How to Do Your Weekly GLP-1 Shot: A Calm, Step-by-Step Guide for First-Timers

1. What to lay out on a clean counter

Before you start, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, dry them with a clean towel, and gather these 4 items from your shipment:

• Your medication vial from the refrigerator (check the label to make sure it is clear, colorless, and free of particles or cloudiness).
• 1 brand-new, sterile syringe (never reuse a syringe or needle).
• 2 alcohol prep pads (one to wipe the top of the vial, one to clean your skin).
• A sharps container (or a heavy-duty hard plastic household container, like an empty laundry detergent bottle with a tight screw-top lid labeled "Sharps").

Pro tip for zero sting: Cold liquid straight from the fridge can sometimes feel a tiny bit pinchy going in. Once you draw your dose into the syringe, letting the capped syringe sit on a clean counter for 5 to 10 minutes to warm toward room temperature makes it much more comfortable. Put your medication vial right back into the refrigerator so you do not forget it out.

2. Picking your spot: the 3 best injection areas

You want to inject into an area with a soft layer of subcutaneous fat. There are three clinician-recommended spots, and you should rotate your spot each week (even moving an inch or two over or switching sides) so your skin stays healthy and absorbs the medication smoothly:

3. Step-by-step: drawing your dose and doing the shot

Take a slow breath. The entire process takes about 60 seconds:

Step 1: Clean the vial stopper

If it is a brand-new vial, pop off the plastic protective cap (do not remove the metal ring or the rubber stopper underneath). Scrub the rubber stopper on top of the vial with a fresh alcohol pad for 5 seconds, then let it air-dry for about 10 seconds so you do not carry alcohol into the vial.

Step 2: Draw air into the syringe

Remove the protective cap(s) from your syringe, taking care not to touch the needle. Check your prescription label for your prescribed number of units (for example, 10 units, 25 units, etc.). Pull the plunger back to draw air into the syringe up to that exact unit line.

Step 3: Inject the air and draw your medication

With the vial sitting flat on the counter, push the needle straight down through the center of the rubber stopper. Push the plunger all the way down to put that air into the vial (this prevents a vacuum and makes drawing liquid effortless).

Keeping the needle in the stopper, turn the vial and syringe upside down together at eye level. Make sure the tip of the needle stays completely underwater in the liquid, then slowly pull the plunger down to your prescribed unit mark.

• See a tiny air bubble? Gently tap the side of the syringe barrel with your finger so the bubble floats to the top, push it back into the vial, and pull back again until the flat top edge of the black rubber plunger sits cleanly on your unit line. Pull the needle straight out of the vial.

Step 4: Clean your skin and let it dry

Use your second alcohol pad to wipe your chosen injection spot (stomach, thigh, or upper arm). Wait 10 to 15 seconds for the alcohol to dry completely (and do not blow on it). Injecting through wet alcohol is the #1 reason people feel a surface sting!

Step 5: Pinch, insert, and press

With one hand, gently pinch a 1-to-2-inch fold of skin and soft tissue. With your other hand, hold the syringe like a pencil or dart and push the tiny needle smoothly all the way in at a 90-degree angle (straight in).

Once the needle is in, slowly and steadily push the plunger all the way down until the syringe is empty. Count slowly to 5 ("one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand...") before pulling the needle straight out and letting go of your pinched skin.

Step 6: Toss the syringe safely

Drop the used syringe directly into your sharps container without trying to snap the needle off. If you see a tiny drop of blood or clear liquid on your skin, gently press a cotton ball or tissue over the spot for a few seconds (do not rub the area). You are all done until next week!

4. 5 everyday tips that make shot day a breeze

• Units are not the same as milligrams (mg): Syringes are marked in units (where 100 units = 1 mL), while your medication strength is measured in milligrams (mg). Always read the exact number of units printed on your pharmacy prescription label, and message your care team in the patient portal if you ever want a quick double-check before injecting.
• Pick a consistent weekly anchor day: You can take your shot any day of the week, at any time of day, with or without food. Many patients like Thursday or Friday evening so they can relax over the weekend as the dose peaks.
• What if you miss your usual day? Generally, if you remember within 3 to 4 days of your scheduled dose, you can take it as soon as you remember and stay on your regular schedule. If more than 4 days have passed, skip the missed dose and take your next dose on your normal scheduled day (never take two doses within 72 hours of each other). Check with your clinician if you are ever unsure.
• Keep your meal light on shot day: Eating smaller portions, staying hydrated with water or electrolytes, and skipping heavy, greasy, or fried foods the day of your injection helps keep your stomach feeling great.
• Refrigerate your vial (never freeze it): Store your medication vial in the refrigerator between 36°F and 46°F (2°C to 8°C), away from the back freezer vent, and always observe the Beyond-Use Date (BUD) printed on your pharmacy label.