Ozempic and Burping: What Users Say

• Mar...
• September 27, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "I was put on Ozempic after taking Glimepiride for several years. I started on 0.25mg, then onto 1mg. I started having the nastiest burps ever, then diarrhea 3 to 4 times a day. After 3 months, I went to a gastroenterologist and was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a side effect of Ozempic. I have all the side effects - nasty, offensive-smelling burps, eye floaters in both eyes, bad diarrhea, stomach pain, and now this disease that has caused precancerous cells. Yes, my appetite has decreased, I have lost 15 lbs in 3 months, and my numbers are good. But it's not worth being sick every day. I just found out my daughter is going through the same exact thing. So, take it at your own risk."

• Mar...
• September 27, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "I was put on Ozempic after taking Glimepiride for several years. I started on 0.25mg, then onto 1mg. I started having the nastiest burps ever, then diarrhea 3 to 4 times a day. After 3 months, I went to a gastroenterologist and was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a side effect of Ozempic. I have all the side effects - nasty, offensive-smelling burps, eye floaters in both eyes, bad diarrhea, stomach pain, and now this disease that has caused precancerous cells. Yes, my appetite has decreased, I have lost 15 lbs in 3 months, and my numbers are good. But it's not worth being sick every day. I just found out my daughter is going through the same exact thing. So, take it at your own risk."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 8, 2023

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I was prescribed Ozempic for weight loss in Nov 2022. I started on 0.25 mg for one month. I found it slightly suppressed my appetite, and the side effects I had were awful heartburn, constipation, and sulfur burps. Sometimes I felt nauseous. I decided to stick with it anyway and increased to 0.5 mg after one month. The symptoms were the same but added in fatigue. A month later, I bumped up to 0.75, and the burps, fatigue, and heartburn subsided. I went to 1 mg two months later, and all symptoms disappeared. I started at 192 lbs on Nov 15th, and as of May 1st, I weigh 152 lbs. I found my sugar cravings disappeared once I started taking 1 mg. Up until then, I still craved sugary foods. I lost all interest in greasy food (fries, anything deep-fried, etc.) from 0.5 mg and up. I personally love Ozempic. The side effects at the beginning were worth it for me, but from the sounds of it, mine weren’t that bad. I have never once thrown up."

• Bak...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 24, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on Ozempic for 3 months now, and I find this drug works like none I have tried before. The first 6 weeks were rough: burping, headaches, fatigue, nausea, but I stuck it out. I’m so glad I did. My A1C has gone from 8 to 6.8 in three months. I have lost 20 pounds, going from 180 to 160 lbs. My daily sugars have seen a vast improvement. The major thing I have noticed after being on the drug for this long is that recovery time after eating high-carb or high-sugar foods is back to normal. Appetite is still lacking, but it’s mostly an aversion to ‘bad’ food. I can no longer sit and eat an entire burger, it’s just way too much, but a healthy salad, I can eat the whole thing! I have seen major benefits from this drug. I have way more energy and no more 3 pm crash. Tips while adjusting to the drugs: Tums, Gravol, lots of sleep, light healthy meals, and remember to drink water! Also, I found injecting Ozempic in the hip lessened the symptoms for the first while."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 14, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started taking Ozempic back in February after I asked my doctor to put me on it because of reading a British study on weight loss by semaglutide. Started at the 0.25 mg level for three weeks. Went to 0.50 for another four weeks and have been on 1 mg thereafter. No serious side effects apart from some belching, acid reflux after bedtime, and rare diarrhea. Significant loss of appetite, change of taste in foods, change of perceived texture of foods, significant reduction in alcohol enjoyment and intake, and increased sensitivity to cold. My A1C has gone from 6.7 to 6.0, and I have lost over 35 pounds since the start. My cholesterol is down to 115 and LDL down to 50, something I have never seen before. Overall, the results far outweigh the downsides of this drug and it has provided the most positive results faster than any other medication I have tried before."

