Practical answers for life on a GLP‑1
Short guides to the hands-on parts of a GLP-1 medicine: where it goes, when, and how to keep track. None of it is medical advice, and your prescriber always comes first.
Every fact checked against
- NHS pages
- Patient leaflets
- UK product information
- Lilly’s US label for Zepbound
Your first weeks on a GLP-1
What the leaflets say about starting: the low first dose, the side effects most likely early on, and the pen.
Checked against 10 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideMissed a dose?
What the Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic leaflets and Zepbound’s label say about a missed weekly jab, word for word.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideWhere to inject, and how to rotate
Stomach, thigh or upper arm: where each leaflet and label says to inject, and how to rotate the spot each week.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideRed, itchy or sore where you inject
How often the leaflets say reactions where you inject happen, what they look like, and the serious signs to know.
Checked against 5 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideCommon side effects, and when to get help
The common and serious side effects the NHS lists for semaglutide and tirzepatide, and who to contact.
Checked against 4 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideStomach pain: when it’s serious
What the leaflets and the NHS say severe stomach pain can be a sign of, and what they say to do about it.
Checked against 7 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideLow blood sugar on a GLP-1
Who the leaflets say is most at risk of low blood sugar, the warning signs they list, and what may change.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideEyesight changes on a GLP-1
What the leaflets say about diabetic eye disease, the very rare NAION on semaglutide, and when to contact a doctor.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideAllergic reactions on a GLP-1
The signs of a serious allergic reaction the NHS lists, how rare the leaflets say it is, and what they say to do.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideHeadaches and dizziness
Which leaflets list headaches and dizziness, how common each is, and what the NHS says about driving.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideTaste changes on a GLP-1
Which leaflets list a change in taste, how common it is on each, and the changed skin sensation listed beside it.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideHair loss on a GLP-1
Which leaflets list hair loss, how common it is, what Zepbound’s trials found, and what the NHS says to do.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideFeeling sick on a GLP-1
How common feeling and being sick are on each medicine, what Zepbound’s trials found, and what the leaflets say.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideDiarrhoea on a GLP-1
How common diarrhoea is on each medicine, what Zepbound’s trials found, and why the leaflets stress fluids.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideConstipation on a GLP-1
How common constipation is on each medicine, what Zepbound’s trials found, and the severe forms the sources list.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideHeartburn, burping and indigestion
Which leaflets list heartburn, burping and indigestion, how common they are, and what Zepbound’s trials found.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideBloating and wind
How common bloating and wind are on each medicine, what Zepbound’s trials found, and when it’s serious.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideGallstones and the gallbladder
How common gallstones are on each medicine, what Zepbound’s trials found, and the signs its label lists.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideFeeling tired on a GLP-1
How common tiredness is on each medicine, what Zepbound’s trials found, and when Wegovy’s leaflet says it eases.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideSurgery, sedation and the dentist
What the leaflets and the NHS say to tell your doctor or dentist before an operation, an anaesthetic or sedation.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideTaking it with other medicines
The medicines the leaflets and the NHS name, from warfarin and insulin to the pill, and what they say about each.
Checked against 8 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideDo side effects ease over time?
Which side effects the leaflets say usually ease, what the NHS says to do meanwhile, and when to get help.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideHow long does a pen last?
Four doses per pen or box: when your next pen is due, and how long each one keeps once it’s started.
Checked against 4 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideStoring your pen
Where the leaflets say to keep your pen, what they say about freezing, and what to check before you use it.
Checked against 4 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideHow the doses step up
How Mounjaro, Zepbound, Wegovy and Ozempic doses step up, from the starting dose to the top one.
Checked against 4 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideWegovy 7.2mg: three injections
Wegovy’s 7.2mg dose: three 2.4mg injections on one day, at least 5cm apart, with a new needle each time.
Checked against 1 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideChanging your injection day
The 3 day rule for moving your weekly jab to a new day, quoted from each leaflet and label, with a day counter.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideHow to take Rybelsus tablets
How to take Rybelsus: the 8 hour fast, a sip of water, the 30 minute wait, and its two sets of strengths.
Checked against 3 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideHow a weekly jab builds up
Why Mounjaro and Ozempic take about a month to settle, how soon they peak, and how long Ozempic lingers.
Checked against 5 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideDrinking enough when you feel sick
Why the leaflets warn that being sick or diarrhoea can dehydrate you, what they say to do, and when to get help.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideFood, drink and alcohol
How these medicines work on appetite, the diet the leaflets pair them with, and what the NHS says about alcohol.
Checked against 7 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideDriving on a GLP-1
What the leaflets and the NHS say about driving: dizziness, vision problems and low blood sugar.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideContraception and pregnancy
Tirzepatide and the pill, extra contraception after a dose increase, and pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideWhat to tell your doctor
The things the leaflets ask you to raise with your doctor before and during treatment, word for word.
Checked against 6 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guideStopping or taking a break
What the NHS and the leaflets say about stopping, and how long semaglutide stays after a last dose.
Checked against 9 sources on 12 October 2026
Read the guide