Key takeaways
- Before you start Wegovy, be sure to tell your doctor about any other medications you take. Taking Wegovy with certain antibiotics or antidepressants can increase the risk of severe side effects.
- Wegovy contains the active ingredient semaglutide. If you’ve had interactions or side effects with other forms of semaglutide (like Ozempic or Rybelsus), then Wegovy may cause a similar reaction.
- Wegovy doesn’t interact directly with other weight-loss medications, like phentermine. But taking Wegovy with these drugs could suppress your appetite too much and increase the risk of malnutrition.
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Before you start using Wegovy, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.
The following table lists drugs that may interact with Wegovy. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Wegovy. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
|---|---|---|
| certain antibiotics | • ciprofloxacin (Cipro) • clarithromycin | can increase the risk of low blood sugar |
| certain antidepressants | • fluoxetine (Prozac) • tranylcypromine (Parnate) | can increase the risk of low blood sugar |
| angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors | • lisinopril (Zestril, Qbrelis) • ramipril (Altace) | can increase the risk of low blood sugar |
| angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) | • losartan (Cozaar) • valsartan (Diovan) | can increase the risk of low blood sugar |
| fibrates | • fenofibrate (Tricor, others) • gemfibrozil (Lopid) | can increase the risk of low blood sugar |
| insulin | • insulin glargine (Lantus, others) • insulin lispro (Humalog, others) | can increase the risk of low blood sugar |
| meglitinides | • nateglinide • repaglinide | can increase the risk of low blood sugar |
| sulfonylureas | • glipizide (Glucotrol XL) • glyburide (Diabeta, Glynase) | can increase the risk of low blood sugar |
| other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications | • dulaglutide (Trulicity) • other forms of semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus) | can increase the risk of side effects from either drug |
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Wegovy.
Antibiotics
Wegovy can interact with certain antibiotics, which are used to treat infections caused by bacteria.
Examples of antibiotics that can interact with Wegovy include:
- ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
- clarithromycin
- delafloxacin (Baxdela)
- levofloxacin
- moxifloxacin
What could happen
Combining Wegovy with an antibiotic it interacts with can raise your risk of low blood sugar. Wegovy and these antibiotics can both lower blood sugar levels, so combining these drugs can increase the risk of this side effect.
What you can do
If you use Wegovy and develop an infection, your doctor will prescribe the antibiotic that can best treat your infection. This may include an antibiotic that can interact with Wegovy. Although this interaction can raise the risk of low blood sugar, it’s not considered severe enough that doctors avoid prescribing Wegovy with these antibiotics.
If you use Wegovy and an antibiotic, tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of low blood sugar. These may include sweating, mood changes such as irritability, and dizziness.
If you have questions about receiving Wegovy with certain antibiotics, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Antidepressants
Wegovy can interact with certain antidepressants, which are used to treat depression and other mental health conditions.
Examples of antidepressant medications that can interact with Wegovy include:
- fluoxetine (Prozac)
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as:
- isocarboxazid (Marplan)
- phenelzine (Nardil)
- tranylcypromine (Parnate)
What could happen
If you use Wegovy with an antidepressant it interacts with, this can increase your risk of low blood sugar. Both Wegovy and these antidepressants can lower your blood sugar levels. So combining these drugs can raise your risk of experiencing low blood sugar.
What you can do
If you’re taking an antidepressant mentioned in the section earlier, let your doctor know before you begin Wegovy treatment. Your doctor may prescribe a lower Wegovy dosage. Or they may want to monitor your blood sugar levels closely during treatment.
If you combine Wegovy with an antidepressant, tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of low blood sugar. These may include sweating, irritability, or other mood changes, and fatigue.
Wegovy is not known to interact with alcohol. But Wegovy is prescribed for weight loss and weight management, and reducing alcohol consumption can help support weight loss. So if you drink alcohol, your doctor may recommend that you avoid alcohol or limit the amount you drink while you’re using Wegovy.
If you have questions about consuming alcohol during your Wegovy treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Does Wegovy interact with cannabis or CBD?There are currently no reports of Wegovy interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Wegovy.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Wegovy. Before using Wegovy, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Wegovy is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Wegovy include:
- a personal or family history of MTC or MEN 2
- past or current pancreatitis
- galbladder problems
- slow digestion or gastroparesis
- history of chronic dehydration or sudden kidney injury
- upcoming surgery requiring general anesthesia or sedation
- diabetic retinopathy
- history of depression or suicidal thoughts
- pregnancy or breastfeeding
- previous allergic reaction to Wegovy or any of its ingredients (including other forms of semaglutide, like Ozempic)
Help is out there
If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:
- Call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Caring counselors are available to listen and provide free and confidential support 24/7.
- Text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 to connect with a volunteer crisis counselor for free and confidential support 24/7.
- Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
- Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.
If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.
If you’re not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.
Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Wegovy and possible interactions.
It’s possible. There’s no known interaction between Wegovy and phentermine, but it’s not known whether it’s safe to combine these medications for weight loss. Even though both of these medications work differently, they both suppress your appetite. Too much appetite suppression can lead to malnutrition.
Although these medications don’t interact, this doesn’t mean there aren’t possible risks to taking them together. Your doctor or pharmacist can answer additional questions you have about using Wegovy and phentermine together.
» More on this: Learn how semaglutide and phentermine compare.
Yes, if your doctor prescribes both medications for you. There’s no known interaction between Wegovy and Wellbutrin.
Wellbutrin is prescribed to treat depression. The active ingredient in Wellbutrin is bupropion, which is also an ingredient in the weight loss medication Contrave (bupropion/naltrexone).
Although there is no known interaction between Wegovy and Contrave or Wellbutrin, all three medications suppress appetite. Combining Wegovy with another appetite-suppressing medication could lead to malnutrition.
Additionally, Wellbutrin may have other interactions that could affect you. Be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist about all medications you take and your complete medical history before starting treatment with any prescription drug, including Wellbutrin.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Wegovy. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
- other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs (they can also help you fill out a
medication list ) - what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Wegovy treatment
Disclaimer: While Healthline strives for factual, comprehensive, and current information, this article is not a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional’s expertise. Always consult a doctor before taking or discontinuing any medication. Drug information is subject to change and may not cover all uses, directions, precautions, warnings, interactions, reactions, or adverse effects. The lack of a warning does not guarantee a drug’s safety, effectiveness, or appropriateness for all patients or specific uses. Learn more about our approach to content integrity.
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