How To Inject Weight Loss Medication

Dr Ashwin Sharma

October 9, 2024

In this article we’ll guide you through the weight loss injection process for your injectable weight loss treatment whether it’s Compounded Semaglutide, Ozempic, Mounjaro or Wegovy.

We recommend reading your patient information leaflet, the instructions for the medication you’ve been prescribed and watching the relevant how to inject medication video in full before administering your medication for the first time. Remember you can come back to these resources at any time and the Levity clinical support team is here to help.

How to inject Compounded Semaglutide

With Levity you’ll receive 1 vial of compounded semaglutide each month, this vial contains 4 doses. You'll also receive 4 disposable syringes with a needle attached, you must use a new syringe each time you inject.

Preparing and checking your Compounded Semaglutide:

Remove your medication from the refrigerator and make sure all the items you need are nearby on a clean surface. This includes your medication vial, alcohol swabs, syringe and hard plastic container (like a laundry detergent bottle) to safely dispose of your used needle.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Check the expiry date on the vial and for any signs of damage.
Do not use the medication or syringe if it is expired or has signs of damage.
Then, remove the sterile cap from the top of the vial and wipe it with an alcohol swab.

Choosing an injection site:

Our Levity team recommends rotating your injection sites each time you inject to reduce the possibility of injection site reactions.

Choose an injection site: upper arms, stomach or the front of your thighs. It doesn’t matter which site you choose — it’s entirely up to you.
Clean the site with a new alcohol swab.

Drawing up your medication:

Start by pulling back the plunger to the line on your syringe for your dose. This fills the syringe with air.
Remove the needle cap.
Hold the syringe in your hand like a pencil, with the needle pointed up.
Insert the needle into the rubber stopper on the vial, taking care not to touch or bend the needle.
Now, depress the plunger to push the air back into the vial, this keeps a vacuum from forming.
Keep the needle tip in the medicine, turn the vial upside down and hold it up in the air.
Pull back the plunger to the line on your syringe for your dose. If the medication looks cloudy, do not use the medication.
Remove the syringe from the vial, taking care to keep the needle clean.
To remove any air bubbles from the syringe, keep the needle tip pointing upwards and tap the syringe lightly to move any air bubbles to the top.

Administering your Compounded Semaglutide:

To inject your medication, position the needle at the injection site, ensuring you can see when the syringe is empty.
Insert the needle into your skin and inject the medication by depressing the plunger while you count to 5.
Remove the needle from your skin. If blood appears at the injection site, press on it lightly with a clean tissue, but do not rub the area.

Disposing of medication:

Lead the needle tip into the needle cap on a flat surface. Once the needle is covered, carefully push the outer needle cap completely on.
Then, dispose of the used syringe in a hard plastic container.
Put the vial back in the container you received it in after each use and store your medication safely in the refrigerator.
Once you have administered all four doses from your vial you should dispose of it in a hard plastic container.

How to inject Ozempic

With Levity you’ll receive 1 Ozempic pen each month, this pen contains 4 doses. You'll also receive 4 disposable needles and you must use a new one each time you inject.

Preparing and checking your Ozempic:

Remove your medication from the refrigerator and make sure all the items you need are nearby on a clean surface. This includes your medication pen, disposable needle, alcohol swabs and hard plastic container (like a laundry detergent bottle) to safely dispose of your used needle.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Pull off the pen cap.
Check your pen isn’t expired or damaged and check that the medication is clear and colorless in the window of the pen. Do not use the medication if the pen is damaged or expired or if the solution is discolored or cloudy.
Select a needle to use for your injection and check the paper tab and the outer needle cap for damages. If you see any damage, dispose of the needle in a hard plastic container like a laundry detergent bottle as this could affect sterility.
Tear off the paper tab from the needle, then push the needle onto the pen and twist until it's secure.
Remove both caps from the needle, keeping the outer cap for later to safely dispose of your medication.

Checking the flow of your pen:

You’ll only need to complete this step before your first injection with a new pen.

Turn the dose selector until you see the flow check symbol and make sure it lines up with the dose pointer.
With the needle pointing upwards press the dose button until a small drop of medication appears at the tip of the needle. This means the needle is ready for use.
If a drop does not appear, you’ll need to check the flow again. However, this should only be done twice and if there is still no drop, change the needle and check the flow once more. Do not use the pen if a drop of Ozempic does not appear.

