Mounjaro® Vomiting: Causes and Risks

Mounjaro affects the gastrointestinal system and may be the cause of nausea and vomiting in some users. In clinical trials, more than one in five people taking Mounjaro experienced nausea, and as many as one in 10 experienced vomiting.

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a dual agonist drug. This means it functions in two ways, as both a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist. This type of medication can be effective for controlling type 2 diabetes and promoting weight loss. But, studies suggest it carries a higher risk of serious gastrointestinal side effects like vomiting.

Some Mounjaro vomiting risks include:

• Delayed gastric emptying: Mounjaro delays digestion, which makes people feel fuller for longer and may lead to weight loss. However, having food in your stomach for longer periods of time can increase nausea and vomiting.
• Chronic conditions: Mounjaro has been associated with pancreatitis, kidney injury, gastroparesis and intestinal obstructions. These serious side effects may first present with symptoms like vomiting. Patients taking Mounjaro should be closely monitored for vomiting as well as abdominal pain and nausea.

Patients frequently report common symptoms in connection with Mounjaro use. These symptoms include nausea, abdominal pain and episodes of prolonged vomiting.

More specifically:

• Numerous studies suggest that diarrhea, indigestion, nausea and vomiting are common among people taking various doses of Mounjaro.
• Type 2 diabetes patients involved in clinical trials reported that gastrointestinal effects were typically mild to moderate and experienced in the early stages of treatment. Over time, these symptoms decreased, and a lower dose was followed by fewer gastrointestinal problems.
• Research indicates that “second-generation” GLP-1 medications (like Mounjaro) effectively control blood sugar and promote greater weight loss than their “first-generation” counterparts (like Ozempic®). But they may still lead to a high incidence of gastrointestinal side effects, especially nausea and vomiting.

Some of the more common side effects associated with the drug include:

• Constipation: Mounjaro slows down digestion, which results in a backup in the colon for about one in 13 users of the medication.
• Diarrhea: Approximately 12% to 17% of those participating in clinical trials experienced diarrhea while taking Mounjaro. 
• Lack of appetite: Mounjaro delays the digestion of food and, as a result, can lead to temporary loss of appetite. Studies suggest this is more likely when the dosage is increased.
• Nausea: As many as 22% of people taking Mounjaro in clinical trials reported nausea with the medication.
• Vomiting: Some Mounjaro users experience severe, unresolved nausea that leads to frequent vomiting.

Can vomiting while taking Mounjaro indicate a serious health condition?

Yes, vomiting on Mounjaro might indicate a serious health condition. Patients may experience side effects from Mounjaro when they start taking the medication or move to a higher dosage. Some side effects last a few days or weeks. Others may last longer and indicate a severe health issue. Severe side effects on the drug’s warning label include:

• Acute kidney injury: Mounjaro can make kidney failure or kidney disease worse in patients who already have one or both of these issues and are experiencing diarrhea and vomiting. Mounjaro side effects may also increase the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) if a patient becomes severely dehydrated due to the medication’s potential side effects of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
• Electrolyte imbalances: Prolonged vomiting can cause dehydration and low potassium levels. Research shows that swift weight loss with gastrointestinal systems could impact electrolyte balance. Mounjaro vomiting that doesn’t resolve itself can cause the user to become dehydrated, leading to electrolyte imbalance.
• Gallbladder issues: About 1 in 200 people in clinical trials who took Mounjaro developed acute gallbladder disease typically caused by gallstones.
• Hypoglycemia: Many people have trouble managing their blood sugar due to vomiting. While Mounjaro isn’t believed to cause hypoglycemia, low blood sugar may result when it’s used in combination with insulin or sulfonylureas. Hypoglycemia can be severe if GLP-1 medications are taken with other drugs that lower blood sugar.
• Serious allergic reactions: Mounjaro may cause an allergic reaction at the site of the injection. Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, may also come about.
• Thyroid cancer: The Mounjaro label includes a “black box” warning of cancerous and non-cancerous thyroid tumors related to the medication.

Red-flag symptoms that may require immediate medical attention include severe abdominal pain after meals and persistent nausea or vomiting.

Vomiting while taking Mounjaro may be connected to some serious health risks that are not adequately disclosed on the drug’s warning label. These risks include:

• Gastroparesis: Also known as delayed stomach emptying, gastroparesis causes abdominal pain, bloating, fullness, nausea and vomiting.
• Ileus: The FDA has added a warning for ileus (a condition that can cause bowel obstruction) to medications similar to Mounjaro. Mounjaro contains no such warning, but research shows that such obstructions have occurred in patients taking the drug.
• Intestinal obstructions: One serious health risk linked to taking GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro is intestinal obstruction potentially caused by delayed digestion.
• Necrotizing pancreatitis: Patients treated with GLP-1 RAs like Mounjaro have experienced acute and necrotizing pancreatitis. Researchers conducting clinical studies observed 14 occurrences of acute pancreatitis in 13 patients taking Mounjaro.

Managing nausea from Mounjaro

People may be able to manage nausea and vomiting while taking Mounjaro by:

• Avoiding fatty foods that take longer to digest and might worsen side effects
• Eating small meals periodically throughout the day
• Evading strong smells (e.g., cleaning solutions)
• Limiting drinks to 30 to 60 minutes before or after eating a meal (not during the meal)
• Consuming apples, crackers, and mint or ginger beverages 30 minutes after taking Mounjaro
• Not eating too fast
• Waiting at least two hours after eating to lie down
• Only eating when hungry and stopping when full

Be sure to discuss your side effects with your doctor. If the nausea and vomiting persist, you should be examined for more serious health conditions.

People who’ve experienced severe side effects in connection with Mounjaro and similar drugs are filing lawsuits. The lawsuits are filed against GLP-1 medication manufacturers, including Mounjaro maker Eli Lilly. These lawsuits allege that Eli Lilly:

• Didn’t warn patients and medical professionals about the dangerous side effects linked to the use of GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro
• Led users to believe Mounjaro was safe to use
• Promoted Mounjaro for weight loss when it’s only FDA-approved to manage type 2 diabetes.

The Mounjaro lawsuits have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Multidistrict litigation combines similar civil cases and moves them to one federal court for pretrial proceedings. The GLP-1 MDL includes cases connected to the use of Mounjaro and similar GLP-1 medications, like Ozempic and Wegovy®.

Motley Rice attorney Jonathan Orent has been appointed co-lead counsel and a member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee (PEC) in the MDL. Motley Rice Attorney Sara Couch was also appointed to the PEC as chair of the Marketing Discovery committee.

Our medical attorneys have represented thousands of patients seriously injured by dangerous prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Our work includes helping people file lawsuits involving diabetes medications. If you believe a weight loss or diabetes medication like tirzepatide made you sick or harmed your health, our attorneys have the resources to evaluate your potential claim.

A Motley Rice lawyer can help you by:

• Investigating your harm: Our team can help you analyze medical costs, lost wages and other damages for which you may be eligible to receive compensation.
• Building your case: Filing a tirzepatide lawsuit is complex. A knowledgeable lawyer can help you identify what you need to build a strong claim.
• Gathering evidence: We can request medical records on your behalf and help you collect all the necessary documentation to prove your claim.
• Litigating your case: Our knowledgeable team is prepared to take your case to trial and try for your best outcome.

Read more on our medical drug litigation experience.

Do not stop taking a prescribed medication without first consulting your doctor. Discontinuing a prescribed medication without your doctor’s advice can result in injury or death. Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy remain approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.