Semaglutide (Wegovy) for Weight Loss in Illinois
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 medication that reduces appetite and helps you feel full sooner. Wegovy is the semaglutide brand approved for weight management. This guide explains what the FDA label says so you can have a better conversation with your clinician.
Important safety information. This page is general education, not medical advice. Only a licensed clinician who knows your history can decide whether a medication is right for you. Do not start, stop or change a prescription without talking to your clinician. If you have severe abdominal pain, trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or thoughts of harming yourself, seek emergency care or call 988.
What It Is
Wegovy is a once-weekly injection (a daily pill form has also been approved) that mimics the gut hormone GLP-1, which signals fullness to the brain.
FDA-Approved Uses
Wegovy is approved, along with diet and exercise, for long-term weight management in adults with obesity (BMI 30 or higher) or overweight (BMI 27 or higher) with at least one weight-related condition, and in adolescents 12 and older with obesity. It is also approved to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established heart disease and obesity or overweight, and for MASH with moderate-to-advanced liver scarring.
How It Is Taken
The injection starts at 0.25 mg once weekly and is increased about every 4 weeks toward a 2.4 mg maintenance dose, as tolerated. Your clinician manages dose changes.
What to Expect
In the STEP 1 trial, adults lost an average of about 15% of body weight over 68 weeks, compared with about 2% on placebo. Results vary, and weight is often regained if the medication is stopped.
Common Side Effects
Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, headache and tiredness, mostly during dose increases.
Serious Warnings
The label carries a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors seen in animals. It is not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. Other warnings include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, low blood sugar when combined with insulin or sulfonylureas, dehydration and kidney injury, diabetic retinopathy changes, mood changes, and a risk of food or liquid entering the lungs during anesthesia. Tell your surgeon or anesthesiologist if you take it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wegovy the same as Ozempic?
Both contain semaglutide, but they are approved for different uses and doses. Wegovy is approved for weight management; Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes.
Will I regain weight if I stop?
Many people regain weight after stopping, which is why obesity is treated as a long-term condition. Talk with your clinician before stopping.
Can I take it if I am pregnant or planning pregnancy?
Semaglutide is not recommended during pregnancy. Talk with your clinician about timing before you try to conceive.
How TeleSlim Clinic Can Help
A TeleSlim Clinic physician can review your health history and goals by secure video visit and discuss whether prescription weight loss treatment is appropriate for you. Prescribing is always at the clinician's discretion, and not every medication is right for every person. See our Cost & Insurance guides and Illinois locations.
Cost & Insurance guides
TeleSlim Clinic visits are self-pay, and we do not bill insurance for our own services. We do handle prior authorization for your medication, provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement, and send your medication and lab orders to the pharmacy or lab you choose, where your insurance can be used. We do not see patients with Medicare.
- Weight Loss Medication Cost in Illinois
- Insurance and Weight Loss Medication in Illinois
- Illinois Medicaid and Weight Loss Medication
- TeleSlim Clinic Pricing and Plans
- HSA and FSA for Weight Loss Treatment
- Cash-Pay vs. Insurance for Weight Loss Treatment
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois and Weight Loss Medication
- Illinois State Employee Plan and Weight Loss Medication
- When Your Employer Plan Excludes Weight Loss Drugs
- Prior Authorization and Appeals for Weight Loss Medication
- Self-Pay Weight Loss Medication and Compounded Drugs
- What to Ask Your Insurance About Weight Loss Medication
Medications & Decision Guides
Learn about the prescription options and how to choose:
Weight Loss Guides by Health Condition
- PCOS and Weight Loss
- Prediabetes and Weight Loss
- Menopause Weight Gain
- Weight Regain After Bariatric Surgery
- Sleep Apnea and Weight Loss Medication
- Blood Pressure and Heart Health
- Fatty Liver and Weight Loss
- Hypothyroidism and Weight Loss
- Antidepressants and Weight
- Binge and Emotional Eating
- Weight Loss After 50
More in This Library
- Tirzepatide (Zepbound)
- Liraglutide (Saxenda)
- Phentermine-Topiramate (Qsymia)
- Naltrexone-Bupropion (Contrave)
- Setmelanotide (Imcivree)
- Orlistat (Xenical, alli)
Cost, Coverage and Illinois Care
- Weight Loss Medication Cost in Illinois
- Does Insurance Cover Weight Loss Medication?
- Illinois Medicaid and Weight Loss Medication
- TeleSlim Clinic Pricing and Plans
- HSA/FSA and Weight Loss Medication
- Cash Pay vs Insurance
TeleSlim Clinic serves patients across Illinois, including Naperville, Aurora, Joliet, Evanston, Peoria, Springfield, Champaign, Schaumburg, Oak Lawn. See all Illinois locations.
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Sources: FDA prescribing information for Wegovy (semaglutide); STEP 1 trial, New England Journal of Medicine 2021.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Prescribing information changes; confirm current details with your clinician or pharmacist. Last updated: October 7, 2026.