Ozempic and Upset Stomach: What Users Say

• MzG...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 30, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started on Ozempic in September 2020, starting weight 312 lbs (5’4”). I am type 2 diabetic and take 2550mg of Metformin daily. HbA1c was 79, sugar cravings, and blood sugar out of control. Started on 0.25 dose for a month. Quite bad stomach cramps and nausea for the first month. Went up to 0.5 dose in month 2, then 1.0 dose for month 3 and since. No. 1 tip - inject into your leg rather than around your belly. Once I changed to injecting in my leg, nausea and cramps disappeared overnight, and never came back. To maximize effectiveness, you can’t eat like you did before. I re-joined Weight Watchers in September. I have lost 80 lbs in 5 months, HbA1c dropped from 79 to 51 which is a normal type 2 level although the doc feels with more weight loss, it could go to normal levels. In Ireland, diabetes is classed as a long-term illness so all medications are covered by the government, so I don’t have to pay for this. Otherwise, it costs €195."

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

For Type 2 Diabetes "Did the first 4 weeks of Ozempic at 0.25 had mild stomach issues. Nausea was come and go, really not consistent. Helped control my eating. Doctor said if you overeat or eat like you used to, you will throw up. There is no place for overeating but up. Didn't overeat, didn't have much issue. Took stool softener to keep things moving. At the 0.5 dose, ate less but had fewer side effects than my first dose. Glad I have started the med, it works."

• Lyn...
• December 22, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "I took one dose of Ozempic and I have been sick ever since. Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach cramps, and a little dizziness. This is terrible, will never use again. Can someone tell me how long these symptoms last?"

• Tan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 18, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I was so afraid to try this med because of all the bad reviews. I could not survive endless nausea or stomach issues. I just came here to say that I had none of these issues, and it is helping with cravings."

• Oze...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 14, 2023

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "With just one 0.25 mg dose, I became very ill. Relentless nausea, vomiting, and explosive diarrhea, as well as unbearable stomach cramps. Needed to go to the ER for fluids and to check for pancreatitis. It’s now been 9 days since my first dose, and I still have relentless diarrhea, nausea, and disabling fatigue. I don’t want to eat. I didn’t want to take it in the first place but was ambushed by my kidney doctor. She told me that using Ozempic was a no-brainer and that I would just have a bit of nausea. If you have any gastrointestinal symptoms when taking any medicine, I would think three times about it before using it. I have read it can take up to a month for it to be flushed out of your body, but I am hoping and praying that these horrible side effects stop real soon."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "My doctor gave me Ozempic 0.5 to start with. I always had upset stomach, diarrhea with most foods, and an overall sick feeling all the time. I was able to 'live' with it until now. She decided to up my dose to the 1.0 and my body went into total chaos. I am always nauseous, constipated, got reflux, feels like my food is stuck in my stomach and doesn't go anywhere. I'm constantly burping and feeling bloated. The sick feeling feels intensified and I cannot function at work. I took my last one this past Friday night and was miserable all weekend long. Today I am at work unable to function at my best because the nausea is bad. I would say it is effective in lowering your blood sugar numbers and helping you lose weight but not worth feeling horribly sick over. I will not be using this medication any longer."

• 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."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 10, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "First injected dose Sunday night. Wee hours Monday, the nausea started. No vomiting (emetophobic here!) Monday all day nausea that I could handle (took a Zofran). Tuesday afternoon hit with sudden stomach cramping and diarrhea. Those nasty sulfuric burps all Tuesday evening and overnight, diarrhea all night, and now it’s Wednesday morning and still watery diarrhea. My stomach has been rumbling and terribly bloated since Tuesday afternoon. I need to lose 70 lbs, but this is NOT worth it!! Who wants days and weeks of feeling HORRIBLE!?! I’ll lose weight another way! I have sleep apnea and am 56, so I want to be healthy, but this drug is not recommended unless you need to lose weight to stay alive. I teach too, so there’s no way I can continue this."

• Typ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "I am on my 3rd month of taking Ozempic. No decrease in A1C as of yet. Weight loss, none. Ease of use, I find handling the needles cumbersome. The needles are smaller than Trulicity and less painful to inject. Less bruising at the injection site. Current side effects: nausea, stomach pain, stomach discomfort, swelling, bloating, increased constipation, increased hunger, sour stomach, headaches. I find I am forced to take additional medication/supplements in attempting to eliminate some of the side effects. I've taken stool softeners and laxatives in order to improve constipation with limited success. I am taking a pain reliever almost daily for headaches. I am also taking medication to help ease the nausea with limited success."

