With all the interest in Ozempic, there’s been some talk around its side effects. For example, you might have seen the terms “Ozempic face” or “Ozempic mouth” in the media (these aren’t medical terms nor official side effects of the medicine—and they aren’t anything to be particularly worried about).
So, you might be wondering: is Ozempic safe? For most people who meet the prescribing criteria, the answer is yes. Here’s what you need to know.
By the way: Ozempic and Wegovy are different brand names for the same medicine: semaglutide. Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes, though it’s used off-label for weight. Whereas Wegovy is approved for weight loss.
Most common side effects of Ozempic
Over one in ten people taking Ozempic might get side effects. Mostly, these are mild and clear up on their own.
Common side effects include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Flatulence
- Fatigue
FYI: all medicines have side effects. And a qualified provider will weigh up the “negatives” of Ozempic (side effects) against its potential benefits when deciding to prescribe it. They won’t give it to you if they don’t think it’s safe for you to take.
What are the worst Ozempic side effects?
It’s uncommon, but Ozempic can sometimes bring on more serious side effects.
Pancreatitis
The pancreas can become inflamed in up to 1% of people taking Ozempic. If you experience severe pain in your back or stomach that doesn’t go away, see your doctor asap.
Allergic reaction
Up to 0.1% of people may have an allergic reaction to Ozempic. Here, your face, lips, tongue and throat might swell up, causing difficulty breathing. If that’s you, seek help immediately.
Side effects support at Voy
"If you're using Voy and you experience any side effects, rest assured that our expert clinicians are just a message or phone call away. They can adjust your dose, prescribe medication to ease your symptoms, or simply offer reassurance.
Everyone responds differently to weight loss treatment and we'll help you find what feels right for you."
Do Ozempic side effects go away?
Most of the time, yes. Symptoms are usually mild to moderate and sort themselves out after a few lifestyle changes.
Everyone reacts to medicine differently, but to give you an idea of how long that might take: in clinical research on semaglutide, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting cleared within a few days.
If your symptoms stick around, or if you think you have any of the serious side effects we mentioned above, it’s best to see a doctor.
How to manage the side effects of Ozempic
We’re happy to report that Ozempic side effects are usually pretty manageable.
If you’re dealing with diarrhoea or vomiting, make sure you get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. Getting some fresh air, or sipping a mug of ginger or peppermint tea, might help with nausea.
Steering clear of food and drink that might upset your stomach is also a good idea. For example, greasy or spicy foods, caffeine or fizzy drinks.
But to reiterate: if your symptoms don’t go away, are bothering you or getting worse, check in with your provider.
Who shouldn’t use Ozempic?
Your provider will review your medical history and decide whether Ozempic is right for you. But it’s not recommended if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have a personal or family history of either multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2) or thyroid cancer.
Can you take Ozempic with high blood pressure?
Great question. Having high blood pressure, aka hypertension, doesn’t disqualify you from taking Ozempic (or Wegovy weight loss injections).
In fact, studies show that semaglutide has many other benefits beyond weight loss and may even help to lower blood pressure.
This may be particularly good news for people with type 2 diabetes. Hypertension is twice as common in people with diabetes compared to those without the disease—and both conditions are related to being overweight. In studies of people with type 2 diabetes, semaglutide not only helped with weight loss but also improved blood pressure.
Is Ozempic safe?
Yes, Ozempic is generally reported to be well-tolerated with manageable side effects.
One review of six clinical trials, which included 3,962 participants in total, concluded that while side effects were common they were mostly mild to moderate and typically only lasted a few days.
Data taken from people using semaglutide in the real world echoes these findings: Ozempic/Wegovy side effects are largely mild.
Your weight loss journey
If you’re feeling stuck in your weight loss journey—we see you. It can be difficult to lose weight through lifestyle change alone.
Weight loss medication may be able to help. And you can get weekly medication posted to you, plus lifestyle guidance from our clinicians and coaches, through our weight loss programme. We don’t offer Ozempic for weight loss but have plenty of alternatives: Wegovy and Mounjaro weight loss injections are available.
Take our quiz to see if you’re eligible.
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