Wegovy is slow to take effect, but you may see some weight-loss results in the first month (4 weeks) of treatment. After a year, adults who took Wegovy lost 15%. At 17 weeks, you can continue to take 1.7 mg or increase your dose to a maximum of 2.4 mg, depending on your body's response. You can expect to have lost an average of 17% of your initial body weight after 68 weeks.
People who use semaglutide usually lose about 5% of their body weight in one month and about 8% after two months. You may start to lose weight after 4 weeks of taking Wegovy, but it may take several months before you notice a noticeable change and 12 to 15 months until you get the most benefits from this medication. Other prescription medicines that also contain semaglutide include Ozempic (injectable) or Rybelsus (oral tablets). That's a good strategy when you're starving, but it can backfire when you're trying to lose weight.
You can lose weight faster or slower, depending on several factors, such as your starting weight, exercise habits, dietary changes, and metabolism. In adolescents aged 12 years and older, Wegovy achieved a 16.1% decrease in body mass index (BMI) at week 68, compared to a 0.6% decrease in BMI with the placebo. For example, if you weigh 232 pounds, you can expect to lose up to 35 pounds (approximately 15% of your body weight) after 68 weeks (approximately 15 months) using Wegovy. The prescription weight-loss medication Wegovy (semaglutide) can help you with your weight loss process by helping you lose more weight than is possible only with diet and exercise.
In these studies, patients were classified as obese (BMI ≥ 30) or overweight (BMI ≥ 2) with a weight-related medical problem (such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol). Some underlying health conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), diabetes, or thyroid disorders, can slow the progress of weight loss. After increasing the dose, people lose an average of 2% of additional body weight, representing a total loss of 4% compared to their initial weight. Whether your doctor recommends medications or weight-loss surgery in addition to making lifestyle changes depends on how much weight you need to lose and what medical conditions you're trying to improve. The results will vary for each person, but on average, you can expect to lose about 2% of your body weight during the first month of using Wegovy.
Eli Lilly's new GLP-1 oral medication, orforglipron, produced an average weight loss of 12.4% (27.3 pounds) in clinical trials. If you keep taking a lower dose, your results may not be the same, but that doesn't mean you still can't lose 15% or more of your weight. In general, people who have more weight to lose lose it faster than those who only want to lose a few kilos, because their fat cells are larger and shrink more due to the calorie deficit. As a result of these effects, people lose an average of 2% of their body weight in the first 4 weeks of taking Wegovy.