There's no “best” place to inject Ozempic. You can choose between three injection sites — under the skin on your stomach, thigh, or upper arm. Reach out to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have any questions about how or where to inject Ozempic.
“The active ingredient in Ozempic—semaglutide—will still work in the body in the same way, regardless of where it is injected,” Abelovska told Verywell. Semaglutide can be safely administered in the upper arms, the abdomen, or the front of the thigh area with the same level of efficacy.
Eating a balanced diet low in calories, fat, and sugar is essential when using Ozempic for weight loss. This is because certain types of foods can interact with the medication, reducing its effectiveness and potentially causing weight gain.
Ozempic is injected under the skin (subcutaneously) on your stomach (abdomen), thigh, or upper arm. Do not use the same site for each injection. If you choose to inject in the same area, always use a different spot in that area. Do not inject Ozempic into a muscle (intramuscularly) or vein (intravenously).
You should inject it on the same day each week, at any time of the day. It can be taken with or without food. Ozempic comes as a pen injector that's similar to insulin pens.
Take Ozempic® once a week, on the same day every week, exactly as prescribed by your health care provider. You can take Ozempic® with or without food. You may change the day of the week you use Ozempic® as long as your last dose was taken 2 or more days before.
You may need a higher dosage of Ozempic
The same holds true for Ozempic's weight loss results. People taking higher doses of Ozempic tend to lose more weight. In the landmark study we cited above, people lost 7% of their body weight, on average, within a year and a half of taking 1mg of semaglutide.
So long as you've injected the medicine into a part of the body with some fatty tissue (back of upper arms, abdomen, thighs) and you've followed the steps to correctly administer the drug, you've done it correctly.
Ozempic can cause nausea and vomiting if taken after eating foods high in fat or sugar. It is recommended that you take Ozempic before meals, rather than after, to minimise any potential side effects from eating high-fat or high-sugar foods.
The most common side effect with Ozempic is nausea and occurs in about 15% to 20% of people. Others include vomiting (5% to 9%), diarrhea (8%), stomach-area pain (6% to 7%), and constipation (3% to 7%).
Ozempic and its sister medication, Wegovy — approved for weight loss for people who are obese or overweight with weight-related medical conditions — are considered long-term or lifelong treatments.
What is the best time to take Ozempic®? Administer Ozempic® once weekly on the same day each week, at any time of the day, with or without meals.
Weight loss—whether through medication or diet—may lead to a loss of muscle mass, which can be especially concerning for older adults. While muscle mass declines naturally with age, shedding a lot of weight in a short time with drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy can lead to reduced strength and bone density.
So, on average, with the recommended starting Ozempic dose of 0.25 mg, a 500 to 1000 calorie reduced diet, and exercise 3 times a week, you can expect to lose 3-5 pounds in the first month of treatment, which works out to about 3% of body weight for most overweight or obese individuals.
It's used to lower blood glucose (sugar) levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes. The starting dose of Ozempic is 0.25 mg injected once weekly for 4 weeks. Then, your dose is moved up to 0.5 mg once weekly.
Can I enjoy a drink while on Ozempic medication? The short answer is yes: You can drink alcohol while taking Ozempic.
Lean protein sources from eggs, low-fat cheese, Greek yogurt, chicken, turkey, fish, nuts, tofu, and beans are all excellent ways to bulk up on protein while eating healthy if you take Ozempic. Lean proteins usually require little to no insulin (if you're on insulin), and are a great building block of a healthy meal.
Whole grains
This makes them a great food to eat while taking Ozempic. Whole grain foods include: Whole wheat bread.
On average, a user can lose about 3 to 5% of their body weight after using Ozempic for a month regularly. This equates to about 4 to 6 pounds on average. Using a higher potency of the drug may result in more weight loss, but it isn't recommended that you start taking it right away.
Alcohol. If you're taking Ozempic, it's a good idea to limit alcohol or avoid it altogether. Alcohol irritates the stomach. Ozempic gives alcohol more time to linger in the stomach, and this raises the chances of stomach upset and nausea.
You'll likely notice some changes in appetite and reductions in food cravings within the first week.