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The most common Wegovy side effects are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain. In the adult weight trials behind the current U.S. label, revised in June 2026, nausea affected 44% of people on the Wegovy injection versus 16% on placebo, mostly while the dose was being increased. The label covers four groups with their own data: adults on the standard injection, adults on the higher-dose Wegovy HD, adults on the Wegovy pill, and teenagers, plus a trial in a liver disease called MASH. This guide walks through each one, then the serious warnings.
Peptide Labs does not sell Wegovy or any prescription drug. For how Wegovy compares with Ozempic and Rybelsus, see our broader guide to semaglutide side effects.
Key Takeaways
- About 73% of adults on the Wegovy injection reported digestive side effects, versus 47% on placebo.
- At the Wegovy HD dose, altered skin sensations (dysesthesia) affected 22% of people.
- In their trial, teenagers had vomiting in 36% and gallstones in 3.8%, versus 10% and none on placebo.
- Wegovy's label asks for heart rate monitoring; resting heart rate rose by 1 to 4 beats per minute on average.
- European and UK regulators list NAION as a very rare side effect; the U.S. label did not as of September 2026.
Wegovy side effects in adults on the injection
These figures come from three trials of 2,116 adults treated for up to 68 weeks; 71% were women.
| Side effect | Placebo | Wegovy injection |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 16% | 44% |
| Diarrhea | 16% | 30% |
| Vomiting | 6% | 24% |
| Constipation | 11% | 24% |
| Stomach pain | 10% | 20% |
| Headache | 10% | 14% |
| Fatigue | 5% | 11% |
| Indigestion | 3% | 9% |
| Dizziness | 4% | 8% |
| Belching | Under 1% | 7% |
| Low blood sugar (type 2 diabetes) | 2% | 6% |
| Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) | 4% | 6% |
| Stomach lining irritation (gastritis) | 1% | 4% |
| Hair loss | 1% | 3% |
Overall, 6.8% stopped because of side effects versus 3.2% on placebo, most often for nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Severe digestive reactions occurred in 4.1% versus 0.9%. In the large cardiovascular outcomes trial, which followed about 17,600 adults for a median of just over three years, 16% stopped Wegovy because of an adverse event versus 8% on placebo.
Wegovy HD: side effects at the higher dose
The 2026 label adds a higher weekly strength, sold as Wegovy HD, studied in two 72-week trials that compared it with the standard maintenance dose and placebo.
| Side effect | Placebo | Standard dose | Wegovy HD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 13% | 35% | 39% |
| Vomiting | 6% | 16% | 22% |
| Altered skin sensation (dysesthesia) | 0% | 6% | 22% |
| Constipation | 8% | 19% | 20% |
| Stomach pain | 7% | 9% | 12% |
| Fatigue | 5% | 9% | 11% |
| Hair loss | 1% | 3% | 6% |
Dysesthesia means skin that tingles, burns, feels painful or is unusually sensitive to touch, and the label says it became more common as the dose rose. Among people who had it on Wegovy HD, 2% stopped treatment, 8% paused and 23% had the dose lowered; most of those recovered. Still, 18% had not recovered by the end of the trial, and 45% of those who went back up to Wegovy HD had it again. Hair loss on Wegovy HD affected 8.4% of women and 0.2% of men. Discontinuation for side effects was 5% at both doses, versus 2% on placebo.
Wegovy pill side effects
In the pill’s main trial, OASIS 4, 204 adults without diabetes took the top-strength tablet for 64 weeks. The label says the types and frequency of common side effects were similar to the injection. Pill-specific figures: 6.9% stopped because of side effects versus 5.9% on placebo; severe digestive reactions occurred in 2% versus 0%; dysesthesia in 5% versus none; and gallstones in 2.5% versus 1%. Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking the tablets because an ingredient that helps absorption could build up in an infant. Our Wegovy pill guide covers the tablet in detail.
Side effects in teenagers and in MASH
Wegovy injection is approved for adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity. In the 68-week trial of 201 teenagers, digestive side effects affected 62% versus 42% on placebo. Compared with adults, teenagers had:
- More vomiting: 36% versus 10% on placebo, with nausea at 42% versus 18%.
- Gallstones in 3.8% and gallbladder inflammation in 0.8%, versus none on placebo.
- A heart rate rise of 20 beats per minute or more at some visit in 54%, versus 39%.
