Frequently asked questions: everything about the Wegovy® pill

The Wegovy pill is a medical treatment for weight loss. It contains the active ingredient semaglutide.

Semaglutide mimics the action of the natural hormone GLP-1, which is involved in regulating your hunger and feeling of fullness. As a result, you may feel less hungry, feel full sooner and find it easier to eat less.

Unlike the Wegovy injection, you take the tablet daily, rather than once a week.

The treatment is intended for adults with:

• Obesity (BMI ≥ 30), or

• Overweight (BMI ≥ 27) combined with a weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, sleep apnoea or raised blood lipids.

The treatment must always be combined with a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and enough exercise.

The Wegovy pill mimics the action of the natural hormone GLP-1. This hormone plays an important role in your appetite and feeling of fullness.

By mimicking the action of GLP-1:

• You feel less hungry

• You feel full sooner

• Your stomach can stay full for longer

• It becomes easier to take in fewer calories.

The tablet also contains an excipient that helps semaglutide to be absorbed better through the gastrointestinal tract. Without this excipient, a large part of the active ingredient would be broken down before it could take effect.

The dose is built up step by step. This allows your body to get used to the treatment gradually and reduces the risk of side effects.

The Wegovy pill is intended for adults who want to lose weight and meet the medical criteria for treatment.

The treatment may be suitable if you have:

• A BMI of 30 or higher (obesity)

• A BMI of 27 or higher combined with a weight-related condition.

Examples of weight-related conditions include:

• High blood pressure

• Sleep apnoea

• Raised cholesterol or blood lipid levels

• Other health problems linked to being overweight.

Before you start, a doctor assesses whether the treatment is safe and suitable for you.

You take the Wegovy pill once a day, following your doctor's instructions.

For the best absorption:

• Take the tablet in the morning on an empty stomach

• Swallow the tablet whole with no more than half a glass of water (about 120 ml)

• Wait at least 30 minutes before you eat, drink (other than water) or take other medication.

Try to take the tablet at around the same time every day. This makes it easier to make the treatment part of your daily routine.

With the Wegovy pill, the active ingredient is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. That is why it is important to take the tablet correctly, so your body can absorb semaglutide as well as possible.

So take the tablet:

• in the morning on an empty stomach

• with no more than half a glass of water (about 120 ml)

• and then wait at least 30 minutes before you eat, drink (other than water) or take other medication.

This gives your body the best chance of absorbing the active ingredient properly.

With oral semaglutide, the amount of water affects how well the active ingredient is absorbed.

A larger amount of water can reduce absorption. That is why it is recommended to take the tablet with no more than 120 ml of water.

Many people notice changes in their appetite in the first few weeks, such as feeling less hungry and feeling full sooner.

How quickly you see results varies from person to person and depends on factors such as your starting weight, dose and lifestyle.

In the OASIS-4 study, a phase 3 clinical trial of oral semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity, participants who took 25 mg of semaglutide daily for 64 weeks lost an average of 13.6% of their body weight.

Among participants who followed the treatment according to the study protocol, this average rose to 16.6% weight loss.

In addition:

• About 63% of participants lost at least 10% of their body weight

• About 30% lost at least 20% of their body weight.

These results are averages from clinical research. The final result varies from person to person and depends on factors such as the dose, length of treatment, diet, exercise and how your body responds to the treatment.

The Wegovy pill and the Wegovy injection contain the same active ingredient: semaglutide.

In clinical studies, the pill showed an average weight loss of about 13.6% after 64 weeks. In the STEP 1 study, the Wegovy injection showed an average weight loss of 14.9% after 68 weeks.

These results cannot be compared directly, because the studies used different participant groups and study designs.

In short: both treatments can support significant weight loss. The choice between a tablet or injection mainly depends on what best suits your preferences, situation and medical assessment.

The Wegovy pill builds up to 25 mg, while the injection contains a maximum of 2.4 mg.

The difference lies in the way the active ingredient is absorbed.

With an injection, semaglutide is administered directly under the skin and enters the bloodstream from there. With a tablet, semaglutide first has to be absorbed through the digestive tract.

Because semaglutide is naturally difficult to absorb through the gastrointestinal tract, a higher dose is needed to make enough of the active ingredient available to the body.

So a higher dose does not mean the pill is "stronger" than the injection. The difference comes from the way the body processes the active ingredient.

The dose is increased gradually so your body can get used to the treatment at a steady pace.

A step-by-step build-up helps to limit the risk of side effects such as nausea, diarrhoea or constipation.

The Wegovy pill is intended as part of a long-term approach to weight management.

Weight loss happens gradually, and maintaining your results requires lasting lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet, good sleep and enough exercise.

How long you use the treatment varies from person to person. Together with your doctor, you discuss whether continuing, tapering off or stopping is the best option.

After stopping semaglutide, your appetite may increase again. This can make it harder to keep off the weight you have lost.

Research with semaglutide shows that some of the weight lost may return after stopping. That is why it is important to work on healthy habits alongside the medication, to help you maintain your weight in the long term.

