Beyond needle phobia or the physical discomfort of injections, convenience is a key reason people may be interested in switching to the Wegovy pill.
Wegovy injection pens must be kept refrigerated, which can be a logistical challenge. With the injections you will also need more supplies, such as alcohol swabs, and you may want more privacy while giving yourself a shot.
But the Wegovy pill has its own inconveniences, with specific restrictions on when and how to take it.
- First thing in the morning on an empty stomach
- With no more than 4 ounces of plain water
- With no food, drink, or other medications for at least 30 minutes afterward
- Swallowed whole, without crushing or splitting
The reason for these rules is that oral absorption of the medication is tricky — that’s why it took so long for a pill to be available, says Dan Azagury, MD, a weight loss physician and bariatric surgeon at Stanford Medicine in Palo Alto, California.
“The very specific instructions need to be followed closely, so that might not be for everyone depending on their daily schedule,” he says.
These rules are necessary, says Pinto, because eating or drinking too soon after taking the pill can significantly reduce how much medication reaches the bloodstream.
The injection does not have these timing restrictions. As long as it’s done on the same day each week, it can be injected at any time of day, with or without food.
“Injections may be preferred for patients who struggle with daily pills or have complex medication regimens,” says Stanford.
People who travel frequently or have irregular schedules may also find daily pills more appealing, she says.
The pill may also make it easier to skip a daily dose now and then to avoid side effects for certain situations — say a plane ride or big date. But would that make the medicine less effective?
That’s not likely, says Pinto. “As long as someone is taking the pills the majority of the time — say 80 to 90 percent of the time — it’s not likely that efficacy will be affected,” he says.
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