Semaglutide and Stomach Pain: What Users Say
Brand names: Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy
Reviews for Semaglutide
- Mar...
- September 27, 2020
For Type 2 Diabetes "I was put on Ozempic after taking Glimepiride for several years. I started on 0.25mg, then onto 1mg. I started having the nastiest burps ever, then diarrhea 3 to 4 times a day. After 3 months, I went to a gastroenterologist and was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a side effect of Ozempic. I have all the side effects - nasty, offensive-smelling burps, eye floaters in both eyes, bad diarrhea, stomach pain, and now this disease that has caused precancerous cells. Yes, my appetite has decreased, I have lost 15 lbs in 3 months, and my numbers are good. But it's not worth being sick every day. I just found out my daughter is going through the same exact thing. So, take it at your own risk."
- Anonymous
- Taken for less than 1 month
- January 22, 2022
For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Worst experience of my life. After the second 0.25 dose, I was up all night vomiting and diarrhea. The next day, I had chest pain, shaking, brain fog, stomach pain, more diarrhea, and had to go to the ER. After they gave me Benadryl and morphine, I started to feel better. Still have burping, gas, and acid reflux terribly. WILL NEVER TRY THIS AGAIN! It is not worth it to me! Wish it would hurry up and get out of my system."
Frequently asked questions
- Ozempic Side Effects to Watch For
- Wegovy vs Ozempic: Which is Right for You?
- Tirzepatide vs semaglutide: How do they compare?
- Which GLP-1 drug is best for weight loss?
- Jed...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- December 15, 2021
For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Halfway through the 1.7mg dose. Been on for about 4.5 months. Have lost a total of 35 pounds. My weight loss has slowed down since on the 1.7 dose. Still losing but not as quickly as in the beginning. Have no real interest in food anymore. Sometimes have to eat when not hungry due to low blood sugar (had this prior to Wegovy use). Been trying to lose weight for months. Wegovy is the only thing to work for my obesity due to medical issues. Have noticed off and on fatigue, dizziness, constipation, stomach pain, gas, belching, and hair loss. Can no longer eat fried, greasy food without feeling sick, which is good. Now I want healthy food instead."
- sou...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- March 23, 2023
For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am in my sixth week of Wegovy (4 weeks at 0.25 and now 2 at 0.5). I am a male in my early 50s, 5'9'' with a lot of weight to lose — about 120 pounds. In the first month, I experienced no side effects apart from reduced appetite and lost 10 pounds. I had just begun dieting when I started — nothing extreme, just eliminating the worst offenders: sugar, not eating after 6pm, and portion control. I have already lost 6 pounds this month. I have experienced some mild nausea this month on the 0.5 dose, nothing close to vomiting but definitely present, especially the two days after injection. Haven't had negative reactions to specific types of food like others have had until yesterday. Had some Korean BBQ and was burping garlic all night with some intestinal discomfort - so I guess that's a no go. I am considering holding at this dose before going up again. As long as the weight loss is happening at this rate, I am not keen to risk greater side effects."
- Nw2...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- June 20, 2021
For Type 2 Diabetes "Started April 1, 2021, on Ozempic low dose. 3-week intervals it was increased. Side effects were constipation (went on laxatives to help), pain in my back (severe), bloating. Week 11 increased to 1mg, the side effects were major bloating, diarrhea, sounds in my stomach (crazy), nauseous, feeling under the weather. My appetite has decreased to the point that I only eat 2 meals a day that are small. My sugar levels have decreased from 7.1 to 5.2 A1C. I’ve noticed that I have been kept awake some nights like I’m nervous for some reason. In the first 3 weeks, I’ve lost 15 pounds. Haven’t checked since I want to wait but can feel a difference. The pains in the stomach are really uncomfortable, and the bloating I will try gas-x for relief. When I try to eat more than I should, my body tells me that I’m full. If I go beyond that point, I get severe pains in the stomach for hours. But depends on what I eat. Going to stay with smaller portions/healthier foods."
- Dor...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- December 21, 2020
For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking Rybelsus 3mg. I was nauseous at first and constipated. I was also belching a lot. After 2 weeks, that seemed to stop. I've been on the 7mg for 17 days and the nausea, indigestion, stomach pain, and now diarrhea have been almost unbearable and are getting worse. I've also started feeling panicky and anxious in the middle of the night with rapid heartbeat. I'm stopping the 7mg tomorrow and calling my doctor. I can't feel like this at Christmas. Going to see if she will put me back on 3mg. My A1C was 9.0. I have no idea what it is now. I've also lost 18 lbs because I can barely eat anything. This isn't worth it."
More FAQ
- Why am I not losing weight on Ozempic?
- Does Ozempic cause muscle loss and how to prevent it?
- How much does semaglutide cost?
- How does semaglutide work for weight loss?
- Shy...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- November 1, 2021
For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Been on Wegovy for 7 weeks. Lost 14 pounds. 2nd week into 0.50 mg. It’s a little rough on my stomach. Taking prescription for nausea which happens the day of the injection. Feel tired and occasionally get severe abdominal pains. I can’t eat much and have to really watch the types of food. No greasy foods or spicy or heavy. The intestinal pains were very severe after eating wrong foods. I’m happy with the weight loss but the side effects are rough."
