Semaglutide Dosing Explained: Schedule, Titration, and the Right Dose for You

Semaglutide has no single dosing schedule. Ozempic and Wegovy injections are weekly, while their tablets are daily. The product, formulation and reason for treatment determine the starting dose, increases and maintenance dose. A branded schedule cannot supply instructions for a compounded preparation.

This guide summarizes U.S. labels for discussion with your prescriber. Keep the medication box, pharmacy label and instructions together; confirm all three when the product or device changes.

Weekly injections and daily tablets

Product	How often	Starting schedule	Maintenance distinction
Ozempic injection	Once weekly	0.25 mg weekly for four weeks, then 0.5 mg	Further increases depend on indication; maximum 2 mg weekly for glucose control
Wegovy injection	Once weekly	0.25, 0.5, 1 and 1.7 mg in successive four-week stages	Maintenance depends on age, indication and tolerability
Ozempic tablets	Once daily	1.5 mg for 30 days, then 4 mg	From day 61, 4 mg or 9 mg according to glucose-control needs
Wegovy tablets	Once daily	1.5, 4 and 9 mg in successive 30-day stages	25 mg daily maintenance

Sources: Ozempic injection, section 2, Ozempic tablets, section 2, Wegovy injection and tablets, section 2. These are label reference schedules, not a personal prescription. Do not substitute tablets and injections milligram for milligram.

The tablets above are swallowed whole in the morning on an empty stomach with no more than four ounces of water, followed by a wait of at least 30 minutes before food, other drinks or oral medicines. A compounded oral or sublingual preparation has its own instructions and does not share these products’ approvals. See pills versus injections.

Wegovy injection titration and maintenance

For the initial weekly injection schedule:

Treatment period	Weekly injection dose
Weeks 1–4	0.25 mg
Weeks 5–8	0.5 mg
Weeks 9–12	1 mg
Weeks 13–16	1.7 mg
Week 17 onward	Prescriber selects the maintenance regimen

For adult weight reduction, the label lists 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg weekly, with 2.4 mg recommended. It also permits an increase to a maximum of 7.2 mg weekly (Wegovy HD) when an adult has tolerated 2.4 mg for at least four weeks and additional weight reduction is clinically indicated. This is not an automatic next step. Cardiovascular-risk reduction, adolescent treatment and MASH have separate maintenance instructions. Wegovy prescribing information, section 2.2

Dose escalation helps reduce gastrointestinal reactions. If a stage is poorly tolerated, the Wegovy injection label allows the clinician to delay escalation by four weeks. Appetite alone cannot establish the right maintenance dose, and increasing the dose yourself can cause harm.

Milligrams, milliliters and syringe units

Milligrams (mg) measure medication amount. Milliliters (mL) measure liquid volume. Syringe units are markings on a particular syringe. The concentration connects medication amount to volume; a marking by itself does not identify a semaglutide dose.

FDA has reported serious dosing errors with compounded semaglutide involving different concentrations, oversized syringes and incorrect conversions. Before using a vial, ask the dispensing pharmacy to confirm the prescribed mg, the corresponding mL and the exact marking on the supplied syringe. Repeat that check with a new concentration. Do not copy another patient’s unit count or use a brand’s dose table to measure a compounded product. FDA dosing-error alert

Our English–Spanish GLP-1 glossary can help you discuss these terms with the care team.

What if you miss a dose?

Exact product	Label instruction for one missed dose
Ozempic injection	Take within five days after the missed dose; after that, skip and resume on the regular day
Wegovy injection	Take if the next dose is more than two days away; skip if it is less than two days away
Ozempic or Wegovy tablets	Skip the missed tablet and take the next dose the following day
Compounded semaglutide	Contact the prescriber or pharmacy for the exact preparation’s instructions

For Wegovy, ask the pharmacist if you are exactly at the 48-hour boundary. After two or more consecutive missed Wegovy injections, the current label calls for restarting escalation at a lower dose; your prescriber must set that plan. Do not double doses or guess how to restart after a longer break. Ozempic injection, Ozempic tablets, Wegovy

The missed-dose guide explains what dates and symptoms to report to your care team.

Injections, storage and follow-up

Get training for the actual pen, syringe or vial dispensed. Inject only as directed, rotate injection sites and use a sharps container for used needles. Storage limits vary by product and presentation; follow the supplied label and see the travel and storage guide.

For compounded multidose GLP-1 vials, FDA recommends discarding the vial within 28 days of first use even if the compounder allows longer; follow any shorter limit. FDA also advises not using injectable GLP-1 medicine that arrives warm or insufficiently refrigerated. Contact the dispensing pharmacy about the problem. FDA storage guidance

Agree on follow-up timing with your clinician, particularly during dose changes. Report persistent vomiting, dehydration or severe abdominal pain promptly; breathing difficulty or a serious allergic reaction needs emergency help. Do not wait for a routine check-in.

REMEVi includes clinician-required GLP-1 labs; the clinician decides the tests and timing. Read what lab tests may check. Care is available in English and Spanish across 49 states and Washington, DC, excluding Louisiana. See if you qualify.

Educational information, not individualized dosing advice. Compounded semaglutide is not FDA-approved and is not a generic version of Ozempic or Wegovy.