Patient Leaflet Updated 01-Oct-2024 | Novo Nordisk Limited
Ozempic 1 mg solution for injection in pre-filled pen
Ozempic® 1 mg
Solution for injection in pre-filled pen
semaglutide
1. What Ozempic® is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you use Ozempic®
3. How to use Ozempic®
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Ozempic®
6. Contents of the pack and other information
Ozempic® contains the active substance semaglutide. It helps your body reduce your blood sugar level only when blood sugar is too high and can help prevent heart disease.
Ozempic® is used to treat adults (aged 18 years and older) with type 2 diabetes when diet and exercise is not enough:
It is important that you continue with your diet and exercise plan as told by your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before using this medicine.
This medicine is not the same as insulin and you should not use it if:
Ozempic® is not an insulin and should therefore not be used as a substitute for insulin.
If you know that you are due to have surgery where you will be under anaesthesia (sleeping), please tell your doctor that you are taking Ozempic®.
During treatment with this medicine, you may feel sick (nausea) or be sick (vomiting), or have diarrhoea. These side effects can cause dehydration (loss of fluids). It is important that you drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. This is especially important if you have kidney problems. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
If you have severe and on-going pain in the stomach area – see a doctor straight away as this could be a sign of acute pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas). Please see section 4 for the warning signs of inflamed pancreas.
Combining a sulfonylurea or an insulin with this medicine might increase the risk of getting low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia). Please see section 4 for the warning signs of low blood sugar levels. Your doctor may ask you to test your blood sugar levels. This will help your doctor decide if the dose of the sulfonylurea or insulin needs to be changed to reduce the risk of low blood sugar.
If you have diabetic eye disease and are using insulin, this medicine may lead to a worsening of your vision, and this may require treatment. Tell your doctor if you have diabetic eye disease or if you experience eye problems during treatment with this medicine. In case you have potentially unstable diabetic eye disease, it is not recommended that you use Ozempic® 2 mg.
This medicine is not recommended in children and adolescents aged under 18 years as the safety and efficacy in this age group have not yet been established.
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including herbal medicines or other medicines you bought without a prescription.
In particular, tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are using medicines containing any of the following:
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you might be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
This medicine should not be used during pregnancy, as it is not known if it affects an unborn baby. Therefore, use of contraception is recommended while using this medicine. If you wish to become pregnant, discuss how to change your treatment with your doctor as you should stop using this medicine at least 2 months in advance. If you become pregnant while using this medicine, talk to your doctor right away, as your treatment will need to be changed.
Do not use this medicine if you are breast-feeding, as it is unknown if it passes into breast milk.
Ozempic® is unlikely to affect your ability to drive and use machines. If you use this medicine in combination with a sulfonylurea or insulin, low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) may occur which may reduce your ability to concentrate. Do not drive or use machines if you get any signs of low blood sugar. See section 2, ‘Warnings and precautions’ for information on increased risk of low blood sugar and section 4 for the warning signs of low blood sugar. Talk to your doctor for further information.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.
Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are not sure.
Do not change your dose unless your doctor has told you to.
Ozempic® is given as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Do not inject it into a vein or muscle.
Detailed instructions for use are on the other side of this package leaflet.
To help you remember to inject this medicine once a week only, it is recommended to note the chosen weekday (e.g. Wednesday) on the carton and to write the date on the carton every time you have injected it.
If necessary you can change the day of your weekly injection of this medicine as long as it has been at least 3 days since your last injection of it. After selecting a new dosing day, continue with once a week dosing.
If you use more Ozempic® than you should, talk to your doctor straight away. You may get side effects such as feeling sick (nausea).
If you forgot to inject a dose and:
Do not use a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
Do not stop using this medicine without talking to your doctor. If you stop using it, your blood sugar levels may increase.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1 000 people)
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
The warning signs of low blood sugar may come on suddenly. They can include: cold sweat, cool pale skin, headache, fast heartbeat, feeling sick (nausea) or very hungry, changes in vision, feeling sleepy or weak, feeling nervous, anxious or confused, difficulty concentrating or shaking.
Your doctor will tell you how to treat low blood sugar and what to do if you notice these warning signs.
Low blood sugar is more likely to happen if you also take a sulfonylurea or insulin. Your doctor may reduce your dose of these medicines before you start using this medicine.
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via
Great Britain:
or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the pen label and carton after ’EXP’. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Store in a refrigerator (2 °C–8 °C). Do not freeze. Keep away from the cooling element. Keep the pen cap on in order to protect from light.
Do not use this medicine if you notice that the solution is not clear and colourless or almost colourless.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
Ozempic® is a clear and colourless or almost colourless solution for injection in a pre-filled pen.
