Ozempic and Bloating: What Users Say

• Dou...
• January 19, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I took one Ozempic injection at 0.25 and ended up at the ER 2 days later. I had horrible bloating. Burping smelled like eggs. Unstoppable vomiting and diarrhea. I only took one injection and stopped the medicine. It has been 2 weeks and the medicine is still making me sick. I'm just wondering how long it takes to fully leave your system? I just want to feel human again. I was tested for pancreatitis but was okay, but the doctor said they will repeat labs soon. I don't recommended this medication to anyone! Please be safe taking this medication."

• Con...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic in late December at 0.25 injection. I also take 500mg metformin per day. Soon after I started Ozempic, I had decreased appetite and my sugars improved, but I had reflux, gas, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. After 4 weeks, I started 0.50. 2 weeks in, I have bouts of painful constipation then diarrhea, nausea, bloating, gas, reflux, and cramping. I've almost vomited a few times. When I eat, it feels like the food just sits and sits, barely moving through my gut. My doctor wants me to stick with it, saying that these side effects usually improve, but it's been pretty miserable. I'm thinking I'm going to stop taking it. While Ozempic has been effective in regulating my sugars and losing weight, I don't think it's worth the suffering that I've been enduring on this medication. I understand that studies showed it causing thyroid cancer in mice, but no one knows if it causes thyroid cancer in humans. I don't want to be the guinea pig the drug makers use to find out it does."

• Nw2...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 20, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started April 1, 2021, on Ozempic low dose. 3-week intervals it was increased. Side effects were constipation (went on laxatives to help), pain in my back (severe), bloating. Week 11 increased to 1mg, the side effects were major bloating, diarrhea, sounds in my stomach (crazy), nauseous, feeling under the weather. My appetite has decreased to the point that I only eat 2 meals a day that are small. My sugar levels have decreased from 7.1 to 5.2 A1C. I’ve noticed that I have been kept awake some nights like I’m nervous for some reason. In the first 3 weeks, I’ve lost 15 pounds. Haven’t checked since I want to wait but can feel a difference. The pains in the stomach are really uncomfortable, and the bloating I will try gas-x for relief. When I try to eat more than I should, my body tells me that I’m full. If I go beyond that point, I get severe pains in the stomach for hours. But depends on what I eat. Going to stay with smaller portions/healthier foods."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "My doctor gave me Ozempic 0.5 to start with. I always had upset stomach, diarrhea with most foods, and an overall sick feeling all the time. I was able to 'live' with it until now. She decided to up my dose to the 1.0 and my body went into total chaos. I am always nauseous, constipated, got reflux, feels like my food is stuck in my stomach and doesn't go anywhere. I'm constantly burping and feeling bloated. The sick feeling feels intensified and I cannot function at work. I took my last one this past Friday night and was miserable all weekend long. Today I am at work unable to function at my best because the nausea is bad. I would say it is effective in lowering your blood sugar numbers and helping you lose weight but not worth feeling horribly sick over. I will not be using this medication any longer."

• val...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 29, 2020

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I have been using this medication Ozempic for several months. My dose is 1mg per week. This medication has made me feel sick from my first dose. I've lost 15 lbs but have bloating, gas, burping, and most recently hiccups for over a week. I will not be using this medication anymore."

• Ret...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 25, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "Take my comments for what they are worth since I changed many things in my life at the same time, but I think Ozempic is great. After 5 months, it reduced my A1c from 9.7 to 5.9. I lost almost 25 pounds. I am at 0.5mg, and it has drastically reduced my appetite. Between a smaller stomach and this drug, I often push my plate away before finishing, rarely a desire for dessert. Little to no side effects overall. Some stomach issues like constipation and bloating, but I can't rule out dietary changes being the cause as well. I went on a low-carb diet and really stuck to it for once and increased exercise a lot. The use of the Freestyle Libre Sensor really helped too! Being able to learn how things affect your blood sugar in real time is a great motivator to do the right thing, combine carbs with protein, etc. I am hoping to lower other meds I am on when I see my doctor next month. Once a week, a tiny needle (virtually pain-free) is a far better system than taking pills every day."

