Ozempic and Burping: 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."

• 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."

• Soo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2021

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I've been on Ozempic for just over a week now as part of a physician-run weight loss program. I was told to expect some GI upset, but I had no idea it would be this bad. Seven days after taking it, I started with diarrhea. One day after injection number 2 (2.5mg), I was up all night with diarrhea, nausea, severe reflux, belching, and eventually vomiting. Medications like Pepto can't seem to touch it. I am going to talk to the doctor next week and see what he thinks. I really don't think it is worth this kind of suffering."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 24, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I’ve been on this med for 7 weeks. I’ve lost 25 lbs and my daily blood sugars range from 60 - 90. I use it along with 500 mg Metformin. The first couple of weeks were hard with nausea and stomach cramps. I also had the headaches that others have mentioned in the first couple of days. In week 3, I increased from 0.25 to 0.50. Then came the diarrhea. It wasn't too bad, I was just happy that I could go. I’m now taking 1.0 and experiencing sulfuric burping. Ugh! After doing some research on home remedies to help with the burping, I’m trying a spoon of apple cider vinegar. If you can make it through the first few weeks and you can be somewhat disciplined, you will notice a huge difference in how you feel. In my opinion, the side effects are manageable when I compare the weight gain while taking Insulin. BTW - I’m not severely obese. Prior to being on this drug, my weight was 205, and I’m 5’9 and 47 years old. I hope this is helpful to someone."

• Fif...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "On week 4 now, honestly, the first 2 weeks were a nightmare. Doctors don’t tell you to stay away from fatty foods and not to overeat. If they did, I wouldn’t have had the most horrible sulfur burps that made my eyes water, projectile vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain, not to mention constant nausea even during the night. I finally figured out not to eat too much and to avoid fatty foods completely! This was a game changer, and now I’m doing okay. I've lost 21 pounds so far, which is mad, but mostly because in 2 weeks I’ve eaten probably 4000 calories. I’m back to wanting to eat again but have to control myself or face the terrible consequences. Blood sugars are all over the place, as you can imagine, however, insulin sensitivity is way better. It just takes time to get used to. Hope this helps."

• Job...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 2, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have taken Ozempic for a month now, dosage being 0.25 once a week. At first, I didn’t really see any side effects or anything, but then one day I made the mistake and overate, resulting in constant gas, repeated burping, and an hour later, non-stop diarrhea. After that experience, I have learned never to do that again. I now usually eat a big breakfast and a snack later on throughout the day, which has helped me completely cut out soda. I originally started taking this because I was experiencing rapid weight gain. They checked my thyroid and said it was within normal limits, so they put me on Ozempic, and I am so glad. In the morning, I haven’t had a blood sugar reading over 130 in a month. I am looking forward to going back to my doctor to figure out my A1C. In total, I’ve lost 8 pounds in one month :)"

• Gym...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 8, 2020

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "My doctor prescribed Ozempic to me a year ago for weight loss. I’m only taking 19 clicks every 2 weeks when I go see my doctor he gives it to me. Every time I get the Ozempic I get sick 2 days later. It starts by nasty burps, then stomach cramps, then out of nowhere I throw up you don’t get a warning, sometimes diarrhea and sometimes I feel like I’m going to pass out. I got the Ozempic Monday and woke up in the middle of the night with nasty burps and stomach cramps."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 27, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started Ozempic 8 weeks ago, from the beginning I started belching. Dose was 0.25, went to 0.50 and the stomach cramps started. I am in 3 weeks now at 1mg and I have never been more miserable. Constant violent diarrhea and stomach cramps. I am losing weight at a rapid pace, didn’t necessarily need to lose. I called the doctor today because I’m unable to leave the house, she seems to think that this will subside in another week and I should be back to normal. After reading everyone’s comments I find this hard to believe!"

• 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."

• 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..."

• Tuu...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 23, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started with 0.25 Ozempic in November 2020 and upped my dosage to 0.5 in January 2021. My A1C is the same as when I was taking 2000 mg Metformin daily (5.1-5.3%). My doctor decided to switch me to help with weight loss and manage my pre-diabetes. I have lost 47 lbs, which is great, but it isn't a healthy way to lose weight. I met with a GI specialist and was diagnosed with gastroparesis, they had me discontinue Ozempic to see if my symptoms would disappear. That was 6 weeks ago, and my stomach is still paralyzed. I have sulfur burps, diarrhea, severe constipation, and vomiting daily. I now have to eat a low FODMAP diet and can only manage a few mouthfuls of food at a time. I have no quality of life anymore, I can no longer enjoy many of the things I used to, which has caused me severe anxiety and depression. While the weight loss benefits sound appealing, please think twice before taking this drug."

• 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."

