Ozempic and Diarrhea: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Thi...
• June 27, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been taking this for 2.5 months. I've lost a solid 10 pounds. I take it right before bed so I can sleep off the initial side effects, if any. There is a little bit of diarrhea, nothing too crazy. I have major loss of appetite, I can eat half meals or half kids' meals and I'm always full after a few bites. Sugars are low. The major side effect is nausea, but it isn't every day. I've thrown up 3 times within the past 3 months, which is something I never did prior. It comes out of nowhere, and honestly, I'm unsure if it is this injectable or just from taking an iron supplement and vitamin. Could be the vitamin. I feel tired also, not sure if it's just work or a side effect. Overall, I'm happy with the injectable, plus it beats taking a pill every day."

• Sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "My dr gave me this drug for weight loss. Omg, I took a higher dose than I was supposed to. But for the first two weeks taking it, I was so sick in bed. Now it’s been about 3 weeks since I took it, and I'm absolutely miserable. Have to constantly lay down. Dizzy, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, and my whole body just feels horrible. If this happens to you, drink tons of water, that seemed to help me a little. But I cannot wait for my body to go back to normal and never take this drug again. It’s been a horrible experience."

• 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."

• Seh...
• November 6, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Horrible diarrhea after just the first use. Headache. A LOT of lightheadedness. Not pleasant, but I can live with it. I received a sample from my doctor with 6 doses. When I went to have it refilled, there were issues with my insurance (BCBS). The medication is listed as $12,051.19 before insurance! I returned to the pharmacy today. With insurance, 'only' $1,897.99. I will not be getting this medication refilled given the horrid side effects and the IMMORAL pricing. C'mon people, this medication does not cost that much to manufacture."

• Ell...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 29, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "As someone who suffers with IBS diarrhea, this was the worst week of my life. I only started with .25 and had really bad side effects. The pain and diarrhea were so bad I thought I was going to die. Glad to see it works for some people, but if you are someone like me, you are losing weight because you’re constantly on the toilet and can’t eat because of nausea and diarrhea. One week of suffering because the doctor thought this would be a miracle drug and it was covered by insurance. I read some reviews where they were told to hang in there for a few months and it gets better. I would not wish this on anyone."

• 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."

• Jto...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 11, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Been on Ozempic for a week. Using it with Metformin. I was taken off glipizide and Januvia. I’ve lost 6 lbs so far. Appetite is way down. A little nausea and diarrhea for a few days. Feeling better the last day or so. I highly recommend trying this medication."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2023

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been using it for about 1 1/2 months and have lost 14 pounds. I don't have much of an appetite, but some of the other side effects are bloating, constipation, diarrhea, throwing up, and feeling very tired. I love the weight loss, but the side effects are too much!"

• ton...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 7, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have taken this now for nearly 2 months. I experienced diarrhea, but that subsided. The thing that really bothers me is the excruciating joint pain. The skin on my forearms and legs also hurts. I have had blood tests done to check for any kind of inflammatory process (arthritis, etc.), and they are all normal. The Ozempic is the only thing I have done differently. I like my blood sugars coming down, and the cravings for carbs have lessened, but I can't stand to be in this much pain all of the time... it is affecting my life. I quit taking it."

• 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."

• No ...
• March 1, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "Victoza was no longer working to lower my A1C, so my doctor prescribed Ozempic. It’s been 4 weeks. Since I’d been on the maximum dosage of Victoza, she assumed it would be a smooth transition to the maximum dose of Ozempic. While it did reduce my blood sugar, I’ve had every side effect: nausea, vomiting, explosive diarrhea, heart palpitations, heartburn, and disgusting burping. Some days, I can’t leave the house. I didn’t immediately realize that these symptoms were related to the medication, so I continued to inject the maximum dosage. I thought I had a horrible bug. After the second week, I made the connection. So I went down to a half dose, but that wasn’t enough. Now I’m down to .25. I’m still having side effects, so for now, I am on 2 Prilosec, 2 Zofran, and 4 Imodium per day. My blood sugars are down, sometimes dangerously low. I lost weight, but of course, I would with the nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. I’m going to try to stick it out."

