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 synthetic version of a hormone your body already makes to help control hunger and blood sugar. Unlike older weight loss drugs that just suppressed appetite, Wegovy works by targeting the brain’s appetite centers, making you feel full faster and less likely to snack between meals.

Wegovy belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists, a group of medications that activate the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor to slow digestion and reduce food intake. It’s the same active ingredient as Ozempic, but prescribed at a higher dose specifically for weight loss—not diabetes. People using Wegovy in clinical trials lost an average of 15% of their body weight over a year, with many seeing results within weeks. But it’s not for everyone. It’s meant for adults with a BMI over 30, or over 27 with weight-related conditions like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.

Side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are common at first, but most people adjust over time. The real challenge? It’s expensive without insurance, and you have to keep using it to keep the weight off—stopping often leads to regain. That’s why it’s not just about the shot—it’s about changing habits, eating patterns, and working with your doctor to make sure it’s the right tool for you.

Wegovy doesn’t replace diet or exercise, but it can make them easier. If you’ve tried losing weight before and hit a wall, Wegovy might help you break through—not by tricking your body, but by working with how it naturally regulates hunger. Below, you’ll find real stories and science-backed insights on how Wegovy fits into daily life, what to expect when you start, how it interacts with other meds, and why some people see dramatic results while others don’t.