Two ways to take semaglutide
The Wegovy pen is used once a week. The tablet is taken daily and has specific fasting and waiting instructions before food or other medicines. The doses are not interchangeable milligram for milligram. If you already use one form, do not switch without a doctor reviewing the plan.
Who can request an assessment?
Wegovy is a prescription medicine for weight management alongside diet and physical activity. In adults, the indication includes obesity or overweight with certain weight-related health problems. A consultation reviews BMI, medical history, other medicines, goals and safety. An initial questionnaire can guide you, but it cannot replace a prescriber’s decision.
Consultation, prescription and pharmacy
You can book an online consultation with Costa Medical Services. If the doctor considers treatment suitable, they may issue an electronic prescription; the medicine is collected and paid for separately at a pharmacy. Authorisation of a formulation does not guarantee that every pharmacy has each strength in stock.
Questions to ask before starting
Ask which formulation fits your routine, how gradual dose increases work, what to do if side effects occur and when treatment should be reviewed. Follow-up is part of the clinical decision.
What the research can and cannot tell you
Wegovy tablets and injections contain semaglutide, but they use different dose schedules. The EMA reports average weight change of about 15% for the weekly injection in a 68-week study and about 14% for the daily tablet in a separate 64-week study. These are different groups and studies: the figures do not prove that one formulation works better for an individual.
Average weight change in separate Wegovy trials
For the oral study, the EMA reports about 14% versus 2% with placebo at 64 weeks. The tablet is taken once daily after an overnight fast, then food, drink and other oral medicines are delayed for at least 30 minutes. A weekly injection has a different routine. A clinician should review other medicines, tolerability and the practical fit before recommending either route.
Questions worth bringing to the consultation
- Would a daily fasting routine or a weekly injection be easier to follow consistently?
- How will nausea or other effects be reviewed during dose increases?
- What are realistic goals for weight, function and health, beyond the number on a scale?
Calculate your percentage weight change
This is a mathematical measure of your own change. It does not predict a medicine’s effect or replace clinical follow-up.For a clear explanation of the wider medicine family, read our peptide guide.
Daily tablet or weekly pen: a practical decision
The tablet may appeal to someone who dislikes injections, but it also requires a reliable morning routine. An overnight fast and a 30-minute wait before other tablets, food or drink can be hard to maintain when shifts, travel or other medicines intervene. The injection avoids that daily timing, but requires training in pen use, storage and a weekly reminder. The doctor can explain the exact instructions for the prescribed presentation.
Neither route removes the need for review. During dose increases, side effects and progress should be discussed; if the person is stable, the follow-up plan can be adjusted by agreement. The medicine is obtained and paid for separately at a pharmacy. A pre-check can help prepare questions, but it cannot decide suitability or issue a prescription.
Common questions
Is the tablet the same as the pen?
Both contain semaglutide, but their doses should not be treated as equivalent. Your doctor decides which formulation is appropriate.
Can I buy oral Wegovy without a prescription?
No. The oral formulation also needs a prescription and medical assessment.
Where is it collected?
A pharmacy dispenses the medicine. Check availability of the prescribed strength with the pharmacy.