GLP-1 Shot-Day Checklist

Before your shot

Shot day is about following the plan you were given and creating a clear record. It is not a day to judge whether the medicine worked. Appetite changes and side effects vary by medicine, dose, and person.

• Check the medication name, prescribed dose, expiration date, and product instructions.
• Wash your hands and gather the exact supplies your product requires.
• Use only the injection sites listed in your medication instructions.
• Rotate the spot instead of repeatedly using the same small area.
• Do not inject into skin that is tender, bruised, red, hard, scarred, or damaged.

Use this shot-day checklist

There is usually no need for a special “shot-day meal.” Eat in the way that is normally safe and comfortable for you. If fullness or nausea has been a problem, a smaller meal eaten slowly may be easier than a large or rich meal. Follow any individualized fluid advice from your care team.

What should you notice afterward?

You do not need to repeatedly check your body for symptoms. Continue your day and make a simple note if something changes. A small amount of temporary redness, itching, or discomfort can happen at an injection site.

Contact your clinician if an injection-site reaction is severe, spreading, increasingly painful, warm, draining, or not improving. Record the timing and what you noticed so you can describe it accurately.

If the injection does not go as planned

If the pen leaks, the needle bends, the device is removed too early, or you are unsure whether you received the full dose, do not automatically inject another dose. Follow the product instructions and call your pharmacist or prescribing team.

Missed-dose rules are not the same for every medicine. Use the medication guide for your exact product instead of borrowing rules from another GLP-1 medicine.

When should you get help?

Get emergency help for swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; trouble breathing or swallowing; fainting; a very rapid heartbeat; or a severe rash or itching.

Seek urgent medical help for severe or persistent abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, inability to keep liquids down, fainting, confusion, or signs of severe dehydration. If you use insulin or a sulfonylurea, follow the low-blood-sugar plan from your diabetes team and do not change diabetes medicines on your own.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and medical disclaimer

This guide is general education, not a diagnosis, personal treatment plan, or substitute for professional care. It has not been medically reviewed. Follow the instructions for your specific prescription and speak with a qualified healthcare professional about treatment decisions or symptoms.

• Drucker DJ. Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Application of GLP-1.
• Nauck MA, et al. GLP-1 receptor agonists in type 2 diabetes.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Safely Using Sharps.