• No...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I’m 5 feet tall, 50, female, perimenopausal, non-diabetic, not prediabetic, 176 pounds. HbA1c is 37, but BMI is in the obese range. Started on 0.25 mg for 4 weeks. Lost 6 pounds. Definitely curbs appetite for the first 3 days, but cravings are back by day 4. Will need a higher dose. No nausea or other symptoms except bloating when I eat more than one portion. My diet is generally good as I rarely eat junk food and never drink soda or add sugar to anything. My diet is healthier than my skinny friends, but my problem is portion control. I’m optimistic this medication will work to curb overeating and head off obesity and diabetes post-menopause. Can’t “wait” to see what the 0.5 mg dose does for me."

• Wor...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 4, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "When I started Ozempic at a dose of 0.25, I lost 10 pounds, sugar levels dropped from 6.7 to 6.3. I experienced a hard time wanting to drink water and felt water-logged after I drank water. The doctor increased the dose to 0.5, and 4 months ago I started having diarrhea, sulfur burps, bloating, fatigue, and more seriously, a lump on the right side of my throat and a sore throat. My doctor was surprised that I had these side effects a year later after taking the medicine. Ozempic is the only medication I'm taking other than vitamin D, B12, and calcium. My ultrasound shows several lumps, some larger than others, and now I'm waiting for the referral to see a nose, ear, and throat specialist. I stopped taking Ozempic 3 weeks ago. Worried about the side effects of thyroid cancers..."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 10, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "First injected dose Sunday night. Wee hours Monday, the nausea started. No vomiting (emetophobic here!) Monday all day nausea that I could handle (took a Zofran). Tuesday afternoon hit with sudden stomach cramping and diarrhea. Those nasty sulfuric burps all Tuesday evening and overnight, diarrhea all night, and now it’s Wednesday morning and still watery diarrhea. My stomach has been rumbling and terribly bloated since Tuesday afternoon. I need to lose 70 lbs, but this is NOT worth it!! Who wants days and weeks of feeling HORRIBLE!?! I’ll lose weight another way! I have sleep apnea and am 56, so I want to be healthy, but this drug is not recommended unless you need to lose weight to stay alive. I teach too, so there’s no way I can continue this."

• Bec...
• December 28, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking the Ozempic injection a week before Christmas and took my second 0.25 dose on Xmas Eve. I've felt slight nausea since taking it and very little desire to eat. My BS levels have been 95% in range ever since and have managed to reduce my long-acting insulin by 20 units. I have lost 6 lbs so far. I was astounded it came off in the first week. The only time I have had bad stomach pains is when I've eaten something bad, and I get terrible runs 20 mins after eating, but once I've been to the loo, pain stops. I had vomiting once because I think I overate a few days after taking it. I was super bloated, and a few hours later I threw up, then I felt fine again. So I just eat little and often, mostly grazing and picking at fruit. I was worried about taking this because of the comments I've read, and with having IBS, I didn't know if it would be bad for me. But I have no issues taking it, and so far, so good. It's still early days for me, but I would 100% recommend it."

• Typ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "I am on my 3rd month of taking Ozempic. No decrease in A1C as of yet. Weight loss, none. Ease of use, I find handling the needles cumbersome. The needles are smaller than Trulicity and less painful to inject. Less bruising at the injection site. Current side effects: nausea, stomach pain, stomach discomfort, swelling, bloating, increased constipation, increased hunger, sour stomach, headaches. I find I am forced to take additional medication/supplements in attempting to eliminate some of the side effects. I've taken stool softeners and laxatives in order to improve constipation with limited success. I am taking a pain reliever almost daily for headaches. I am also taking medication to help ease the nausea with limited success."

• Bal...
• March 4, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "I currently take 1000 mg of Metformin twice a day, Lantus at night, and Humalog before I eat a meal and snacks. I started taking 0.25 mg of Ozempic on 01/03/2020. By the first evening, I was cramped up so bad, I didn’t want to eat or move. This really didn’t change for 3 weeks. At that time I called my doctor and told her what I had experienced, and then we moved to 0.5 mg. All I can tell you is that I have been miserable since starting to take this drug. Excessive gas in my stomach that leads to bloating, abdominal discomfort, and waking up every 1 or 2 hours to belch away the gas. OMG, the smell of the gas from my stomach could wake the dead, and that terrible taste I have in my mouth most of the time. I will find out about A1C in the coming weeks. I have been able to reduce my Lantus from 70 units to 40 units, and Humalog from 1 unit/5 carbs to 1 unit/10 carbs."

