Ozempic and Constipation: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Sic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been taking it for 4 weeks. My doctor did not use prescribing information as given by the pharmaceutical company. She fast-tracked me and I am miserable. My A1C is 9.6, and that is why she prescribed this. I'm nauseated, constipated, bloated, miserable. I have not lost weight, I struggle to regulate. I feel my PCP is missing something. I have asked to see an endocrinologist. If you can take it, I'm sure it's great. But being this ill is worse than long-term Type 2 diabetes."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 10, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I was put on Ozempic for insulin resistance and PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). I take my 3rd dose of 0.25 tomorrow. The 1st week taking it, I had immediate loss of appetite and mild to severe nausea. The struggle with constipation is still ongoing. I would say overall I just felt yucky. Took 2 doses before my body mellowed out and the nausea went away. I find big meals overwhelming now, and I recommend eating healthy snacks more frequently throughout the day (due to loss of appetite). Will up dose to 0.5 in 2 weeks and am nervous that the side effects will return, but hoping not. So far, I have lost 3 lbs, but my weight fluctuates up and down 5 lbs regularly, so not sure yet if it is the Ozempic or not."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 26, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "I haven't read all of the comments, but my experience is very different. Since starting on Ozempic, I have had the typical side effects mentioned (nausea/constipation), but the most upsetting thing is that I have gained almost 20 pounds. I keep taking the medication because the constipation side effect helps me with a gut issue that I've had for years. I wish I would have lost weight and not gained. I've been taking it for 6 months, and if my weight keeps going up, I will have to stop taking it."

• JAB...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I have completed two months on Ozempic for weight loss. I started with .25 for 4 weeks, then .50 for 4 weeks and have just had my first 1 ml injection. I have lost 1 kg in 2 months. The side effects are slight nausea and constipation. I don't qualify for subsidized medication, and so it costs me $132 AU per month. I am going to give it another month, and if there is no weight loss, I shall give up."

• Chi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 26, 2021

"I have been on Ozempic 0.5 dose for about 3 months now. I started slow and steady with 0.25 for a month and then moved up to 0.5. I was pre-diabetic and had higher blood pressure and was considered obese because of my height, 5'4, 180 lbs. I had tried everything to lose weight: diet, exercise, lifestyle changes, and absolutely nothing worked because I was what my doctor called 'insulin resistant.' I was actually gaining weight while working incredibly hard to lose it. Now I am down to 165 lbs, and I feel better than I have in years. I had experienced slight side effects for about a month: cramping, constipation, nausea, but all of those have subsided. I basically cannot eat the same amount I used to, and I definitely have majorly cut back on the sweets. I have refocused on my health and healthier eating habits, and this was a step in the right direction for me. I am grateful for it!"

• Hoo...
• May 17, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "Initially began Ozempic 0.25mg for 4 weeks. Side effects were tiredness, constipation. My fasting blood sugar numbers were lower in the morning. When I began the 0.50mg dose at 5 weeks, I had nausea, dizziness, and lethargy the day following the first dose. The second day following that dose, I felt about 70% better. With the second dose of 0.50mg, side effects were less severe, some minor nausea, headaches, and the tiredness continued. I hope that these side effects disappear. I plan to take this medication until I get my 3-month labs, and I expect that my A1c will be down significantly. It was at 5.9 in July of 2017. Due to the stress of caring for a dying relative from September through December, it jumped to 9.3. At my next appointment, my doctor suggested I try Ozempic in combination with Metformin 500mg twice a day. I received a 3-month discount card and have not yet checked with my health insurance provider to see if it will be covered. I am an active 61-year-old female, but type 2 diabetes does run in my mother’s family."

• NK1...
• November 27, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started in late August 2022 at 0.25 for 2 weeks and then increased to 0.50 mg. For the first 2-3 weeks, I did experience some constipation; however, intermittent Dulcolax and increased water intake helped. I did not experience any nausea with the 0.25 mg dose; however, I did experience 2-3 weeks of intermittent nausea with the 0.50 mg dose. My doctor has recently increased me to a 1 mg dose, and I am again experiencing nausea (week 2 on this dose). While the nausea is definitely uncomfortable, it is not debilitating and hasn’t really kept me from any of my daily activities. Overall, I do feel like I have more energy. My appetite is significantly diminished, and I do not experience the cravings for sweets as I had previously. My A1C has gone from 6.8 to 6.1, and I have lost 28 pounds since starting. I am hopeful that the side effects that I am currently experiencing will diminish over the next couple of weeks. I feel like the positives of this medication outweigh the negatives."

• ADC...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2024

For Type 2 Diabetes "I’ve been on Ozempic for 14 weeks for type 2 diabetes after I had allergic reactions to Metformin. I started with .25 for 1 month, then .5 for another month, then 1 mg. I had minimal side effects, but I did find that I had some bad bouts of anxiety, which lasted for about 2 weeks. The one physical side effect I have had is constipation, but no nausea, no diarrhea, no headaches. It’s been a very good decision to take Ozempic, my blood sugar levels are close to normal, and I’ve lost 20 lbs so far. I have found that drinking water helps and small meals is key. I found during my loading phase that I could tell when the Ozempic was working and when it was waning, and when I finally got to 1 mg, I felt like it was working all week."

