Our Guide to Preparing and Administering GLP-1 Medication

Let's Go!

Here's you’ll need:

The vial of your prescription medication
Water/saline solution vial
A sterile syringe and needle (use a new needle each time)
An alcohol swab or wipe

Wash your hands with soap and water, and make sure the area around you is clean.

Double Check and Know Your Dose

Our team will instruct you on your dosing schedule. Most people start on a introductory dose and slowly increase their dose over time as their bodies adjust to the medicine.

When you measure your dose, you’ll notice that the syringes you received are marked in “units” — not milligrams (mg).

This may seem confusing, but don't worry — we will provide instructions from your detailing how many units you should measure out for each dose.

Prepare the Injection

Take your time! This gets easier with practice and should take just a few minutes.

1. Open packaging of 20 gauge needle and 3 mL syringe, and attach the two by screwing the needle onto the syringe.

2. Take the sterile cap off the water/saline and wipe the top of the medication vial with an alcohol swab for 15 seconds. Allow to air dry.

2. Remove the protective cap from the needle, and set aside.

3. Pull back on the plunger to draw 3 mL of air into the syringe. Withdraw the needle.

4. Puncture the top of the saline/water vial with the needle and push the air into the vial. This breaks the vacuum seal, making it easier to withdraw the fluid.

5. Hold the vial and syringe upside down in one hand. Use your other hand to slowly pull the plunger back and withdraw the 3 mL of water in the syringe.

6. Carefully remove the needle from the vial and inject all of the fluid into the GLP-1 medication vial. Allow to rest for 1 minute. Do not shake.

7. Prepare your insulin syringe: Uncap the insulin syringe and place the cap aside. Inject the needle into the top of the GLP-1 medication vial. Hold the vial and syringe upside down in one hand. Use your other hand to slowly pull the plunger back and withdraw the dose prescribed.

8. Carefully remove the needle from the vial, being mindful not to bend the needle.

9. Lightly tap or flick the syringe to see if any air bubbles rise to the top. If they do, gently push the plunger to remove them. If you’ve removed some bubbles, you may need to add a little more medication to get the correct dose. Injecting air into subcutaneous (fat) tissue is not harmful, but it would be best to get the correct dose and not inject air.

Important Note from Our CEO

Injecting medications may seem intimidating at first. Hopefully, with our step-by-step guide, you’ll feel more confident to administer it yourself.

Things to keep in mind about injecting

GLP-1 medications:

GLP-1 injections can treat type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity (and associated risks, like heart disease) when coupled with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Injecting GLP-1 will unfold in four steps: sanitizing, prepping, injecting, and cleaning up.
Your injection site should be rotated every week, and you can choose between your stomach, upper arm, or thigh.
When in doubt, follow these injection instructions.

Be Well and Always Choose Gratitude,

Aly Johnston

Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

A Comfortable Injection

Here We Go!

Your injection is ready. Be sure not to touch the needle (or let it come into contact with anything else).

You'll need to inject directly into bare skin (i.e., not through clothing).

Here’s how to inject your GLP-1 medication:

Injecting the Medication

1. Subcutaneous injection sites include the fatty area of the back of your arms, the inner thighs, or circumferentially around the belly button. Choose a place and alcohol the injection site for 15 seconds and allow to air dry.

2. Pinch a section of skin at your injection site of choice. This can make it easier to insert the needle.

3. Hold the syringe between your middle finger and thumb, with your index finger on the plunger.

4. Position it at a 90-degree angle to your body, then carefully and slowly insert the needle all the way into your skin. You should not be able to see any part of the needle, but rather only the hub of the syringe should be visible.

5. Gently push the plunger down until it meets the bottom when all the medication has been injected.

6. Once all the medication has been injected, gently remove the needle from your skin.

Discard the Syringe and Clean Up

Throw away the used needle somewhere hard and enclosed (like a sharps container, an empty laundry detergent canister, or food containers).

Don’t put the cap back on the syringe because you might accidentally poke yourself.

Then, place your medication vial back in the fridge for future use.

Note: Once empty, you can throw away the vial in a normal trash bin.

Please Review These Common Questions

Reach us at info@wellbyamnursing.com if you cannot find an answer to your question. Or call/text 916.633.2030.

What’s the Best Place to Inject GLP-1 medications?

Recommended areas are the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.

What Time of Day Should I Inject GLP-1 medications?

You can do your weekly injection any time of day. However, it is recommended to do it around the same time each week, whether in the morning or right before bed. This consistency can help with the absorption rate and steady blood sugar levels.

How Often Should You Rotate Injection Sites?

You may rotate your injection site each week. For example, you can alternate between the left and right sides of your chosen body area. This can help lessen discomfort or changes to the skin at the injection site (like scar tissue buildup).

Why Do You Inject GLP-1 medications?

Extensive research shows, injecting certain medications right under your skin allows them to be more slowly absorbed over a sustained period. In other words, it enters your bloodstream gradually, over the course of several days, rather than all at once.

What Should I Look for After Injecting GLP-1 medications?

You may notice some redness or discomfort at the injection site. This is normal. But if you see signs of an allergic reaction (like a rash or hives), contact us immediately

When Does the GLP-1 medication Vial Expire?

Once punctured, thevial has an expiration date of 28 days. So, even if your vial still has meds in it after 28 days, please throw it out,

What Should I Do If I Miss a Dose?

If you miss a dose, take it within five days of that missed dose. But if it’s been more than five days since your missed dose, skip it and continue with your regular injection schedule, taking your next dose on the day it was planned.

How Long Before the Medication Starts Working?

It can vary per person.

Novo Nordisk (the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy) claims that semagtlude’s concentration in the bloodstream typically reaches a steady level after four or five weeks of use. You may notice changes in appetite a little before then.

One clinical trial looked at almost 2,000 adults without diabetes who took a weekly semaglutide injection, ate healthier, and incorporated more movement into their days.

It found that:

On average, people lost over four percent of their body weight after eight weeks on semaglutide.
Those who took the highest dose available (2.4 milligrams a week) lost an average of 10.6 percent of their total body weight after 20 weeks.
After 68 weeks, they lost almost 15 percent of their body weight.

Other GLP-1 medications with different active ingredients — like Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) — have a slightly different timeline.

What Are Common Side Effects?

Common GLP-1 side effects include:

Nausea
Diarrhea
Stomach discomfort
Constipation

Other less common potential side effects include:

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Redness or discomfort at the injection site
Increased amylase and lipase (enzymes that break down carbs and fats)
Gallstones
Increased heart rate
Fatigue
Changes in taste in foods
Dizziness

Serious (and rare) side effects:

Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
Diabetic retinopathy complications
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when used with an insulin secretagogue or insulin
Acute kidney injury
Hypersensitivity reactions

There’s also a black box warning that GLP-1 medication can cause thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents. That said, it’s unclear if the medication can cause these tumors or thyroid cancer in humans.

Still, GLP-1 medication isn’t safe for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or those with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2.

There isn’t enough research on whether GLP-1 medication is safe for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to be soon, let us know.

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