• JCR...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 11, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have type 2 diabetes, and before Ozempic, my A1C was 6.3, now it's down to 5.3. I tried Trulicity before, but it was a hassle with the one-dose pen and refrigeration, and more expensive under my plan. Didn't help with my weight at all. Ozempic has worked great for me. Completely controls my appetite. It does cause some bloating and nausea, but not severe enough to make me need to stop taking the medication. I started on 0.25 and then increased to 0.5 - I've lost 27 lbs so far! I'm really hoping the appetite control lasts. I think with this drug, you really MUST decrease your food intake to lessen the side effects."

• Dis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I only did 2 lowest dose injections and stopped. The side effects were awful and still linger. The worst thing about the medication has been the gas, bloating, diarrhea, and awful taste/smell when I burp. I’m 6 days in after my last injection, and I still have all symptoms and continued diarrhea."

• Big...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "Ended up in the emergency room on the day of the second dose. Triggered a gallbladder issue and ended up elevating my liver enzymes. Symptoms mimicked a heart attack or pancreatitis. Hard to tell the difference. Severe abdominal pain radiating to the back, elevated heart rate, nausea, gas, bloating. For some people, this type of medication is very, very bad medicine and totally not worth it. I lost 10 pounds in two weeks because it made me so sick I could not eat or drink. One day this will also have an FDA black box label on it like Byetta. A class action lawsuit will be on your TV commercials. I would be seriously careful if you plan on taking this medication for anything, weight loss or glucose control. Not worth it. Once you get sick, you will be longing to get the stuff out of your system and will be physiologically impacted by the experience. No antidote. Have to wait it out. Never again. The Russian roulette of diabetes medication. Taker beware."

• Nev...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 10, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've had a similar experience while on Ozempic. I lost 20 lbs in 2 months, but the vomiting and bloating got worse. I went to the ER on the 1st of July and just got home today. I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis due to Ozempic. I think these companies need to do more studies before prescribing this to us. We aren't lab rats."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 4, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Two days after the injection, I get a pretty bad headache, indigestion, and a bloated feeling that lasts the day. This week (6th shot) has been different. It’s the second week the dose was raised from .25 mg to .5 mg. I felt like I had to throw up. The indigestion, burping, constipation, sore muscles, aches, and heavy sweating all felt like I had a horrible flu. I stayed home from work. I went back to work today, when I normally get the headache, and had heavy sweating, burping, indigestion, cold clammy skin, bloating, diarrhea, and depression and anxiety (years since I had either one). Tonight I still have bloating, wrists and shoulders sore, and indigestion with burps. My neck is really stiff. The normal headache has started with a little dizziness. I am still debating what to do as this has been an effective medicine. My blood sugar has gone from 290 to 90 to 140 when I check it. I have lost weight as well."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 4, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Two days after the injection, I get a pretty bad headache, indigestion, and a bloated feeling that lasts the day. This week (6th shot) has been different. It’s the second week the dose was raised from .25 mg to .5 mg. I felt like I had to throw up. The indigestion, burping, constipation, sore muscles, aches, and heavy sweating all felt like I had a horrible flu. I stayed home from work. I went back to work today, when I normally get the headache, and had heavy sweating, burping, indigestion, cold clammy skin, bloating, diarrhea, and depression and anxiety (years since I had either one). Tonight I still have bloating, wrists and shoulders sore, and indigestion with burps. My neck is really stiff. The normal headache has started with a little dizziness. I am still debating what to do as this has been an effective medicine. My blood sugar has gone from 290 to 90 to 140 when I check it. I have lost weight as well."

• Cau...
• March 3, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "I took .25 for about 6 months and thought this was a miracle drug. Caused slight constipation, but I dealt with it. When they increased me to .5 mg, I started violently vomiting the next day. No one could figure out what was wrong with me. Pancreatic enzymes were high, but not high enough to diagnose pancreatitis. I could barely eat for two months. Gas, bloating, side pain, back pain, stomatitis pain, non-stop burping, constipation, nausea, vomiting off and on. My food perpetually felt like it was backed up into my mouth. They had to take me off of the drug, and now my sugars are higher than ever, and no one can help me. They were okay before, but now doctors consider me as failing two types of drug classes because of this, won't give me my old meds back, and I may have to go on insulin. I am gaining weight like never before and am so tired that I can barely function. They now believe it gave me gastroparesis, and I can't get better. I would recommend this medicine to no one."

