Cravings on Wegovy: What Patients Are Really Experiencing
Wegovy (semaglutide) has taken the world by storm as a weight loss treatment, with tens of thousands of patients in the UK now prescribed the once-weekly injection. Its promise is simple but powerful: reduce appetite, quieten "food noise," and help people stick to healthier eating patterns without constant hunger.
But while appetite suppression is one side of the story, another is playing out across Reddit and patient forums: cravings. For some, Wegovy wipes them away completely. For others, they persist - sometimes in odd or exaggerated forms. Chocolate obsessions, late-week hunger spikes, salt cravings, even sudden aversions to alcohol - the experiences vary wildly.
Understanding how Wegovy affects cravings isn’t just about curiosity. It’s central to how people succeed on the medication, and how they learn to manage their relationship with food long term.
Food Noise vs. Cravings
One of the most common themes in patient accounts is the distinction between "food noise" and cravings. Many describe food noise - the constant mental chatter about eating - as fading quickly on Wegovy. But cravings often remain, just less intrusive.
"The food noise has gone, but the cravings are still there - just quieter." –u/Peppermint_Skies
This distinction matters. Food noise is about frequency - how often your brain nags you to eat. Cravings are about intensity - how badly you want something once it enters your mind. Wegovy seems to help with the first, but the second can be more stubborn. Patients repeatedly highlight that the drug is not a magic eraser. It changes hunger signalling, but doesn’t instantly undo decades of habits, emotions, or hormonal influences.
What Cravings Look Like on Wegovy
The way cravings show up often depends on dose and time on the drug. Many start at 0.25 mg with high hopes, only to find themselves still battling the same temptations.
"On 0.25 I was still ordering Deliveroo. It wasn’t hunger, it was habit." –u/throwaway8344
This highlights a recurring pattern: Wegovy dampens appetite, but cravings tied to routine - ordering takeaways, snacking in front of the TV, grabbing sweets at work - can persist until those behaviours are addressed separately.
Another pattern is the so-called "day 6 dip," when cravings surge just before the next injection is due.
"Day 6 is brutal. I feel like my shot has worn off and I want everything." –u/Ready_For_Change88
This timing effect points to how semaglutide levels rise and fall over the week. While clinical data suggests the once-weekly schedule maintains stable coverage, many patients insist they feel cravings spike before their next jab - an insight that matters for managing expectations.
At higher doses, some report complete relief:
"At 1.7 I finally feel normal - no more obsessive cravings." –u/Old_Pizza_94
But for others, even maximum dosing doesn’t shut cravings down:
"Even at 2.4 the sweet tooth won’t quit. I can’t stop thinking about Haribo." –u/ItsMeMegs27
Taken together, these accounts show that Wegovy is powerful, but not universal. Cravings don’t vanish the same way for everyone.
Dose, Duration and Timing
Titration - the gradual increase from 0.25 to 2.4 mg - is often a bumpy journey. Patients describe the early stages as underwhelming or even counterproductive.
"0.25 did nothing. 0.5 made me hungrier. 1.0 finally clicked - food noise vanished." –u/SunflowerGirl92
This is echoed across forums: the lowest doses often feel like "nothing," and some even feel hungrier, as though their body is adjusting in unpredictable ways. It’s not until 1.0 or higher that many feel the medication working as expected.
Some experiment with how they take it:
"I split my dose in two while titrating. It stopped the day 6 cravings." –u/BeardedNomad86
While dose-splitting isn’t in official guidelines, it shows how patients adapt in real time, trying to smooth the peaks and troughs of drug levels. Others simply stress patience:
"For me it took 8–10 weeks for the cravings to calm down fully." –u/Curious_Chart9301
This reminds us that it isn’t just about the number on the pen. Time, adaptation, and habit-building all play a role in how cravings change.
Sugar, Salt, and Random Cravings
When cravings do persist, they often cluster around specific categories. Sugar dominates the discussion.
"Cookies and chocolate are all I think about. Never been like this before Wegovy." –u/sweettreats92
This surprises many: why would a drug designed to suppress appetite leave sugar cravings untouched, or even amplify them? Some speculate that reduced overall intake makes the body "seek" quick energy, pushing sweets to the front of the mind.
Salt cravings appear too:
"I go through crisp phases - salt is my weakness." –u/LateCrispNight
And then there are unusual, almost wholesome urges:
"Weirdly, I’ve been craving beans and salad. Never happened before." –u/LegumesAndGreens
Hormonal cycles can intensify everything:
"PMS week - cravings are worse than the drug." –u/PCOS_andProud
Together, these stories show that cravings are not uniform. They are shaped by biology, hormones, and sometimes by sheer randomness.
Taste and Preference Shifts
If cravings persist for some, for others they shrink because foods themselves suddenly lose their appeal.
