What your Wegovy pen looks like as you use it
Starting a new treatment can feel unfamiliar. It helps to know what your pen should look like at each stage, so you can feel confident that everything is working as expected.
Wegovy pens are used once a week for four weeks. Each pen contains four doses at the same strength. You’ll move on to a new pen after four injections.
Priming, only once per new pen
With Wegovy, you only prime the pen once, before your first injection with that pen. This flow check confirms that the pen is ready to use. For your second, third and fourth injections from the same pen, you don’t need to prime again, simply set your dose and inject.
How the pen and liquid should look
The photos below are of a 0.25 mg pen. At this starting dose, the window looks relatively small. As your dose increases over time, the window will be larger, so don’t be surprised if your future pens look a little different.
Each time you inject, you’ll see the push rod move higher up the window. This is the mechanism inside the pen that pushes out the medication. The liquid level goes down as the push rod rises.
New pen
The window shows clear liquid, and the push rod is at the bottom. For the very first injection from this pen, do a flow check to prepare it.
After your first dose
The push rod has moved slightly up the window and the liquid level has dropped. This shows one dose has been delivered. The pen is now ready to be stored until your next weekly dose.
After your second dose
The push rod has moved higher, and the liquid has dropped again. You might notice a small air bubble in the window, this is completely normal.
After your third dose
The push rod is now close to the top of the window and the pen looks almost empty. It still contains enough for your final weekly dose.
After your fourth dose (pen finished)
The push rod has reached the top and the pen has delivered all four doses. You won’t be able to set another dose. The pen is finished.
What to do with finished pens
Wegovy pens should not go in household waste. Novo Nordisk runs a free recycling scheme called PenCycle, which is available across the UK.
Here’s how it works:
- You remove and safely dispose of each used needle.
- You place your empty pens into a PenCycle return box (each box holds up to ten pens).
- When full, you return the box either by freepost or to a participating pharmacy, depending on what you choose when you order your box.
You can request your PenCycle box here: www.pen-cycle.co.uk
Need help?
If you’re ever unsure about whether your pen looks or works as it should, please get in touch with your CheqUp Clinician in My Account or contact customer services. They’re here to answer medical or device-related questions.
