Ozempic and Gas: What Users Say

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2023

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I just completed my first 2 weeks. I want to lose 35-40 pounds. In the past year, I have gained a pound a month and have been steadily gaining weight every year for the past 7 years. I have previously tried Weight Watchers, increased activity, and calorie watching, and the only time I lost any weight was on less than 1300 calories a day. The first week, I lost 3.5 pounds, more weight than I had lost in the past 5 years even with calorie restriction. I inject in alternating thighs on Friday nights, just in case I have symptoms I can recover without work demands. I have always been gassy, so I cannot comment if there is a difference in the amount. I am noticing increased chest tenderness and muscle spasms. Restless legs are a thing! Taking magnesium once or twice a week also helps with moderate constipation. Reduced appetite, reduced sugar craving, but no impact on munchies. Makes it easier to choose healthier choices. Overall, happy with almost a 5-pound weight loss in 2 weeks. Minimal side effects and well worth it."

• Bon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started Ozempic about 7 weeks ago. Dosage .25. First week noticed some nausea, a lot of gas, some reflux, and diarrhea. Each week, side effects were getting worse. Nausea very bad, pains in left side, waves of heat, no energy at all. In all, just feeling BAD! Diarrhea is bad and a bit uncontrollable. Have not raised dosage due to being afraid of worse side effects. Have lost 5 pounds. Appetite is definitely less. My sugar numbers have not improved that much, which leads me to believe it is what I am eating. I still crave sweets. I have some jittery feelings at times! I am very discouraged."

• 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."

• Tan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 11, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I’m on Ozempic for weight loss. I started at a small dose for 4 weeks, 0.25, then 2 weeks, 0.5. Now I’m on maintenance, taking 1 mg. In the beginning, straight after the injection, I would suffer from nausea, migraines, and loss of appetite. My side effects have shifted. I don’t suffer from nausea for more than a day, however, I have sulfur gas. It’s horrible. I’m bloated and very gassy. I haven’t lost a ton of weight yet, however, I do think diet is key as I am taking this for weight loss, and so far, yes, my appetite is suppressed. A day or two before it’s time to take the injection, I gain more of an appetite. This stuff is killer expensive, and my insurance doesn’t cover it. I’ll give it a couple more months and see how it goes."

• kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 2, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Week 4 injection of Ozempic will be today, and so far, feeling really good! (Prior med kept me sick, headachy, and depressed for months.) The slight nausea at the beginning stopped in less than a week. I have NO appetite. Good mostly but hard to get all the meals and nutrition I need. If I overeat, I get a sour stomach. Great incentive not to overeat! I have more gas, but take OTC meds for it. My blood sugars are much lower and right on target. I'll get another A1c in 2 weeks. No scales, but I'm losing weight. Clothes are looser, stomach is flatter. I'm supposed to double the dose today from .25 to .5, and I'm scared to! I feel so good, and I don't want that to change! This stuff is expensive, though! Yikes! Even with my insurance. Not sure how long I can afford it, and I don't qualify for their financial help."

• 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."

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

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been on 1 mg of Ozempic for about 8 weeks and lost 13 pounds. My appetite has decreased. Other people started out at .25 or .5, I've noticed from reading other reviews. Considering this, I'm shocked my doctor started me on 1 mg. I was really sick the first month. Lots of vomiting, gas, stomach ache, and diarrhea. Despite all that, I'm pleased that I lost weight and the side effects have gone away. I just hope it continues to work as an appetite suppressant. Other meds I've taken that were originally one for me stopped working on my appetite after a while."

• 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."

