Jump to: Is Wegovy good for long-term use? | How long will I continue to lose weight on Wegovy? | Can I stay on a lower maintenance dose? | How to safely come off Wegovy | NHS vs private prescription duration | Frequently asked questions | Take home message
If you’ve purchased the medication privately, you can stay on Wegovy for as long as you can tolerate it without adverse side effects affecting your quality of life. There’s no maximum treatment duration under medical supervision.
For those prescribed Wegovy via the NHS, current NICE guidance (TA875) recommends a maximum of 2 years of treatment within a specialist weight management service.1
Data from the STEP 1 trial showed that 86.4% of participants achieved at least 5% weight loss after 68 weeks, with an average weight reduction of 14.9%.2
However, the STEP 1 extension study found that participants who stopped semaglutide regained two-thirds of their lost weight within one year.3 This highlights why many people choose to continue treatment long-term and why building sustainable habits while on medication is so important.
Important safety information: Wegovy (semaglutide) is a prescription-only medication for managing obesity. This article is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or adjusting any medication.
Key milestones: what to expect on Wegovy
| Duration |
What typically happens |
Key considerations |
| 0-16 weeks |
Dose titration period from 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg |
Side effects most common; focus on tolerability and start building healthy habits |
| 16-68 weeks |
Average 14.9% weight loss; 86% achieve ≥5% |
Continue to build sustainable eating habits during this window |
| 68+ weeks |
Weight loss typically plateaus; focus shifts to maintenance |
Consider maintenance dose; review progress with clinician |
| 2 years (NHS limit) |
NICE-recommended maximum for NHS prescriptions |
Private prescriptions can continue if clinically appropriate |
| After stopping |
Two-thirds of weight is typically regained within 1 year without support |
Habit formation during treatment is critical for maintenance |
Is Wegovy good for long-term use?
Wegovy is safe for most people to use long-term. GLP-1 medications have been available since 2005, and no long-term data have emerged to suggest they cause significant harm when used appropriately.
Research from the STEP 1 trial showed that 14.9% average weight loss was achieved after 68 weeks, with 50.5% of participants losing 15% or more of their body weight.2
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that serious adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation occurred in approximately 7% of participants taking semaglutide for weight loss.4
The most common side effects are gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, and constipation. These typically improve as your body adjusts to the medication, particularly after the 16-week titration period.
For most people, continuing Wegovy long-term is both safe and effective for maintaining weight loss, provided it remains well-tolerated, and your prescribing clinician agrees it’s appropriate for your situation.
How long will I continue to lose weight on Wegovy?
Weight loss on Wegovy typically continues for around 14-16 months before reaching a plateau. The STEP 1 trial showed that maximum weight loss was generally achieved by week 60-68.2
The average weight loss on Wegovy after 68 weeks is around 15%, though individual results vary significantly. Some people lose 5-10%, while others achieve 20% or more.
After reaching your plateau, the focus shifts from active weight loss to weight maintenance. This is when the habits you’ve built during treatment become particularly important.
Several factors influence how much weight you’ll lose:
- Starting weight and BMI
- How well you tolerate the medication
- Dietary changes made alongside treatment
- Physical activity levels
- Whether you have type 2 diabetes (weight loss tends to be lower)
The amount of weight you lose doesn’t just depend on the medication. Your lifestyle changes during treatment significantly impact both the amount of weight lost and your ability to maintain it.
Can I stay on a lower maintenance dose?
Yes, some people maintain their weight loss on a lower dose of Wegovy rather than the maximum 2.4 mg. This approach can reduce side effects and lower medication costs.
Wegovy is available in five doses: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and 2.4 mg. While 2.4 mg is the target maintenance dose, some individuals find that lower doses are sufficient once they’ve reached their weight-loss goals.
Your prescribing clinician can help you determine whether a lower maintenance dose might work for you based on:
- Your weight loss progress and current stability
- Side effect profile at different doses
- Your overall health goals
- Cost considerations (lower doses are less expensive)
It’s worth noting that clinical trials primarily studied the 2.4 mg dose, so there’s less data on long-term outcomes with lower maintenance doses. Any dose adjustment should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
How to safely come off Wegovy
If you decide to stop Wegovy, a gradual tapering approach is generally recommended rather than stopping abruptly. This gives your body time to adjust as the medication’s appetite-suppressing effects diminish.
Semaglutide has a half-life of approximately one week, meaning it takes about 5-7 weeks for the medication to fully clear from your system after your last injection.5
A typical tapering approach might involve:
- Reducing from 2.4 mg to 1.7 mg for 4 weeks
- Then to 1 mg for 4 weeks
- Followed by 0.5 mg for 4 weeks
- Finally, moving to 0.25 mg until you’re ready to come off
The STEP 1 extension study showed that participants who stopped semaglutide regained an average of 11.6 percentage points of their lost weight within one year, representing about two-thirds of what they’d lost.3
However, building sustainable habits during your time on medication can significantly improve your chances of maintaining weight loss.
