Key takeaways

  • Ozempic can cause common side effects such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
  • Serious side effects of Ozempic may include diabetic retinopathy, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, and an increased risk of thyroid cancer.
  • Although most side effects of Ozempic are generally short term, certain side effects may last long term. Examples include gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, and thyroid cancer.

Ozempic (semaglutide) can be used for certain conditions, including helping manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is available as an injection and oral tablet. Side effects between the two forms are similar.

This article explains the possible side effects of Ozempic and what to do if you experience them.

The more commonly reported side effects of Ozempic include:

  • abdominal pain
  • constipation
  • diarrhea
  • nausea or vomiting
How to manage digestive side effects from Ozempic

Here are a few tips for helping to manage digestive side effects:

Digestive side effects, including nausea,vomiting, and diarrhea, may also be more common during dose increases.

Read more: GLP-1s and Gastrointestinal (GI) Side Effects: How to Manage Them

Less common side effects include:

  • changes in the way things taste, such as foods tasting metallic, bitter, sour, or overly salty
  • burping or flatulence (gas)
  • dizziness, which may be a sign of low blood sugar or dehydration.
  • headache
  • fatigue (low energy), which may be due to low blood sugar or reduced calorie intake
  • indigestion or acid reflux
  • injection site reactions, such as when the skin around the injection site may become warm to the touch, discolored, or swollen.
  • minor increase, 2 to 3 beats per minute, in heart rate

In most cases, these side effects are temporary and easy to manage. If you have ongoing symptoms or symptoms that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Do not stop using Ozempic unless your doctor recommends it.

This article does not include all possible side effects of Ozempic. To learn more, talk with your doctor or pharmacist or refer to the drug’s prescribing information.

Examples of serious side effects reported with Ozempic include:

Serious side effects from Ozempic are usually rare. For example:

  • Acute pancreatitis was reported in 0.3% of people in the drug’s studies.
  • Low blood sugar occurred with both the injection and pill form of Ozempic, and severe low blood sugar was reported between 0.8% and 1.2% of the time when Ozempic injection was used in combination with a sulfonylurea medication, such as glipizide.

If you experience side effects that seem serious, talk with your doctor. If you experience side effects that are life threatening, call 911 or your local emergency number right away.

Boxed warning: Risk of thyroid cancer

Ozempic has a boxed warning for the risk of thyroid cancer.

In animal studies, semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic) caused thyroid tumors, including a type of cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). But it is unknown if it causes them in humans.

Symptoms to watch for include a lump or swelling in the neck, trouble swallowing, hoarseness, or shortness of breath.

If you have a family or personal history of MTC or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), your doctor will likely not prescribe Ozempic for you.

Experiencing side effects? After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. If you develop a side effect while taking this drug and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.

In general, the side effects of Ozempic are similar in females and males. But some research suggests that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, such as Ozempic, may cause side effects more often in females than males.

The use of binary terms such as “male” and “female” or “men” and “women” in this article reflects the language of the sources we’ve used. Unless otherwise noted, it’s unclear whether the research we reference included participants with expansive gender identities.

The mild side effects of Ozempic are typically temporary or manageable while you’re using the drug.

However, after stopping Ozempic, it could take your body about 5 weeks after your last dose to fully clear the drug from your system. Side effects are possible during this period.

You could experience some serious side effects, such as worsening diabetic retinopathy, even after Ozempic has been fully cleared from your system.

If you have questions or concerns about how long side effects could last, talk with your doctor.

Medical Perspective

Can switching GLP-1 medications help with side effects?

“It is possible that switching GLP-1 medications can help reduce negative side effects as your body may tolerate one GLP-1 better than another. Consult your doctor on which GLP-1 may be best for you.”

— Philip Ngo, PharmD

Read more: Ozempic vs. Mounjaro: Which One is Right for You?

Quotes represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Yes, Ozempic can cause weight loss in some people. This drug is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss, but, in studies, some people using Ozempic lost weight. In these studies, Ozempic was used alone or in combination with other treatments for type 2 diabetes.

If you get pregnant while using Ozempic, your doctor will likely recommend stopping it.

It’s unknown whether using Ozempic during pregnancy or while breastfeeding is safe. In animal studies, semaglutide use during pregnancy caused fetal death, structural abnormalities, growth alterations, and early pregnancy losses. Doctors typically recommend stopping Ozempic at least 2 months before trying to get pregnant.

Read more: Details about Ozempic with pregnancy and breastfeeding

No, it’s unlikely. Hair loss wasn’t seen in studies of Ozempic, but it can be an indirect result of the physiological changes your body goes through during treatment. Losing weight too quickly can cause physical stress on your body due to hormonal imbalances and nutritional deficiencies.

There may also be links between hair loss and type 2 diabetes.

Also, many people with diabetes take medications to treat other chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). In rare cases, certain drugs used to treat CVD, such as statins or angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, may cause hair loss.

Ozempic can sometimes cause harmful effects in people with certain conditions. This is known as a drug-condition interaction. Other factors may also affect whether Ozempic is a good treatment option for you.

Talk with your doctor about your medical history before starting Ozempic. Be sure to tell them if any of the following factors apply to you:

After reading about Ozempic’s side effects, there are a few things you can do today:

  • Make small adjustments to your diet to help manage side effects and improve treatment success.
  • Plan how you want to track side effects so you can watch for any patterns. You can also consider noting what helped you find relief for future reference, such as when your doctor increases your dose.
  • Write down a list of questions for things you want to research more about or talk with your doctor about.
  • Make a note of which side effects would prompt you to call your doctor and when you should call 911 or your local emergency number.

Disclaimer: While Healthline strives for factual, comprehensive, and current information, this article is not a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional’s expertise. Always consult a doctor before taking or discontinuing any medication. Drug information is subject to change and may not cover all uses, directions, precautions, warnings, interactions, reactions, or adverse effects. The lack of a warning does not guarantee a drug’s safety, effectiveness, or appropriateness for all patients or specific uses. Learn more about our approach to content integrity.

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