Introduction
So you’ve decided to get started on Ozempic or Wegovy. These two semaglutide brands seem to be the natural choice for many, what with their sheer popularity.
You might have heard of celebrities taking Ozempic, like comedians Chelsea Handler and Tracy Morgan, and British personality Sharon Osbourne. Even SpaceX/Tesla business tycoon Elon Musk swears by the drug.
You might already know too that these are injectable medicines. Moreover, you’ve probably also thought about your comfort level as some people may be squeamish about using needles. Apart from this, where is the best place to inject semaglutide? Is there a best time to take it? What if you inject it in the wrong way?
In this article, we look at semaglutide’s injection sites and share best practices when it comes to administering the drug. Mastering this knowledge ensures you are properly treating yourself. In addition, you are also letting the medicine work at its best every time you inject it.
What is semaglutide?
Before we dive into injection sites and the step-by-step process of administering Ozempic or Wegovy, let’s understand what semaglutide is. What is it exactly and why does it work so well in regulating blood sugar levels and triggering weight loss?
Whenever we finish a meal, our blood sugar levels shoot up. Next, a hormone in our gut, glucagon-like peptide-1, responds to this by prompting the pancreas to release insulin, another hormone. Insulin is responsible for bringing high blood sugar levels down to normal levels.
Semaglutide falls under a group of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists or GLP-1 Ras. Just like GLP-1, it helps regulate blood glucose by making the pancreas produce just the right amount of insulin.
Apart from this, semaglutide signals to the brain that you’re full. It delays gastric emptying, or the process by which food exits the gut and enters the small intestine. Hence, as a result, it makes you feel fuller for longer.
How to take Ozempic and Wegovy
You must inject Ozempic and Wegovy once weekly regardless of meals at any time of the day. For best results, semaglutide manufacturer Novo Nordisk notes that people take semaglutide along with proper diet and exercise. People should also take it on the same day weekly, at any time of the day, with or without meals.
Your healthcare provider will typically start you off on a low dose of semaglutide. Eventually, he or she will gradually increase this to a maintenance dose as your body adjusts to the drug.
Eligibility for semaglutide
Although the US FDA has approved Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus as safe, not everyone can just take semaglutide. In fact, people first need to meet certain diagnostic criteria.
With Ozempic and Rybelsus, you need to have type 2 diabetes. In some cases, healthcare providers may prescribe these for heart disease patients as these also reduce risk of cardiovascular problems. In addition, your healthcare provider may also prescribe these if you’re dealing with insulin resistance.
With Wegovy, on the other hand, you need to have a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or greater. Additionally, you must also have one weight-related health condition (ex: high blood pressure) or BMI of 30 or greater.
Oral and subcutaneous semaglutide
You may be familiar with Ozempic and Wegovy and how they come in injectable dosing pens. Since you inject these under the skin, manufacturers refer to them as subcutaneous semaglutide.
There’s another semaglutide brand, Rybelsus, which, in contrast, comes in tablet form and is taken orally. Just like Ozempic, it’s FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes.
Best injection sites for semaglutide
According to Ozempic and Wegovy’s prescribing information, people must inject these subcutaneously in either the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. By subcutaneous, this means under the skin.
- The stomach provides a large surface area and is easy to access for the patient. Its layer of subcutaneous fat also makes the drug easier to absorb.
- The thigh is also preferable because it has an ample layer of subcutaneous fat.
- For those who wish to make the injection mark less visible, they can administer semaglutide in the back of the upper arm.
It’s ideal that you inject semaglutide into fat, just under the surface of the skin. Hence, take care not to inject semaglutide into the veins or muscles as there can be serious consequences. You could put yourself at risk for allergic reactions, erratic blood sugar levels, infection, or damage your liver or kidneys. As a general rule, avoid any areas that are red, have bruising, or tender as these are not ideal.
If you are injecting semaglutide into your abdomen, stay at least two inches away from the belly button. Avoid injecting along the waistline.
In contrast, if injecting into the upper arm, go for the fleshy part. Aim for around three inches below the shoulder and three inches above the elbow. You may need to ask for help to inject in this area if it’s hard to reach.
Meanwhile, if injecting Ozempic or Wegovy under the skin of your thigh, you must target the outer thigh area.
If you are using Ozempic with insulin, you need to inject these separately. You should never mix them.
