How Long Does Ozempic Stay in Your System?
About 5 weeks. Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) has a half-life of about 7 days, so half is gone after a week and about 97% by day 35. Mounjaro and Zepbound (tirzepatide, about 5 days) clear in roughly 25 to 30 days.
Enter your medication and last-dose date to see how much has cleared today, when it is about 97% gone, and when appetite tends to return. Covers Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Trulicity, Victoza and Saxenda. Educational, not medical advice.
By Ian MacCallum, Founder · GLP-Done. Last reviewed . Read our methodology and editorial policy.
Check your clearance timeline
Half-life about 7 days.
A future date switches to planning mode.
Assumes you were on this dose 5+ weeks (steady state). Used only to place one marker.
Example shown: 14 days after a last dose of Ozempic. Enter your date to see yours.
Cleared at day 14
75%
of semaglutide eliminated (population average)
About 97% cleared
~35 days
after your last dose
Educational only. This visualizes published average half-lives. Real clearance varies by person, dose, and kidney and liver function, and appetite return is not the same as full elimination. It is not medical advice and does not recommend any dose or schedule. Talk to your clinician about stopping or changing a medication.
How long each GLP-1 stays in your system
Each half-life cuts the amount left in your body in half. After about five half-lives roughly 97% is gone, which is the usual working definition of "out of your system."
| Drug | Brands | Half-life | 50% gone | 94% gone | About 97% gone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide injection | Ozempic, Wegovy | 7 days | 7 days | 28 days | 35 days |
| Oral semaglutide | Rybelsus | 7 days | 7 days | 28 days | 35 days |
| Tirzepatide | Mounjaro, Zepbound | 5 days | 5 days | 20 days | 25 days (Lilly cites about 30 days) |
| Dulaglutide | Trulicity | 5 days | 5 days | 20 days | 25 days |
| Liraglutide | Victoza, Saxenda | 13 hours | 13 hours | 2 days | 3 days |
Population averages from published pharmacokinetic studies (sources below). Your own clearance varies.
Week by week after stopping Ozempic or Wegovy
| Week after last dose | Share still in your body |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | 50% |
| Week 2 | 25% |
| Week 3 | 13% |
| Week 4 | 6.3% |
| Week 5 | 3.1% |
| Week 6 | 1.6% |
| Week 7 | 0.8% |
Weekly dosing builds up to a steady state, roughly double the amount of a single dose. That changes how many milligrams are on board, not the percentages: the share left still halves every week.
"Out of your system" vs "wearing off"
- Stomach side effects often ease within the first one to two weeks as levels fall.
- Appetite tends to come back gradually, often between weeks 2 and 4 for semaglutide. See when hunger comes back and food noise after a GLP-1.
- Full elimination comes later than most of the felt change. Plan protein and meals before hunger returns with the protein calculator and maintenance calories.
Common situations
Planning a pregnancy. The semaglutide label advises stopping at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy because of the long half-life. Ask your prescriber about tirzepatide and other drugs.
Before surgery or anesthesia. Guidance on holding weekly GLP-1s before procedures has changed more than once since 2023. Follow what your surgical and anesthesia team tells you.
Drug tests. GLP-1 medications are not part of standard workplace drug panels.
Can you flush it out faster? No. Semaglutide lasts because it binds to albumin in the blood, and water, exercise or detox products do not change that. After an accidental overdose, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Missed doses and restarting. Labels describe a window for a late dose (for example, within 5 days for Ozempic and 4 days for Mounjaro or Zepbound). After a longer gap, ask your prescriber whether to re-titrate. This tool never sets a restart dose.
Stopping vs tapering.Whether to step down is your prescriber's call. To lay out a schedule they gave you, use the taper calculator, and read how to taper off a GLP-1.
What changes clearance
- Dose and time on the drug: longer use at a higher dose means more on board at the start.
- Body size and individual variation, which population averages smooth over.
- Kidney and liver function, which the labels address; ask your clinician if either applies.
How we calculate
Share remaining = 0.5 ^ (days since the last dose / half-life). The "below starter dose" marker uses half-life x log2(your dose / the starter dose), assuming you had been on that dose long enough to reach steady state. Half-lives come from the pharmacokinetic papers listed in the sources. See our methodology. After the drug clears, the weight regain risk calculator and our guide for people stopping cover what comes next.
Questions about this tool
How long does Ozempic stay in your system?
About 5 weeks. Semaglutide has an elimination half-life of about 7 days, so roughly 97% has cleared about 35 days (five half-lives) after the last dose.
How long does Wegovy stay in your system?
The same as Ozempic, since both are semaglutide: about 5 weeks to be roughly 97% cleared, whatever the dose.
How long does Mounjaro stay in your system?
Tirzepatide has a half-life of about 5 days, so it is roughly 97% cleared in about 25 days. Lilly's own materials cite about 30 days.
How long does Zepbound stay in your system?
Zepbound is tirzepatide, like Mounjaro, so about 25 to 30 days.
How long does Rybelsus stay in your system?
Oral semaglutide has about the same 7-day half-life as the injection, so about 5 weeks after the last tablet.
Does Ozempic show up on a drug test?
No. GLP-1 medications are not part of standard workplace drug panels.
How long after stopping Ozempic will I be hungry again?
It varies, but appetite often returns gradually between weeks 2 and 4 after the last dose, before the drug is fully cleared. Planning meals and protein ahead of that window helps.
How long do side effects last after stopping?
Stomach side effects often ease within one to two weeks as levels fall. Tell your clinician about anything that lasts or worsens.
How long before surgery should I stop Ozempic?
Follow your surgical and anesthesia team. Guidance on holding weekly GLP-1s before procedures has changed since 2023, and it depends on your situation.
How long after stopping can I get pregnant?
The semaglutide label advises stopping at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy. Ask your prescriber what applies to your medication.
Is compounded semaglutide the same?
Compounded products are not FDA-approved, and their contents can vary. If it is semaglutide, the half-life is the same, so the curve here is the best available estimate.
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Sources & further reading
Every claim on this page is drawn from peer-reviewed research, clinical trials, or recognized health authorities. Read the source before making any decision about your health.