Choosing an injection site:

When choosing an injection site remember to choose one where you can see the pen window and is easily accessible. Our Levity team also recommends rotating your injection sites each time you inject to reduce the possibility of injection site reactions.

Choose an injection site: upper arms, stomach or the front of your thighs. It doesn’t matter which site you choose — it’s entirely up to you.
Clean the site with a new alcohol swab.

Administering your Ozempic:

Turn the dose selector until the dose counter stops, and your prescribed dose lines up with the dose pointer.
Position the pen at the injection site.
Insert the needle into your skin and inject the medication by holding down the dose knob while you count to 6.
The ‘0’ icon should be visible in the dose window before removing the needle from the skin.
Remove the needle from your skin.
If blood appears at the injection site, press on it lightly with a clean tissue, but do not rub the area.

Disposing of medication:

Lead the needle tip into the outer needle cap on a flat surface. Once the needle is covered, carefully push the outer needle cap completely on.
Unscrew the needle and dispose of it in a hard plastic container.
Put the pen cap on your pen after each use and store it safely in the refrigerator until your next dose.

How to Inject Mounjaro

With Levity you’ll receive 4 single-use Mounjaro pens each month, you must use a new one each time you inject.

Preparing and checking your Mounjaro:

Remove your medication from the refrigerator and make sure all the items you need are nearby on a clean surface. This includes your medication pen, alcohol swab and hard plastic container (like a laundry detergent bottle) to safely dispose of your used needle.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
Check your pen for any signs of damage and check that the medication is clear and colorless to slightly yellow in the window of the pen.
Do not use medication if the pen has signs of damage or if the medication is cloudy or discolored.
Make sure that your pen indicates the same dose that you have been prescribed by the Levity team.

Choosing an injection site:

Choose an injection site: upper arms, stomach or the front of your thighs
Clean the site with the alcohol swab provided.

Administering your Mounjaro:

Make sure the pen is locked using the lock ring and indicator at the top of the pen.
Pull off the gray base cap and dispose of it in your household bin. Do not replace the gray base cap as it could damage the pen.
Position the clear base at the injection site. Make sure it is flat against your skin.
Unlock the pen by turning the lock ring.
Press and hold the purple injection button for 10 seconds.
You will hear two clicks during your injection. The first click means your injection has started and the second click means your injection is completed. You can also tell that your injection is complete when you see the gray plunger in the window of the pen.
Remove the needle from your skin.
If blood appears at the injection site, press on it lightly with a clean tissue, but do not rub the area.

Disposing of medication:

Dispose of the used pen in a hard plastic container (like a laundry detergent bottle).

How to inject Wegovy

With Levity you’ll receive 4 single-use Wegovy pens each month, you must use a new one each time you inject.

Preparing and checking your Wegovy:

Remove your medication from the refrigerator and make sure all the items you need are nearby on a clean surface. This includes your medication pen, alcohol swab and hard plastic container (like a laundry detergent bottle) to safely dispose of your used pen.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
Check your pen isn’t expired or damaged and check that the medication is clear and colorless in the window of the pen. Do not use the medication if the pen is damaged or expired or if the solution is discolored or cloudy.
Make sure that your pen indicates the same dose that you have been prescribed by the Levity team.

Choosing and cleaning your injection site:

Choose an injection site: upper arms, stomach or the front of your thighs. It doesn’t matter which site you choose — it’s entirely up to you.
Clean your chosen injection site with one of the alcohol swabs provided.

Administering your Wegovy:

Remove the pen cap.
Push the pen firmly against the skin at your injection site and line it up so that you can see the dose window.
Start administering the medication but firmly pushing the pen against your skin and keep applying pressure until all of the medication has been injected (about 10 seconds or until the yellow bar has stopped moving). If the yellow bar does not start moving when you apply pressure, press the pen more firmly against your skin.
You will hear 2 clicks during the injection. The first click means the injection has started and the second click means the injection is ongoing.
Do not remove the pen from your skin until the yellow bar in the dose window has stopped moving completely.
If blood appears at the injection site, press on it lightly with a clean tissue, but do not rub the area.

Disposing of medication:

Carefully replace the pen cap.
Dispose of the used pen in a hard plastic container (like a laundry detergent bottle).

Questions about injecting your medication

If you’re still unsure about how to inject your medication or you have any questions about the weight loss injection process you can reach out to the Levity clinical team at care@joinlevity.com or (855) 644-0928.