GLP-1 injection tracker: doses, sites and side effects in one log
An injection tracker records when you took which prescribed dose, where you injected it and what you noticed afterwards, such as nausea, appetite or weight. It does not replace medical advice, but it makes your appointment more concrete: instead of “I felt sick a lot” you can say when, how badly and how long after the shot.
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What should you write in a GLP-1 injection log?
For every shot, write down the facts nobody can reconstruct later: date, time, the dose as prescribed and the injection site. Add what you observe yourself, ideally right away rather than from memory at the end of the week.
Your doctor sets the dose and the schedule. The log only documents what you actually did; it is not a place to adjust doses on your own.
- Shot: date, time, medication and prescribed strength, site (e.g. left side of the belly).
- How you feel: nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, tiredness, injection site reaction, each rated 1 to 3.
- Weight: once a week, same weekday, in the morning, same scale.
- Food and drink: a rough note of protein and fluids, since appetite often drops.
- Anything unusual: missed or moved doses, new medicines, sick days.
How do you rotate GLP-1 injection sites?
The prescribing information for the weekly injections lists the abdomen, thigh and upper arm as sites and advises rotating the site with each dose. For liraglutide it explicitly says to rotate within the same region. Never using the same spot twice in a row is easier on your skin and easier to keep track of.
A simple system is a fixed order, for example left belly, right belly, left thigh, right thigh, then start again. A short code in your log is enough. For every detail, follow the patient leaflet and what your clinic or pharmacist showed you.
| Week | Site | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belly, left of the navel | BL |
| 2 | Belly, right of the navel | BR |
| 3 | Left thigh | TL |
| 4 | Right thigh | TR |
| 5 | Left belly again, slightly shifted | BL |
What does the half-life of a GLP-1 medication mean?
Half-life is the average time it takes for half of the medication to be cleared from the body. The prescribing information gives about one week for semaglutide and about five days for tirzepatide. That is why one shot a week is enough for these medicines, and why it takes several weeks on the same dose for the level to even out.
It also explains why side effects are often stronger in the first days after a shot and why a dose step-up is not felt fully right away. A log shows whether your symptoms follow a fixed pattern after the shot. What to do about a missed dose is in the patient leaflet; if in doubt, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
| Medication | Schedule | Half-life |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide (injection) | weekly | about 1 week |
| Tirzepatide | weekly | about 5 days |
| Dulaglutide | weekly | about 5 days |
| Liraglutide | daily | about 13 hours |
How do you prepare for your doctor visit with an injection log?
Before the appointment, summarise what happened since the last visit: how many doses, whether any were missed, how your weight changed and which side effects came up how often. Three concrete questions on a note help more than a full notebook nobody can read in ten minutes.
Some symptoms do not belong in a log but need a doctor right away. The prescribing information lists severe, persistent abdominal pain, with or without vomiting, as a warning sign. A log cannot assess signs like these.
- Pick the period since your last appointment.
- Count your doses and flag anything unusual (moved, missed, irritated site).
- Summarise your weight trend and your most frequent side effects with their strength.
- Write down your questions, for example about the next dose step, which only your doctor decides.
How Vantu works as your injection tracker
Vantu is a diary for the treatment your doctor prescribed: log your shots, rotate your injection sites and keep track of weight and side effects. It never recommends a dose or timing and is not a medical device.
- Log doses as prescribed, also afterwards up to 6 days back; a reminder at your time with “Done” right in the notification.
- Injection sites on a body map (belly areas, thighs, upper arms) with a suggestion for the next site.
- Log weight, side effects, protein, water and appetite; journal of all entries and a backup file for a new phone.
- With Pro: an estimated relative level curve from your own entries and average values in the prescribing information, a doctor report as PDF, trends and a home screen widget.
- No account; your health entries stay on your phone.
What the app cannot do
Vantu does not diagnose, never recommends a dose and does not replace medical advice; the curve is a simplified estimate from average values, not your measured level. The app is Android only and is currently not offered on Google Play in the EU, EEA, Switzerland or the UK.
Price
Logging, reminders, site rotation and the journal are free; Pro costs $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year in the US. We build this app ourselves; on Google Play it is listed under the developer name InfinityAkhi.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I really need an injection tracker?
It is not required. But it helps you avoid a missed or doubled dose, rotate your sites and describe side effects precisely at your appointment.
Can an injection log tell me whether to change my dose?
No. Your doctor decides on the dose and the schedule. The log only provides the observations.
How often should I weigh myself?
Once a week is usually enough and smooths out swings from water. Weigh yourself on the same weekday, in the morning, on the same scale.
What should I do about severe stomach pain after a shot?
The prescribing information lists severe, persistent abdominal pain as a warning sign. Get medical help right away instead of waiting for your next log entry.
Sources
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