• joh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 16, 2025

For Type 2 Diabetes "Reduced blood sugar from 10 to 7.1. Killed my hunger completely, no more food cravings. Side effects became disabling, had to discontinue using. Became bloated, nausea was bad, 1st time I have vomited in 50 years, fatigue, constipation, going to the emergency room as no doctors available to help."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started on 0.25 for 4 weeks, then increased to 0.5. Reduced appetite, nausea, constipation, feeling like food just got stuck. I lost over 2 stone. Then started being sick every day, not eating or drinking, every time I did, I was sick. Then I was rushed into the hospital with severe diabetic ketoacidosis. One week after being out of the hospital and recovering, never using this medication ever again. Not worth risking your life."

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 18, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started this drug to try and lower my A1C, which had climbed to 7.2. My nurse practitioner put me on it. She showed me how to do the injections, but no warnings of side effects. I took a .25 dose for 4 weeks, suffering pain in my stomach that radiated to my back. Absolutely no craving to eat anything at all. Had constipation. Then I went to a .5 injection and was fine for a bit until severe nausea began, along with dizziness and vomiting. I thought it was going to be the end of me, because then the unrelenting diarrhea began. I waited days in bed, so very ill, and decided to quit this awful medication. I have lost 6 pounds, and my morning glucose numbers are 107, it's lower, but feeling this deathly ill just isn't worth it. I quit the medication, though I understand it could take 5 weeks to leave my body. Beware of this drug."

• 0ct...
• May 24, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I was placed on Ozempic last year because Metformin has always caused awful nausea. I have never in my life had any issue with constipation until I started taking this medication. I was so sick with diarrhea and throwing up 3 weeks ago I thought I'd actually die. I have had bad rashes. I think they would have been worse if I were not on allergy medication. The latest rash is healing. I've never had to take laxatives until this medication. I'd rather deal with the nausea than rashes, vomiting, constipation, poor appetite, and legs feeling strange. I wasn't overweight, so that was not an issue. My numbers have never been more than 6.1. Then, when I read that it can cause death, that was the end all for me. It may help someone, but I'm not the someone! Medicine should make one better, not worse. When I first started this drug, I spoke with someone from the company that makes it about the constipation issue and also my doctor. They said that it would get better, but that hasn't happened."

• Wri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 21, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been taking Ozempic for 10 weeks for both weight loss, which I have struggled with for years, and diabetes. I experienced nausea, constipation, slight dizziness, and headaches, but nothing that I couldn't manage, and only for 1 or 2 weeks of each increased dose. Went from 0.25 to 0.5, and now I'm on week 2 of the highest dose, 1.0, and currently have no side effects. I have also lost 19 lb so far, the doctor advised a 1200-calorie diet, and I couldn't be happier. My blood levels have come down from high 7's to 6.4, and the doctor is considering taking me off my usual diabetic medication, Empagliflozin. Some folks are saying, 'don't take it,' but just because their body didn't take to it doesn't mean you won't! And you could be missing out on what I would say is a game-changing medicine. I would say give it a go. And I wouldn't give up now for anything. My health has significantly improved. (Free to diabetics in the UK)."

• Lou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "Almost immediately, my appetite was dramatically reduced. Food still appeals, but I eat more slowly and much less. Midnight snacks have dropped to near zero. Minor nausea and minor constipation, neither require medication. I have lost 5 lbs in the first 10 days, down from 240 to 235. I am a 70-year-old white male, 5' 11", reasonably active."

• Jea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 7, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "Nausea, bad acid reflux at night, nightmares, headache every morning, constipation, chills, fatigue. Just started a week ago. Blood sugar levels in the 80s and 90s. Have lost no weight. Zero appetite. Blurry vision."

• One...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "One of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in my life was starting this drug. You will be sicker than you ever have been from any other drug. My doctor started me out at 1 mg (what was she thinking???) and my life has been miserable ever since. I can't eat. I can't sleep. I can't work. I am so exhausted I can hardly drive. Horrible constipation, horrible nausea, dizziness, an all-over feeling of general unwellness. I took it for 2 weeks and quit. I quit a week ago and am still waiting to have a bowel movement. Still waiting for the sickness to go away. Still waiting to be able to lift my head off my pillow. This is an absolutely terrible drug for me. I'm going to find something else. This is not living. I'm also going to find another doctor. Shame on her for starting me on this stuff."

• Ear...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 25, 2023

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've been on Ozempic 0.25 mg for 2 weeks now. The first one I injected into my abdomen. I fell asleep and woke up nauseous. I had intermittent nausea, empty burping, and slight constipation for the next few days. I took the homeopathic medicine Nux vomica 200C as needed (dissolve a pellet in 1/2 cup of water and take a small sip, letting it rest under the tongue, stirring 10 times before each dose), and the nausea was much better. Better than taking another drug. I had read that these effects are smaller if you inject into the thigh, so I did that next dose at night and took the Nux vomica before bed. I have had almost zero nausea this week. I have lost 6.5 lbs so far, although I have had some hunger this week. I eat very cleanly – low fat, low carb, protein, and vegetables at each meal. Eat Quest bars if you want something sweet/low carb/high protein and fiber. Also, exercise is key. These are crucial to learning to keep the weight off afterward."

