Wegovy nausea

Wegovy causes nausea because it affects your digestive system. It slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach, which keeps you full for longer and helps you to eat less. This supports weight loss but can also make you feel nauseous or vomit (being sick).

Nausea is one of the common side effects of taking the treatment. More than 1 in 10 people get nausea when taking Wegovy injections or Wegovy tablets. Nausea on Wegovy is typically mild and should go away once your body gets used to the treatment.

When can nausea appear on Wegovy injections?

If you’re using Wegovy injections, you may experience nausea when you start the treatment or increase the dose. This is because your body is getting used to the treatment.

Your dose will be gradually increased every 4 weeks to help lower the risk of common side effects, like nausea. You can also stay on a lower dose for longer if it helps you manage side effects and adjust to the treatment.

When can nausea appear on Wegovy tablets?

It’s common to experience nausea on the Wegovy pill when you first start taking the tablet. You may also experience nausea when you increase your dose.

You’ll start on the 1.5mg dose and slowly increase your dose up to the maximum daily dose on a monthly basis.

Nausea is a very common side effect of taking Wegovy, both the pill and injection. Clinical trials show that you’re slightly more likely to get nausea with Wegovy tablets than with Wegovy injections.

Studies show that around 44% of people taking 2.4mg Wegovy injections experience nausea. People who take Wegovy pills report nausea slightly more frequently than those who take Wegovy injections. Almost half (47%) of people who take the pill get nausea at some point during treatment.

This may be because the pill is absorbed in your stomach causing stomach related side effects. However, more research is needed to understand why people who take Wegovy pills are slightly more likely to experience nausea.

How severe is nausea on the Wegovy injection?

Studies show that nausea with 2.4mg Wegovy injections is mostly mild to moderate in severity and lasts for a short time. 4.3% of patients on a clinical trial stopped Wegovy injections because of gastrointestinal side effects like nausea.

How severe is nausea on the Wegovy tablet?

For people taking Wegovy tablets at the 25 mg maintenance dose, like with the Wegovy injection, nausea is most likely to be mild to moderate in severity and last only for a short time. Around 3.4% of people on a clinical trial discontinued the treatment due to gastrointestinal issues like nausea.

When taking Wegovy injections or pills, you may feel nausea anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. It should settle as your body gets used to the treatment. Clinical studies found that nausea was most commonly reported for Wegovy injections and pills when people increased their dose rather than after reaching the maintenance dose.

Remember, the side effects of Wegovy are different for everyone. How long nausea lasts depends on how your body responds to the treatment.

Wegovy nausea timeline

Here is an overview of when nausea may happen and when it should settle:

Wegovy injection nausea timeline

Wegovy tablet nausea timeline

To avoid getting nausea, you need to make sure you take Wegovy correctly, and follow your doctor’s diet and lifestyle guidance.

Wegovy pill

Using the Wegovy pill correctly means:

• taking it once a day on an empty stomach, after at least eight hours of fasting
• swallowing it whole with water only
• waiting for 30 minutes after swallowing the tablet before eating, drinking or taking any other medication

Wegovy injections

If you’re using Wegovy injections, you’ll need to take it weekly, and you should try to take it at the same time each week if you can. It can be taken at any time of day, with or without food.

We recommend avoiding foods and drinks that can trigger side effects like nausea when taking Wegovy. This includes but is not limited to spicy, greasy, fatty foods, or alcohol and caffeine.

➤ Read more about foods to avoid on Wegovy in our Wegovy Diet Plan.

There are different ways you can manage nausea while taking Wegovy injections or tablets.

What to eat and drink when you have nausea on Wegovy

If you’re experiencing Wegovy nausea, clinical studies have found that plain foods, like crackers, rice, and pasta can help ease sickness. Do not eat rich, greasy, fatty or spicy foods as these can make nausea worse.

Make sure you regularly sip water to stay hydrated.

Managing Wegovy nausea after eating

We recommend drinking ginger or peppermint tea to help ease nausea after a meal. Studies have found that ginger and peppermint is beneficial for nausea relief. You should also avoid lying down after eating to help you digest your food.

Managing Wegovy nausea in the morning and night

If you have Wegovy nausea in the morning, try exercising gently or going out for a light walk and some fresh air to distract you from the feeling of nausea. You should ask your doctor about whether it is appropriate for you to take an anti-sickness tablet alongside Wegovy if the nausea you experience begins to affect your day.

To manage Wegovy nausea at night, get plenty of rest. If you’re on injections and have been experiencing nausea shortly after injecting, you may prefer to take them in the evening so you can sleep through the time you may have nausea. If you are taking the injection or pill, we also advise to avoid eating too close to bedtime as this may cause side effects at night. Try to avoid any triggers of nausea on Wegovy, for example, certain smells. Studies have found that GLP-1 treatments like semaglutide may cause your senses to be heightened, like taste or smell.

If the nausea gets worse, speak to your doctor about natural remedies and medications that may help. Studies show that peppermint and ginger can reduce nausea.

Diet and lifestyle changes to stop nausea

If you’re taking Wegovy, making changes to your diet and lifestyle can help to manage nausea. For example, because you’re likely to get full quicker when taking the treatment, you may find it better to eat smaller meals to reduce stomach pain and nausea.

We recommend limiting how much alcohol and caffeinated drinks you have. These can make nausea and other digestive issues, like indigestion, worse. You should stay hydrated as this can help to reduce nausea. Water and ginger-based drinks, such as ginger tea, are good options.

Stretching and exercise each day can increase digestion and reduce side effects like nausea. You should start off with low-impact activities such as walking, yoga or swimming. We recommend increasing your physical activity when taking weight loss treatment to benefit both your health and weight loss progress.

Wegovy anti nausea medication

Speak to a pharmacist about over-the-counter relief for nausea, they will be able to assess suitable medications to ease this side effect as your body adjusts to the treatment.

Example of over-the-counter medications that may help with Wegovy nausea symptoms and provide temporary relief include:

• Pepto-Bismol
• Gaviscon
• Proton-pump inhibitors like omeprazole or lansaprozole

If your nausea does not improve or you’re finding it difficult to manage, speak to a doctor. They may recommend lowering the dose to help your body adjust to the treatment or stopping it completely. Or they may suggest trying a different weight loss treatment, like Mounjaro or Nevolat.