Can you give your Ozempic shot wrong? Understanding potential injection errors

October 9, 2025 •

5 min read

While Ozempic injections are designed to be user-friendly, it is possible to give your Ozempic shot wrong, with improper administration being a key factor in discomfort or reduced medication efficacy. Approximately 1% of patients in studies experienced injection site reactions, often linked to technique issues. Understanding correct procedure is therefore essential for effective and safe treatment.

Quick Summary

This guide explains common mistakes when self-administering Ozempic, such as injecting into the wrong tissue or reusing needles. It covers how to identify an incorrect injection and provides a step-by-step tutorial on proper technique, emphasizing the importance of site rotation and careful pen usage for safety and best results.

Key Points

Tissue Placement is Critical: Inject Ozempic subcutaneously (into fat) and avoid muscle, which can cause more pain and inconsistent absorption.
Rotate Your Injection Sites: Always change the weekly injection location (abdomen, thigh, or upper arm) to prevent hard lumps, known as lipohypertrophy, which hinder medication absorption.
Ensure Full Dose Delivery: Hold the injection button down for a full count of six seconds to prevent leakage and ensure you receive the complete prescribed dose.
Use a Fresh Needle Every Time: Never reuse needles, as this increases the risk of infection and can make injections more painful.
Prime New Pens: Always prime a new Ozempic pen before its first use to remove air and confirm a drop of medication appears, which ensures a clear needle.
Never Double-Dose: If you miss a dose or suspect a partial injection, do not attempt to compensate with an extra shot. Always consult your doctor for guidance.

How an Ozempic Injection Can Go Wrong

Properly injecting Ozempic is a crucial part of your weekly routine, but several common errors can occur. Most of these mistakes are easily avoidable with careful attention to the manufacturer's instructions and proper technique. Recognizing these potential pitfalls is the first step toward preventing them.

Injecting into the wrong tissue: Ozempic is designed for subcutaneous injection, meaning it should be delivered into the fatty tissue just under the skin. Injecting too deeply into the muscle can cause more pain and change how quickly the medication is absorbed by the body, potentially altering its effect. On the other hand, injecting too shallowly (into the skin's surface) can cause the medication to pool and form a small, temporary bubble. The pen's short needle is designed to prevent deep injection, but pinching the skin can help ensure correct placement in the fatty layer.
Using the same injection site repeatedly: Injecting into the same spot every week can lead to a condition called lipohypertrophy, where small, fatty lumps form under the skin. These lumps can interfere with the consistent and predictable absorption of the medication, affecting your blood sugar control over time. This is why healthcare providers stress the importance of rotating your injection site among the recommended areas.
Failing to prime a new pen: Before using a new Ozempic pen for the first time, it must be primed to ensure the needle is not blocked and to remove any air from the cartridge. Without priming, you may not deliver the correct dose of medication, reducing its intended effect. The priming process involves checking for a single drop of solution at the needle tip after dialing a small dose.
Not holding the dose button long enough: To ensure the full dose is administered, it's critical to press and hold the dose button until the dose counter returns to "0" and then count slowly to six seconds before removing the needle from the skin. Removing the pen too early can cause medication to leak out, meaning you did not receive the complete dose.
Reusing needles: Never reuse an Ozempic needle. Reusing needles can cause pain, bleeding, and increase the risk of infection and tissue damage. Used needles should always be properly disposed of in a sharps container.

How to Tell if an Injection Went Wrong

Sometimes, it's obvious when a mistake has happened, but other times the signs are more subtle. Here's what to look for after an injection:

Leakage: If you see a stream of Ozempic leaking from the injection site after removing the needle, you did not get the full dose.
Counter not at zero: If the dose counter on your pen does not show "0" after you inject, you likely did not deliver the full amount.
Pain or bruising: While minor discomfort is normal, increased pain, soreness, or bruising could indicate a technique error, such as injecting too fast or into muscle.
A bubble under the skin: A small, temporary bubble or bump at the injection site can occur if the medication is injected too shallowly.
Lumps under the skin: Long-term, repeatedly injecting in the same area can cause hard, fatty lumps (lipohypertrophy).

