Wegovy interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

Before you start treatment with Wegovy, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. To learn whether Wegovy interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Wegovy and other interactions” section below.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Wegovy. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Wegovy. Some of these interactions are described in detail just below in “Drug interactions in depth.”

* For details about Wegovy’s side effects, see this article.
† For details about this interaction, see the “Drug interactions in depth” section below.

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Wegovy due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. The contraindications of Wegovy include:

Having MEN2 or medullary thyroid cancer

Doctors typically will not prescribe Wegovy if you have a specific condition that increases your risk of thyroid cancer. This is because Wegovy has a boxed warning about the risk of thyroid cancer. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA.

Your doctor will likely not prescribe Wegovy if you have either of these rare conditions:

• a personal history of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2), which is a genetic (inherited) condition
• a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer

To learn more, see the “Boxed warning” at the beginning of this article.

Having had an allergic reaction to Wegovy or any of its ingredients

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Wegovy or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Wegovy. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Note: Before you start treatment with Wegovy, it’s important to tell your doctor if these contraindications apply to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Wegovy.

There aren’t any known interactions between Wegovy and alcohol. However, if you drink alcohol, your doctor may advise you to avoid or limit alcohol consumption during Wegovy treatment.

This is because drinking alcohol while taking the drug may worsen some of Wegovy’s side effects. For example, you may have worsened headache, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting.

If you have questions about drinking alcohol while using Wegovy, talk with your doctor.

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Wegovy.

Insulin

Insulin is prescribed to help manage blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

Interaction result: Using Wegovy and insulin together may increase the risk of low blood sugar with either drug.

Interaction explained: Insulin is used to decrease blood sugar levels. Wegovy may cause low blood sugar in certain people with type 2 diabetes. This risk may be higher in people taking other diabetes medications, including insulin.

Examples of insulin drugs: Here are some insulins that may interact with Wegovy:

• insulin glargine (Lantus, Toujeo, others)
• insulin aspart (Fiasp, NovoLog)
• insulin detemir (Levemir)

Steps you or your doctor may take: If your doctor prescribes Wegovy with insulin, they may prescribe a lower dosage of insulin. Doing so will help reduce the risk of low blood sugar when these drugs are used together.

If you use Wegovy with insulin, watch for symptoms of low blood sugar. Examples include sweating, shaking, and dizziness. Your doctor will recommend what to do in case you experience these symptoms. For example, they may advise you to consume at least 15 grams (g) of carbohydrates, such as fruit juice and candies. Doing so will help increase your blood sugar level.

If your blood sugar becomes severely low, you may lose consciousness. You or a bystander should call 911 or a local emergency number for severe or life threatening symptoms.

ACE inhibitors

ACE inhibitors are prescribed to treat many different conditions, including kidney and heart conditions.

Interaction result: Using Wegovy while taking an ACE inhibitor may increase the risk of low blood sugar as a side effect of Wegovy. (To learn more about Wegovy’s side effects, see this article.)

Interaction explained: Using Wegovy may cause low blood sugar in certain people with type 2 diabetes. This risk may be higher in people taking other diabetes medications, including insulin and sulfonylureas.* It’s possible that taking an ACE inhibitor with Wegovy could also increase this risk.

Examples of ACE inhibitor drugs: Here are some ACE inhibitors that may interact with Wegovy:

• lisinopril (Qbrelis, Zestril)
• ramipril (Altace)
• quinapril

Steps you or your doctor may take: Before you start Wegovy treatment, tell your doctor if you take an ACE inhibitor. They can tell you whether it’s safe to take these medications together.

If your doctor prescribes Wegovy with an ACE inhibitor, they may advise you to watch for symptoms of low blood sugar. Examples include sweating, shaking, and dizziness.

Your doctor can suggest ways to manage symptoms of low blood sugar. For example, they may have you consume at least 15 g of carbohydrates. This will help increase your blood sugar level.

If your blood sugar becomes severely low, you may lose consciousness or have other severe symptoms. For severe or life threatening symptoms of low blood sugar, you or a bystander should call 911 or a local emergency number right away.

If you have other questions about Wegovy and ACE inhibitors, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

* Sulfonylureas may be prescribed to help manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Other GLP-1 receptor agonists

Wegovy belongs to a group of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. Like Wegovy, some GLP-1 receptor agonists are also prescribed for weight loss and weight management. Other GLP-1 receptor agonists are prescribed for type 2 diabetes.

Interaction result: Using Wegovy with another GLP-1 receptor agonist may increase the risk of side effects from either drug. (To learn about Wegovy’s side effects, see this article.)

Interaction explained: Wegovy and other GLP-1 receptor agonists work similarly in the body and may cause similar side effects. Using them together could further increase the risk of these side effects. Examples include digestive problems such as nausea, diarrhea, and constipation.

Examples of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs: Here are some GLP-1 receptor agonists that may interact with Wegovy:

• liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda)
• dulaglutide (Trulicity)
• other forms of semaglutide (Rybelsus, Ozempic)

Steps you or your doctor may take: Wegovy’s manufacturer advises against prescribing the drug with other GLP-1 receptor agonists. It also isn’t known whether Wegovy is safe or effective when used with other weight loss aids. This includes other GLP-1 receptor agonists that are prescribed for weight loss and weight management.