- Tom...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- April 13, 2023
For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started Wegovy in March 2022 with a goal of losing 50-75 pounds. I ended up losing a total of 85 pounds in about 11 months. I felt great upon taking the Wegovy. Only had mild headaches and mild stomach discomfort. I was not tired, I actually felt energized. However, by December, the nausea had reared its ugly head. I took Zofran, and it helped. I was able to stick it out with the nausea until February, at which time I stopped taking it. I could no longer live with the nausea. Since I stopped taking it, I have continued to suffer nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. My doctor and I are still trying to find the source of this continuing issue. I love the weight loss, and I love Wegovy!"
- GEF...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- January 9, 2022
For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I’ve been using Wegovy for 12 weeks. I’m up to 0.50 and staying here. Tried 1.0 and it was too strong. Felt nauseous and experienced painful stomach cramps with 1.0. I have reached my goal weight. I lost 35 pounds and I’m very happy with the process and results. The only negative is, I’m on thyroid medication and noticed hot flashes and heart palpitations I didn’t experience before. I had my levels checked and they are way off! Consulting with my doctor. Not sure if I’ll continue Wegovy."
- MKa...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- January 6, 2020
For Type 2 Diabetes "Have been on Ozempic for 3 months. Minimal side effects. With a diet change (no more chips, booze, and candy) and exercise, I was able to reduce my A1C from 11 to 5.8. I lost 70 pounds. Ever since Ozempic, I find it keeps my sugar consistent at 110 or under, even on cheat days. Mild stomach pain. It has reduced my hunger as others commented. While I am responsible for much of weight loss, the Ozempic had a strong role in it as well."
- Fif...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- August 29, 2021
For Type 2 Diabetes "On week 4 now, honestly, the first 2 weeks were a nightmare. Doctors don’t tell you to stay away from fatty foods and not to overeat. If they did, I wouldn’t have had the most horrible sulfur burps that made my eyes water, projectile vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain, not to mention constant nausea even during the night. I finally figured out not to eat too much and to avoid fatty foods completely! This was a game changer, and now I’m doing okay. I've lost 21 pounds so far, which is mad, but mostly because in 2 weeks I’ve eaten probably 4000 calories. I’m back to wanting to eat again but have to control myself or face the terrible consequences. Blood sugars are all over the place, as you can imagine, however, insulin sensitivity is way better. It just takes time to get used to. Hope this helps."
- Ros...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- February 25, 2020
For Type 2 Diabetes "This medicine did what it was supposed to. It lowered my A1C, but it also almost killed me off. I was so sick. I had to stop it. The worst medicine ever! I felt like I was reaching the end of my life. I couldn't do anything, couldn't eat, couldn't even get out of bed. I lost a lot of weight! My stomach hurt, my side hurt, my back hurt. I started feeling better once I quit taking it! I will never take it again! It almost felt like it was poisoning my entire body!"
- Lau...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- April 1, 2020
For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been prescribed Ozempic for weight loss secondary to type 2. I got nauseated with some loss of appetite at 0.25 mg dosage and adapted to it over a month. Lost 9 lbs in that month. I increased to 0.5 mg last Friday (it is Tuesday), and I am miserable. Non-stop nausea, burping, some pain in the stomach, constipated. I feel miserable. I am worried about the stomach pain being pancreatitis starting, so I am increasing my water. I haven't eaten in two days. I will not continue with this drug as I think this just cannot be a good thing to do to one's body."
- owl...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- April 26, 2021
For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been on Rybelsus for eight months, and I have lost about 34 lbs. I started on the 3 mg dosage, and after two months, moved up to 7 mg, where I have stayed. However, one of the major side effects is slowed gastric emptying, which can lead to extreme stomach pain if you make the mistake of eating too much in a day. After a couple of bad episodes, I had an endoscopy just to be sure nothing else was wrong - but ultimately, my gastroenterologist said that it's just the effect of Rybelsus."
- Cta...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- December 8, 2019
For Type 2 Diabetes "I was on Ozempic .5 for 6 months. During that time, I had severe stomach cramps and diarrhea. My blood pressure went out of control, causing my vision to double. I have 6th cranial nerve palsy caused by a spike in blood pressure. EKG now shows I have a right bundle branch blockage and may need a pacemaker. I never had anything like this before. I have had the same doctor for 15 years, and he is also concerned. I believe Ozempic is the root cause, my eyesight may not get completely normal. Will be getting legal advice."
- agg...
- June 7, 2021
For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking this 3 weeks ago. I didn’t really have any terrible side effects other than fatigue, but after my third injection, nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pain hit me with a vengeance. I feel like I ate rotten eggs. I’m not sure I want to continue taking this. I might try injecting it in my thigh like some others have tried. I hope it works because my glucose readings have been in the 90s to 120."
