Key takeaways

  • Choosing the right injection site and following the injection instructions exactly can help reduce many instances of drug leakage.
  • Wegovy has a helpline where you can call at 1-833-4-WEGOVY if you have a pen that’s not working properly.
  • Leakage can occur if you don’t press the pen firmly enough against your skin or if you pull the pen away too soon.

Wegovy (semaglutide) is a prescription medication that’s used to:

The drug comes as a liquid solution in single-dose prefilled pens and is given as an injection under your skin.

Note: Wegovy is also available as an oral tablet. If you have questions about which form of Wegovy may be best for you, talk with your doctor.

Medication can leak out during or after an injection if you don’t press the pen firmly enough against your skin or if you pull the pen away too soon. You may see fluid leaking or squirting from the needle or pooling on your skin.

Will my dose still be effective?

Yes. A small amount of leakage will not make Wegovy less effective. There’s no need to inject additional medication if a small amount leaks out.

However, if you continue to have issues with Wegovy leaking — and have determined it’s not faulty pens — talk with your doctor or pharmacist for injection tips to help prevent leakage.

What to do if Wegovy leaks out

If you follow all the appropriate steps and Wegovy is still leaking from the injection site, it may be due to a pen malfunction.

Wegovy has a helpline you can call at 1-833-4-WEGOVY if you have a pen that’s not working properly.

You can also call the drug manufacturer at 833-934-6891 for assistance with issues such as the following:

  • The pen has passed its expiration date.
  • The liquid in the pen is not colorless and clear.
  • Any part of the pen has been damaged or broken.
  • The pen looks like it’s been used.

If you have a Wegovy pen that’s not working correctly, discard it properly without using it and try a new pen instead.

Choosing the right injection area and following the injection instructions exactly can help reduce many instances of leakage.

Several areas of your body are equally effective for Wegovy injections. These include:

  • your lower stomach (at least 2 inches from your belly button)
  • upper arm
  • front upper thigh

If you have difficulty with Wegovy leaking from an abdominal injection site, you might have more success using your front upper thigh or upper arm. These areas are typically firmer than the stomach, and using them may help avoid leakage. If you do inject into your abdomen, try standing up to tighten the skin there.

Medical Perspective

“To help reduce the risk of injection site reactions, rotate injection sites weekly (lower stomach, upper arm, or front upper thigh). To reduce irritation, avoid injecting into irritated or scarred skin and let the injection pen reach room temperature before use. Using proper technique and not rubbing the area afterward can also help minimize redness or swelling.”

— Alex Nguyen, PharmD, RPh, CPh

Learn more about injection site reactions and tips for managing these effects.

Quotes represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

To be sure you get the full dose of the drug, it’s important to follow the injection instructions closely. In general terms, the Wegovy injection process is as follows:

  1. Clean your hands and then the injection site with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. Let your skin dry.
  2. Pull the cap straight off the pen.
  3. Push the needle cover firmly against your skin, and keep it firmly there the entire time.
  4. The injection starts when you hear the first click, and the yellow bar in the pen’s window begins to move. If this doesn’t occur, apply more pressure.
  5. The pen will click a second time. Keep applying pressure, as this sound indicates the injection is still in progress.
  6. The injection is finished when the yellow bar stops moving.
  7. Again, the first click means the injection has started. The second click means it’s still in progress. The injection is complete when the yellow bar stops moving (typically 5 to 10 seconds from the initial click).
  8. Slowly pull the pen away from your skin.
  9. Press a cotton ball or gauze pad lightly against the spot if there’s any bleeding.

Note that the needle cover locks as soon as you remove the pen from your skin, so once you’ve stopped an injection, you can’t restart it.

You should immediately discard used pens in a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved sharps disposal container. For more information, check out this FDA page.

Next steps

If you are looking for more information, detailed instructions are available from several sources:

You may see fluid leaking from the injection site or the needle of Wegovy if you don’t press the pen firmly enough against your skin or if you pull the pen away too soon. Be sure to follow the instructions when injecting your dose of Wegovy. This can help reduce the risk for injection site leakage.

If you are still experiencing leakage at the injection site of Wegovy, talk with your doctor or pharmacist for the best next steps.

Disclaimer: While Healthline strives for factual, comprehensive, and current information, this article is not a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional’s expertise. Always consult a doctor before taking or discontinuing any medication. Drug information is subject to change and may not cover all uses, directions, precautions, warnings, interactions, reactions, or adverse effects. The lack of a warning does not guarantee a drug’s safety, effectiveness, or appropriateness for all patients or specific uses. Learn more about our approach to content integrity.