• PAJ...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 2, 2025

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "Started this medication last July 2024 for cardiovascular risk reduction and prediabetes. Some very mild nausea in the first two weeks and mild constipation (just eat Activia yogurt). Have lost 22 pounds so far and normal blood sugar and A1C within three months, plus lower cholesterol. No other side effects. Definitely worth it for me, but I did read these reviews ahead of time and some were scary, so I thought I would share this as it has been positive for me."

• War...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 31, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I have been on Ozempic for four weeks now and am down 5 lbs. I have had nausea and constipation, but it's subsiding now. I have noticed the curb of appetite is huge. I have to make myself eat during the day. I am hoping this helps me get down to a healthier weight so I will feel better mentally and physically."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 9, 2025

For Type 2 Diabetes "My provider prescribed Ozempic for my type 2 diabetes and high A1C. I ended up losing 30 pounds, and my A1C dropped dramatically, along with my blood pressure and very high triglycerides. I feel so much better in general. Ozempic has been life-changing for me. I do not worry about the effects of high blood sugars on my body anymore. Diabetes comes along with heart disease, changes in eyesight and blindness, loss of limbs, neuropathy, and difficulty healing, among other things. All of those conditions are a great concern, as I have seen members of my family suffer and die due to diabetes. Ozempic changes all of that. The side effects were fairly tough, I experienced nausea, stomach pain, constipation, and a general feeling of being unwell. However, after a bit of time, my body adjusted, and the symptoms got much, much better. It was all worth it to me. I did lose my insurance at one point after taking Ozempic for about a year and a half. I am now back on it. Thankfully."

• Boo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 2, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic at 0.25 mg weekly 6 months ago and have gradually increased to 1.0 mg weekly. I did experience very mild nausea at first, but I paid attention to my body and just ate less. I have experienced some constipation and have taken over-the-counter medication for that. I have lost just under 4 pounds a month for the last 5 months. I need about 30 percent less insulin. My appetite has decreased. I eat less at meals and rarely snack. My A1c is under 7. For me, Ozempic has caused a significant improvement in my life."

• S-L...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 12, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "Please state how much you are on, it is helpful to others. I am on .5. Type 2 diabetic, 25 years. I started on .25 and moved up to .5 after a month. I have lost about 17 lbs thus far and am back into a size 8 (US) dress. I have had a lot of nausea, constipation, and dizziness. They may move me up to a .75 dose, as my sugar is controlled, but not as well as it could be. However, this medication has been life-changing. I have stopped taking all glucose-lowering pills and take no insulin now. I am on Jardiance too, a similar drug. These new meds are fantastic. If you are on the fence, give these a try, they are much more effective than the older drugs, in my opinion."

• OCo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 29, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic at the end of March 2023 for overall better A1C control, weight loss, and reduction in cardiovascular risk. Started at 0.25 mg for the first week and increased to 0.5 mg since. For the first month, I had strong nausea, lightheadedness, and significant constipation with abdominal discomfort. I also felt very tired all day, which I found was due to not eating enough carbs daily, as Ozempic tends to significantly reduce the appetite. I stuck with it, and after one month at 0.5 mg, the only remaining issue is constipation, which I try to manage through over-the-counter laxatives and prescription medication once a day. Over two months, I lost 25 pounds (235 lbs down to 210 lbs)! My daily fasting blood sugar results are down 20-25 points from before starting Ozempic (A1C to be tested in one more month) and managing my energy level by ensuring enough carb and protein intake. So far, so good!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 4, 2024

For Type 2 Diabetes "On the plus side, Ozempic quickly began to lower my blood sugar, which metformin alone was no longer able to do, despite exercise & diet control, so that I was back into more normal numbers. I still take metformin. I had some constipation, but worked through that issue & mild nausea also appeared, but then disappeared. My overeating for stress & or boredom was much easier to manage, I thought about eating poor choices & then was able to push the thought away. The biggest challenge was fatigue, I often am feeling very sluggish & sleepy & have to push through chores like grocery shopping. I’ve lost 5 lbs in 2 months & want to lose 15 more lbs to achieve my goal, so I hope the fatigued side effect will diminish. Easy to learn how to administer from the instructions. I’m on 0.5 dosage & believe I will increase to 1 dosage within the month."

• msB...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 8, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on it for about a year now. So far, I haven't had much in the way of side effects. The only thing I have noticed is some nausea and reduced appetite, especially when I increase the dose. Constipation also has been an issue off and on. I have experienced the bonus of weight loss while on it, losing 27 pounds so far. It has definitely helped my blood sugar, as I have been able to reduce the amount of insulin needed by 6 units so far, and it is rare I need to use any shorter-acting insulin at all. Pleased with my results so far."