Medications
Wegovy dosing: the five-step schedule, and where most people land
July 15, 2026 · 2 min read
The short answer
Wegovy (semaglutide) is a once-weekly injection that steps up through five doses: 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.7, and 2.4 mg, spending about four weeks at each before moving on.
The low starting dose is for tolerance, not weight loss. The target maintenance dose is 2.4 mg, but a lower dose is a legitimate landing spot if the top step is not tolerated.
The Wegovy dose schedule
Wegovy is one injection a week, and the dose climbs on a fixed ladder rather than starting where it ends. The standard schedule:
| Weeks | Dose | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg | Starter; introduces the drug, not a treatment dose |
| 5 to 8 | 0.5 mg | Second step up |
| 9 to 12 | 1.0 mg | Effects usually become noticeable |
| 13 to 16 | 1.7 mg | Near-target; a valid stopping point for some |
| 17 onward | 2.4 mg | Maintenance dose used in the trials |
That is roughly four months of climbing before you reach the full dose, which surprises people expecting fast results.
Why it starts so low
The 0.25 mg starting dose is not meant to drive weight loss. It exists to let your stomach adapt. Semaglutide's core action is a slowed stomach, and the nausea, constipation, and reflux that come with it are far more manageable when the dose rises in small steps. Starting at 2.4 mg would make most people miserable enough to quit, which is why the ladder is built into the label rather than left to preference.
What if a step is rough?
This is normal and expected, especially in the week or two after each increase. The usual options, all decided with your prescriber, are to hold the current dose longer than four weeks before climbing, or to step back down and re-approach more slowly. Neither is failure. A slower climb you stay on beats a fast one you abandon, and prescribers do this routinely. Our titration guide covers the general rhythm.
Is 2.4 mg required?
No. 2.4 mg is the maintenance dose used in the STEP trials that produced the roughly 15% average weight loss figure, so it is the target. But if 1.7 mg is where you feel well and are getting results, that can be a reasonable place to stay, and the label allows 1.7 mg as a maintenance dose for people who cannot tolerate 2.4. The best dose is the highest one you tolerate and can sustain, not a number to reach for its own sake.
Missed doses and restarts
If you miss a dose, the general guidance is to take it as soon as you remember if the next one is still several days away, and otherwise to skip it and resume your schedule. If you have been off for longer, do not simply resume at your old dose; a gap can reset your tolerance, and your prescriber may restart you lower. Our missed-dose post works through the cases.
Tracking the climb
Logging each dose change with how the following week felt turns titration into a record instead of a memory. It shows your prescriber exactly when to hold and when to move, which is what sets your right dose. DoseLog keeps dose, side effects, and weight in one line.
Questions people ask
What is the Wegovy dosing schedule?
Five once-weekly steps: 0.25 mg for 4 weeks, then 0.5, 1.0, 1.7, and finally 2.4 mg, spending about four weeks at each dose. The 0.25 mg start is a tolerance-building dose, not a treatment dose, so it takes roughly four months to reach the full 2.4 mg.
What is the maintenance dose of Wegovy?
2.4 mg once weekly is the target maintenance dose, and the one used in the STEP trials. The label also allows 1.7 mg as a maintenance dose for people who cannot tolerate 2.4 mg.
What if I can't tolerate a Wegovy dose increase?
That is common right after a step up. With your prescriber you can hold the current dose longer than four weeks, or step back down and climb more slowly. A slower ladder you stay on beats a fast one you quit.
How long until Wegovy starts working?
Appetite changes often begin in the first weeks, but meaningful weight loss usually follows reaching the higher doses, so the first month or two on starter doses is typically slow. That is expected, not a sign it is failing.
References
- 1.Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information: dosing and administration, 0.25 to 2.4 mg escalation. View label on DailyMed ↗
- 2.Wilding JPH et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. STEP 1. NEJM 2021. Read on NEJM ↗
- 3.Reviews of GLP-1 dose-escalation and tolerability during titration. Find on PubMed ↗
This article is general education, not medical advice. DoseLog is a tracking and reflection tool. Decisions about your medication, dose, and symptoms belong with a licensed clinician.
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