Injection Guide

How To Administer Compounded Semaglutide 

You may be new to at-home injections, so we’re here to walk you through self-administering your semaglutide.

You’ll need to inject the medication into the tissue right below the skin. This is a simple injection technique that lets the medication be absorbed slowly by your body. (In medical terms it’s known as a subcutaneous injection). It’s what allows you to only need to take your GLP-1 medication once a week, so you can focus on living the life you want. 

Step 1

Wash Your Hands

Wash your hands thoroughly and have a clean, stable work surface

Step 2

Prepare Your Supplies

DocDay provides you with:  

  • Medication 
  • Disposable syringe 
  • One needle for injecting meds
  • Alcohol wipes 

You’ll need to get 

  • Bandage 
  • Sharps container. Not sure where to find this? More info here.  

Step 3

Prepare Medication

  • Verify you have the correct medication  
  • Check the expiration date 
  • Ensure the medication is a clear liquid—there should not be any floaters or particles in it  
  • Roll the medication between your palms for a few seconds to warm it up 

Step 4

Prepare Syringe

  • Don’t let the needles touch any surfaces 
  • The first time you use the vial, remove the cap on the vial to reveal the rubber stopper 
  • Wipe off the rubber stopper of medication vial with an alcohol swab (or cotton and alcohol) and allow it to air dry 
  • Pull air back into the syringe approximately equal to the amount of the medication to be removed 
  • Remove the needle cover and insert the needle into the vial 
  • Inject the air into the vial 
  • With the needle still inserted, turn the vial upside down 
  • Pull back the plunger to draw up the desired amount of medication 
  • Check for bubbles, and tap the syringe to remove them 
  • Turn the vial right side up, and remove the needle from the vial 

Step 5

Prepare Injection Site

  • Select an area on your abdomen at least one inch away from your belly button 
  • Wipe your skin with an alcohol pad and allow it to air dry 
  • Be sure to rotate the injection site each week and do not inject yourself in the same spot each week 
  • Inject at a 45 degree or 90 degree angle. See examples below:

Example of 45 degree angle using proper injection technique

Example of 90 degree angle using proper injection technique

Step 6

Inject Your Medicine

  • When preparing to inject, make sure the needle doesn’t touch anything 
  • Hold the syringe in your dominant hand while pinching the injection site with the other hand to gather up the fatty layer beneath your skin 
  • Quickly push the needle into the pinched skin either straight up and down or at a slight angle 
  • After the needle is in, let go of the skin you were pinching 
  • Inject the medicine by gently pushing the syringe plunger at a slow and steady pace until the syringe is empty 
  • Quickly pull the needle out and dispose of the entire syringe and needle in your sharps container 

Step 7

Disposal

  • Dispose of the needle and syringe in the sharps container and apply a bandage to the injection site 
  • When the vial is empty, place it in the sharps container 
  • When the sharps container is full, tape the lid and throw it in the trash 
  • Read more in our Sharps Disposal Guide.