How to Inject Ozempic and Wegovy, Where to Inject, and How to Store the Pens

Inject semaglutide under the skin of the abdomen, the thigh or the upper arm. Those three areas are the only sites in both the Ozempic and Wegovy labels.1,2

The Wegovy Instructions for Use describe them more precisely: the front of the thighs, the lower stomach while keeping 2 inches away from the belly button, or the upper arm.2 Avoid skin that is tender, bruised, red or hard, and avoid scars and stretch marks.2

Rotate within the area you use. You can inject into the same body region every week, but not into the exact same spot each time.1,2

Neither is better for how well the drug works: the labels report similar semaglutide exposure whether it is injected into the abdomen, thigh or upper arm.1,2 So the best place to inject Ozempic, Wegovy or semaglutide is the site you can reach comfortably and rotate reliably.

Comfort and technique are the practical tie-breakers. The Wegovy instructions suggest that if injecting is difficult, you can switch to a firmer site such as the upper leg or upper arm, or stand up while injecting into the lower stomach.2 People who use Ozempic alongside insulin can inject both in the same region, but not right next to each other, and must never mix the two.1

Ozempic and Wegovy injections are taken once a week, on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without meals.1,2

You can move your injection day if you need to, as long as the two doses are at least 2 days (more than 48 hours) apart.1 Both drugs start at 0.25 mg weekly for 4 weeks and step up every 4 weeks; our dose converter lays out the schedules side by side.1,2

The Wegovy pill is the exception: it is a tablet taken once daily on an empty stomach with up to 4 ounces of water, followed by at least 30 minutes before food, drink or other oral medicines.2

To inject Ozempic, attach a new needle, check the flow if the pen is new, dial your dose, then press and hold the button until the counter shows 0 and count 6 seconds before removing the needle.1 The full sequence from the Ozempic Instructions for Use:

1. Prepare. Wash your hands. Check the pen label to be sure it is Ozempic, and check that the medicine is clear and colorless; do not use it if it looks cloudy or has particles.1
2. Attach a new needle. Tear off the paper tab, push the needle straight on and turn until tight. Remove both the outer and inner needle caps — if you leave the inner cap on, no medicine is injected.1 Use a new needle every time.1
3. Check the flow (new pen only). Turn the dose selector to the flow-check symbol, hold the pen needle-up, and press the button until the counter shows 0. A drop should appear at the needle tip. If not, repeat up to 6 times, then change the needle and try once more; if there is still no drop, do not use the pen.1
4. Select your dose. Turn the selector until the counter shows your dose. Read the counter, not the clicks: the label warns against setting a dose by counting clicks.1
5. Inject. Wipe the site with an alcohol swab and let it dry. Insert the needle as you were shown, keeping the counter visible. Press and hold the dose button until the counter shows 0, then keep pressing with the needle in your skin while you count 6 seconds.1 Removing it early can leave part of the dose undelivered.1
6. Finish. Remove the needle from the skin, then release the button. If you see blood, press lightly with gauze; do not rub.1 Remove the needle from the pen without recapping it, drop it straight into a sharps container, and put the pen cap back on.1

Never share an Ozempic pen with another person, even with a new needle, because of the risk of passing on blood-borne infections.1 Ozempic is also available as single-dose prefilled syringes, which come with their own instructions.1

To inject Wegovy, pull off the cap, press the pen firmly against your skin, and hold it there until the yellow bar in the window stops moving — about 5 to 10 seconds.2 The dose is already set and the needle stays hidden, so there is nothing to dial or attach.2

1. Prepare. Gather the pen, an alcohol swab or soap and water, gauze or a cotton ball, and a sharps container. Wash your hands.2 Do not use the pen if it looks used or damaged, if the medicine is not clear and colorless, or if it has expired.2 Air bubbles are normal.2
2. Choose and clean the site (thigh, lower stomach or upper arm), then let the skin dry.2
3. Remove the cap only when you are ready, by pulling it straight off. Do not touch or push the needle cover.2
4. Inject. Push the pen firmly against your skin. You will hear two clicks: the first means the injection has started, the second that it is ongoing. Keep pressing until the yellow bar stops moving, then lift the pen slowly.2
5. Dispose of the pen in a sharps container right away. Each Wegovy single-dose pen is used once.2

If you lift the pen too early or do not press firmly throughout, medicine may appear on the skin and you may not get the full dose.2 The needle cover locks once the pen leaves the skin, so an injection cannot be stopped and restarted.2 If the yellow bar does not move or stops partway, contact your prescriber or Novo Nordisk.2

Wegovy also comes as a multi-dose FlexTouch pen that delivers four 2.4 mg doses, as single-dose syringes, and, for the 7.2 mg dose, as the Wegovy HD single-dose pen.2 FlexTouch pens must never be shared between patients, even if the needle is changed.2

Compounded semaglutide usually comes in a vial drawn up with a syringe, not a pen, and the FDA has flagged that format as a source of dosing errors.3 The agency reports that patients measured and self-administered the wrong amount, and that confusion between milliliters, milligrams and "units" contributed.3

The FDA's advice for vials is to ask your prescriber or compounder exactly how to measure and give the intended dose, to get a syringe sized for that dose, and to ask again whenever the units are unclear.3 Compounded products are not FDA approved; see compounded semaglutide for how providers handle them.

Yes. Unused Ozempic and Wegovy injections should be stored in the refrigerator at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C), never frozen, and never used if they have been frozen.1,2 Keep them in the original carton to protect from light, and do not store them next to the refrigerator's cooling element.1,2

After that, the rules depend on the device:

Throw away an Ozempic pen 56 days after first use even if medicine remains.1 Store it with the cap on and no needle attached, and do not leave it in a car or anywhere it can get too hot or too cold.1

A Wegovy single-dose pen can be kept between 46°F and 86°F (8°C to 30°C) for up to 28 days, in its carton, before the cap is removed.2 Throw it away if it has been out of the refrigerator for 28 days or longer, exposed to light or temperatures above 86°F, or frozen.2 A FlexTouch pen, once in use, lasts 56 days.2

Put used needles and Wegovy single-dose pens in an FDA-cleared sharps container straight away, not in household trash.1,2 If you do not have one, a heavy-duty plastic household container with a tight, puncture-resistant lid that stays upright and does not leak can be used, labeled as hazardous waste.2 Local disposal rules vary; the FDA's sharps page lists them by state.4

What if I miss a dose? For Ozempic, take it within 5 days of the missed day; after more than 5 days, skip it and resume on your usual day.1 For Wegovy, take it if the next dose is more than 2 days away; if less, skip it. Missing two or more Wegovy doses in a row means restarting escalation at a lower dose.2 Our missed-dose tool applies these rules for you.

Does it matter what time of day I inject? No. Either injection can be taken at any time of day, with or without meals, as long as it is the same day each week.1,2

Is it normal to see a drop at the needle tip after injecting Ozempic? Yes. The instructions say a drop may remain after the injection and does not affect your dose.1

Which needles fit the Ozempic pen? The pen comes with NovoFine Plus 32G 4 mm needles; NovoFine or other compatible needles up to 8 mm long can also be used.1

What side effects can show up at the start? Nausea and other stomach side effects are most common during dose increases.1 See Ozempic side effects.

If you do not have a prescription yet, how to get Ozempic explains the route, and semaglutide online compares licensed telehealth programs. Background on the drug itself is in what is Ozempic.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Ozempic and Wegovy are prescription drugs with real risks and side effects — follow the Instructions for Use that come with your medicine and the training from your prescriber or pharmacist.