While it’s fine to administer both Ozempic and insulin in the same area, you shouldn’t administer injections beside each other.
Efficacy by injection site
Some people may think that semaglutide may work better if they inject it in a specific area of the body. Others, meanwhile, may have a certain preference and may want to keep injecting the drug at the same site.
A video even went around on TikTok that someone was able to reduce Ozempic’s side effects. This included nausea, fatigue, and headaches by injecting in the upper arm versus in the abdomen.
But there’s a reason why semaglutide’s manufacturer prescribes that patients rotate the injection sites every time they administer the drug. It’s to prevent the amount of skin irritation and the risk of infection if they keep injecting Ozempic or Wegovy in the same area.
It doesn’t matter where you choose to administer semaglutide because the medicine will work in the same way regardless.
In fact, researchers have investigated if factors like age or ethnicity that could affect how well a patient absorbs Ozempic. They found that there was a negligible difference between Ozempic absorption rates of thigh versus stomach injections. People absorbed it slightly better when injected into the thigh, but this difference was insignificant. It doesn’t affect how well the medicine performs and it won’t have an impact on the treatment.
This doesn’t deny the fact that some people will absorb Ozempic better than others. This is evident people without diabetes versus people with diabetes. A person who is lighter in body weight may absorb Ozempic better than a person who weighs heavier. Note, though, that scientists need to conduct more research in this area to determine one injection site’s advantages over another.
So is there a “better place” to inject semaglutide? No. All three injection sites equally meet the criteria of an ideal area of the body to receive the drug. The key is to determine which among the three injection sites you’re most comfortable with, then inject into these alternately.
Proper administration of Ozempic or Wegovy
If you want to be extra sure that you’re properly injecting semaglutide each time, here are some tips:
- As a general rule, you should only inject semaglutide into healthy skin. You should avoid administering the drug into broken, swollen, scarred, or damaged skin.
- Make sure to always prep your Ozempic or Wegovy pen.
- Before administering, check that the product (visible through a window part) is clear and colorless, and not cloudy. Air bubbles are completely normal and are not a cause of concern.
- Attach a new needle every time. You should never reuse needles as this can have blockages. Also, using new needles will reduce the risk of contamination, infection, and leakage of Ozempic or Wegovy. Remember to never share your Ozempic pen with others or reuse the needles.
- Make sure the dose counter shows “0” when you press and hold the dose button. You should see a drop of Ozempic or Wegovy appear. If not, change the needle and repeat this step. Do not use the pen if you don’t see a drop appear.
- When injecting under the skin, slowly count to six before you pull back the pen. This ensures you’ve fully absorbed the dose.
- If you’re worried you didn’t inject Ozempic or Wegovy properly, inform your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size is the needle used for Ozempic and Wegovy?
It’s natural to be uncomfortable about injecting yourself with a medicine, especially if you frequently take pills or tablets. It might be of consolation to know that Ozempic and Wegovy’s pens come with NovoFine® Plus 32G 4 mm needles. These are Novo Nordisk’s shortest and thinnest needles.
What if you inject too much semaglutide?
You could suffer from extreme dehydration because of the worse side effects of vomiting and diarrhea.
Eventually, it could also result in acute kidney failure. Thankfully, this is reversible if you get proper treatment.
What if you inject semaglutide twice a week?
Although you commonly administer semaglutide once weekly, your healthcare provider may prescribe you a higher dose and dosage frequency. Note, however, that this typically should not exceed 2 mg once a week.
Summary
Semaglutide is a once-weekly medication for treating either type 2 diabetes or obesity.
You can administer it in three injection sites, namely the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.
Despite claims that injecting it in a certain body part reduces side effects, one injection site isn’t advantageous over another. It also has no impact on the efficacy or absorption of semaglutide.
Proper dosage, administration, and storage of semaglutide are key to maintaining its efficacy. Remember to always prep your Ozempic or Wegovy pen, attach a new needle each time, never share the pen, and never reuse needles.
If you’re worried you might have injected too much semaglutide or did not administer it properly, contact your healthcare provider.
Glossary of terms:
- GLP-1: Glucagon-like peptide-1 is a gut-based hormone involved in the secretion of insulin to lower blood sugar levels typically elevated after meals.
- GLP-1 Ra: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist. It mimics the actions of GLP-1.
