Semaglutide and Diarrhea: What Users Say (Page 4)
Brand names: Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus
Reviews for Semaglutide
- Cra...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- April 5, 2023
Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes "I started Ozempic to assist with my A1C. It was at 7.3 or so. After a month or two, it went down to 5.3. I have lost almost 50 pounds in the year I have been on it (up to 1 mg dose). It really works to suppress the appetite most of the time. The bad: diarrhea, belching (especially after high-carb or sugary foods), nausea at times (when I first started, it was horrible), going from not hungry to starving to puking in a matter of seconds. My husband is also on it, but he doesn't have the same side effects. It's easy to use if you can get over poking yourself with a needle every week. I get some injection site burning pain that goes away quickly."
- ash...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- January 30, 2023
For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I just had my third injection, making it 2 full weeks on the drug. I am officially down 14 pounds as of last night. I am starting actually to see it in the mirror as well. I can't tell you how much of a confidence booster it is to know that this stuff actually works. I never feel hungry (which is a blessing because I have PCOS and used to be hungry 24/7) and still eat at normal times (i.e., breakfast, lunch, dinner) just way smaller portions than I'm used to. I work 2 full-time jobs and have worked 29 days straight without a day off and still have energy to continue, which is shocking with how little I am eating compared to before. I have found that if I stick to high protein and veggies, my stomach and nausea are under control, however, each time I have indulged and followed old eating habits (unhealthy/large portions), it's almost as if my body rejects it and I have either the runs or vomit that follows. In my opinion, it is worth it and I would recommend it to someone who struggles with portion sizes and WL."
Frequently asked questions
- Ozempic Side Effects to Watch For
- Wegovy vs Ozempic: Which is Right for You?
- Which GLP-1 drug is best for weight loss?
- Tirzepatide vs semaglutide: How do they compare?
- Daz...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- December 29, 2022
For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started Semaglutide in April. I felt sick for pretty much 2 months and almost gave up several times, but since the weight was coming off and my husband was doing it with me, I decided to keep going and took Zofran for nausea. My side effects: exhaustion, diarrhea, nausea, gas cramps, and light-headedness. Sometimes I still feel those things, but my body has adjusted mostly to it. In the beginning, I didn't feel like eating, and nothing sounded good. Now, I am hungry but can control my snacking. I lost weight quickly - 35 pounds. I had to keep buying new clothes. I do not want to lose any more weight since I reached my goal weight. Now, I take 30 units weekly to maintain the results. My cholesterol is the best it's been in years! I do work out 3 days a week, but I always have. I just couldn't lose any weight and ate too many snacks at night. This prevents snacking. Be careful not to lose weight too fast. I now have to deal with sagging skin. My husband and I still feel it's worth it though."
- Big...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- July 20, 2022
Semaglutide for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I used to take Saxenda until my insurance would no longer cover it. Worked great. Lost at least 50 lbs. Now I’m on Wegovy, more or less the same side effects. Diarrhea and burps that taste like rotten eggs. On Saxenda, they went away once I was up to full dose. Right now, it’s my 3rd week on full dose, and I’m still getting those side effects, just not as bad. I’m sure they’ll eventually go away. One side effect I have and can’t find listed (which is what brought me here) is my skin is sore and tender. Not unbearable, but riding in a car and hitting bumps is quite uncomfortable. Anyone else experience this?"
- Anonymous
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- July 10, 2022
Semaglutide for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "I started Ozempic because my weight has kept going up over the years. I’ve blamed it on menopause, getting older, and just having a borderline high blood sugar level and hypothyroidism. Had friends who were on Ozempic with great success, so I thought I’d give it a try. For me as well, it has been a game changer. I’ve lost 20 pounds, I look like myself before I married 30 years ago. I’ve had a few symptoms such as stomach cramping, some diarrhea on occasion, and I do have to cut my food intake almost in half. I don’t have sugar cravings at all anymore, which is a wonderful thing in itself. Overall, I have been very happy with it. I plan to reach my goal weight and cut back on my dosage to the minimum to maintain my new weight. This past weekend, I had to have an emergency appendectomy. I’m not sure if it’s related at all to the Ozempic, but thought I would report it here in case others have had a similar response. I definitely would be interested in knowing that."
- lei...
