Ozempic Side Effects

Ozempic treats type 2 diabetes by mimicking hormones that moderate insulin release, slow the movement of food and reduce appetite. These effects can change how the body functions.

Prescription medications include a label with warnings about the medication. The Ozempic warning label lists many restrictions, precautions and side effects:

• Acute kidney injury: When the buildup of waste makes it difficult for the kidneys to function
• Allergic reaction: Shortness of breath, swelling, dizziness, rash and itchiness 
• Diabetic retinopathy: An eye condition caused by high sugar levels in the blood. The condition can cause blindness and vision loss in people with diabetes. 
• Gallbladder disease: A blockage or infection in the bile duct that backs up into the gallbladder. The disease can affect other digestive system organs as well.
• Hepatobiliary (cholecystitis): Affects the bile duct, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and impacts how the body takes in nutrients and removes waste
• Hypersensitivity reactions: An extreme immune response triggered by the medication, such as severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis
• Hypoglycemia: When blood sugar levels are lower than the standard range
• Ileus: Occurs when intestinal movement slows or stops without a physical blockage being present
• Pancreatitis: When enzymes or digestive juices attack the pancreas, causing inflammation. Pancreatitis can resolve quickly or can develop into a chronic issue. The label specifically mentions acute pancreatitis.
• Pulmonary aspiration: When a person accidentally breathes something (usually fluid or food) into the windpipe (trachea) and lungs. The foreign object causes coughing, trouble breathing and sometimes choking.
• Severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions: This item was recently (May 2026) added to the warning label and does not include much detail about what warrants a severe gastrointestinal reaction.
• Thyroid tumors: Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) forms inside the medulla or thyroid gland. MTC can spread to the lymph nodes and other organs. 

Adverse reactions to Ozempic

The most common adverse reactions reported on Ozempic’s warning label include:

• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Nausea and vomiting

If you are currently taking Ozempic or any other semaglutide drug and are experiencing new or worsening semaglutide side effects, consult your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Receiving medical treatment or stopping the medication can reduce the severity of side effects. Some Ozempic users find their symptoms continue even after they stop taking the drug.

Ozempic manufacturers disclose many side effects in its medication guide and prescribing information. However, other potentially serious health problems are not included on the warning label. Incomplete warning and prescribing information is a problem because it does not give doctors and patients a full idea of the risk they are taking on when they decide to begin a new medication. 

People are filing Ozempic lawsuits that claim Novo Nordisk knew or should have known about the risk of certain severe side effects. These are called failure to warn lawsuits. Many plaintiffs say they would’ve made a different decision for themselves if they had known the risks before beginning the medication.

Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis occurs when the intestines and stomach become inflamed. The condition can be far more severe than mild nausea and vomiting. The side effects of dehydration may require hospitalization. Continued symptoms can make it difficult to complete daily tasks.

Ileus

This condition occurs when the intestines don’t contract normally to move food. Ileus can lead to dangerous physical blockages or bowel obstructions, which may require emergency surgery or turn fatal.

Because ileus wasn’t officially listed on the Ozempic warning label until September 2023, people who experienced this condition before then may have grounds for a legal case.

Intestinal blockages

An intestinal blockage may make it nearly impossible for food and waste to move through the body as it needs to. 

While this may seem similar to ileus, which is caused by muscle paralysis, an intestinal blockage only happens when a physical blockage is present. 

Muscle loss

Taking Ozempic could lead to extreme muscle loss. This loss can occur when people lose weight quickly without exercising and eating a balanced diet. Also known as sarcopenia, severe muscle loss can lead to death. 

Sarcopenia can also lead to other severe side effects and conditions. These can include insulin resistance, reduced bone density and lowered metabolism.

Stomach paralysis (gastroparesis)

Gastroparesis slows down the movement of stomach muscles, preventing the stomach from emptying properly. This can lead to many debilitating symptoms and other alleged Ozempic side effects.

Gastroparesis can be a serious medical condition with no cure. It causes painful cramping, nausea and vomiting that can require hospitalization. Motley Rice is currently representing people who developed severe gastroparesis after taking semaglutide medication. 

Learn more about how to file an Ozempic lawsuit for gastroparesis.

Vision changes and loss

NAION (nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy) is a condition in which the arteries in the optic nerve become inflamed. The inflammation may impact a person’s sight, potentially leading to blindness.

Ozempic’s label warns of diabetic retinopathy, a type of vision loss associated with diabetes. Because NAION and diabetic retinopathy may have similar symptoms, misdiagnoses are possible.

If you or a loved one has experienced vision changes after taking Ozempic or other semaglutide drugs, consult with your doctor about the possibility of NAION.
Attorneys can also help evaluate your eligibility to join GLP-1 vision loss lawsuits.

Other potential unlisted Ozempic side effects

Consumers have reported other side effects after starting Ozempic or Wegovy, including:

• Malnutrition: You can become malnourished when your body is deprived of nutrients, minerals and vitamins. 
• Blood clots and deep vein thrombosis: Blood clots are coagulated clumps of blood. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is caused by blood clotting deep in the body. DVT is a very serious condition that can lead to pulmonary embolism.

Anyone taking Ozempic, Rybelsus®, Mounjaro™ or any GLP-1 drug should contact their healthcare provider if they experience new or worsening side effects. It may also be in your best interests to connect with an Ozempic lawyer to explore your legal options.

Thousands of people have allegedly been harmed by Ozempic. Records indicate manufacturer Novo Nordisk knew about these risks. Ozempic’s predecessor, Saxenda, caused similar side effects and has been on the market since 2014.

Patients experiencing severe Ozempic side effects report that symptoms made daily tasks and normal life difficult or impossible.

Novo Nordisk lawsuits may achieve justice and compensation for affected people. Compensation can help people cover financial losses, medical expenses and other relevant economic and non-economic damages.

Our law firm has years of experience representing the interests of patients who became seriously ill and endured debilitating side effects associated with prescribed medications. We also represent Wegovy and Ozempic patients.

If you or someone you love experienced severe symptoms related to the use of these diabetes and weight loss drugs, our personal injury attorneys may be able to help. We have the knowledge and resources to help you demand justice.

Our team can help you:

• Investigate whether Ozempic could be the cause of your vision changes, gastroparesis, intestinal blockages or other side effects
• Review whether Novo Nordisk failed to warn you about the potential off-label side effects adequately
• Help build and file your case if you qualify

Read more on our medical drug experience.

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