Our 12-month outcomes research found that participants with comprehensive behavioural support maintained significantly better results after stopping medication.6
NHS vs private prescription duration
NHS prescriptions: NICE guidance (TA875) recommends Wegovy be used for a maximum of 2 years within a specialist weight management service.1
Treatment should be reviewed at 6 months, and NICE suggests considering stopping if less than 5% of the initial weight has been lost.
Private prescriptions: There’s no set time limit. You can continue treatment indefinitely as long as it remains clinically appropriate and you can tolerate the medication without significant adverse effects.
The 2-year NHS limit exists because clinical trials haven’t studied outcomes beyond this duration, not because of safety concerns with longer use. Plus, the NHS isn’t able to fund the medication forever.
Many obesity specialists view obesity as a chronic condition requiring ongoing management, similar to hypertension or type 2 diabetes.
If you’re currently on an NHS prescription and approaching the 2-year limit, you have several options:
- Transition to a private prescription to continue treatment
- Gradually taper off with a plan for weight maintenance
- Discuss alternative medications or approaches with your specialist team
Frequently asked questions
Is Wegovy a lifelong medication?
Wegovy can be taken long-term, but it doesn’t have to be lifelong. Some people use it for 1-2 years to reach their goal weight while building sustainable habits, then taper off.
Others choose to continue indefinitely to maintain their weight. The right approach depends on your individual circumstances and should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
What happens when I reach my goal weight?
You have several options: continue at the same dose for maintenance, try a lower dose to maintain your weight, or gradually taper off while focusing on the habits you’ve developed.
Will I regain all the weight if I stop Wegovy?
Research shows that without intervention, people typically regain about two-thirds of their lost weight within a year of stopping.3
However, those who’ve developed sustainable eating and exercise habits during treatment tend to maintain better results. This is why behavioural support alongside medication is so important.
How long does Wegovy stay in my system after stopping?
Semaglutide has a half-life of about one week. It takes approximately 5-7 weeks (around five half-lives) for the medication to be effectively cleared from your system after your final injection.5
Can I restart Wegovy if I regain weight after stopping?
Yes, in most cases you can restart Wegovy if you regain weight after stopping, provided you still meet the eligibility criteria and your prescribing clinician agrees it’s appropriate. You would typically restart at a lower dose and titrate back up.
Is the 2-year NHS limit based on safety concerns?
No. The 2-year limit exists because clinical trials haven’t extensively studied outcomes beyond this duration. It’s not due to safety concerns with longer-term use. Private prescriptions can continue beyond 2 years if clinically appropriate.
It’s also due to cost. The NHS can’t afford to fund lifelong use of the medication for everyone.
What’s the difference between Wegovy and Ozempic?
Both contain semaglutide, but Wegovy is licensed specifically for weight management at doses up to 2.4 mg a week, while Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes at doses up to 2 mg a week. Wegovy is the appropriate choice for weight management.
Should I take Wegovy or Mounjaro?
Both are effective weight-loss medications. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) works on both GLP-1 and GIP receptors and has shown slightly greater weight loss in trials (approximately 20-26% vs 15% for Wegovy). Your prescribing clinician can help determine which is most suitable based on your medical history, preferences, and availability.
Take home message
You can stay on Wegovy as long as it’s helping you and you’re tolerating it well. There’s no maximum duration for private prescriptions, though NHS prescriptions are currently limited to 2 years.
The key is using your time on medication wisely. The habits you build while Wegovy is reducing your appetite will determine how well you maintain your weight loss, whether you continue the medication long-term or eventually stop.
Weight regain after stopping is common but not inevitable. Working with a structured programme that focuses on sustainable habit change alongside medication gives you the best chance of long-term success.
Second Nature's Mounjaro and Wegovy programmes
Second Nature provides Mounjaro or Wegovy as part of our Mounjaro and Wegovy weight-loss programmes.
Why choose Second Nature over other medication providers, assuming you're eligible?
Because peace of mind matters.
We've had the privilege of working with the NHS for over eight years, helping people across the UK take meaningful steps toward a healthier, happier life.
Our programmes are designed to meet people where they are, whether that means support with weight loss through compassionate one-to-one health coaching, or access to the latest weight-loss medications (like Mounjaro and Wegovy) delivered alongside expert care from a multidisciplinary team of doctors, psychologists, dietitians, and personal trainers.
At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: real, lasting change comes from building better habits, not relying on quick fixes. We're here to support that change every step of the way.
With over a decade of experience, thousands of lives changed, and a long-standing record of delivering programmes used by the NHS, we believe we're the UK's most trusted weight-loss programme.
We hope to offer you something invaluable: peace of mind, and the support you need to take that first step.
References
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2023). Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (TA875). Updated September 2023.
- Wilding, J.P.H., et al. (2021). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine, 384(11), 989-1002.
- Wilding, J.P.H., et al. (2022). Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 24(8), 1553-1564.
- Shi, Q., et al. (2022). Pharmacotherapy for adults with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. The Lancet, 399(10321), 259-269.
- Novo Nordisk. (2024). Wegovy Summary of Product Characteristics. Electronic Medicines Compendium.
- Richards, R., et al. (2025). A Remotely Delivered, Semaglutide-Supported Weight Management Program: 12-Month Outcomes. JMIR Formative Research, 9(1), e72577.