"I used to love fried chicken. Now it makes me nauseous." –u/BrokenScale91
For these users, Wegovy doesn’t just lower appetite - it reshapes desire itself. Former favourites turn unappealing, and smaller treats suffice:
"One cookie is enough now. I don’t need the whole packet." –u/SmallSteps_Journey
But again, there’s no one-size-fits-all:
"At 2.4 the sugar cravings are stronger, not weaker. Didn’t expect that." –u/HariboAddict84
The contrast between losing interest in fried food versus gaining a sweet tooth illustrates how varied the impact can be - and why cravings remain such a hot topic online.
Alcohol Cravings
Beyond food, another recurring theme is alcohol. Many users describe an abrupt, almost effortless disinterest.
"I just stopped wanting wine. No effort - it was like a switch flipped." –u/NoWineNoProblem
"Beer used to be my daily thing. Now it tastes off. Haven’t missed it at all." –u/HoppyGone
For patients trying to cut calories, improve sleep, or reduce dependence, this is seen as a massive bonus. Some even describe it as more impactful than food suppression, changing long-standing social habits with ease.
Why Cravings Happen: Community Theories
Reddit is full of patient-led explanations, many of which align with medical reasoning.
Protein intake is one:
"If I don’t hit my protein goal, the sugar cravings come roaring back." –u/ProteinPrincess
This matches nutritional advice that protein stabilises appetite and blood sugar. Carbohydrate balance is another:
"For me it’s blood sugar. If I eat too many carbs early, I’m chasing sweets all day." –u/GlucoWatcher
Hormonal cycles are a constant wildcard:
"PMS absolutely overrides Wegovy. It’s hormones, not hunger." –u/PeriodTruths
And psychological triggers persist even when appetite fades:
"Stress cravings are still there. The drug doesn’t fix habit loops." –u/HabitCycle
These theories show how patients are piecing together their own understanding - blending physiology, nutrition, and psychology to make sense of their cravings.
What Actually Helps
Strategies to cope with cravings are as varied as the cravings themselves.
For some, removing temptation is the first step:
"Deleting JustEat was the best hack. Out of sight, out of mind." –u/TechFreeEats
Others lean on high-volume, low-calorie foods:
"Veg volume eating saves me. A giant bowl of roasted veg fills me up for 200 calories." –u/VeggieVictory
Hydration and electrolytes also feature heavily:
"Electrolytes make a huge difference. Without them I want sugar constantly." –u/ElectrolyteElf
Substitutions help too:
"Sugar-free gummies are my lifesaver - sweet hit, no calories." –u/GummyBearGal
Some adapt their injection timing to match lifestyle patterns:
"I inject on Fridays now so day 6 falls midweek. Stops me going crazy at weekends." –u/PlannerOnPurpose
And finally, the reminder to take the long view:
"Patience is key. Habits don’t vanish in 4 weeks just because hunger does." –u/SlowChange91
These practical tips show that managing cravings on Wegovy is less about willpower and more about designing routines, environments, and nutrition around new realities.
When to Check in with a Doctor
Most cravings are manageable, but some experiences point to a need for medical input.
"All I wanted was sugar, and I was faint and shaky. Turned out I wasn’t eating enough protein." –u/LowIronLady
"The cravings turned into full binges. My GP added support for binge eating disorder." –u/BEDRecovery
"Blacking out from sugar cravings isn’t normal - that’s when I called my doctor." –u/WorriedWellness
These cases underline an important point: cravings on Wegovy are common, but when they cause dangerous behaviour, physical weakness, or relapse into binge eating, professional help is essential.
Expert Perspective
To put these experiences into context, we asked Alessandro Grenci, Superintendent Pharmacist at Medino, for his view:
"Cravings on Wegovy are highly individual. For many, they fade with time or higher doses, but some people continue to experience strong urges - especially for sugar. Often this comes down to nutrition, timing, or hormonal cycles rather than the medicine failing. If cravings become overwhelming, disruptive, or linked to faintness or binges, it’s time to involve your GP or pharmacist. With the right adjustments, most people find cravings become manageable."
Conclusion: Cravings Are Part of the Journey
If there’s one takeaway from the patient community, it’s this: cravings on Wegovy are not unusual. They may shrink, shift, or persist - but they are rarely gone entirely. Sugar, salt, random healthy urges, and even alcohol cravings all form part of the mixed picture.
What patients show is that success comes from combination strategies: hitting protein and hydration goals, changing environments, using smart swaps, timing injections thoughtfully, and - above all - giving it time.
Cravings don’t mean the drug isn’t working. They mean the process of relearning food habits is still ongoing. And with patience, support, and the right adjustments, most people find that cravings become just another hurdle - one they can overcome.