• Gra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 1, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "If you have any form of stomach or bowel disorder or a history of pancreatitis, you may want to steer clear of Ozempic or any of the other similar drugs in its class. They slow gastric emptying, which can really get your system out of order and wreak havoc. If you start having sulfur burps, extreme nausea, horrific vomiting, and diarrhea, you’ll know it isn’t for you. For me, it got so bad, I was having to resort to wearing adult diapers. I initially thought I was having episodes of food poisoning or giardiasis, but it turned out to be medicine-induced gastroparesis and pancreatitis. Ozempic and the drugs like it may work great in some people, but be downright dangerous in others. Use with caution and pay attention to the warning signs. I just hope this will help someone else not have to go through what I did."

• 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."

• 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."

• Sal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic exactly one week ago. The nausea hit by the second day but only seemed to happen in the morning. However, 5 days in, the diarrhea hit. It has been absolutely horrendous. The gurgling sounds can be heard from across a huge room. I have woken up to bowel leakage and been running to the bathroom about 10 times a day for the last 3 days. Then there’s belching, which is worse than a typical 'burp.' It’s happening regularly too. I’m really sad and afraid. I really thought this was going to help me bring down my A1c. But I don’t see how I can continue taking it. I’m calling my endo tomorrow. I need something to work, but these side effects are just not livable. Especially because I work in a corporate atmosphere."

• Chu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 3, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have taken Ozempic for about 6 months. I take it every Wednesday. By Wednesday night, I am experiencing the sulfur burps. Then comes the vomiting and diarrhea. This reaction has gradually gotten worse as time goes by. I ended up in the ER this last weekend to get fluids and to make sure I wasn’t getting pancreatitis. After four days of this, my digestive system is returning to normal. I have lost weight (26 lbs). But, if you can’t keep anything down, you certainly will. I consider this a dangerous drug, and the FDA needs to remove it from the approved drugs."

• Gre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 27, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Took first Ozempic shot in doctor's office. Felt okay through the week. Took second shot and started getting sick that night. Diarrhea and vomiting. My wife had to help me off the floor of the bathroom. Missed 2 days of work. Had to make an emergency visit to the doctor to get pills to stop vomiting. And the sulfur burps were horrible."

• 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."

• No ...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 5, 2021

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "Started low dose .25, experienced discomfort in the stomach. Increased 4 weeks later to .5, symptoms got worse, blood sugar improved. Another 4 weeks after, moved to 1 mg dosage, and life is awful. I've lost all control of my bowels from the severe long-lasting diarrhea, sometimes pooping the bed. I'm wearing adult diapers at 35, and my self-esteem has taken a nosedive. The sulfur burps are horrible and constant. The gas and bloating make me look and feel horrible. I'm following a diet and doing every single thing my doctor has asked me to do for 7 months. I've lost 32 pounds but sleep in a diaper. Was it worth it? No... Nope... My A1C improved a tiny bit, but otherwise, I'm just feeling tired, weak, and totally mortified. Can't go hardly anywhere unless I KNOW there is a restroom very close. Vomit every day."

• Dia...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 2, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I’ve been on Ozempic about 8 months. I went to the 1 mg dose pretty quickly. My sugars became normal. I was losing about 5 lbs every two weeks. My A1C went from 6.8 to 5.6. No side effects at all. I’ve lost about 30 pounds overall. About 6 weeks ago, I got sulfur burps, then nausea, then vomiting. I vomited 9 times over maybe 6 hrs. Thought it was food poisoning. Yesterday, I again got sulfur burps followed by nausea and then vomiting. This morning again, burps, vomiting, and watery diarrhea. Thought it odd it would again be food poisoning. I never get sick. Then thought maybe it was E. coli or gastroparesis. Then I happened upon this site and started reading the reviews of Ozempic. I don’t know why it would take so many months for any side effects to show, but it sounds like this is most likely the cause of my vomiting and diarrhea. I took my last dose two days ago. I take it every two weeks. I think I’ll cut back to 0.50 next time and see what happens."

• Jen...
• November 24, 2021

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "Stay away from beef! It's a game changer. I have lost 43 lbs over 4 months. It really works for me. I am at 1 mg/week now, and I feel full constantly. I eat around 1/4 of what I usually did, and my sweet tooth is a lot less than it used to be. I had a lot of side effects with sulfur burps, diarrhea, and vomiting at the beginning. I found a 100% correlation with eating beef and the nasty side effects. Even as little as 1 oz! I had been feeling fine for a month when I last week tried 1 bite of a nice steak! 24 hours later, the terrible side effects were back, and I lost 5 lbs over 24 hours (mostly fluids). So stick to chicken and fish. I have not dared to test pork or lamb yet."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 11, 2021

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "This was prescribed by a weight loss nurse, second time use. First time on .25 mg was okay, but as soon as I go up to .5 mg I am so sick. Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sulfur burps, it's horrendous!! I do not having tried twice now, with the same effects each time I can say 100% do not try this for weight loss. It is not worth it. It takes 5 weeks to clear the body too!"