Each pre-filled pen contains 3 ml solution, delivering 4 doses of 1 mg.
Ozempic® 1 mg solution for injection is available in the following pack sizes:
1 pen and 4 disposable NovoFine® Plus needles.
3 pens and 12 disposable NovoFine® Plus needles.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
The manufacturer can be identified by the batch number printed on the slip of the carton and on the label:
This leaflet was last revised in 09/2024
Ozempic® and NovoFine® are trademarks owned by Novo Nordisk A/S, Denmark
© 2024
Novo Nordisk A/S
Ozempic® 1 mg
Solution for injection in pre-filled pen semaglutide
semaglutide
Please read these instructions carefully before using your Ozempic® pre-filled pen.
Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about how to inject Ozempic® correctly.
Start by checking your pen to make sure that it contains Ozempic® 1 mg.
Different parts of your pen include:
Pen cap
Pen window
Pen label
Dose counter
Dose pointer
Dose Selector
Dose Button
Flow check symbol
Different parts of your needle include:
Outer needle cap
Inner needle cap
Needle
Paper tab
If you are blind or have poor eyesight and cannot read the dose counter on the pen, do not use this pen without help. Get help from a person with good eyesight who knows how to use the Ozempic® pre-filled pen.
Your pen is a pre-filled dial-a-dose pen. It contains 4 mg of semaglutide, and you can only select doses of 1 mg. One unused pen contains four doses of 1 mg.
Use the table inside the lid of the carton to keep track of how many injections you have taken and when you took the injections.
Your pen is designed to be used with 30G, 31G, and 32G disposable needles up to a length of 8 mm.
NovoFine® Plus needles are included in the pack.
Important information
Pay special attention to these notes, as they are important for safe use of the pen.
Make sure to attach the needle correctly.
The needle is covered by two caps. You must remove both caps. If you forget to remove both caps, you will not inject any solution.
A drop of solution may appear at the needle tip. This is normal, but you must still check the flow, if you use a new pen for the first time. See step 2 ‘Check the flow with each new pen’.
Do not attach a new needle to your pen until you are ready to take your injection.
Always use a new needle for each injection.
This may prevent blocked needles, contamination, infection and inaccurate dosing.
Never use a bent or damaged needle.
A small drop may remain at the needle tip, but it will not be injected.
If no drop appears, repeat step 2 ‘Check the flow with each new pen’ up to 6 times. If there is still no drop, change the needle and repeat step 2 ‘Check the flow with each new pen’ once more.
Dispose of the pen and use a new one if a drop of solution still does not appear.
Always make sure that a drop appears at the needle tip before you use a new pen for the first time. This makes sure that the solution flows.
If no drop appears, you will not inject any medicine even though the dose counter may move. This may indicate a blocked or damaged needle.
If you do not check the flow before your first injection with each new pen, you may not get the prescribed dose and the intended effect of Ozempic®.
Only the dose counter and dose pointer will show that 1 mg has been selected.
You can only select 1 mg per dose. When your pen contains less than 1 mg, the dose counter stops before 1 is shown.
The dose selector clicks differently when turned forwards, backwards or past 1 mg. Do not count the pen clicks.
Always use the dose counter and the dose pointer to see that 1 mg has been selected before injecting this medicine.
Do not count the pen clicks.
1 mg must line up precisely with the dose pointer to ensure that you get a correct dose.
How much solution is left
If there is not enough solution left in your pen for a full dose, do not use it. Use a new Ozempic® pen.
You may see a drop of solution at the needle tip after injecting. This is normal and does not affect your dose.
Always watch the dose counter to know how many mg you inject. Hold the dose button down until the dose counter returns to ‘0’.
How to identify a blocked or damaged needle
How to handle a blocked needle
Change the needle as described in step 5 ‘After your injection’ and repeat all steps starting with step 1 ‘Prepare your pen with a new needle’. Make sure you select the full dose you need.
Never touch the dose counter when you inject. This can interrupt the injection.
Always dispose of the needle after each injection to ensure convenient injections and prevent blocked needles. If the needle is blocked, you will not inject any medicine.
When the pen is empty, throw it away without a needle on as instructed by your doctor, nurse, pharmacist or local authorities.
Never try to put the inner needle cap back on the needle. You may stick yourself with the needle.
Always remove the needle from your pen immediately after each injection.
This may prevent blocked needles, contamination, infection, leakage of solution and inaccurate dosing.
Further important information
Caring for your pen
Treat your pen with care. Rough handling or misuse may cause inaccurate dosing. If this happens you might not get the intended effect of this medicine.
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http://www.novonordisk.co.uk
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+44 (0)800 023 2573