• Nei...
• April 16, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "Month 1, I was started on Ozempic at 0.25 mg and had very mild symptoms of bloating and reduced appetite. Month 2 & 3, uncomfortable. Stomach cramps, gas, and diarrhea probably for 4 days after injection. This can be really embarrassing in a small office. By the end of Month 3, I was feeling quite a bit better. At this point, my HbA1c was down to 5.2 from 9.4, I had virtually no diabetic symptoms. No blurred vision, no numbness in fingers and toes, and I was sleeping through the night without visits to the bathroom. And I lost 16 kilo in weight. Month 4 to 7. OMG. Increasing to 1 mg, the side effects are horrendous. Weight loss has stalled, though this is probably due to lockdown. The sickness and eggy burps are constant, and now my doctor says it will be at least 6 months before the side effects could be gone. But I have no diabetic symptoms, my HbA1c is pretty much normal, and I think the effort has been worth it. Not an easy journey, but worthwhile."

• Bil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 7, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Ozempic is dangerous! I started to get unbearable stomach pains, bloating, diarrhea, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and a host of other problems. It got to the point where if I really had to go to the bathroom, I almost couldn't hold my stool because it was frequent, urgent diarrhea. I suffered through a nightmare. One day I went to visit NY, and I forgot to take my shot of Ozempic. My symptoms all disappeared after a few days. Ozempic was the culprit. My blood pressure, heart rate, and everything else went back to normal. I was so happy and felt great again. Doctors are not God. My doctor gave me the Ozempic even though he knew my insurance didn't cover it and it would cost over $550/month. He kept giving me the free samples so I wouldn't have to pay. What kind of doctor puts you on a long-term med knowing you can never afford it? Bottom line is... do not take this drug. You'll regret it."

• mac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 21, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "After the first 0.25 mg injection, I was extremely bloated and burping within 5 hours. I woke the 2nd day with extreme bloat, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain. I could not eat or drink a thing because of severe bloating. This lasted 5 days. Foolishly, I did a 2nd dose the next week of 0.25 mg. This time, I became much, much sicker with the same symptoms but more severe. Abdominal pain severe, bloating was so bad I had to go to the ER, my stomach was as tight as a drum. They were talking about sticking a tube in my stomach to release the incredible pressure, instead, I came home and rolled around in agony for 3 days. I stopped using it, but the side effects continued. 7 weeks of severe gastroenteritis that caused so much inflammation in my body, I have been in so much pain. No amount of weight loss is worth this level of suffering. If you have any GI issues like gastroparesis, you really should not be risking it with this drug, it says so right in the insert."

• Hat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 19, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "This is the worst medication I have ever had. Side effects of egg burps, vomiting, bloating so bad. DO NOT TAKE THIS. 30% of people that try this drug end up having problems with it. DO NOT TAKE. You can't eat, everything that goes into you makes you want to throw up. DON'T TAKE! Never-ending nausea and weakness. DON'T USE, SAVE YOURSELF. Headaches....."

• Dix...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 11, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "Two days after my first injection, I had horrible sulfur burps that were making me feel sick. By that evening, I had horrific stomach cramps; by 11:30 pm, I had uncontrollable diarrhea! My prescriber advised me to eat six small meals a day and that the symptoms would improve with each injection. I left it twelve days before my next one (as I had a couple of social things I didn’t want to miss if it happened again) and thought at first it was better. A headache day one, nausea on day two, but sulfur burps again by day three. I got indigestion medicine, but it didn’t even touch it. That night, same again; cramps, diarrhea, more burps, and this time intense nausea too. I decided at that point it might not be for me! I really hope it helps some people lose weight, but don’t expect a quick easy fix! I actually felt fatter the whole time I was on it as I was so bloated and tender."

• Lau...
• January 21, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic mid-November, with my first injection at 25 mg. Within two days, I had the worst bloating, my stomach bulged. I felt horrible. I had nasty sulfur burps and gas. This lasted for 24 hours. I noticed a decrease in my sweet tooth, and I cut back on my food intake. I lost 10 lbs within the first 4 weeks of taking Ozempic. After 4 weeks, my doctor told me to increase my dosage to .50 mg. I delayed increasing it by 4 weeks. On Monday, I increased my dosage to .50 mg. Day 3, I got really sick, bloating, sulfur burps, and gas were horrible. I vomited at least 2 times. I was super hungry but couldn’t hold food down. All I wanted to do was sleep. By morning, I felt 80% better. Still burping and gassy, but not nauseous or vomiting anymore. I do not plan to continue to take the .50 mg. I will just stick with 25 mg. The misery I felt was excruciating, and I can’t handle it. My next appointment is next month, and I am curious to know if my A1C had decreased or not."