Wegovy Tablets Dosage Schedule: 1.5mg to 25mg Explained

Wegovy tablets aren't started at the strength they end at. The dose is built up gradually over about four months, so your gut has time to adjust. Here's exactly how the titration works, and what to do if a step is harder than expected.

The four doses

• 1.5mg: starting dose. One month minimum.
• 4mg: first step up. One month minimum.
• 9mg: second step up. One month minimum.
• 25mg: maintenance dose. Continued long-term while the medicine is working and well tolerated.

That's four steps, at least a month at each, so around four months to reach maintenance. Some people take longer because a particular step needs to slow down. That's normal and expected.

Why the titration is slow

Semaglutide slows the movement of food out of the stomach. Do that suddenly at a full dose and you feel it, nausea, fullness, constipation. Do it in stages, and the gut adapts to each new level before the next one arrives. In the OASIS-4 trial, about three in four people reported gut side effects at some point during titration; most eased within days once the dose stabilised.

Typical side-effect pattern at each step

• First few days after a step: nausea (usually ~13 days at most), possibly a couple of days of vomiting, mild indigestion.
• Days 3 to 14: symptoms usually easing; constipation may build gradually (affects around 1 in 5).
• End of the month: most people are stable and can consider the next step.

How to take each dose (unchanged at every step)

• First thing in the morning, on an empty stomach.
• Swallow whole with up to 120ml of plain water, nothing else.
• Wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking anything else, or taking other oral medicines.

The rule is the same at 1.5mg and at 25mg. Absorption is the whole reason it works, get the timing wrong and you effectively skip a dose. If you're new to the routine, read how to take the Wegovy pill correctly. Wondering about the monthly cost as you step up? See Wegovy tablet prices per dose in the UK.

When to slow the titration

Don't push through if a step is hard. Reasons to stay at your current dose an extra month:

• Nausea or vomiting still frequent at the end of week 3.
• Constipation your usual fluid and fibre strategies aren't fixing.
• Dehydration signs (dark urine, dizziness, headaches).
• Anything you're worried about, pain, sudden weight loss, vision changes.

Message your pharmacist. Staying an extra month at a working dose is a completely normal clinical decision. This isn't a race.

What happens once you reach 25mg

You stay on 25mg for as long as it's working and well tolerated. If side effects reappear at maintenance, sometimes a small step back to 9mg gives the same weight-loss benefit with fewer symptoms. Long-term maintenance is a decision your pharmacist reviews with you.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Wegovy tablets titration take? Roughly four months, with at least one month at each of the four dose steps: 1.5mg → 4mg → 9mg → 25mg. Some people take longer because a particular step needs slowing down.

Why can't I just start at 25mg? Because side effects, mostly nausea and constipation, get worse when the dose jumps. Titration lets the gut adapt gradually. Starting at maintenance dose would leave most people unable to tolerate the medicine.

What if a dose step is too hard? Stay at your current dose an extra month rather than pushing up. Your pharmacist can also give you strategies for nausea, hydration and constipation. A slower titration is a completely normal clinical decision.

Do I need to reach 25mg to lose weight? Not necessarily. Some people settle at 9mg because that's giving them enough. The 25mg dose is where trial results are highest, but the right maintenance dose is the lowest one that keeps working for you.

What if I miss a dose? Skip the missed dose and take the next dose the following morning. Never double up. If you miss more than a couple in a row, contact your pharmacist before restarting.