Wegovy interactions to avoid

In this article:

• Wegovy drug interactions
• Other Wegovy interactions

In this article

• Wegovy drug interactions
• Other Wegovy interactions

Wegovy (semaglutide) is a weekly prescription medication that is injected by subcutaneous route (under the skin of the stomach, thigh, or upper arm). Wegovy is part of a drug class called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. It is used for weight loss in adults and pediatric patients ages 12 years and older with obesity, as well as adults who are overweight and have at least one weight-related risk factor, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. It has also recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lower the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (including stroke, heart attack, or death) in adults who have cardiovascular disease and obesity or are overweight. 

If you already use or are considering Wegovy, you will want to know about interactions to avoid, such as certain medications, medical conditions, drinks, and dietary supplements. Continue reading to learn more about Wegovy interactions.

Wegovy drug interactions

Before you use Wegovy, be sure to tell your healthcare professional about all the medications you take. This includes prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary supplements. Now, let’s talk about medications that interact with Wegovy, including insulin, certain diabetes medications, and others. 

Insulin 

Insulin is used to control blood sugar (blood glucose) levels in people with diabetes. Some examples of insulin include:

• Humalog
• Lantus
• Novolog
• Tresiba

Wegovy also lowers blood sugar and can cause hypoglycemia. The risk of hypoglycemia is higher when Wegovy is used in combination with insulin. If you use insulin and you will be using Wegovy as well, your healthcare provider may adjust your insulin dose to try to avoid low blood sugar episodes. They will also likely suggest close monitoring of blood sugar levels. 

Low blood sugar can be severe. It is important to know how and when to check your blood sugar, as well as what levels are considered low for you. You should also know what to do for episodes of low blood sugar (generally by consuming a certain amount of fast-acting carbohydrates such as glucose tablets or juice). You will also want to be familiar with the signs of low blood sugar, such as:

• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness 
• Sweating 
• Shaking 
• Blurry vision 
• Slurred speech
• Weakness 
• Anxiety 
• Feeling hungry
• Headache 
• Mood changes
• Irritability 
• Confusion 
• Drowsiness 
• Fast heartbeat
• Jitters 

Sulfonylureas or meglitinides

Sulfonylureas are a class of drugs used to help control blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes. Sulfonylureas include the following drugs:

• Amaryl (glimepiride)
• Diabeta (glyburide)
• Glucotrol XL (glipizide)

Meglitinides are a class of drugs used for people with Type 2 diabetes. They include the following drugs:

• Nateglinide
• Repaglinide

If you take a sulfonylurea or meglitinide drug in combination with Wegovy, there is an increased risk of hypoglycemia (as with insulin, described above). Your healthcare provider may need to decrease the dose of your sulfonylurea or meglitinide medication and recommend close blood sugar monitoring. As with insulin, you should be familiar with the symptoms of hypoglycemia and know how to treat it. 

Other semaglutide products or other GLP-1 agonists

In addition to Wegovy, semaglutide is available as an active ingredient in:

• Ozempic, which is an injectable drug 
• Rybelsus, which is an oral drug

Wegovy’s prescribing information notes that if you use Wegovy, you should not use any other semaglutide products or any other drugs in the GLP-1 agonist class of medications. Some examples of other GLP-1 agonists include:

• Byetta (exenatide)
• Trulicity (dulaglutide)
• Victoza (liraglutide)

If you take any of the above drugs or any other GLP-1 agonists, you should not use Wegovy.

Oral medications

Wegovy delays gastric emptying, which means food stays in the stomach longer, leading to increased feelings of fullness and reduced appetite. This can also affect the absorption of other drugs, as it may delay the time it takes for these medications to reach the small intestine, where absorption primarily occurs, potentially altering their effectiveness. In clinical trials, these types of drug interactions were not significant. However, certain drugs are known as narrow therapeutic index drugs. This means that there is a small margin between effective and toxic doses, requiring precise dosage adjustments and close monitoring. Some examples of these types of drugs include the blood thinner warfarin, the anticonvulsant phenytoin, and the thyroid replacement medication levothyroxine. 

Because the drug interaction effect is not fully known, experts recommend close monitoring of people who take narrow therapeutic index drugs with Wegovy. You can also ask your healthcare provider if you should time any of your oral medications differently on the day of the week that you inject Wegovy. 

Other Wegovy interactions

Other Wegovy interactions include certain medical conditions, green tea, alcohol, garlic, niacin, and DHEA. 

Certain medical conditions

If you have certain health conditions, you should not take Wegovy. Wegovy has a black box warning stating that it has caused thyroid tumors in animal studies. Although the effect on humans is not known, the following people should not use Wegovy:

• People with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
• People with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)

Also, anyone who has had allergic reactions to Wegovy (or any semaglutide product, such as in Ozempic or Rybelsus) should never take Wegovy. 

You should not use Wegovy if you are pregnant. Those who are breastfeeding should consult their healthcare provider.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical problems, especially if you have:

• Kidney problems
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) or a history of pancreatitis
• Diabetic retinopathy

Green tea

If you drink green tea or use green tea supplements, it may lower blood sugar. So, if you use Wegovy and drink green tea, you may need closer blood sugar monitoring to prevent hypoglycemia. Check with your healthcare provider. 

Alcohol 

While alcohol does not chemically interact with Wegovy, you should consult your healthcare provider if you consume alcohol. According to the American Diabetes Association, alcohol can affect blood sugar levels in several ways.

• Excessive drinking can increase blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C (a measure of blood sugar control over a three-month period)
• Alcohol can also lower blood sugar, especially on an empty stomach. What’s more, certain symptoms of low blood sugar are similar to symptoms of being drunk—such as drowsiness, slurred speech, and confusion—so it may be difficult to tell if you are intoxicated or have low blood sugar. 

If you drink alcohol, consult your healthcare provider for medical advice.

Garlic 

Garlic from food or seasoning should not affect your blood sugar. However, garlic supplements, especially in higher doses, may lower blood sugar. People who take medicines that lower blood sugar (like Wegovy) should consult their healthcare provider before using garlic supplements. 

Niacin

Niacin, or vitamin B3, can cause hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Consult your healthcare provider before combining Wegovy with niacin.

DHEA

DHEA stands for dehydroepiandrosterone, which is a popular dietary supplement. DHEA may affect blood sugar levels, so you should check with a healthcare provider before combining Wegovy and DHEA.

Before starting Wegovy, it’s important to communicate with your healthcare provider about your dietary choices and any medications and supplements you take so you can manage possible interactions, address any specific health concerns, and ensure safe use.