Ozempic side effects may lead to hospitalization, long-term effects still unknown, doctors warn

drug-like Ozempick, Munjaro, Wigoby Very effective for weight loss. However, weight loss is not the only change a patient may experience.

Tilzepatide, marketed under the brand name Mounjaro, and semaglutide, marketed under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, are given as weekly injections. Also known as a GLP-1 receptor agonist.

Munjaro and Ozempic initially diabetes medicineWegovy, on the other hand, specializes in weight loss. Mounjaro and Wegovy are FDA approved for weight loss. Not so with Ozempic.

These drugs were originally prescribed to people with type 2 diabetes because they produce insulin to lower blood sugar levels. It also releases hormones that slow digestion and keep food in the patient’s stomach longer. This process reduces hunger and can lead to weight loss, but it can take a toll on your body.

What are the most common side effects?

According to the drug’s website, the most common side effects of Ozempic are nausea, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegobee, told CBS News that the drugs are “an established class of medicines that have demonstrated long-term safety in clinical trials. The most common side effects are: Like all GLP-1, it has gastrointestinal implications.”

Dr. Meera Shah, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, said nausea was the most common side effect seen in patients, followed by abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea. These side effects may improve over time, but at least 10% of patients who start these drugs have to stop taking them because the side effects don’t improve, Shah said.

Constant nausea and stomach pains are an unpleasant reality. Since the stomach and brain are so closely related, gut problems can cause stress, anxiety, and depression. This is known as “”.gut-brain connection. “

“Chronic abdominal pain and unpredictable gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, satiety, and constipation can have a significant impact on mood and energy levels,” says an academic health psychologist and gastroenterologist. said Laurie A. Kiefer, director of psychobehavioral research. On Mount Sinai, he told CBS News.

Kiefer said these symptoms can leave patients feeling isolated, overwhelmed and bewildered.

“Anxiety about when and where symptoms will occur can lead to avoidance of social activities, especially those focused on eating, and when toilets are not readily available.The brain and gut are very closely linked. “It creates a vicious cycle of worsening gastrointestinal symptoms,” she says.

What are the most serious side effects?

Other serious side effects of Ozempic include thyroid tumors, pancreatitis, vision changes, hypoglycemia, gallbladder problems, kidney failure, and cancer.

The most severe complications Shah sees in patients are pancreatitis and gallbladder problems, both of which can lead to hospitalization.

Although not mentioned on the Ozempic website, doctors report that some patients have severe appetite suppression. experience malnutrition. Shah said patients usually need to be advised to take multivitamins and protein supplements in addition to their medications because they are not getting the nutrients they need from their diet.

Model and TikTok star Remi Vader Said Earlier this year on the podcast “Not Thin But Not Fat,” she said her doctor prescribed Ozempic after she was found to be prediabetic and insulin resistant. She also had a goal of losing weight. However, when Ms. Vader stopped her medication, she regained the weight she had lost during the Ozempic, and her bulimia worsened afterwards.

Eating disorder experts stress that any type of hunger suppressant will work. lead to again Getting worse Eating disorder. Eating disorders cannot be cured by simply losing or gaining weight.

Shah said the most difficult part of her job today is deciphering whether patients who come to her for weight-loss pills have eating disorders. Sometimes she tells her that her patient has a history of eating disorders. In that case, she recommends consulting a behavioral psychologist on staff.

What about long term effects?

It is unknown what effect these drugs will have on the body after years of use if prescribed for weight loss.

“I’m very excited about how great [these drugs] “For sure they are very good, but there is a bit of an unknown in the long run,” Shah told CBS News. don’t know. “

But weight loss advocates warn that there are also long-term health risks from obesity. According to the CDC, “People who are overweight or obese are at higher risk than healthy-weight people for many serious diseases and conditions.” Includes heart disease and stroke.

If you or someone you know needs help, Anorexia Nervosa and Related Disorders Helpline toll-free 1-888-375-7767.