• Sal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started with .25 for 4 weeks, then .5 after that. I don't have much of an appetite, which is good because I do need to lose weight. I cannot finish a portion of food I usually eat. I have pain, burping, and constipation daily. I am okay in the morning when I wake up and after breakfast (eggs, oatmeal, or yogurt). I usually eat lunch-supper at 2-3 pm. The real pain and burning start 3-4 hours later and last till I go to bed. If I drink water, it gets worse. When I lie in bed, the pain goes away. I have not had problems with indigestion, so I wonder if this is causing it? I worry about kidney and pancreatitis. I will see my MD this coming week and discuss all this with him. I lost 10 lbs, and my A1C went from 10.3 to 9.1. Wonder how long it takes for the A1C to get below 7?"

• mew...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 27, 2024

For Type 2 Diabetes "I’m 63 F with T2 diabetes, and I started on Oz mid-May 2024. Symptoms: nausea, fatigue, GERD, sulfur burps, stomach cramping from severe constipation, constipation, feeling like I need to vomit, ringing in my ears has increased significantly, loss of appetite, reduction of inflammation, occasional migraines, feeling “off” most days, bouts of dizziness, and feeling faint, but blood sugar and blood pressure are normal, improved blood sugar readings, weight loss of 13 lbs. There are some perks: rheumatoid and osteoarthritis inflammation has lessened, though I still feel pain daily, it’s more tolerable. I take no painkillers but will take CBD as needed. Loss of appetite has led to a loss of 13 lbs so far, blood sugar improved so I’m confident that my A1C has improved also. I struggle with what to do: stay on for the inflammatory reductions, weight loss, and blood sugar improvement benefits, or quit because I feel sick most days, so I have no real pleasure in life anymore. No, I’m not depressed."

• JDM...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 4, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started on the low dose .25, had nausea, loss of appetite, little loose stool, tired, and just didn't feel good. Lasted for 3-4 days. Next dose, the symptoms increased, especially the loose stool, lasted most of the day for 4 days. The next dose, the doctor had me go to .5, and I say OMG, it was the worst I have ever felt. Couldn't eat, watery diarrhea, burping horribly, tired, and just felt so sick. I told my doctor I can't do this. Symptoms still going after being off for a week and a half. I just hope it stops soon. I do not recommend it to anyone."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Loved the weight loss, everything else sucked! Nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, sulfur burps, no appetite. I ended up with a nasty gallbladder that was poisoning my body. I turned septic and ended up hospitalized. The doctors, nurses, and hospital were wonderful, but my ordeal was not over. Ten days later, I had seizures and two small strokes. Had no calcium or magnesium left in my body. The most horrible experience ever! Yes, this medicine may be great. Please be vigilant about getting your blood work done on a monthly basis, especially if you are losing fluids through digestive upset. Like I said, the drug worked as far as weight loss (47 lbs) and A1C (6.6). But I came close to losing my life and am still recovering and working with my doctors to get back to a healthy life."

• 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."

• nau...
• December 30, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic .25 mg subcut 8 days ago. I took my second dose yesterday. My first week, I ended up in the ED. I thought I had a bowel blockage or ileus. The ED visit was preceded by 6 hours of constant, sickening, odiferous belching, constant flatus, eruptive vomiting, cramping, and pain. A CT scan revealed gastric paresis. The event was precipitated by a fatty meal. I have since learned that the decreased gastric motility demands drastic changes in the volume of food intake, fat content, and most importantly, patience with what I consider to be major side effects. Now, I have no appetite. I am nauseated all the time, taking Zofran 4 mg before any meal. The belching is greatly reduced, same with flatus. I feel constipated, but that is easing off. I am avoiding high-fat foods and eating smaller portions. I am profoundly fatigued. Tomorrow, I am getting on the treadmill for 30 minutes each day to stimulate endorphin release to feel better. I have read the symptoms are reduced after 4-6 weeks."

