The facts about getting Ozempic for weight loss in the UK

Ozempic is a prescription injection treatment available in the UK licensed for treating type 2 diabetes. It contains the active ingredient semaglutide, a man-made drug that works to control insulin levels in a similar way to the way your natural hormones do. It can also affect both your appetite and blood sugar levels.

Ozempic is similar to Wegovy, which is an approved weight loss injection in the UK.

What is Ozempic used for?

Ozempic is used by people with type 2 diabetes to help control their blood sugar. It contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which acts in a similar way to a hormone your body releases after you’ve eaten called glucagon-like peptide-1 or GLP-1.

Ozempic can also be used to treat obesity by reducing your appetite and slowing down how quickly your stomach empties. But, Ozempic isn’t licensed to help with weight loss in the UK for people who don’t have diabetes.

Since Ozempic isn’t licensed for weight loss in people who don’t have diabetes, the only way you can get treatment is if it’s prescribed off-label. Not all doctors will prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight loss.

Instead, you may want to buy Wegovy, which is a very similar medication approved for weight loss and is available in the UK. Wegovy also comes as an injectable pen and contains semaglutide but has a different dosage schedule to effectively suppress appetite and make you feel fuller between meals. You don’t need to have diabetes to get Wegovy.

If you have type 2 diabetes, you can speak with your regular GP to discuss whether Ozempic could be a suitable treatment. Some online services may also allow you to get Ozempic treatment online.

How can I get my doctor to prescribe me Ozempic?

If you’re not diabetic, a doctor can prescribe an off-licence treatment, even if your regular GP works for the NHS. What they can’t do is give you an NHS prescription since the NHS doesn’t allow them to prescribe Ozempic this way.

What this means is you would have to pay the full price for Ozempic, which is much more than the standard NHS prescription fee. Plus, because it’s an off-label prescription, Ozempic is likely to be more expensive than just getting an approved weight loss injection prescription (for Wegovy, for example).

When prescribing Ozempic off-label, doctors may consider the criteria for other weight loss drugs (a BMI of 30, or 27 with a weight-related medical condition and have tried to lose weight through diet and exercise). If you can’t find Ozempic for weight loss online, or if you’d prefer an approved semaglutide weight loss injection, we can provide a prescription for Wegovy instead.

If you’re diabetic, discuss with your doctor whether Ozempic is the right treatment for you. They may suggest other treatments first based on your personal circumstances, like metformin.

Buying a medication with the same active ingredient as Ozempic

If you want to lose weight, it’s best to find an Ozempic alternative. Wegovy is an injectable medication that contains semaglutide, just like Ozempic.

Unlike Ozempic, Wegovy is licensed for treating weight loss in people who don’t have diabetes. It’s approved for use in the UK and is available now from Asda Online Doctor.

There are a few weight loss treatment medications that have been tested, approved, regulated and used to treat weight loss specifically, and not just diabetes.

More information on alternative weight loss injections approved and regulated in the UK:

• Wegovy – very similar to Ozempic, as it also contains semaglutide, but has a higher maintenance dose for weight loss.
• Mounjaro – contains tirzepatide, which works similarly to Ozempic but for weight loss.
• Saxenda – currently long-term out of stock, although we should be getting a generic version later this year.

Alternative weight loss pills that are approved and regulated in the UK include:

• Orlistat – works differently from Ozempic, it prevents some fat from your food from being absorbed.
• Xenical – a branded version of orlistat (works in the same way).
• alli – an over-the-counter version of orlistat at a lower dose.
• Mysimba – contains different active ingredients from Ozempic (naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride) but also affects appetite levels.

Best Ozempic alternatives for weight loss

Since Ozempic is not designed to treat weight loss, it’s best to consider treatments that can help weight loss specifically and can better support you on your weight loss journey.

Check out our comparison guides for some of the best alternatives to Ozempic available in the UK right now:

Wegovy vs Ozempic

Wegovy is almost the exact same medication as Ozempic. They both have the same active ingredient, but Ozempic is for treating diabetes and Wegovy is used for weight loss in people with or without diabetes.

Learn more about how to take Wegovy for weight loss and how Wegovy and Ozempic compare.

Mounjaro works like Ozempic and Wegovy, and is taken once a week. The active ingredient tirzepatide also mimics a second hormone which is thought to further enhance appetite suppression and feelings of fullness. Mounjaro is an approved weight loss injection and also comes as an injection for type 2 diabetes in the same name but with a different dosage schedule.

Find out more about Mounjaro and Ozempic comparison.

Saxenda is another medication that’s a lot like Ozempic. It doesn’t have the same active ingredient, instead, it contains liraglutide, but they both work in the same way. Saxenda has to be injected every day instead of every week like Ozempic.

It’s currently long-term out of stock, although there should be a generic version of liraglutide available for weight loss later this year.

Orlistat vs Ozempic

Orlistat is a different weight loss treatment that comes in the form of an oral tablet. It works by stopping your body from absorbing fat. It is also sold under the brand name Xenical. For best results from orlistat, you’ll take 1 tablet, up to 3 times a day with meals containing fat.

You can also get orlistat in a lower dose version called alli. These are sold in 60mg tablets rather than the usual 120mg and so are available without a prescription. You can get alli over-the-counter in some pharmacies, or through an online doctor service like Asda Online Doctor. You’ll still need to answer a few questions about your health and BMI, as alli still contains an active ingredient that could be unsuitable for some people.

Research shows that on Ozempic you have:

• a 45% chance of losing at least 5% weight after 56 weeks
• a 17% chance of losing at least 10% weight after 56 weeks

In comparison, approved and regulated weight loss treatments have shown more promising results, as their dosage schedule is tailored to weight loss only.

Wegovy, which also contains semaglutide, was found to help people lose:

• up to 15% of their starting weight after taking it for 68 weeks at the maintenance dose of 2.4mg (the standard dose that most people will work up to)

Mounjaro, which contains tirzepatide, was found to help people lose:

• up to 22.5% of their starting weight on the highest maintenance dose of 15mg after taking it for 72 weeks
• an average of 21.4% of their starting weight on the second-highest maintenance dose of 10mg after 72 weeks
• an average of 16% of their starting weight on the lowest maintenance dose of 5mg after 72 weeks

Most common Ozempic side effects aren’t serious, but they can be unpleasant for some people. Like with all medications, you won’t know how you’ll react to Ozempic until you try it. If you do get side effects and they’re serious or they begin to affect your day-to-day life, speak with your doctor about changing treatments.

Very common side effects experienced by more than 10% of users:

• feeling sick
• diarrhoea

Common side effects experienced by up to 10% of users:

• throwing up
• low blood sugar

Uncommon side effects experienced by up to 1% of users:

• change in how food tastes
• a fast pulse
• reactions where you use your injection, like bruises or irritation
• allergic reactions, like hives or a rash

How long Ozempic side effects can last

Some side effects can go away once you get used to taking Ozempic and some may not go away completely.

If you stop Ozempic, it will take 5 weeks for the medication to completely leave your system. But, as the level of Ozempic in your body drops, any ongoing side effects should start improving before the 5-week mark.

Ozempic can be prescribed for weight loss in the UK, but not all doctors will be willing to do it since it is officially approved to treat diabetes. It is also expensive compared to getting an approved weight loss treatment.

If you are diabetic, then you could mention Ozempic to your GP and talk to them about whether Ozempic is a good choice for you.

If you aren’t diabetic, weight loss results are better with treatments such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, and you can request weight loss treatment from one of our doctors today.