• Whi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 6, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "This is an update on a previous submission in September 2019. After taking only one injection of Ozempic, I could not go to work for a week. I had painful diarrhea for over a week, no energy, could not function. Endo took a full blood panel. Results revealed Q-LIPASE, serum value was 132 (high), with the normal range being (7-60 u/l). Higher levels of LIPASE mean you have a problem with your pancreas. A few days later, my LIPASE value went back down to 85. I am finally feeling better after 2 weeks. I hope that I don't have any permanent damage to my pancreas because of this poisonous drug. Why is this drug still on the market? There are many reviews of people getting sick from this."

• Der...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 24, 2025

For Type 2 Diabetes "My doctor prescribed Ozempic for me at the beginning of January, starting at the .25 mg dose and working up to the 1 mg dose, which I have been on for a few weeks now. I have seen noticeable improvements in my glucose levels, which are now at a normal range, which they had not been for years. It was also prescribed to help with weight loss. I have not found it to be particularly helpful in this regard. I am losing small amounts of weight, but a lot of this has to do with a modified diet that is conducive to weight loss. The side effects I have experienced and continue to experience are stomach cramps and diarrhea, sulfur burps, some constipation, lightheadedness, and dizziness, which is the worst one for me. I was at the hairdresser today, and on leaving I almost passed out and had to go back inside to sit down, and there was a big fuss, etc., etc. It was very embarrassing and scary. I so desperately want to lose weight and think that it will eventually work for me, so I am going to keep taking it."

• Nav...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 21, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "Background: I am a type 2 diabetic, was overweight at 245-250 lbs. I have had diabetes for 15 years now. Nothing worked to lower my A1C of 10+. I was taking insulin injections twice a day. Blood sugar was usually between 220-300 in the am. Nothing was helping until I tried Ozempic with Farxiga. What a 1-2 punch! It's been 7 months, and I am down 25 lbs, and A1c is under 7 for the past 6 months. My side effects have been minimal. A little bit of the runs for the first week, but that has since passed. This has been a game changer for me and my family. I just wish I could sustain it financially. Insurance no longer covers it, and at $860 per month (Ozempic only), I can't afford to continue. Hopefully, the manufacturer can help."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 11, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I started Ozempic for weight loss. I took dose 1 of 0.25 week 1 and had a little nausea. I took dose 2 on Saturday morning when I was supposed to. On Sunday, I felt terrible with nausea. Sunday night, I was vomiting and had diarrhea with major stomach pains. These symptoms have now lasted 6 days. My body is in so much pain and discomfort from vomiting and diarrhea and unable to eat or drink. I would never recommend this drug to anyone. The side effects are so terrible that I would not want to take the chance. I’m hoping these symptoms will go away soon."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 2, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking Ozempic to lower my A1c. I have had frequent diarrhea. It has interfered with my employment to the point where my supervisor spoke with me about it. I have had to leave work because I had diarrhea-like stool pouring down my pants leg. I hold a high-profile job, and to say that this has been horrific would be an understatement. I went from an 8 A1c to a 7. Not worth it."

• Bub...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 31, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic Dec 4 with 0.25 the first and second week and 3rd & 4th week .05. I lost 6 pounds. The only side effects I’ve had were lack of appetite (but I do eat, but a third of what I used to), full stomach, diarrhea just 3 times in 4 weeks, and today a sudden onset of blurry vision. My eye doctor squeezed me in today and found nothing wrong. I told him I was taking this medicine and a side effect was blurry vision. It may just even off in a few days, nonetheless, I have a call into my primary doctor to make him aware and see his opinion. So far, that’s about it. I will continue to take this unless I’m told otherwise. It’s really keeping my glucose below 100 daily."

