Wegovy or semaglutide, is an injection prescribed for people with obesity to lose weight. The medication is mostly used for people grappling with chronic obesity and weight-related health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cholesterol, and hypertension.
Taking wegovy will minimize the risk of heart attack, stroke, and even death in obese individuals. The medicine is recommended with a low-calorie diet and regular exercise to achieve the desired effect. Apart from adults who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, children at the age of 12 or more diagnosed with obesity can take wegovy as well.
However, it is important to consult a healthcare professional to determine whether wegovy is an appropriate medication for you. Since it is a long-acting medication, understanding how long it stays in the system depends on various factors such as dosage, metabolism, and clinical effects.
It is important to learn how it works on your body to determine when the medication leaves your body. So, let’s begin with the basics of wegovy before moving on to the complexities associated with the medication.
How Does Wegovy Work To Lose Weight?
Wegovy is considered a great way to manage excess weight. The active ingredient of the medicine is semaglutide. It works by controlling the appetite, and the properties of wheat influence the areas of the brain that control appetite.
Once you get a shot, the drug will start to work slowly by getting absorbed into the bloodstream. It helps you lose weight by providing a feeling of fullness for a longer period of time; thereby, you will automatically refrain from overeating, which can eventually lead to weight loss.
According to the reports, a person will start to notice positive changes within a week of taking the initial injection. Based on your type of obesity and weight, you may require multiple shots of Wegvoy to achieve the desired body goals. However, you can not take the medicine if you or any of your family members have thyroid cancer and you have an allergic reaction to semaglutide.
Taking Wegovy is indeed a long-term commitment so you need to consult with your doctor to get personalized evaluation and guidelines regarding the Wegovy weight loss strategies. Studies show that, when combined with a proper diet and exercise regimen, most people will lose 15% of their initial weight within a year. You should also be on the lookout for some side effects, such as:
- Pancreatic inflammation
- Gallbladder problems
- Low blood sugar levels
- Kidney problems
- Allergic reactions
- Heart palpitation
- Depression
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Headaches
- Fatigue
Severe side effects are not common with Wegovy medication. However, if you notice any discomfort after using the medicine, consult your doctor immediately. Now you know how the medication works to effectively treat obesity in adults and adolescents. Since it is a long-term medication, check out how long it stays in your system before taking another shot.
How long does Wegovy stay in the body?
The long duration of effective action is the key feature of Wegovy. You already know it takes around a week to take the medication. The drug concentration in the bloodstream will decrease by half in just one week, which means Wegovy will lose its ‘half-life’ in just 7 days.
After the discontinuation of Wegvoy, the drug will remain in your system for 5 to 7 weeks before getting completely eliminated from the body. A doctor may prefer different Wegvoy strategies for individuals based on their weight, health condition, and age.
As per the types of treatment, the dosage may vary from person to person, which can lead to several outcomes. When you consider these individual circumstances, the time the drug stays in your system may differ depending on dosage, metabolism, renal function, and various other factors that can affect the elimination of the drug from the system.
So it is important to talk with your healthcare provider to get a clear picture of the clearance of the drug from the system. Since Wegovy can interact with other medications, it is vital to learn how long it stays in your system.
Conclusion
The duration of effectiveness, metabolism, renal function, the time taken by the body to interact with the medication, clinical effects, and other individual health factors play a quintessential role in the complete elimination of Wegovy from the body.
Typically, it takes 1 week to eliminate half of the medication from the system, which means a person needs another shot of Wegovy after a week. Altogether, the effectiveness of Wegovy’s treatment on safe weight management in obese adults and teens seems to show drastic and rapid positive results.
Besides significant weight loss, the treatment can also reduce the risk of life-threatening conditions in individuals with obesity. However, the medicine comes with some common side effects, so one should also consider the potential risks associated with Wegovy.
References
- Wegovy (semaglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use. (2023).
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/215256s007lbl.pdf - Taylor, M, et al. (2017). Comparison of cannabinoids in hair with self-reported cannabis consumption in heavy, light and non-cannabis users.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5396143/