• OZn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 28, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I'm on week 2 of using Ozempic for weight loss. I have suffered very little side effects because I take probiotics and magnesium and a water pill. My 3rd injection will be tomorrow, and it seems that Ozempic is just starting to kick in and work. First week, I never lost my appetite and did not fill up fast. 2nd week, I started to lose my appetite and feel full rather quickly. Also, a couple of side effects popped up in the past 2 days - but they are not bad and don't last: nausea (lasts only a couple of minutes and not that bad), burping (no weird tastes) that makes me feel relieved. I lost 5 pounds since I started this on July 15th. I actually look forward to my 3rd dose tomorrow and increasing after my 4th. Will update as things change."

• cra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 24, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I was okay on the 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg doses of this drug, Ozempic. Then, five weeks ago, I upped to 1 mg as planned. About four weeks ago, my mood changed, and I started to get pain in my joints and bones. Achy all over and no energy. Two weeks ago, the abdominal pains, gas, diarrhea, and those awful sulfur burps arrived. I feel absolutely awful, and the doctor is convinced it is this drug increasing. No appetite either and feeling sick. Was loving the drug in the beginning, but now I feel like I've got permanent flu!"

• Eda...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 6, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "So I have been on Ozempic for 5 weeks. I am tired a lot. Not sure if this is the drug or my poor sleep, but now that I see others are tired a lot, it makes me wonder. I have nasty burps a lot. I started on a dose of 0.25 for 4 weeks. I had a lot of low-level nausea, but not too bad except for one day. Then last Sunday, I took the higher dose of 0.5, and I was okay on Sunday and Monday, but Tuesday the nausea was horrible, and I had explosive diarrhea all day to the point I had to take Imodium, and I got my doctor's office to prescribe an anti-nausea med, Zofran, which helped a little. The next day, less nausea, and today is Thursday of that week, and I still have the burps and more BMs than I would like, as well as a lot of gas. I know I have lost weight just by how my clothes fit. I have very little appetite. Not sure if the pluses outweigh the minuses yet. I am probably going to try one more week and see how I feel. It has had a modest impact on blood sugars. I have been using less insulin."

• MTP...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 10, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "A miracle drug! I have been on Ozempic for 7 months and have lost 43 pounds. Ozempic destroys my appetite. I feel 'full' most of the time, so when I do eat, I eat small portions. There is the occasional bout of mild nausea, but no vomiting. A very small price to pay! I also find that I burp more than normal. I attribute all of this to the lack of stomach emptying effect of Ozempic. My sugar level has gone down, but not as much as I thought it would with a 40-pound loss of weight (I weigh 228 now). I am hoping to lose another 20 pounds at least and am hopeful that will reduce my sugar numbers."

• I...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 1, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I rarely ever have side effects from any drugs that I have taken before. After my second dose, I began extreme side effects of stomach pain, bloating, sour belching, flatulence, diarrhea, zero appetite, and indigestion. These symptoms have not gone away after 10 days of discontinued use. It definitely lowered my daily sugar levels. You can use this medication if you are okay with feeling like death."

• Mal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 1, 2019

"I've been on Ozempic for about 2 to 2.5 months now. So far, no weight loss, but horrible gas. I burp all the time, and my stomach gets so bloated. Sometimes it's sulfur burps, but others, it's just a lot of plain gas. I get a lot of gas coming out the other end too. On the advice of my doctor, I waited a few weeks extra to up my dose from 0.25 to 0.5. My appetite has gone down, but the gas is still so bad that my clothes fit worse than before! I'm on week 3 of the 0.5 and waiting for it to get better. I have a follow-up appointment in mid-July."