• deb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 13, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking the .25 a week ago. The first 2-3 days, I had stomach pain, headache, and vomiting, none of which were bad. I took my second shot yesterday, and the gas was awful. The one thing that I really wanted to do was to lose some weight, and so far, I've lost 3 lbs. My appetite is slowly fading, but I have to watch myself because I'm still craving sweets at night. I have to make myself drink fluids, but luckily the one thing I did crave was Cokes, and I don't even think about them anymore. I love this med."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 2, 2025

For Type 2 Diabetes "1st week stomach discomfort (not too bad). 2nd week flatulence (sudden, uncontrollable, embarrassing). 3rd week sore throat, lots of phlegm, hard to swallow! 4th week, no appetite at all! Sudden diarrhea, no control, running out of me like water! I’m experiencing back pain in between my shoulders! Headache! 8-9 in pain! 10 excruciating!"

• Kar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 19, 2025

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been using for 10 months proximately (0.5 mg). It has steadied glucose with less insulin (Lantus), and I have lost about 25 lb (started at 302 lb). I would like a higher dosage to help with the weight issue, as it's been very helpful with appetite reduction. The doctor has not raised it for fear of hypoglycemia issues. I've had no real side effects beyond occasional nausea and constipation. Slower movement through the gastrointestinal system gives me a rather hard-packed stool. I have consistently had flatulence since week one."

• 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."

• 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."

• fem...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 23, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "Serious stomach issues, cramping, bloating, severe constipation, nausea, no appetite, rashes, pain in the upper and lower bowel, gas. Loss of too much weight, no taste for food. Have had previous trouble with colitis and diverticulitis but still prescribed this medication. Only have 1 kidney and now afraid it may be damaged. I have been on this drug for approximately 7-9 months. Now worried, but the doctor is not concerned enough to take me off this medication."

• 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."

• Lon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 10, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I have been taking Ozempic for 6 weeks. 4 weeks on .25 mg and 2 on .5 mg. It has been great at curbing my appetite and sugar cravings, and I have lost 5 kg. However, the diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, gas, and almost volcanic foul-smelling burping have made me decide not to continue. Being awake half the night with a gurgling stomach and having to sit up to burp and release the gas is not good for anyone. Back to my own devices from now on."

• Deb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 22, 2024

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started on 0.25 and did not experience any side effects. However, my blood sugar rose from low 100s to 200-300. My dosage was increased to 0.5. I had gas - burping that was very bad smelling and tasting. I had mild heartburn and a decrease in appetite. My blood sugar dropped to the 200 range. My doctor increased my dosage to 1. I had days of debilitating side effects. The side effects gradually decreased. I am still having some side effects, but my blood sugar is now consistently in the mid to low 100s. I am hoping that as I continue the drug, I will have fewer problems and more success."

• but...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2024

For Type 2 Diabetes "No side effects other than loss of appetite and feeling full faster and eating less on lower doses. Good BGL around 100. Once I started 1 mg, I got indigestion, nausea, gas, burping, loose stools, and watery stools. Blamed it on PPI meds for GERD symptoms but continues after I stopped PPI meds. I'm guessing the loose watery stools is the Ozempic at this point. I'm supposed to go to 2 mg weekly but I may not be able to handle it at that dose."

• Lad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 8, 2024

For Type 2 Diabetes "This is week 1, and I’m already feeling the side effects: headaches, diarrhea, stomach ache, burping frequently that smells like rotten eggs. I get nauseous and gassy. I don’t have an appetite for food. I just started this medication, but I like its cleaning out my digestive system. I am reaching out to my healthcare provider to see what I can take to help eliminate the burping."

• nam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "New to this medicine, I have lost 15 lbs since I started, and this is caused because I have lost my appetite and want nothing at mealtime. I force myself to eat something but in small amounts. I drink Boost at a lot of mealtimes and nothing else. A lot of gas in my stomach with the constant knowledge that I have a stomach. This is my third medicine trying to get my sugar under control, so I am tired of trying. The other had worse side effects."

• cyn...
• April 21, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "I had immediate appetite suppression and decreased blood sugar. On the second day, vomiting, gas, and felt full."

• car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes ".50 caused some gas, but 1.0 made it really bad. Loss of appetite."