- May 19, 2021
Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes "I've been on it for 7 weeks. I have had the runs as others have noted, and the sour stomach, but what I also noted is that those symptoms are worse if you've eaten too much or a heavier meal before bedtime. Small snacks are ok. I don't drink any sugar-laden beverages, and I eat lots of fiber already. My diet is mostly vegetarian, but not for any reason other than my stomach just feels better on it. I think that has helped keep the side effects in check. So far, I've lost 8 lbs, which TBH is kind of shocking. I never thought my body would give up this weight, but I'm heading in the right direction. Sugars are dropping nicely, especially my fasting sugar. I have that hypo drop and spike when you wake up, and that seems to be leveling off, which is great. So I'm going to keep going. Oh, and I didn't jump in with dosing, I started with 0.25 and kept on that for six weeks and only just now moving to 0.5. Slow gradual is the right way. Too much at once will make you sick."
More FAQ
- Can you get tirzepatide from a compounding pharmacy?
- Why am I not losing weight on Ozempic?
- Does Ozempic cause muscle loss and how to prevent it?
- How much does semaglutide cost?
- Joa...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- March 16, 2021
Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on this medication for 10 months. I started with .25 for 4 weeks, then increased to my prescribed dose of .5. My doctor and pharmacist correctly recommended this gradual increase. However, after beginning the .5, I became very nauseous, had diarrhea and/or constipation, terrible headaches, and all-around lethargy. It was awful. I toughed it out for 2 weeks, but that was it. At the advice of my pharmacist, who happens to be a diabetic counselor, I went back down to .25 for a couple of weeks, then very gradually increased my dose. A few extra clicks of the pen each week until I reached .5. Success!! Now I have no side effects and have lost 25 lbs, which is a significant amount for me. My appetite is very low, and I just don't experience any cravings that I used to. My guess is this very slow, gradual, almost click-by-click increase may be effective for a lot of people. I have read through many of these reviews and cannot imagine jumping right in with a .5, however, I am not a doctor, so..."
- Mik...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- October 3, 2020
For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on Rybelsus about two months. Several observations: (1) Start slowly. I had a day or two of nausea and diarrhea each time I changed doses. I figured it was worth it, so I struggled through it. (2) Don't get discouraged, it works, BUT very slowly. It took about 5 weeks to see a real reduction in blood glucose. (3) I lost about 12 lbs, mostly, it curbs your appetite. I did have a few bouts of nausea, especially if you eat something really greasy or high sugar content. (4) The drop in my A1C was impressive, I went from 7.1 to 6.5 in about 30 days."
- Jan...
- March 10, 2020
Semaglutide 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."
- Bub...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 31, 2019
Semaglutide 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."
- Sup...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- October 31, 2019
Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes "Took my third shot of Ozempic at .25 tonight. Side effects have been horrible since the second shot. Not one side effect after the first shot. I was so happy. Took my second on Wednesday night. Little nausea Thursday. Friday about noon, stomach cramped up, I mean like birth labor contractions, horrible nausea, the worst diarrhea I've ever had, and I'm pushing 69. I thought I was going to die. Diarrhea lasted about twelve long hours. Nausea has never let up. Sometimes I can function for a short period. I'm going to give it one more week and see if side effects lessen. Unfortunately for me, this same side effects come with everything I have tried."
- Jan...
- September 12, 2019
Semaglutide "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 thankfully, it took 4 months for this side effect to go away! I no longer have to keep taking Imodium. I have problem-solved by eating the BRAT diet (plenty of bananas, rice, apples, rice cakes, pretzels, etc.). However, it wasn't until I switched from taking 2 metformin ER 500 mg pills with breakfast, one with lunch, and 1 with dinner to 1 metformin ER 500 mg each with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime that my diarrhea finally stopped. I also take 22 units of Lantus insulin. I tried hard to stay on Ozempic because it works so well at controlling my profound insulin resistance. It also allows me to reduce my Lantus dose and slim down."
- TR9...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- June 25, 2019
Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes "I've been on Ozempic for about two months now. I haven't really been nauseous, but my stomach would just feel yucky. I'm on the 0.5 dose now. I had vomiting and diarrhea only one time, and that was two days after my first dose. My appetite has decreased, and I have lost weight, but I'm not sure how much. I won't find out how my A1C is for another month or so."
- Dia...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- June 2, 2019
Semaglutide 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."
