Wegovy side effects: 44 percent had nausea and 6.8 percent stopped
Nausea reached 44 percent on Wegovy 2.4 mg, against 16 percent on placebo. 6.8 percent of treated adults stopped the drug over a side effect, against 3.2 percent on placebo. GLP Chart read the FDA label on DailyMed, revised June 2026.
| Reaction | Placebo (n=1,261) | 2.4 mg (n=2,116) |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 16% | 44% |
| Diarrhea | 16% | 30% |
| Vomiting | 6% | 24% |
| Constipation | 11% | 24% |
| Abdominal pain (stomach pain) | 10% | 20% |
| Headache | 10% | 14% |
| Fatigue | 5% | 11% |
| Dyspepsia (indigestion) | 3% | 9% |
| Dizziness | 4% | 8% |
| Abdominal distension (bloating) | 5% | 7% |
| Eructation (burping) | <1% | 7% |
| Hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes (low blood sugar) | 2% | 6% |
| Flatulence (gas) | 4% | 6% |
| Gastroenteritis (a stomach bug) | 4% | 6% |
| Gastroesophageal reflux disease (acid reflux) | 3% | 5% |
| Gastritis (an inflamed stomach lining) | 1% | 4% |
| Gastroenteritis, viral (a stomach bug from a virus) | 3% | 4% |
| Hair loss | 1% | 3% |
| Dysesthesia (altered skin sensation) | 1% | 2% |
- Abdominal pain. The label counts stomach pain, tenderness and discomfort in this row, anywhere from the ribs down.
- Fatigue. The label counts asthenia, fatigue, lethargy and malaise in this row.
- Hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes. Blood glucose under 54 mg/dL, in the trial patients who had type 2 diabetes and were not on insulin.
- Gastritis. The label counts long-running, eroded and reflux-driven stomach lining trouble in this row.
- Dysesthesia. The label groups eight skin-sensation terms in this row, including burning, tingling, numbness and sensitive skin.
Who stopped the drug, and why
The 44 percent nausea row counts everyone who felt it. The label prints a second figure, for the people who quit over a side effect. That was 6.8 percent of adults on 2.4 mg, against 3.2 percent on placebo.
The label names the three reasons. Nausea drove 1.8 percent out against 0.2 percent on placebo, vomiting 1.2 percent against none, diarrhea 0.7 percent against 0.1. The 44 percent nausea row and the 1.8 percent quit row are the same symptom at two severities.
Reactions the label calls severe ran 4.1 percent on the injection against 0.9 percent on placebo.
What the dose does to your bill
NovoCare prices Wegovy by dose. Every step it publishes, checked August 31, 2026.
| Dose | Cost / mo |
|---|---|
| Wegovy pill, starter dose (1.5mg) | $149/mo |
| Wegovy pill, 4mg | $199/mo |
| Wegovy pill, maintenance dose (9mg/25mg) | $299/mo |
| Program | At the dose you stay on | At the top dose it publishes |
|---|---|---|
| Knownwell | $299/mo | Not published |
| Amazon Pharmacy | $299/mo | Not published |
| Sam's Club Member Health | $299/mo | Not published |
| CVS MinuteClinic | $328/mo | $378/mo |
| GoodRx for Weight Loss | $338/mo | $388/mo |
| Walgreens Weight Management | $348/mo | $398/mo |
| WeightWatchers Clinic | $373/mo | $423/mo |
| Sesame Care | $398/mo | $448/mo |
| Costco / Success by Sesame | $398/mo | $448/mo |
| Hims & Hers | $448/mo | $548/mo |
| Ro Body | $448/mo | $548/mo |
| LifeMD | $448/mo | $498/mo |
Each figure is the total a month, membership and fees in, read off the program's own published pricing. A program that publishes no Wegovy price is not listed. See every price we track.
Compare every Wegovy route at its maintenance price →
What the label tells a prescriber to do
Wegovy carries a tolerability sentence and most GLP-1 labels do not: If patients do not tolerate a dose during dosage escalation, consider delaying dosage escalation for 4 weeks.
That is a four-week hold at the dose you are on.
The label attaches one warning to the gut reactions themselves. Dehydration from nausea, vomiting or diarrhea has led to kidney injury, so fluids are what to watch. The label tells prescribers to check kidney function in anyone reporting those reactions, especially while the dose is climbing.
Call the same day for severe stomach pain reaching your back, vomiting that stops you drinking for a day, or yellow skin or eyes. Sudden vision loss in one eye is also a same-day call. The triage list on the pillar page carries the full split between call today, call this week and manage at home.
What 7.2 mg does that 2.4 mg does not
The label carries a second table comparing the two maintenance doses head to head. Most rows move a little. Nausea reads 35 percent at 2.4 mg and 39 percent at 7.2 mg.
One row moves a lot. Altered skin sensation reads 6 percent at 2.4 mg and 22 percent at 7.2 mg, a near four-fold step. 5 percent stopped on each dose.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common Wegovy side effects?
The label's own table ranks them. Nausea 44 percent, diarrhea 30 percent, vomiting 24 percent and constipation 24 percent, all at 2.4 mg. The placebo arm reported nausea at 16 percent and diarrhea at 16 percent, so read each figure against its own placebo column.
How many people stop Wegovy because of side effects?
6.8 percent of adults on Wegovy 2.4 mg stopped for that reason, against 3.2 percent on placebo. The label names the three reasons: nausea at 1.8 percent against 0.2, vomiting at 1.2 percent against 0, and diarrhea at 0.7 percent against 0.1.
Is 7.2 mg worse than 2.4 mg?
On most rows, a little. Nausea reads 35 percent at 2.4 mg and 39 percent at 7.2 mg in the label's second table. One row is not a little: altered skin sensation reads 6 percent at 2.4 mg and 22 percent at 7.2 mg. Discontinuation was 5 percent on both doses.
Does Wegovy cause hair loss?
The label lists it. Hair loss reads 3 percent at 2.4 mg against 1 percent on placebo, and 6 percent at 7.2 mg. On the cause the label says one thing: the reactions were associated with weight reduction.
What does the label say to do about a side effect?
One sentence, written to the prescriber: if patients do not tolerate a dose during dosage escalation, consider delaying dosage escalation for 4 weeks. The label also says to watch kidney function in anyone whose nausea, vomiting or diarrhea is bad enough to cause dehydration.
Does holding at a lower dose cost less?
It depends on the program. Some publish one price at every dose and some charge more at each step up, so the same clinical decision saves money on one plan and nothing on another. The table on this page shows which is which.
Every dosage sentence on this page is written to a prescriber, not to you. Holding a dose, dropping back or stopping changes what the drug is doing. Take the label language to the appointment.
Sources
Evidence checked August 31, 2026
Every figure above is taken from the document beside it, the FDA label or the trial that produced it, so you can read the source instead of trusting us. No clinician reviews these pages. What that means.
- Every rate in the Wegovy table, the 6.8 percent discontinuation figure, the 4.1 percent severe-reaction figure and the tolerability sentenceFDA prescribing information for Wegovy, injection and tablets (DailyMed, revised June 2026)
- The 2.4 mg against 7.2 mg comparison, including nausea at 35 and 39 percentFDA prescribing information for Wegovy, injection and tablets (DailyMed, revised June 2026)
