Wegovy: What It Is, How It Works, and What You Need to Know

When you hear Wegovy, a once-weekly injectable medication approved for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight. Also known as semaglutide, it’s not a magic pill—it’s a tool that works with your body’s natural hunger signals. Unlike older weight loss drugs that just suppress appetite, Wegovy mimics a hormone your body already makes called GLP-1. This hormone tells your brain you’re full, slows down how fast food leaves your stomach, and helps your pancreas release insulin more steadily. That’s why people on Wegovy often feel less hungry, eat smaller portions, and lose weight without extreme dieting.

Wegovy isn’t for everyone. It’s meant for adults with a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 and up with at least one weight-related condition like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or sleep apnea. It’s not a quick fix—you need to stick with it, combine it with healthy eating and movement, and keep taking it to keep the weight off. Stopping often means regaining what you lost. The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, or stomach upset, especially at first. Most people get used to it over time. It’s not a substitute for lifestyle changes—it’s a support system for them.

Wegovy belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, medications that activate the GLP-1 hormone pathway to regulate blood sugar and appetite. It’s the same active ingredient as Ozempic, but Wegovy is dosed higher specifically for weight loss. Other drugs in this family, like Saxenda and Mounjaro, work similarly but have different dosing schedules or additional effects. If you’ve tried dieting alone and kept hitting walls, Wegovy might be the missing piece—not because it changes your body, but because it changes how your brain talks to your stomach.

People using Wegovy often report feeling more in control around food. They stop eating because they’re full, not because they’re trying to be strict. That shift—from willpower to biology—is why so many find it life-changing. But it’s not without challenges. Injections can be intimidating at first. The cost can be high without insurance. And not all doctors know how to prescribe it properly. That’s why it’s important to work with someone who understands how these drugs fit into long-term health, not just short-term weight loss.

Below, you’ll find real-world guides on how Wegovy fits into daily life—how to handle side effects, what to eat while taking it, how it interacts with other medications, and how to know if it’s right for you. These aren’t ads or hype. They’re practical tips from people who’ve been through it, backed by what the science says. Whether you’re considering Wegovy or just trying to understand it, this collection gives you the facts without the fluff.