How to Tell If Your Ozempic Pen Is Empty and What to Do Next: Checking, Disposal, and Dosage Tips

Quick Answer: To know if your Ozempic pen is empty, check the dose counter—if it shows zero or the dose selector won’t turn, the pen is used up. Dispose of empty pens in a sharps container. Never use leftover medication beyond the recommended doses to ensure proper treatment and safety.

Ozempic (semaglutide) is a widely used injectable medication for managing diabetes that comes in easy-to-use prefilled injection pens.

Whether you've been prescribed Ozempic 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg (red label pens) 1 mg (blue label pen) or 2 mg (yellow label pen), each Ozempic pen contains 4 doses, equaling 4 weeks of treatment.

Despite the precision of the dosing applicator, many patients get confused or worried about when their Ozempic pen is empty. Tracking each dose not only helps maintain your semaglutide injection schedule but also determine when to start using a new pen.

In this article, we'll walk you through how to recognize when your Ozempic pen is empty and what steps you should take once it's used up:

• How to know when your Ozempic pen is empty?
• How to check how many doses are left?
• What if the pen does not look empty after 4 doses?
• How to dispose of your empty Ozempic pens?

Ozempic pens must be refrigerated before use and protected from heat once opened. Get your Medical-grade Ozempic Travel Cooler for your next adventures!

How Do I Know When My Ozempic Pen is Empty?

Knowing when your Ozempic pen is empty is essential for maintaining your treatment schedule and avoiding missed doses. Here’s how to determine if your pen has run out of medication:

• ✅ Standard Dose Capacity – Each Ozempic pen typically contains four doses, lasting four weeks with a once-weekly injection schedule.
• 🔹 First Pen Exception – The first Ozempic pen you receive contains six doses: four initial 0.25 mg doses and two 0.5 mg doses. After this, all pens contain only four doses.
• 🔢 Dose Counter Check – Use the built-in dose counter and viewing window to see how much medication remains.
• 🚫 Dose Selector Won’t Turn – If you try to turn the dose selector and it won’t rotate, your Ozempic pen is empty and needs to be replaced.

Always track your injections and replace your pen promptly to ensure proper treatment.

Related article: Does Ozempic Need to Be Refrigerated? Storage and Refrigeration Tips!

How to check how many doses are left?

To check how much Ozempic is left in your pen, you can use the dose selector found on the front of your pen between the label and the dose pointer.

For example, if you use a 0.5 mg Ozempic pen, turn the dose selector until it stops. If the dose counter shows 0.5 it means that there's at least 0.5 mg of Ozempic left in your pen. However, if the counter stops before, you do not have enough left for a full 0.5 mg dose.

What Does an Empty Ozempic Pen Look Like?

An empty Ozempic pen is relatively easy to identify. Once you've used the allotted number of doses, the dosage knob is blocked and won't turn. The dose counter on the pen shows zero, indicating there are no doses left.

Additionally, if you attempt to administer a dose from an empty Ozempic pen, you'll notice that the mechanism does not engage or seems inactive.

Related article: Forgot to Refrigerate Ozempic and Left it Out? 

What If the Pen Does Not Look Empty After 4 Doses?

It's possible to find that your Ozempic pen doesn't seem empty after its last dose-perhaps the dose counter doesn't read zero, or you can see that there's still medication left inside.

If this occurs, do not use the pen. Using an Ozempic pen beyond its intended number of doses can lead to incorrect dosing. The leftovers aren't enough for a full dose and injecting a partial dose could significantly impact your treatment. Instead, use a new, full Ozempic pen.

What to Do with Your Empty Ozempic Pens?

Once your Ozempic pen is empty, you should immediately dispose of it to avoid any confusion with full pens. But injection pens are considered sharps and must be disposed of responsibly.

How to dispose of Ozempic pens?

• Ozempic pens should be disposed of in a sharps disposal container, specially designed to handle medical waste such as injection needles and pens.

• If you do not have a sharps container, you can use a heavy-duty plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, such as a laundry detergent container. Once the container is full, seal it and label it as "sharps." 

• Consult local regulations. Ask your local trash removal services or health department about safe sharps disposable programs in your area. Generally, there are supervised collection sites at doctor's offices, hospitals, or pharmacies.

Related article: How to Travel with Ozempic: Travel Cases and Flying Tips!

📌 Key Takeaways:

• 💉 How to Know When Your Ozempic Pen Is Empty – Check the dose counter and dose selector; if it won’t turn, the pen is empty.
• 🔢 Checking Remaining Doses – Use the dose counter to confirm how much Ozempic is left before your next injection.
• ⚠️ Leftover Medication? Don't Use It! – Even if there’s visible medication left, an Ozempic pen is only designed for four doses. Using extra can lead to incorrect dosing.
• 🚮 Safe Disposal of Used Ozempic Pens – Dispose of empty pens in a sharps container or a heavy-duty plastic bottle with a secure lid.
• 📍 Follow Local Disposal Regulations – Check with local health departments, pharmacies, or medical facilities for proper sharps disposal programs.

💬 We'd Love to Hear From You!

Comment below with your experiences, share this article if you found it helpful, and ask any questions you might have about your empty Ozempic pens!

📆 Article Update History:

✅ Updated: March 15, 2025 

Originally Published: July 12, 2024