The Wegovy pill helps to regulate appetite and feelings of fullness.

As a result, many people experience:

• Fewer constant cravings

• Lessfood noise(constantly thinking about food)

• Feeling full sooner.

However, the treatment does not replace support for emotional eating or eating problems. If your eating behaviour is strongly influenced by emotions, stress or other factors, additional guidance can help.

The Wegovy pill supports weight loss, but works best in combination with healthy lifestyle choices.

A healthy diet, enough exercise, good sleep, low stress and other healthy habits help to improve your results and maintain them in the long term.

The treatment is intended as support, not as a replacement for a healthy lifestyle.

Semaglutide has been extensively studied in clinical trials and is used worldwide for medical weight treatment.

The Wegovy pill is a suitable treatment for many adults, but not for everyone. That is why a doctor always first assesses whether the treatment fits your personal situation and medical history, and whether it can be combined with any other medication you take.

During the treatment, you remain under medical supervision at Wellis. You can always contact a healthcare professional with questions about your dose, side effects and progress.

Especially in the first days after starting and after each dose increase (this happens every 4 weeks).

Nausea usually passes within about a week, while vomiting and diarrhoea often clear up within a few days.

Constipation can be a little more stubborn and sometimes lasts a bit longer.

Do your symptoms persist or get worse? Then contact your doctor.

Side effects are most common in the first weeks of treatment or after increasing the dose. The following tips can help to reduce symptoms:

• Eat smaller portions and take your time when eating.

• Avoid large, heavy meals.

• Limit fatty, fried or heavily spiced food.

• Drink enough water.

• Make sure you get enough fibre in your diet, especially if you are constipated.

Do you have persistent or severe symptoms? Then contact your doctor. Together you can assess whether the dose or treatment schedule needs adjusting.

Contact a doctor if you:

• Have severe or persistent abdominal pain

• Have symptoms that do not improve or get worse

• Notice signs of dehydration, for example due to prolonged vomiting or diarrhoea

• Are worried about symptoms during the treatment.

Serious side effects are rare, but it is important to take symptoms seriously and to seek medical advice if in doubt.

Alcohol can worsen gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhoea. In addition, alcohol contains calories and can affect your appetite, food choices and fat burning.

So drink as little as possible, or not at all.

Semaglutide is also used in people with type 2 diabetes, but the use and dose can differ depending on the product and the situation.

Do you take metformin? Then combining it with the Wegovy pill is possible in most cases.

Do you take insulin or a sulfonylurea (such as gliclazide)? Then extra caution is needed because of the risk of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and the need for close monitoring. In that case, it is likely that treatment with us is not (yet) possible.

Do you take other medication for diabetes? Always discuss this with your doctor before you start or switch.

Ultimately, the doctor assesses whether the Wegovy pill is safe and suitable for you.

No. The Wegovy pill cannot be used during pregnancy or while you are breastfeeding.

Are you planning to become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding? Always discuss this with your doctor before you start or continue the treatment.

Your doctor may advise you to pause the treatment temporarily or discuss an alternative.

Always tell your doctor which medicines and supplements you take.

The Wegovy pill is not suitable in combination with certain medicines. In addition, semaglutide can slow down stomach emptying, which may change the absorption of some medicines.

That is why your doctor always assesses whether the Wegovy pill can be safely combined with your current medication and whether extra monitoring is needed.

No. Semaglutide is not an addictive substance.

The treatment does not work by having an addictive effect on the brain, but by influencing the natural signals around hunger and fullness.

Yes. Exercise is an important part of healthy and lasting weight loss.

You don't need to be a top athlete. Regular exercise, such as walking, strength training or an activity that suits you, helps to support your health and preserve as much muscle mass as possible.

Combined with the Wegovy pill and a healthy diet, exercise can contribute to better and longer-lasting results.

The Wegovy pill and the Wegovy injection contain the same active ingredient: semaglutide. The main difference lies in the way you use the treatment.

Both treatments work via the same mechanism: they mimic the action of GLP-1, which influences your appetite and feeling of fullness.

The choice between tablet and injection mainly depends on what best suits your preference, situation and medical assessment.

No. The main advantage of the pill is that you don't need injections, and of the injection that you only need to use it once a week.

Which option suits you best depends on your personal situation, preferences and medical assessment.

The Wegovy pill and Ozempic contain the same active ingredient: semaglutide.

The main difference lies in the official indication and dose:

Switching from Ozempic to the Wegovy pill is possible, but always happens via a doctor. The doctor assesses whether the treatment is suitable and determines the right dose.

Never use both medicines at the same time on your own and never switch treatments on your own initiative.

The Wegovy pill and Mounjaro are both treatments for weight loss, but contain different active ingredients.

Because Mounjaro and the Wegovy pill contain different active ingredients, there is no official or standard conversion between the two treatments.

Switching is possible, but is always assessed individually by a doctor. They look at your current dose, how long you have been using Mounjaro and how well you tolerate the treatment to determine the right starting dose of the Wegovy pill.