- Liver enzyme (ALT) rises to at least five times normal in 3%, versus none, sometimes with gallstones.
- Rash and hives in 3% each, and low blood pressure in 2.3%, versus none.
For MASH, a form of fatty liver disease with scarring, the label reports a trial of 1,195 adults, 800 of whom took Wegovy for a median of about 95 weeks. Side effects were consistent with the other uses, but fractures occurred in 4.4% versus 3.3% on placebo, and the enzyme lipase rose above three times normal in 4.7% versus 1.3%. The label states that the safety of the pill and of Wegovy HD has not been established in children or in MASH.
Serious warnings on the Wegovy label
Wegovy’s boxed warning says semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents and that it is unknown whether it does in humans; it is not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. The other warnings, with Wegovy-specific figures:
- Pancreatitis: confirmed in 4 people on Wegovy versus 1 on placebo in the adult weight trials.
- Gallbladder disease: more common than on placebo even after accounting for the amount of weight lost.
- Low blood sugar: 6.2% versus 2.5% in adults with type 2 diabetes; in the cardiovascular trial, people with past bariatric surgery had more serious episodes.
- Kidney injury from dehydration, more likely in people with existing kidney impairment and during dose increases.
- Heart rate increase: 26% of adults had a rise of 20 beats per minute or more at some visit, versus 16% on placebo. The label asks prescribers to monitor heart rate and to stop Wegovy if a sustained increase occurs.
- Diabetic retinopathy: in adults with type 2 diabetes, 4% versus 2.7%.
- Severe digestive reactions, serious allergic reactions and inhaling stomach contents during anesthesia.
- Fractures: in the cardiovascular trial, hip and pelvis fractures in women were 1% versus 0.2%, and in people 75 and older 2.4% versus 0.6%.
The label also reports low blood pressure (1.3% versus 0.4%), fainting (0.8% versus 0.2%), appendicitis (0.5% versus 0.2%) and kidney stones. The multi-dose FlexTouch pen must never be shared. The label advises stopping Wegovy at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy.
What changed: suicidal thoughts and NAION
On January 13, 2026, the FDA asked for the suicidal behavior and ideation warning to be removed from Wegovy, Zepbound and Saxenda after a review of 91 placebo-controlled trials and more than 2.2 million new users found no increased risk; the Wegovy label recorded the removal that month. The FDA still advises telling a professional about new or worsening depression or mood changes.
NAION is a rare optic nerve condition that can cause sudden vision loss. The European Medicines Agency’s safety committee concluded in June 2025 that it is a very rare side effect of semaglutide, affecting up to 1 in 10,000 people, and the UK’s MHRA issued a safety update in February 2026. The U.S. Wegovy label, in its June 2026 version, which DailyMed still listed as current at the end of September 2026, does not mention NAION. Anyone with sudden vision loss needs urgent care. For the tirzepatide equivalent, see Zepbound side effects, and for background on the molecule, our semaglutide profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common side effects of Wegovy?
Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain. In adult weight trials, nausea affected 44% on the injection versus 16% on placebo.
Does Wegovy HD cause more side effects?
Somewhat. Nausea and vomiting were a little more common than at the standard dose, and dysesthesia, an altered skin sensation, affected 22% versus 6%.
Are Wegovy pill side effects the same as the injection?
The label says the types and frequency of common side effects were similar. Dysesthesia was reported in 5% on the pill versus none on placebo.
Are Wegovy side effects different in teenagers?
Teenagers had more vomiting (36% versus 10% on placebo) and gallstones in 3.8% versus none.
Does Wegovy raise heart rate?
Yes, by 1 to 4 beats per minute on average. The label asks for regular monitoring and says to stop Wegovy if a sustained increase occurs.
Is NAION listed on the U.S. Wegovy label?
Not as of September 2026. European and UK regulators list it as a very rare side effect of semaglutide.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Peptide Labs does not sell prescription drugs, including any product named here. Read the Medication Guide that comes with a prescription, and ask a pharmacist or prescriber how this information applies to you.
Last reviewed September 2026.
Related guides: GLP-1 Hair Loss: How Common It Is and What Causes It, Ozempic Face: What It Is and What the Evidence Says, GLP-1 Side Effects: What Every GLP-1 Drug Label Warns About.