• Typ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "I am on my 3rd month of taking Ozempic. No decrease in A1C as of yet. Weight loss, none. Ease of use, I find handling the needles cumbersome. The needles are smaller than Trulicity and less painful to inject. Less bruising at the injection site. Current side effects: nausea, stomach pain, stomach discomfort, swelling, bloating, increased constipation, increased hunger, sour stomach, headaches. I find I am forced to take additional medication/supplements in attempting to eliminate some of the side effects. I've taken stool softeners and laxatives in order to improve constipation with limited success. I am taking a pain reliever almost daily for headaches. I am also taking medication to help ease the nausea with limited success."

• 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."

• Jpa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 15, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I’m into my 5th week and have increased to .5. In addition to diabetes type 2, I have PCOS and IBS. I’ve been doing well so far, other than a mild headache and stomach upset. My appetite is obliterated, and I have to make sure I’m eating regularly. Otherwise, nausea and lightheadedness end up being my trigger to eat because I’ve gone too long in between meals. It’s been confusing for me, as overeating has always been an issue. Now I have no desire to eat and am working at adjusting by eating small portions throughout the day. I’m definitely losing weight, which is much needed. In addition to Ozempic, I take Metformin and Tradjenta, which I’ve been on for a very long time. This week, my fasting blood sugar decreased from 155 to 135. That makes me happy."

• Sna...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 20, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Been on this for almost a year. Have had type 2 for 18 years now. A1C's always in the 6.5-7.5 range. Was primarily using Humalog to control BS. With Ozempic, sugars stay lower. The peaks aren't as high, and don't have to use as much insulin. The only side effect I get is diarrhea and stomach cramps (mainly gas buildup) 12-48 hours after taking it. On occasion, I will get nauseated. I have stayed on .25 and never increased. So far, I like this drug, and those side effects are manageable. As long as I'm near a toilet the first 48 hours, just in case."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 10, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "25-year-old female taking Ozempic for PCOS and insulin resistance. I take Ozempic along with a strict paleo diet and workout regime. Started on 0.25 for 3 weeks with severe nausea and flu-like symptoms for the first 1.5 weeks. Felt terrible. Only remaining symptoms are constipation and upset stomach if I make a bad food choice. I have been taking 0.5 since May, Dr. not upping my dose to 1. Started taking Ozempic in April 2019 and was 193 lbs and last week weighed in at 177.4 lbs. Lots of people seem to have very severe symptoms, but I have been lucky and have not had any issues with ongoing problems or anything serious enough to skip work or end up in a hospital."

• IBN...
• July 4, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on Ozempic for 3 weeks. Yes, it is making me lose weight, obviously because I'm so nauseated all the time that I can't eat. I have stomach cramps, constipation, headaches, body aches, and nausea so severe that sometimes I can't even lift my head up. I'm really trying to give it a chance since a once-a-week injection seems better than taking a bunch of pills. I just don't know how much longer I can suffer with the terrible nausea and stabbing stomach pains."

• JLa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 3, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been on Ozempic 0.25 for five weeks, it's great for losing weight, but the side effects are not worth it. Let me review what Ozempic has been like. The first three weeks were okay, and then I started noticing nausea, stomach burning, headache, dizziness, upper back pain, severe constipation, and feeling very tired and depressed. I ended up in the ER with a mild pancreatic attack and high lipase levels. I've had no desire to eat or even drink water. It makes me gag, and I used to drink a lot of water. I'm done with these injections. I will stay on my metformin, but I can do better on a healthy eating lifestyle than on Ozempic and all the negative side effects. Quality of life has gone from a 10 to a 1, and that is not me. I'm taking my life back. It's really just healthy eating, and we can all do that with willpower. Good luck to everyone else."

• Nan...
• September 17, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started a little over 2 months ago. I was excited when the doctor told me that this would help me lose weight. I was 235 at the time, and PCOS makes it hard to lose. Was warned of nausea but figured I'd be okay. Wasn't warned about sour stomach and sulfur belches. I started with the .25 mg dose. I learned what I could eat to steer clear of the sulfur burps. After 4 weeks, I moved to .5 mg and again had the sulfur burps. Had to re-learn eating limits. Last week, I moved up to 1.0 mg and didn't really have any issues until the day I was supposed to take the next dose. The discomfort was bearable. I took my injection and for the last 2 days have been nauseous. Went to bed this evening and am having trouble staying asleep. Anytime I move, the contents of my stomach shift and I feel like I'm going to be sick. 2 days prior to the last dose, I was told that my sugar has gone from the 350s to 88-120, but my weight loss is nowhere near what it should be. I hope it gets better soon."

