How the Wegovy pill could leave you sick, exhausted and depressed. Patients reveal the brutal side-effects from constant nausea to never-ending fatigue… and many say they are even WORSE than the jabs
A daily Wegovy pill, containing the same active ingredient as the weight-loss injection, has been linked to severe side effects that some patients say are worse than those caused by the jab. Users report nausea, extreme fatigue, anxiety and depressive symptoms within days of starting the tablet, which was marketed as a cheaper and more convenient alternative to injections such as Mounjaro and Wegovy. Experts warn the issue may stem from the much higher dose needed when semaglutide is taken orally rather than injected, raising concerns about how the drug is being prescribed, particularly through online pharmacies.
The pill costs around £60 a month, compared with over £200 for some injectable versions, and requires strict dosing rules, including taking it on an empty stomach with only a small amount of water and waiting at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking. While the weekly injected dose of Wegovy is 2.4mg, the daily pill contains 25mg of semaglutide, a far higher amount attributed to poor absorption when swallowed. Doctors quoted in the article, including a neurogastroenterologist from Queen Mary University of London, say this may explain the gastrointestinal and mood-related complaints, alongside rarer but more serious effects on the kidneys and pancreas. The report also notes that UK health officials have linked 216 deaths to weight-loss drugs generally, though it stresses no causal link has been confirmed.
- Wegovy pill blamed for nausea, fatigue and depression in some patients
- Oral dose (25mg daily) is far higher than the weekly 2.4mg injection
- UK regulators have linked 216 deaths to weight-loss drugs, cause unconfirmed
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The Wegovy pill is a new oral version of semaglutide, the drug that powers popular weight-loss injections such as Wegovy and Mounjaro. It was launched as a cheaper, needle-free alternative, available for around £60 a month against upwards of £200 for some injectable versions, and has become widely accessible through online pharmacies.
Because semaglutide is poorly absorbed when swallowed, the daily tablet contains a much larger dose, 25mg, compared with the 2.4mg given weekly by injection. Doctors say this difference may explain reports from patients of severe nausea, exhaustion, anxiety and low mood, alongside rarer but more serious risks to the kidneys and pancreas.
The story matters because weight-loss drugs have surged in popularity in the UK, and questions are growing about how they are prescribed and monitored, particularly through online providers with less oversight than a GP or specialist clinic. UK health officials have also linked 216 deaths to weight-loss drugs more broadly, though no direct cause has been confirmed, adding to wider scrutiny of the sector.