- Cla...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- December 12, 2020
For Type 2 Diabetes "I just got my A1C after 3.5 months on Rybelsus (one month at 3 mg and 2.5 at 7 mg), and I’m very excited that it’s dropped from 7.8 to 6.5! I have had some side effects - mainly stomach pain, gas, and occasional constipation - but the results are worth it. I haven’t had any significant weight loss, but my BMI was under 27 to start with, and because we had Thanksgiving recently, I normally would have gained a couple of pounds. If you have just started and are having side effects, try to hang in there. The first month was the worst for me."
- Chi...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- May 3, 2021
For Type 2 Diabetes "Diabetic & prescribed Ozempic .25 once weekly for a month & .50 once weekly for the 2nd month. Then increased to 1. 1xwkly thereafter. By the time I hit the first week on .50, I was having daily nausea. I called the provider & was told to start the .50 to see if my body could adjust. By the 2nd dose, I had severe daily nausea culminating in volatile vomiting to the point I was severely limited in maintaining daily activities. I made the decision to stop the medication & notified the doctor that my body could not handle it. By this time, I was experiencing constant belly pain. It hurt to drink water & eat as I would throw it up. This was the worst experience & I was agitated that it will take 5 long weeks to clear my system. I'm thinking it should have stopped sooner."
- Bec...
- December 28, 2020
For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking the Ozempic injection a week before Christmas and took my second 0.25 dose on Xmas Eve. I've felt slight nausea since taking it and very little desire to eat. My BS levels have been 95% in range ever since and have managed to reduce my long-acting insulin by 20 units. I have lost 6 lbs so far. I was astounded it came off in the first week. The only time I have had bad stomach pains is when I've eaten something bad, and I get terrible runs 20 mins after eating, but once I've been to the loo, pain stops. I had vomiting once because I think I overate a few days after taking it. I was super bloated, and a few hours later I threw up, then I felt fine again. So I just eat little and often, mostly grazing and picking at fruit. I was worried about taking this because of the comments I've read, and with having IBS, I didn't know if it would be bad for me. But I have no issues taking it, and so far, so good. It's still early days for me, but I would 100% recommend it."
- 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."
- jas...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- December 31, 2022
For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction "Warning, this stuff will make you sick. I have been taking this for 2 months. In the first month, I had terrible diarrhea. It got so bad I ended up going to the hospital. I told my doctor, and he said he doubted it was Ozempic, so I tried it again in the 2nd month on a higher dose, and the 2nd week in, again I was terribly ill, vomiting for 4 days straight with intermittent diarrhea and feeling absolutely awful. My night sleep is very broken with stomach pains, increased wind, nausea. I'm now stopping using it."
- Dee...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- November 22, 2022
For Type 2 Diabetes "T2D 15 years, morbidly obese. At the 3rd week at a dose of 0.5, I was unable to keep water down or take other medications. Other side effects were sulfur belching, burning acid, and pain in the stomach and up the throat, brown water vomit. Unable to sleep more than 2 hours at a time. Blood sugars as high as 345. Lost weight because I couldn't eat, but no appetite anyway. Constipated for days. Then had a bowel movement and horrible effects eased. Started at 325 lbs, lost 22 lbs. Couldn't handle any more and stopped taking it. Consulted the doctor and restarted after 3 weeks. Manageable up to the 3rd injection, and horrible symptoms started again. Going through all the same dramas again. Will quit for good now! Weight loss not worth it!"
- Anonymous
- November 9, 2019
For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been taking Ozempic now for three months. I started at 0.25, felt somewhat nauseous, not terrible. Then increased to 0.5 and again, not terrible. I also take Synjardy. I then went to 1 mg and that’s when the trouble started. I was at first getting sick maybe twice a week. But I lost weight and my A1C came down. But I noticed I was, after a while, getting bad stomach pains and constipated and/or the opposite. The worst was how many times I was getting sick. It went from possibly twice a week to two or three times every other day. And without warning, I would be driving, and it would hit me. So I called my doctor and asked to be decreased back down to 0.5. I did not want to get off it because I know it’s been helping. I do still get nauseous and sick sometimes, but not nearly as bad as at 1 mg. My appetite has decreased a lot to where I might only eat twice a day."
- oze...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- January 29, 2020
"I have been on Ozempic for 5 full months to help me lose weight. In that time, I have lost exactly 60 pounds (I had about 100 to lose). I was on 0.25 mg for 6 weeks, moved up to 0.5 mg thereafter, and have been on 1 mg for the past 4 weeks. I certainly experience stomach pains, headaches, absolutely no appetite, severe constipation, feel full almost immediately after eating more than 3-4 bites, and I am not sleeping as well. As of right now, the benefits are outweighing the negatives. I do not plan to stay on Ozempic long term because the possible thyroid cancer/tumors scare me. I am nervous upon stopping Ozempic that the weight gain will come right back."
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For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on 0.5 Ozempic for 2 months now. The nausea is no better. I vomit almost every day. Driving down the road and I begin to vomit. Almost caused me to wreck my car twice now. I've lost 30 pounds and feel terrible. My stomach hurts all the time and now my back. I do not urinate much at all even though I've increased water. Calling today and going off it. Losing weight is great, but not at the cost of feeling horrible every day."