Correct Injection Technique Versus Common Errors


Aspect	Correct Technique	Incorrect Technique
Injection Site	Rotate weekly between abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.	Use the same spot repeatedly.
Needle Priming	Prime a new pen once by checking for a drop of fluid.	Skip priming for a new pen, potentially not delivering the full dose.
Dose Delivery	Press button completely and hold for a slow count of 6.	Remove the pen too quickly, causing medication to leak out.
Needle Reuse	Use a new, sterile needle for every single injection.	Reuse needles, increasing the risk of infection and pain.
Needle Insertion	Insert the needle straight in at a 90-degree angle.	Inject at a shallow or wrong angle, causing a skin bubble or discomfort.

A Step-by-Step Guide for Safe Ozempic Injection

Following these steps can help ensure you receive the correct dose of Ozempic safely and with minimal discomfort:

Prepare the pen: Wash your hands thoroughly. Attach a new, sterile needle by tearing off the paper tab, pushing it straight onto the pen, and twisting until it's secure.
Prime the pen (if new): If this is the first time using a new pen, dial to the flow-check symbol. Hold the pen with the needle pointing up and press the dose button until a drop of liquid appears.
Select and clean the injection site: Choose an area on your abdomen (at least two inches from your belly button), thigh, or upper arm. Clean the site with an alcohol swab and let it air-dry completely.
Dial your dose: Turn the dose selector until your prescribed dose appears in the window.
Inject the medication: Gently pinch a fold of skin at the cleaned site (optional for leaner individuals). Insert the needle straight into the skin at a 90-degree angle.
Press and hold: Press the dose button all the way in and hold it down. Continue holding and count slowly to 6. This is crucial for full dose delivery.
Remove and dispose: Pull the pen straight out of the skin. Use a single hand to recap the needle, then unscrew it and dispose of it immediately in an FDA-approved sharps container.

What to Do If an Injection Mistake Occurs

If you believe you have made an injection error, it's important to take the right steps to manage the situation safely:

Do not re-inject: If you suspect you didn't receive the full dose (e.g., due to leakage), never attempt to re-inject. Wait until your next scheduled dose to avoid an overdose.
Contact your healthcare provider: Inform your doctor or pharmacist about the potential error. They can provide guidance on what to do next based on your specific situation.
Monitor for symptoms: Be aware of potential side effects, such as a drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) if you accidentally took a double dose, or a rise in blood sugar if you missed a dose. Note any signs of infection at the injection site, like increasing pain, redness, or swelling.
Emergency overdose: In the rare case of a severe overdose, call 911 or the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 immediately.

Conclusion

While the prospect of a self-injection can be intimidating, the process for Ozempic is straightforward and generally pain-free when the proper technique is followed. Incorrect injections are often minor and can be addressed by sticking to your weekly schedule. The key takeaways are to use a fresh needle, rotate your injection sites, properly prime a new pen, and hold the dose button for the full count. In the event of a mistake, refrain from double-dosing and seek guidance from your healthcare provider. Mastering the correct method is a simple but vital step towards ensuring the effectiveness and safety of your Ozempic therapy.

For more detailed instructions, always refer to the official Ozempic website from Novo Nordisk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Injecting Ozempic into a muscle (intramuscularly) instead of the fatty layer (subcutaneously) can cause increased pain and potentially alter the medication's absorption rate. While not typically dangerous with the short pen needle, it's best to avoid this by gently pinching the skin to isolate the fatty tissue.

If you notice medication leaking out, it likely means you did not hold the dose button long enough for the full dose to be delivered. Do not attempt to re-inject. Wait for your next scheduled weekly dose and ensure you hold the button for the full six seconds next time.

No, it is important to rotate your injection sites weekly between your abdomen, thigh, and upper arm. Repeatedly injecting in the same spot can lead to fatty lumps (lipohypertrophy) that can interfere with medication absorption.

You can confirm a correct dose by ensuring the dose counter on your pen returns to "0" after you press the button down completely. You also need to hold the button down for a slow count of six seconds after the dose counter reaches zero to prevent leakage.

For a new pen, you must perform a flow check before the first injection. Turn the selector to the flow check symbol, hold the pen with the needle pointing up, and press the dose button until a drop appears at the needle tip.

To minimize discomfort, use a fresh needle for each injection, let the alcohol from the swab dry completely before injecting, and allow the medication to reach room temperature before use. Some people also find it helpful to relax the muscle in the injection area.

The three recommended injection sites are the abdomen (at least two inches from the belly button), the front and outer area of the thigh, and the back of the upper arm. Rotating between these sites each week is important.