What is the most important information I should know about Ozempic®? Ozempic® may cause serious side effects, including: Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your health care provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath.
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 most common side effect with Ozempic is nausea and occurs in about 15% to 20% of people. Others include vomiting (5% to 9%), diarrhea (8%), stomach-area pain (6% to 7%), and constipation (3% to 7%).
“The most common side effects are gastrointestinal in nature: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.” While the majority of people who take Ozempic will most likely experience these symptoms at some point during their treatment, they should subside over time, continues Dr. McGowan.
You should not use Ozempic if you or an immediate family member has had thyroid cancer in the past, or if you have a rare form of cancer called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. If you're taking Ozempic and have symptoms of a thyroid tumor, contact your doctor right away.
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.
Patients speak out over side effect claim that Ozempic poses risk of "stomach paralysis", and investigations into the prescription drug are showing possible signs of suicidal thoughts in users.
You start feeling those usual hunger pangs again, and consequently, you may start eating more to satisfy that hunger. An increase in your consumption can lead to the regaining of weight that was lost. A 2022 study found that most individuals gain weight back a year after stopping the medication.
Ozempic is also used off-label for weight loss. In particular, it can help reduce the amount of belly fat. This is because Ozempic works by making you feel fuller for longer, which can help you resist overeating by controlling cravings and hunger.
Ozempic can cause nausea and vomiting if taken after eating foods high in fat or sugar. It is recommended that you take Ozempic before meals, rather than after, to minimise any potential side effects from eating high-fat or high-sugar foods.
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.
One of the most common side effects of Ozempic is gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. The reason behind these unpleasant symptoms is that Ozempic slows down the movement of food through your stomach and intestines.
Thanks to a number of scientific studies, we know that Ozempic is an effective medication for medical weight loss. And, for those who have struggled with their weight for years, Ozempic can help people achieve impressive weight loss outcomes and improve their health in the long term.
Ideally, you should not take Ozempic if you do not have diabetes, or if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning on becoming pregnant. Ozempic may cause serious (but rare) side effects, including thyroid C-cell tumors and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).
Weight loss—whether through medication or diet—may lead to a loss of muscle mass, which can be especially concerning for older adults. While muscle mass declines naturally with age, shedding a lot of weight in a short time with drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy can lead to reduced strength and bone density.
On average, a user can lose about 3 to 5% of their body weight after using Ozempic for a month regularly. This equates to about 4 to 6 pounds on average. Using a higher potency of the drug may result in more weight loss, but it isn't recommended that you start taking it right away.
Ozempic and its sister medication, Wegovy — approved for weight loss for people who are obese or overweight with weight-related medical conditions — are considered long-term or lifelong treatments.
Ozempic leads to an average weight loss of 3-7% of total body weight when used for over a year along with lifestyle changes. Some people may lose more weight, some less. The injectable drug should be stopped if you do not achieve at least 5% weight loss after 12-16 weeks on the maximum dose (1 mg weekly).
The worldwide shortage of semaglutide started to affect Australia in early 2022 when Novo Nordisk couldn't supply enough Ozempic to meet an unexpected increase in demand due to off-label prescribing for weight loss.
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.
In fact, over 80 percent of people taking Ozempic have mild or no side effects at all.