• Joe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 5, 2021

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "Started on .25 and now onto .5 for the next 4 weeks. My side effects have been mild nausea, a lot of constipation, slight anxiety, mild diarrhea, mild tummy ache, intermittent tiredness, and feeling somewhat under the weather. There is no pattern, it’s random. I do think it’s the medication, as prior to this, I had none of these symptoms. It is not great, but tolerable. I think the meds are really kicking in now. If I have a small snack, the nausea subsides. I have little to no appetite, probably consume 1000 calories a day. And my mind is not consumed with food, and before I had an obsession with food. For me, it’s been life-changing. I put on 15 kg during Covid lockdown. Was 85 kg, now 81 kg."

• Ali...
• January 21, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I'm a type 1 diabetic, and my doctor has been prescribing Ozempic 'off-license,' and it has really been working well for his patients. My doctor thinks I'm taking too much insulin, and my A1c has been quite high the last 5 years, so he wanted me to try this. The annoying thing is, it's worked so well. I've lost loads of weight, and my blood sugars are basically perfect, but the side effects are getting worse. I was meant to go up to 0.5, but I was too sick. I take my injection on a Wednesday night. The whole next two days, I'm nauseated and find it really hard to get out of bed. Then Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday is horrible. Terrible pain in my stomach, cramps all night to the point where I can't sleep at all, and diarrhea. This weekend I took Imodium really fast, but I was actually in the most pain yet. I thought I needed to go to the hospital, it was so bad. I'm on it 8 weeks now, did anyone's side effects go away? Feels like it's getting worse."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 26, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking Ozempic 2 and a half months ago, starting at .25 dose and worked up to 1 mg dose. I had diarrhea on and off for the first 2 weeks. My blood sugar went up to over 200 every day and to 300 a few times. I have never had blood sugars reach 300 before, and fasting readings in the 200s were non-existent. I had significant dehydration after the 2nd week with vomiting and dizziness. My doctor prescribed insulin to bring down my sugar and said I wouldn't see glucose control until I was on the full dose of Ozempic. I've been on the full dose for a few weeks, and my blood sugar is still out of control, even with insulin and Metformin. Ozempic doesn't work for me, and the past few months have been a huge setback in my diabetes management. My A1C prior to starting Ozempic was 7.3. I have been working with a dietitian for years and follow a low carb diet. I exercise every day. I hope when I get off Ozempic my blood sugar stabilizes, and I haven't damaged my system."

• 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!"

• M1a...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started on 0.05 dose of Ozempic 3 weeks ago. Side effects are horrible! Only took 2 times and had to stop, have had diarrhea and abdominal pain ever since. Definitely takes away your hunger. I am a chef and love food, but am too nauseous to enjoy eating! It might work for some people, but I would not recommend it. Side effects are not worth it!"

• Jan...
• March 10, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (diabetes type 3c), and I have been on Ozempic 1 mg for over 4 months now, switching from daily Victoza. I have only once had to stop an Rx for a side effect that did not go away during treatment, so my endocrinologist started me on 1 mg Ozempic. I have experienced 4 months of frequent bouts of explosive diarrhea on Ozempic, but I determined this was not a side effect. Ozempic gave me a temporary gluten intolerance. After stopping it and going back on Victoza, it appears that after 5 months off of Ozempic, I can again tolerate gluten. Now I am unsure if I really want to try a different once weekly GLP-1 Rx."

• Lau...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 25, 2024

"I noticed my husband, who is diabetic, losing weight even though his food intake was not lessened much. For myself, I exercise for approximately 2 hours every day, eat very little, and my weight does not shift. So, in trying Ozempic, in one month, I have lost 10 lbs (eating some naughty things) but mostly just eating like 'normal' people. I feel like I can cheat a little, and my body still eliminates the calories. Being tired of not enjoying food and feeling guilty if I did was a terrible trap. This weight loss keeps me encouraged. I feel no side effects that I have not had from dieting in the past, like diarrhea or constipation, but the diarrhea only lasted a day. The constipation lasted 4 days, and then I was fine. I am a normal, healthy person, so using this drug does not cause me any other side effects. Listing every possible side effect is just a legal requirement, in my opinion. I take a 1 mg dose, am a 67-year-old woman, and have tried every possible form of weight loss. In 67 years, I finally feel free!"