When should I take Ozempic? You should inject Ozempic once a week — on the same day of the week, every week. It doesn't make a big difference whether you take it in the morning or at night. It's possible to change the day of the week you inject Ozempic.
Ozempic® should be administered by a patient once weekly on the same day each week, at any time of the day, with or without meals. The day of weekly administration can be changed if necessary as long as the time between 2 doses is at least 2 days (>48 hours).
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.
Ozempic should be used along with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity for maximum benefit. Nausea is the most common side effect. The side effects are usually transient but can persist in some people. Lowering the dose may help improve tolerance.
For Ozempic, the peak time is about 2-4 days after the first dose and around 4 weeks after regular dosing. The peak time refers to the time at which the medication reaches its highest concentration in the body.
You should inject Ozempic once a week — on the same day of the week, every week. It doesn't make a big difference whether you take it in the morning or at night. It's possible to change the day of the week you inject Ozempic. The general rule is to avoid injecting it with less than 2 days in between shots.
You may need to increase your physical activity
As mentioned above, Ozempic should be used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise. For those starting with Ozempic, health professionals may recommend beginning with 150 minutes per week of physical activity, such as walking.
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.
Ozempic starts working within the first week of beginning your maintenance dose.
You'll likely notice some changes in appetite and reductions in food cravings within the first week.
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.
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.
Ozempic is only intended and approved for people with type 2 diabetes. You should not take it solely for weight loss. Doing so may prevent patients who require the medication for blood sugar management from getting it. Interrupting their treatment with Ozempic creates serious health risks.
You start feeling those usual hunger pangs again, and consequently, you may start eating more to satisfy that hunger. An increase in your consumption can lead to the regaining of weight that was lost. A 2022 study found that most individuals gain weight back a year after stopping the medication.
You've hit a plateau
Losing muscle along with fat slows your metabolism and can slow down your weight loss. Once your body adjusts, your weight loss journey should pick up again.
Bottom Line. Your blood sugar levels should start to fully decline within the first week after you start using Ozempic (semaglutide) at your regular maintenance dose. However, the full effects can take 8 weeks or longer, as this is a long-acting medication that is injected only once per week.
Study 1: Patients using Ozempic 0.5 mg dose lost on average 8 lb (3.6 kg), those using 1 mg dose lost 10 lb (4.5 kg), and those taking placebo (an inactive treatment) lost 3 lb (1.4 kg). Study 2: Patients using the Ozempic 1 mg dose lost on average 12 lb (5.5 kg), and those using the 2 mg dose lost 14 lb (6.3 kg).
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.