Weight-loss injection FAQs

You need a prescription from a registered doctor, and the medicine must come from a licensed pharmacy. The usual routes are an in-person GP or a reputable telehealth service (online scripts from around R250), with the medicine dispensed or couriered under cold chain. A registered provider is the safe place to start.

Yes — registered telehealth doctors can assess you and issue a prescription, with the medicine dispensed by a licensed pharmacy. Avoid any site that ships these medicines with no prescription or assessment; that's a red flag for counterfeits.

No. These are Schedule 4 prescription-only medicines. They can't be sold over the counter or without a valid prescription.

Clinicians generally consider them for adults with a BMI of 30+, or 27+ with a weight-related condition (type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, etc.). It's a clinical decision — see am I eligible? and the BMI calculator.

Many people notice reduced appetite and cravings within the first few weeks, with weight loss building over months as the dose increases. Full trial results were measured over 56–72 weeks.

Often, at least partly. Studies show meaningful weight regain after stopping, especially without sustained lifestyle changes — which is why these are usually viewed as long-term treatments. Discuss any stop/step-down plan with your provider.

Plateaus are normal. Your provider may review your dose, diet, activity, sleep and other medicines. Don't increase the dose faster than prescribed to push through a plateau.

They make eating less much easier, but they work best with a reasonable diet and some activity — and protecting muscle matters. See diet & lifestyle.

Smaller, blander meals; go easy on greasy and very rich food; stay hydrated; and don't rush dose increases. Tell your provider if it persists — slowing titration usually helps.

Less common but serious risks include pancreatitis and gallbladder problems, with cautions for certain thyroid conditions (medullary thyroid carcinoma / MEN 2). They're not for use in pregnancy. Seek urgent care for severe, persistent abdominal pain. This is why they're prescription-only.

Alcohol can worsen nausea, irritate the stomach and add empty kilojoules, and some people find their tolerance drops. It isn't necessarily off-limits, but go gently — especially early on and around dose changes. Ask your provider about your situation.

Generally not in pregnancy or breastfeeding, in the healthy/underweight BMI range, or with certain personal/family histories (e.g. medullary thyroid carcinoma, MEN 2) — among others. A provider will check your history. See am I eligible?

Rapid weight loss can cost some muscle. Enough protein plus a little resistance exercise helps protect it — see diet & lifestyle.

Same ingredient (semaglutide). Wegovy is registered for weight management and reaches a higher dose (2.4 mg); Ozempic is registered for diabetes (weight-loss use is off-label) and tops out at 2 mg. See Ozempic vs Wegovy.

On average weight loss it produced more in a head-to-head trial (~20.2% vs 13.7% for semaglutide), but it's usually pricier. See Wegovy vs Mounjaro and Ozempic vs Mounjaro.

Oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) is registered in SA but not yet widely sold as of 2026. For now the effective weight-loss options are injections. See semaglutide.

At lower doses, Wegovy and Ozempic are often among the more affordable registered options; Saxenda's cost rises at the full daily dose. Be wary of “cheap” unregistered products — see compounded semaglutide.

Usually not for weight loss — obesity isn't a Prescribed Minimum Benefit. Some plans allow payment from a medical savings account. If you have type 2 diabetes, a GLP-1 like Ozempic may be covered under a chronic benefit with the right motivation. See medical-aid cover.

For weight loss, generally not as a chronic benefit; for type 2 diabetes it may be covered via the Chronic Illness Benefit if you meet the criteria. Confirm with Discovery. See medical-aid cover.

The consultation (from ~R250), baseline and follow-up bloods, needles, and cold-chain delivery — plus your monthly cost rises as the dose steps up. See the price guide.

Not an approved generic at the time of writing. Cheaper “semaglutide” sold now is typically compounded or imported and unregistered.

Only use products dispensed by a licensed pharmacy on a valid prescription. Be wary of social-media sellers, couriers without a script, and prices that look too good. SAHPRA has warned about falsified semaglutide in SA.

Into the fat just under the skin (subcutaneous) — the abdomen (away from the navel), front of the thighs, or back of the upper arms — rotating sites each time.

Keep unopened pens refrigerated (typically 2–8 °C), don't freeze, and follow the leaflet on how long an in-use pen can stay at room temperature. This is why it's couriered cold.

Guidance differs by medicine and how late you are — follow your patient information leaflet or ask your provider. Don't double up to “catch up”.