- sil...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- March 24, 2019
Semaglutide 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."
- Dan...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- March 24, 2019
Semaglutide 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."
- Ano...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- July 21, 2025
Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes "I had been putting off taking this drug despite my doctor's suggestion because of the possible side effects and, more importantly, the cost. I finally decided to give it a try starting a week and a half ago. I haven't experienced any of the side effects mentioned in the warnings except for constipation the first three days. After that, I started having the opposite effect, meaning diarrhea. I must admit that my appetite has been curbed quite a bit. A protein shake in the morning fills me until mid-afternoon. If I do decide to eat lunch, I have no desire for dinner. Even if I skip lunch, my dinner hunger results in my eating maybe 2/3 of my usual portions, and I have zero interest in dessert later."
- MEH...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- July 13, 2025
Semaglutide "2.7 weekly for maintenance of 50 lb weight loss after using Ozempic for 2 years. Does not work as well as Ozempic, higher dose required, causes burping and have had bouts of diarrhea if I eat rich, high-carb food like ice cream or pastry. I had nausea when I started it, but that went away after the second week. Does not curb cravings as well as Ozempic. I take the shot on Sundays, and by Friday, I am noticing that I am starting to have more hunger or craving. However, this drug does work, and I am able to maintain my weight loss. Dosing is easy, but I do not like the injectors, they are hard for me to use since I am now pretty thin. I will probably switch injection to the leg instead of the stomach."
- Flo...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- May 29, 2025
For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "On my higher doses of self-injections, I have experienced severe abdominal pain and diarrhea. The second higher dose, 30 days later, I had extreme pain in the abdomen and severe cold spells where I could not get warm even in blankets. I did have Whipple surgery five years ago. I am going to the ER."
- Tis...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- May 22, 2025
Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes "Year this month, still get constipation but use natural remedies to help. Lost 2st so far but slowly also sugars resist so much better and cholesterol. Can’t walk very well although only late 70s. But yes, prefer this to injections. Have had nausea but it gets less as time goes on on bouts of diarrhea not at all often. My bugbear was constipation but hoping natural remedies will work although have powders from doctor prefer natural if possible."
- Dud...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- May 14, 2025
Semaglutide for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Nausea and diarrhea for 4 days, so I couldn't eat a lot the first 4 days and lost 6 lb in 3 weeks. I would love to be able to afford it each month. My doctor gave me a free sample for a month to see how I did on it, but my insurance won't pay for it, and the heart doctor told me that I had to lose weight. 2 years ago, I had a heart attack and had double bypass surgery."
- Ano...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- May 7, 2025
Semaglutide for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have done very well with Wegovy. I am now on the highest dose. This is the 3rd week on the highest dose, and I have lost 25 lbs in 4 months, and I am still losing. I have had some common issues such as nausea, diarrhea in the first month, but that went away. Then in the 2nd month, I had minor stomach pain, and the diarrhea changed to constipation. I am still experiencing constipation but managing it with fiber. Other than these issues, I am happy with the medication, and I feel so much better!"
- Ant...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- May 7, 2025
Semaglutide "In just 6 weeks, I lost 6 kilos. When I had my first dose of .25, nothing much happened, but on my 3rd dose, I started to lose my appetite. I cannot eat as much as I used to and cannot eat oily food, it causes me to have diarrhea. I think that Ozempic is a very effective medicine."
- Rit...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- May 6, 2025
Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes "This is my second go-round using this medication. It is the best that I've tried, and this time, I will stick with it. My side effects have been mild diarrhea and stomach aches. I did use a little weight, but I don't need to lose weight. I am an avid gym attendee and my diet is vegetarian, so Rybelsus will only be used for Type 2 diabetes."
See also:
More about semaglutide
- semaglutide consumer information
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- Reviews (2,785)
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- Drug class: GLP-1 Agonists (Incretin Mimetics)
- Breastfeeding
Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes "The first dose I took (0.25 mg) I had nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea for three days. The second dose was also 0.25 mg. Thereafter, the dose increased to 0.5 mg, and I have found that my glucose readings have stabilized to just below 7. I am now in my 7th week. I occasionally have a loose stool, perhaps once a month. My appetite has reduced a lot, and I have lost weight. I haven't weighed myself, but I would say about 6 kg. I feel good. I do need more sleep, and my body craves rest."