Ozempic is a once-weekly injection of semaglutide (generic name: semaglutide). This helps lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of certain heart and blood vessel problems in adults with diabetes.
It comes in a pre-filled pen that is injected into the back of your upper arms, abdomen or thighs. It’s safe to use so long as you inject it correctly, including priming the pen and using a new needle each time.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a medication used to help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar. It also works to help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Ozempic comes as a liquid solution inside prefilled, disposable pens that you inject yourself with. Your doctor will show you how to use these pens.
Each pen holds several doses of the drug. Your doctor or pharmacist will explain when you should throw away a pen and start using a new one.
You should not take too much of this medicine, because it can cause severe side effects. Your doctor may change your dose if you take it with other drugs or supplements.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist (incretin mimetics). It mimics the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone that helps the body produce more insulin and regulates glucose levels after you eat. It also slows down how food moves through the stomach, making you feel full for longer.
How does Ozempic work?
Ozempic is a medication that works by mimicking the natural hormone GLP-1 [2]. It can help lower blood sugar and control appetite by triggering insulin secretion in response to food. It also may decrease weight by increasing fat burning in your body.
Your doctor can prescribe Ozempic for you if you have type 2 diabetes and are overweight or obese. It is used in combination with diet and exercise to manage your blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Usually, it is injected under the skin (subcutaneously) on your stomach, thigh or upper arm. It should not be injected into a vein or muscle, as this could cause low blood sugar and complications.
Your doctor should show you how to inject Ozempic and help you choose the best injection site. It is recommended to change the injection site each week. This helps to reduce your risk of developing lipohypertrophy, a lump of fat under your skin that can affect how the medication is absorbed.
Is there a “best” place to inject Ozempic?
As with any medical procedure, you’ll need to follow your doctor’s instructions for injecting Ozempic. This includes priming the pen, using a new needle each time, correctly administering your dose, and more.
You’ll also need to select an injection site that has a layer of subcutaneous tissue, meaning it’s deep under the skin. Your abdomen or thighs are good options.
Before you begin injecting, wipe the area where you plan to inject with an alcohol swab. Then allow it to dry completely.
Turn the dose selector dial to the right amount of milligrams (mg) that your doctor prescribed. Don’t worry if you accidentally turn the dial too many clicks, you can back off by rotating the dial counter-clockwise until the little arrow on the right of the window points to the correct dose.
When you’re ready to inject your dose, insert the needle into your skin at a 90deg angle. Keep the needle under your skin and press and hold down the dose button until the dose counter reaches “0 mg” and count to six seconds before removing the needle.
What should I expect from Ozempic?
There are a few things to keep in mind before you start taking Ozempic. The medication can cause mild side effects or an allergic reaction, but these are usually temporary and go away with time as your body adjusts to the drug.
Stomach pain is common when starting treatment but tends to decrease over time in most people. It may be caused by a number of things, including gas build-up or stomach cramps.
Nausea is another side effect that can happen when you start taking Ozempic. It may be mild and go away on its own or it could be more severe, especially in people with certain medical conditions or if they are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Your doctor can give you suggestions on how to manage these side effects. They may also suggest other medications to help with your symptoms.