For these reasons, doctors aren’t likely to prescribe Wegovy with another GLP-1 receptor agonist. If you’re already using a GLP-1 receptor agonist, talk with your doctor. They may prescribe a drug other than Wegovy for your condition.

If you have other questions about Wegovy and GLP-1 receptor agonists, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Wegovy may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Wegovy.

Wegovy interactions with supplements

Wegovy may interact with the supplements listed below:

• dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
• garlic
• green tea

This is because the supplements listed above may decrease blood sugar levels. Wegovy may also cause low blood sugar in certain people with type 2 diabetes. Using Wegovy while taking any of these supplements can further increase your risk of low blood sugar. For this reason, your doctor may recommend avoiding DHEA, garlic, and green tea supplements while you’re using Wegovy.

In addition, it’s not known whether Wegovy is safe or effective when used with weight loss supplements.

Before you start treatment with Wegovy, tell your doctor and pharmacist which supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Wegovy and herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Wegovy. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Wegovy treatment.

Wegovy interactions with vitamins or minerals

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Wegovy. However, Wegovy may interact with a mineral called chromium. Some people take chromium to help manage their blood sugar levels.

Chromium may decrease blood sugar levels. Wegovy may also cause low blood sugar in certain people with type 2 diabetes. Taking chromium while using Wegovy can increase your risk of having low blood sugar. For this reason, your doctor may recommend avoiding chromium products while you’re using Wegovy.

Keep in mind that some multivitamins may contain minerals, including chromium. Because of this, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin product with Wegovy. They can help determine which multivitamin is best for you.

Wegovy interactions with food

Wegovy may interact with green tea. Consuming too much green tea while taking Wegovy can increase the risk of low blood sugar. Because of this interaction, your doctor will likely recommend limiting how much green tea you consume during Wegovy treatment.

Garlic supplements may interact with Wegovy. However, the quantity of garlic in food would typically be much less than what’s in a garlic supplement.

If you’d like to learn more about eating certain foods during treatment with Wegovy, talk with your doctor.

Wegovy and vaccines

There aren’t any known interactions between Wegovy and vaccines. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist whether you’re due for any vaccines.

Wegovy and lab tests

Wegovy isn’t known to interact with any lab tests. If you have concerns about this medication interacting with lab tests, talk with your doctor.

WEGOVY AND CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Wegovy. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Wegovy. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Wegovy treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Wegovy. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Wegovy may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Wegovy include:

• Type 2 diabetes: Wegovy may cause low blood sugar in certain people with type 2 diabetes. This risk may be higher in people taking certain other diabetes medications. If you have type 2 diabetes, talk with your doctor before using Wegovy. They can recommend whether this drug is the right treatment option.
• Diabetic retinopathy: If you have diabetic retinopathy, talk with your doctor before using Wegovy. The drug may temporarily worsen this condition. Your doctor can recommend whether it’s safe to use Wegovy.
• Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Wegovy or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Wegovy. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
• Kidney problems: Before using Wegovy, tell your doctor if you have a kidney problem, such as kidney failure. The drug may cause severe digestive problems that lead to dehydration, which could worsen kidney problems.* If you have a kidney problem, your doctor can tell you whether it’s safe to use Wegovy.
• Pancreatitis: Wegovy may cause pancreatitis as a side effect.* It’s not known whether this drug is safe for people who’ve had this condition in the past. If you’ve ever had pancreatitis, your doctor can recommend whether it’s safe to use Wegovy.
• Mood conditions: Wegovy is used for weight loss and weight management in certain people. It’s possible that medications used for this purpose may lead to suicidal thoughts or behaviors.* People who have a mood disorder such as depression may have a higher risk. If you have a condition that affects your mood, tell your doctor. They can recommend whether Wegovy is a safe treatment option.
• Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to use Wegovy while breastfeeding. There isn’t enough information to determine whether the drug passes into breast milk or what effects Wegovy may have on a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to, talk with your doctor before using Wegovy. They can talk with you about treatment options and ways to feed your child.
• Pregnancy: There haven’t been enough clinical trials to determine whether Wegovy is safe to use while pregnant. Animal studies show that the drug may cause congenital anomalies (commonly known as birth defects). However, it’s important to note that animal studies don’t always indicate what may happen in humans. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Wegovy. They can advise you on the right treatment plan for you.

Note: If you’re prescribed Wegovy during pregnancy, consider enrolling in the drug’s pregnancy registry. This registry collects information about pregnancy-related issues that may be reported with Wegovy. To learn more, call 877-390-2760 or talk with your doctor.

* For information about Wegovy’s side effects, see this article.

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Wegovy. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Wegovy label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Wegovy doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Wegovy by using it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Besides learning about interactions, you may want to find out more about Wegovy. These resources might help:

• Overview of Wegovy: For a general overview of Wegovy, you can see this article.
• Side effects: If you’re interested in the side effects of Wegovy, see this article. Another option is to refer to the Wegovy prescribing information.
• Dosage specifics: To learn about the dosage of Wegovy, see this article.
• Drug comparison: For information about how Wegovy compares with Ozempic, read this article.
• Cost: If you’d like to learn about Wegovy and cost, see this article.
• Facts about weight loss: To learn more about weight loss, see our weight management hub. To learn more about Wegovy for weight loss, refer to this article.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.