• Mal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 1, 2019

"I've been on Ozempic for about 2 to 2.5 months now. So far, no weight loss, but horrible gas. I burp all the time, and my stomach gets so bloated. Sometimes it's sulfur burps, but others, it's just a lot of plain gas. I get a lot of gas coming out the other end too. On the advice of my doctor, I waited a few weeks extra to up my dose from 0.25 to 0.5. My appetite has gone down, but the gas is still so bad that my clothes fit worse than before! I'm on week 3 of the 0.5 and waiting for it to get better. I have a follow-up appointment in mid-July."

• Poi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 18, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started taking this med about a month ago and not sure I will stick with it. After 2 weeks, stomach cramping and some constipation started, but the worst of it all is the stress I am having with horrible sulfur burps. The smell is so horrible that even the smallest of burps can linger in a room for minutes, and you can really clear a room. I have had to have Febreeze Air Fresheners nearby at all times. If I feel a burp coming in the middle of the night, I literally run to the bathroom as it is really very unpleasant for my spouse and it really embarrasses me even after 27 years of marriage as it’s that bad! We just lowered my dose to 0.25 mg, but if the sulfur burps remain, that will seal the deal and I will stop it. Have lost 10 pounds over the month too as appetite is shot, and I’m not sure that’s really the best way to lose weight if you can barely eat at all."

• Ndn...
• October 31, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Only problem I had with Ozempic was when I ate late. (Lesson learned.) All the issues were present: nauseous, bloated, burps. Appetite has decreased along with my blood sugar levels. After 23 years of management of a chronic condition, diabetes. This medication, along with Lantus and Novolog, sliding scale, has helped tremendously. Put myself on insulin 15 years ago, the cleanest form of control. But have tried additional oral meds with side effects. Lizard spit (Byetta). Management requires trying new medication."

• Cra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 5, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic to assist with my A1C. It was at 7.3 or so. After a month or two, it went down to 5.3. I have lost almost 50 pounds in the year I have been on it (up to 1 mg dose). It really works to suppress the appetite most of the time. The bad: diarrhea, belching (especially after high-carb or sugary foods), nausea at times (when I first started, it was horrible), going from not hungry to starving to puking in a matter of seconds. My husband is also on it, but he doesn't have the same side effects. It's easy to use if you can get over poking yourself with a needle every week. I get some injection site burning pain that goes away quickly."

• hal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 4, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "The major side effects are all I got with this med, which includes upset stomach, heartburn, burping, gas, bloating, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite, stomach flu symptoms, headache, dizziness, and tiredness."

• Cin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 3, 2023

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been taking it for over a month. No side effects for the first 2 weeks on the lower dose. Since I am using the higher dose now - I have had some very bad nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Also, lots of burping, and it smells terrible. When I have vomited - it is so much volume. More than any time in my life. It has reduced my appetite, but if I drink alcohol, it usually makes me physically sick."

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "My first week, I felt tired and had no energy. Mild, intermittent nausea. Guess that's the appetite suppressant part. After the first 3 days, I started getting quite a bit of stomach discomfort and diarrhea. Anything I ate or drank went right through me, as well as gas. Also, an unusual amount of belching. Hope this goes away soon and does not happen after every dose. I teach 4-year-olds, and it greatly affected my ability to do my job. My BS numbers are not much different."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 9, 2023

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I started on Ozempic when my health professional informed me I was pre-diabetic and had high cholesterol. Because I wanted to lose some weight, I asked her if I could try Ozempic, and she agreed to write the prescription for me. I've been on Ozempic since mid-April 2023, and I've had some success. I've lost 8 pounds since starting, but like many people, I've experienced nasty side effects, for example, sulfur burps, gas, and stomach discomfort. Although I've had these side effects, they have not been that serious, and I'm able to deal with them. I've tried increasing my dose to 0.5 mg, but the side effects got worse, and considering that my appetite and my cravings have decreased, I've decided to stay at 0.25 mg. I do find, however, that the day before my next dose, my appetite comes back. I need to be more mindful when that happens, and old habits are hard to change. I see a dietitian to help me plan balanced meals. In conclusion, I've stuck with Ozempic."