The Wegovy pill and Foundayo are both oral treatments for weight loss, but contain different active ingredients.

Both treatments help to regulate appetite and fullness. The results from clinical studies cannot be compared one-to-one, because the studies were designed differently and examined different participant groups.

The main differences lie in the active ingredient, the way it is used, availability and the medical assessment needed to determine which treatment suits you.

Yes, switching is possible because both treatments contain the same active ingredient: semaglutide.

The switch always takes place via a doctor. Among other things, the doctor assesses:

• Your current injection dose

• How long you have been using the injection

• How well you tolerate the treatment

• Which starting dose of the tablet is appropriate.

So the starting dose is not determined automatically, but tailored to your personal situation.

Never stop or change your treatment without consulting a doctor.

Switching may be possible, because Ozempic and the Wegovy pill contain the same active ingredient: semaglutide.

Nevertheless, they are different treatments with a different registered indication.

A doctor first assesses:

• Your current injection dose

• How long you have been using the injection

• How well you tolerate the treatment

• Which starting dose of the tablet is appropriate.

The doctor then determines which dose is appropriate. Never stop or change your treatment without consulting a doctor.

Yes, switching from Mounjaro to the Wegovy pill is possible. Because the two medicines contain different active ingredients, this switch does require a tailored approach.

There is no official dose conversion between Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and the Wegovy pill (semaglutide). That is why a doctor always assesses your personal situation to determine how best to make the switch.

Among other things, this takes into account:

• Your current Mounjaro dose

• How long you have been using Mounjaro

• How well you tolerate the treatment

• The right moment to switch

• The starting dose of the Wegovy pill.

Never switch on your own initiative and do not combine the two medicines.

This depends on which treatment you are using and on your personal situation.

So always follow your doctor's advice and do not switch on your own.

The Wegovy pill received approval from the European Commission in July 2026. However, the treatment is not immediately available in all countries.

At the moment, the exact launch date in the Netherlands is not yet definitively known. The pill is expected to become available in the Netherlands at the end of 2026 or in 2027.

As soon as the Wegovy pill becomes available, we will inform everyone who has expressed an interest.

At the moment, the Wegovy pill does not appear to be covered by Dutch basic health insurance. The Wegovy injection is also not covered by basic insurance as standard.

In some situations, treatment with semaglutide can be part of a Combined Lifestyle Intervention (GLI) or another care programme, but strict conditions apply. Whether you qualify depends on your personal situation and the applicable reimbursement rules.

Reimbursement conditions can change. So always check the current situation with your health insurer or discuss the options with your GP.

The process works as follows:

• You fill in an online medical questionnaire.

• You have a phone call with a healthcare professional.

• A doctor assesses whether the treatment is suitable for you.

• If you are eligible, the doctor writes a prescription.

• You receive the treatment and remain under medical supervision.

During your programme, you can contact us with questions about your treatment, dose and any side effects.

At Wellis, you are not on your own.

During the treatment, you can count on, among other things:

• Assessment by a BIG-registered doctor

• Support with questions or side effects

• Advice on your diet and lifestyle.

The goal is not just to lose weight, but to help you reach your target weight and build the healthy habits needed to maintain that result.

Unlike the injection, the Wegovy pill does not need to be kept in the fridge.

Store the tablets:

• At room temperature

• In a dry place

• Protected from direct sunlight

• In the original packaging

• With the packaging tightly closed.

You can also easily take the treatment with you when you travel.

Yes. The Wegovy pill is easy to take with you when travelling, because the tablets do not need to be kept in the fridge.

Store the tablets in the original packaging, at room temperature and protected from moisture and direct sunlight.

Travelling abroad? Preferably carry your medication in your hand luggage and make sure you have an up-to-date medication overview or, if necessary, a medication certificate with you. This helps you avoid problems at customs.

Yes. The best results are achieved when the treatment is combined with healthy habits.

For example:

• Eating protein- and fibre-rich food

• Exercising regularly

• Getting enough sleep

• Keeping stress to a minimum.

The Wegovy pill helps you build a healthy lifestyle by influencing your appetite and feeling of fullness.

Stopping or tapering off always happens in consultation with a doctor.

Once you have reached your target weight, you discuss together which approach is best for maintaining your weight.

For some people this means continuing the treatment; for others, tapering off and eventually stopping can be a suitable option. For this, it is important that you have a healthy lifestyle.

A lot of information about the Wegovy pill and semaglutide can be found online. However, not all information is equally reliable. Personal experiences on social media can be interesting, but they are no substitute for scientific research or medical advice.

So mainly use reliable sources, such as:

• Clinical studies on the efficacy and safety of semaglutide

• Official product information and assessments by medicines authorities

• Information from medical professionals.

Key sources:

• OASIS-4 study – research into oral semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity.

• STEP 1 study – research into the Wegovy injection in adults with overweight or obesity.

• European Medicines Agency (EMA) – official product information and assessment of Wegovy® and semaglutide.

Do you have questions about your personal situation or treatment? Always discuss these with a doctor or healthcare professional.