• 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."

• Pum...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 21, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Endo gave me a 1-month sample for type II. Just into my second week at 0.25. Initially, upset stomach and diarrhea. Wouldn't say nausea per se, more like a stomach ache. Diarrhea wasn't crampy and prolonged like metformin. Appetite really decreased. Sugars started going down about 3-4 days in, and symptoms lessened by day 6. But.... weight gain of 3 lbs! What the...? Just on day 2 of the 2nd week, no nausea, but still eating less. Not peeing as much and waking up earlier and easier, and morning sugars down from 11-12ish to 8-9ish. I will be disappointed if I am the rare one that gains weight though."

• Pum...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 21, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Endo gave me a 1-month sample for type II. Just into my second week at 0.25. Initially, upset stomach and diarrhea. Wouldn't say nausea per se, more like a stomach ache. Diarrhea wasn't crampy and prolonged like metformin. Appetite really decreased. Sugars started going down about 3-4 days in, and symptoms lessened by day 6. But.... weight gain of 3 lbs! What the...? Just on day 2 of the 2nd week, no nausea, but still eating less. Not peeing as much and waking up earlier and easier, and morning sugars down from 11-12ish to 8-9ish. I will be disappointed if I am the rare one that gains weight though."

• OZ ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I started Ozempic for weight loss (PCOS) on June 27th. In 10 weeks, I have lost 12 lbs. It has been slow going, but I believe it's a sustainable rate so long as the medication continues to suppress my appetite. I ramped slowly up to the 1mg dose (6 weeks @ .25, 4 weeks @ .5, and then up to 1mg), which I think helped with minimizing extreme side effects. I did have nausea and occasional upset stomach the day after injecting, but it would usually subside within a day. The worst side effect I've had is an increase in acid reflux, but I've been able to manage that with omeprazole pretty well. Worth a shot if you suffer from binge eating disorder or if you are on the verge of being diabetic! Everyone's experience will vary, but I have found success with it so far."

• Sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 25, 2022

For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I started Ozempic last Wednesday. Nausea, upset stomach, and profuse vomiting. I’ve already gone to the ER for fluids last Thursday and now back today for more fluids. I know it’s going to improve my A1C, weight, and BP, but I’m not sure if I can go on this sick. I go back for my 1 week tomorrow."

• PDH...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 21, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic about 3 months ago at .25 mg. My doctor made me start my 1st dose on a Monday in her office because I would tell her I would try and then never do it. Tuesday morning I was good, then by Tuesday night, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, till the wee hours of the morning. The symptoms slowed down throughout the week. Even though I was losing at least 3-4 pounds a week, a total of 35 pounds within a 2 1/2 month period. My A1C did go down, the side effects are deadly. I like the fact that I am losing weight, but I hope I don't have permanent damage from this medication."

• wis...
• April 15, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been on Ozempic for 7 weeks now: 4 weeks at 2.5 and half the usual insulin dose, followed by 3 weeks at 5.0 and no insulin, as instructed by my endocrinologist. I experienced leg cramps, stomach cramps, lethargy, and light-headedness among other symptoms in the first 4 weeks. My fasting sugar results increased. During my 3 weeks on the 5.0 dose, I have suffered feelings of nausea, regular bouts of light-headedness, and my fasting sugar levels are now up to the 14-17 range. My energy levels are decreasing. I am taking myself off this medication over the next 3 weeks. An interesting experiment to undergo but not worthwhile continuing as there are no benefits (except weight loss - and I can't afford to lose too much more weight) but light-headedness, lethargy, feeling like vomiting regularly, increased cramps, and, worst of all, my blood sugar levels going through the ceiling. Concentration levels are also a concern."

• Cpa...
• July 1, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been taking Ozempic for six weeks. I'm experiencing a lot of the same side effects as everyone else. No nausea, but definitely the cramping, bloating, sore stomach, and constipation. Had to do two fleet routines already. Weight loss has been fantastic, but I'm beginning to worry now. Twenty pounds so far and still dropping. .25 mg dose. Sugar numbers have been great. Don't think it's worth all the side effects. Going back to Farxiga. Much more predictable."