A 2022 study found that most individuals gain weight back a year after stopping the medication.
Semaglutide has become more and more popular as a weight loss aid, and many patients wonder what happens if you stop taking it. While it's possible to gain weight back after stopping Semaglutide or other GLP-1 agonists, it's not a guaranteed side effect.
A study in the Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics found that a majority of people who take semaglutide gain most of the weight back within a year of stopping the medication, which can be difficult to control. "We're seeing a lot of patients have this rebound weight gain, and it can really be devastating," Dr.
A person can stay on Ozempic® so long as they are tolerating the medication and it is deemed appropriate by their treating provider. There is no specific time frame when someone should stop taking Ozempic as it is a medication that is intended for chronic (long-term) use.
Ozempic helps reduce cravings and suppress appetite, which helps you consume fewer calories. Each person has a different starting weight, metabolic weight and possibly even different underlying health conditions.
If you stop taking Ozempic, the weight you lost will likely return, fast. People who ceased use of semaglutide gained back, on average, a full two-thirds of the weight they had lost on the drug within one year, according to an August 2022 study, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Still, Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications will be most effective for weight loss and blood sugar control when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Generally, eating healthy foods and avoiding foods high in sugar, calories, and unhealthy fats while taking Ozempic helps.
If Ozempic wasn't mainstream before, it definitely is now – Jimmy Kimmel joking about A-listers using the drug during the 2023 Oscars proved as much. Elon Musk and Amy Schumer have admitted to taking the weight-loss drug while other celebrities, such as Khloé Kardashian and RHOBH star Kyle Richards, have denied it.
Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine, told "GMA" that rebound weight gain can be common after stopping semaglutide because the drug is no longer working in the body.
“GLP-1 medications [like Ozempic] are designed to be taken long-term,” explains Dr. McGowan. “They are chronic medications for the treatment of chronic conditions (both diabetes and obesity).”
Like many drugs, the effects don't last after patients go off them, so people tend to regain most of the weight they lost if they stop taking the medication. Grunvald said many patients are under the false impression that they can stop taking Ozempic or Wegovy after they hit their goal weight.
Activity that uses 1,500 to 2,000 calories per week is recommended for maintaining weight loss. Adults should try to get at least 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous level physical activity at least 3 to 4 times per week. Diet and exercise are vital strategies for losing and maintaining weight.
The rest, or, 13.6%, did not -- and it's unclear what that percentage would be within 3 months. Endocrinologists and obesity specialists told MedPage Today that if they had to guess, a similar percentage of their patients also do not lose weight with semaglutide injections, or see very little change.
Other serious side effects of Ozempic include thyroid tumors, pancreatitis, changes in vision, hypoglycemia, gallbladder issues, kidney failure and cancer. The most severe complications Shah sees in her patients are pancreatitis and gallbladder issues — either can lead to hospitalization.
The active ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide, which works by inducing satiety. This feeling of being satisfied or “full”, suppresses appetite. This is why it works for weight loss. Semaglutide also helps the pancreas produce insulin, which is how it helps manage type 2 diabetes.
Will Ozempic or Wegovy reduce belly fat? The answer appears to be yes. That Novo Nordisk-funded study of almost 2,000 overweight or obese adults without diabetes also found their visceral fat — the type that accumulates in the belly — was reduced from baseline with semaglutide, along with their total fat mass.
Stop using Ozempic® and call your health care provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without vomiting. You may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back. changes in vision.
Ozempic isn't approved for weight loss. But because of how it works, some people taking Ozempic lose weight as a side effect. If you don't have diabetes, taking Ozempic for weight loss is considered an off-label use. Wegovy, a higher-dose version of Ozempic, is approved to help people manage their weight.
There's no withdrawal and you don't need to taper off the drug, although you may feel hungry again and regain the weight. But if you're taking the drug to manage Type 2 diabetes, the consequences could be life-threatening.
Key Points. Your blood glucose (sugar) levels should start to fully decline within the first week after you start using Ozempic (semaglutide) at your regular maintenance dose. However, the full effect can take 8 weeks or longer, as this is a long-acting medication that is injected only once per week.
It is important to have your blood sugar levels checked regularly. This is the only way to know if Ozempic is working properly for you. Your doctor will recommend how frequently you should do this. Store unused Ozempic pens in the fridge at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C).