the process cannot and should not be rushed.

This guide walks through every dose level of the Wegovy dosing schedule with practical detail: what each dose does, what you will feel, typical side effects, when weight loss becomes noticeable, and the flexibility that exists within the standard protocol. The information here is consistent with the standard prescribing guidelines and general NHS guidance on semaglutide.

Wegovy dosing schedule — the complete overview

Dose	Weeks	Purpose	What to expect
0.25 mg	1–4	Body adjustment	Mild appetite changes, possible mild nausea
0.5 mg	5–8	Building tolerance	Noticeable appetite reduction, mild GI effects
1.0 mg	9–12	Therapeutic effects begin	Clear appetite suppression, weight loss starts
1.7 mg	13–16	Approaching full effect	Strong appetite reduction, steady weight loss
2.4 mg	17+	Full maintenance dose	Maximum appetite suppression and weight loss

Wegovy dosing schedule — dose 1: 0.25 mg (weeks 1–4)

The first step of the Wegovy dosing schedule is not a therapeutic dose — it is an introduction. At 0.25 mg, the medication is present in your system but at a level too low to produce significant weight loss. Its purpose is to begin the process of adjusting your gastrointestinal system to semaglutide’s effects on gut motility.

What you will feel

• Mild appetite reduction: Most patients notice a subtle decrease in appetite within the first 48–72 hours. Food becomes slightly less appealing and portions feel slightly too large.
• Mild nausea: The most common side effect, typically peaking 24–48 hours after each injection and easing over the following days. Usually described as a background queasiness rather than active nausea.
• Minimal weight change: Some patients lose 0.5–1 kg in the first month purely from reduced food intake. Others see no change. Neither result is predictive of long-term outcomes on the Wegovy dosing schedule.

Wegovy dosing schedule — dose 2: 0.5 mg (weeks 5–8)

The second step of the Wegovy dosing schedule doubles the dose and brings more noticeable effects. Most patients feel a clear difference between 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg — appetite suppression becomes more obvious, and the medication’s impact on eating behaviour starts to feel real rather than subtle.

What you will feel

• Clearer appetite suppression: The “I could eat but I don’t need to” feeling becomes stronger. Meals that previously felt normal now feel like too much food.
• Possible nausea increase: The dose escalation often triggers a temporary increase in nausea that settles within 5–7 days. This pattern repeats at each step of the Wegovy dosing schedule.
• Early weight loss: Many patients begin seeing the first meaningful movement on the scale during weeks 5–8. Typical loss: 1–3 kg over this 4-week period.
• Changed food preferences: Some patients notice that rich, fatty, or very sweet foods become less appealing — not through willpower but through a genuine shift in how these foods feel in the body.

Wegovy dosing schedule — dose 3: 1.0 mg (weeks 9–12)

The 1.0 mg dose is where the Wegovy dosing schedule crosses into genuinely therapeutic territory. For many patients, this is the dose where treatment starts to feel transformative — appetite is significantly reduced, weight loss accelerates, and the relationship with food begins to change fundamentally.

What you will feel

• Strong appetite suppression: Eating becomes a conscious decision rather than a constant urge. Many patients describe forgetting to eat, which is a new experience for people who have spent years thinking about food constantly.
• Accelerating weight loss: Typical loss: 2–4 kg during weeks 9–12. The calorie deficit created by reduced appetite is now significant and consistent.
• Fullness after very small meals: Gastric emptying is noticeably slower. A meal that would have been a starter before treatment now feels like a full dinner.
• Side effects stabilising: For most patients, GI side effects experienced during the earlier steps of the Wegovy dosing schedule have settled considerably by this point. The body has adapted to the medication’s presence.

Wegovy dosing schedule — dose 4: 1.7 mg (weeks 13–16)

The 1.7 mg dose is the penultimate step of the Wegovy dosing schedule and produces near-maximum appetite suppression for most patients. Some patients find that this dose is their effective ceiling — the 2.4 mg dose does not add meaningful benefit beyond what 1.7 mg provides — and they remain here with their prescriber’s agreement.

What you will feel

• Near-maximum appetite suppression: Eating small, protein-focused meals becomes the norm. Snacking urges are minimal or absent.
• Consistent weight loss: Typical loss: 2–5 kg during weeks 13–16. Cumulative loss from the start of the Wegovy dosing schedule is typically 5–10 kg by this point.
• Possible constipation increase: The slower gut motility is fully established at this dose. Proactive fibre, hydration, and movement are essential to prevent constipation from becoming problematic.
• Energy changes: Some patients experience increased energy from weight loss and improved metabolic health. Others feel temporary fatigue as calorie intake drops. Both are normal.

Wegovy dosing schedule — dose 5: 2.4 mg (week 17+)

The 2.4 mg dose is the maintenance dose — the final step of the Wegovy dosing schedule and the dose you will remain on for the duration of treatment. This is where maximum weight loss occurs, typically over the following 6 to 12 months. Clinical trial data shows that the majority of weight loss happens between months 4 and 14 of treatment at the maintenance dose.

What you will feel

• Maximum appetite suppression: Food noise — the constant background thoughts about eating — is dramatically reduced or eliminated for most patients.
• Steady, consistent weight loss: Average loss at 2.4 mg: 0.5–1.0 kg per week during the active loss phase. Total average loss over 12–18 months: 15–17% of body weight.
• Side effects manageable: By this stage of the Wegovy dosing schedule, most patients have adapted and GI side effects are mild or absent. If nausea returns after the dose increase, it typically settles within 1–2 weeks.
• Body composition changes: Beyond the scale, patients notice visible changes in how their clothes fit, how they look, and how they feel physically.

Milestone	Typical timing from start	Average cumulative weight loss
First noticeable loss	Weeks 4–8	1–3 kg
Reaching maintenance dose	Week 17	5–10 kg
Halfway to max results	Months 6–8	8–12 kg
Near-maximum results	Months 12–18	15–17% body weight

Wegovy dosing schedule — can you stay on a lower dose?

Yes. While the standard Wegovy dosing schedule targets 2.4 mg, not every patient needs or benefits from the maximum dose. Some patients achieve excellent weight loss at 1.0 mg or 1.7 mg with fewer side effects and lower medication costs. Your prescriber may recommend staying at a lower dose if you are losing weight consistently, tolerating the medication well, and your health goals are being met at that level.

Equally, some patients find that a specific dose step causes intolerable side effects — typically severe nausea or constipation. In these cases, the Wegovy dosing schedule can be modified: you may stay at the current dose for an additional 4 weeks before attempting the increase again, or you may remain at the tolerated dose permanently. The schedule is a guideline, not a rigid rule.

Wegovy dosing schedule — missed doses and interruptions

Missed by fewer than 5 days

Take the missed injection as soon as you remember and continue your regular Wegovy dosing schedule from there. Your weekly injection day may shift slightly — that is fine.

Missed by 5 or more days

Skip the missed dose entirely. Take your next dose on the regular scheduled day and continue your Wegovy dosing schedule as normal. Do not double up to compensate — taking two doses in quick succession increases side effects without increasing effectiveness.

Multiple missed doses

If you have missed two or more consecutive weeks, consult your prescriber before resuming. Depending on how long the interruption was, you may need to restart at a lower dose on the Wegovy dosing schedule and re-titrate to avoid a surge of side effects from resuming at a dose your body is no longer adjusted to.