Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy are weekly injection drugs that aid in weight loss but may cause other changes in patients. Mounjaro acts as a GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, while Ozempic and Wegovy act as GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Mounjaro and Ozempic were first used for diabetes, while Wegovy is solely for weight loss. They’re given as injections, but Ozempic and Wegovy might become available in pill form. Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight loss, unlike Ozempic and Mounjaro.

Initially used for Type 2 diabetes, these drugs help by increasing insulin and reducing blood sugar. They also release a hormone that slows digestion, leading to weight loss, but it may have side effects on the body.

Typical Side Effects of Ozempic & Wegovy

The main side effects of Ozempic, as stated on the website, are nausea, stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, says the drugs “are a well-established class of medicines, which have demonstrated long-term safety in clinical trials. The most common adverse reactions, as with all GLP-1s, are gastrointestinal related.”

Dr. Meera Shah, an endocrinologist, states that nausea, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea are common side effects of these drugs. Persistent side effects lead to 10% of patients stopping the drugs, and the gut-brain connection can cause stress, anxiety, and depression.

Laurie A. Keefer, a health psychologist, explains that chronic abdominal pain and unpredictable digestive symptoms can greatly impact mood and energy levels. These symptoms may leave patients feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and embarrassed. Avoiding social activities, particularly those that involve food or when bathrooms are difficult to access, can result from anxiety about when and where symptoms might manifest. In a vicious cycle, the gastrointestinal problems may get worse as a result of the emotional symptoms.

Serious Side Effects of Ozempic & Wegovy

Ozempic’s severe side effects include thyroid tumors, pancreatitis, vision changes, low blood sugar, gallbladder problems, kidney failure, and cancer. Shah, a medical professional, observed pancreatitis and gallbladder issues as the most critical complications in her patients, potentially requiring hospitalization.

Some patients using Ozempic have experienced severe appetite suppression leading to malnutrition, despite it not being mentioned on the website. To address this, doctors, like Shah, advise patients to take multivitamins or protein supplements.

Model and TikTok star Remi Bader said on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast earlier this year that a doctor prescribed Ozempic for weight loss but regained the lost weight after stopping the medication, worsening her binge eating disorder. Hunger suppressants can exacerbate eating disorders, and Shah finds it challenging to determine if weight-loss seekers also have eating disorders, referring them to behavioral psychologists when necessary.

Long Term Effects of Ozempic & Wegovy

It’s unclear how these drugs, when prescribed for weight loss, affect the body after years of use.

“There’s a lot of excitement about how good [these drugs] are, and certainly they are very good, but there’s a little bit of an unknown in terms of long term,” Shah told CBS News. “At some point does your body not respond to it anymore? I don’t know.”

The long-term health risks linked to obesity are highlighted by weight-loss advocates. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop serious diseases and health conditions than those who are at a healthy weight, according to the CDC. Stroke, coronary heart disease, and hypertension are among the risks.