How Long Can You Stay on Ozempic?

While Ozempic is FDA-approved to treat only type 2 diabetes, it’s also often used off-label to treat obesity and other medical conditions. However, the FDA has not approved Ozempic for weight loss. This means the drug has not been studied or federally reviewed for safety in patients seeking weight loss. Ozempic is also known by its generic name, semaglutide.

Semaglutide slows the natural movement of food through the digestive system. This is called a delay in gastric emptying. Delayed gastric emptying makes you feel full for a longer time after eating. This effect can help people who want to lose weight by reducing their caloric intake and helping manage blood glucose levels.

Patients taking Ozempic for weight loss may believe they can stop taking the drug once they reach their goal weight. Unfortunately, studies and anecdotal evidence show weight loss patients who stop taking semaglutide are likely to regain a significant amount of the weight they lost.

Independent studies have also found serious Ozempic risks and side effects, including many off-label side effects and risks. These findings indicate that continued use could be dangerous or even life-threatening for some weight loss patients.

There isn’t a set time for patients to stay on Ozempic. If you experience side effects, talk to your provider about whether you should stop taking Ozempic. Be sure to speak to your doctor first before you stop taking the drug. If you come off the medication too quickly, you may experience serious side effects, including withdrawal, vomiting, nausea, constipation and diarrhea.

How long do you take Ozempic for diabetes?

You can keep taking Ozempic as long as your doctor can see that the medication works well for you and your body tolerates it. Although Ozempic is approved to treat type 2 diabetes, it isn’t approved to treat type 1 diabetes.

Your healthcare provider will determine a starting dosage. Ozempic prescribing information recommends beginning at 0.25 mg. Per the manufacturer’s recommendations, your provider may increase your dose to 0.5 mg injections once per week for another four consecutive weeks. The maximum recommended dosage is 2 mg weekly for type 2 diabetes.

How long can you be on Ozempic for weight loss?

Ozempic is a long-term medication that has also been prescribed for off-label use. Patients taking the drug for weight loss are likely to remain on the drug long term if they do not have any adverse reactions. However, it is important to remember that Ozempic is not FDA-approved for anything other than type 2 diabetes. Patients experiencing side effects while taking Ozempic for weight loss may need to stop taking the drug at some point in their treatment.

Wegovy® is Ozempic’s sister drug. Both drugs have semaglutide as the active ingredient. However, Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight loss. The approval comes with several limitations that patients must meet. Doctors may prescribe Ozempic off-label to help patients manage their weight.

Ozempic side effects often impact patients while they continue taking the drug.

The side effects that may pose the most significant risk include:

• Acute kidney injury
• Cholelithiasis
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Gastrointestinal disturbances
• Hypoglycemia
• Increased heart rate
• Pancreatic cancer
• Pancreatitis
• Stomach paralysis
• Thyroid cancer

At this time, it’s unclear how Ozempic or Wegovy will affect the body after years of continued use. It’s common for some people to stop responding to prescription drugs after taking them for a long time. There is no denying the need for additional research on the long-term effectiveness of Ozempic, Rybelsus®, Wegovy, Mounjaro® and semaglutide.

Since the long-term impact is still unclear, it is crucial to pay close attention to potential side effects and how your body responds to semaglutide. If you are taking Ozempic to lose weight, don’t stop taking the medication once you reach your goal weight unless your doctor tells you to. Coming off Ozempic can bring serious side effects, including dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea and weight regain.

Side effects linked to Ozempic use range from mild to severe. While many have been included on the warning label, other potential risks are not on the warning label.

Common side effects

The Ozempic prescribing label lists many potential side effects. Some of these include:

• Abdominal pain
• Acid reflux
• Blood clots
• Bowel obstruction
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Patients who receive a higher dose of Ozempic may be more likely to experience side effects. For example, during clinical trials:

• 15.8% of patients taking 0.5 mg of Ozempic reported having nausea
• 20.3% of patients taking 1 mg of Ozempic reported having nausea

Some side effects of Ozempic affect patients while they take the medication. Some patients continue to cope with adverse reactions after stopping the drug. In extreme cases, Ozempic patients may deal with lifelong conditions as a result of their semaglutide use.

If severe side effects are making it difficult or impossible for you to live your daily life, consult with your doctor. They may recommend methods to treat these symptoms or have you stop taking Ozempic entirely.

Taking Ozempic on a long-term basis may also increase the likelihood of serious side effects, whether you are taking semaglutide for on or off-label use. Some of the most severe side effects and potential adverse reactions include:

• Acute gallbladder disease
• Acute kidney injury
• Allergic reactions
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Hypoglycemia (when used with sulfonylurea or insulin)
• Ileus
• Increased risk of thyroid tumors
• Intestinal blockages
• Medullary thyroid carcinoma
• Multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type two
• Pancreatitis
• Thyroid c-cell tumors
• Vision loss and changes

The FDA is also investigating other serious side effects of Ozempic that were not included on the warning label, including alopecia and suicidal ideation. This is after Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, added gallbladder disease and ileus to the warning label after already being on the market for several years. Novo Nordisk also advises against the use of semaglutide if you or an immediate blood relative have had medullary thyroid cancer. You should also avoid counterfeit versions of the drug recently found in the U.S. drug supply chain.

Contact your physician immediately if you are taking Ozempic and notice swelling in the throat, symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or extreme abdominal pain that will not go away. You may need urgent medical treatment and care. Do not stop taking Ozempic without consulting your doctor.

Intestinal blockages

A gastrointestinal condition called ileus may lead to an intestinal blockage (also called bowel obstruction). Ileus is when the muscles of the intestines cannot contract and move food through the system. This can lead to a physical blockage that further prevents food and liquids from properly moving through the intestines.

Common symptoms of intestinal blockages include:

• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Abdominal swelling
• Constipation
• Loss of desire to eat
• Vomiting

Intestinal blockages are a very serious condition that can sometimes become fatal if left untreated.

Vision loss and changes

Vision loss and other eye changes have also been reported by Ozempic users. This includes a condition called nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). This eye condition can lead to vision loss or blindness.

A recent study published in JAMA Ophthalmology examined nine patients who were either taking a semaglutide or a tirzepatide drug. Seven of those patients had NAION.

People with NAION may experience:

• Blurred vision
• Distortion of color
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Loss of contract or sensitivity to light
• Seeing dark or gray spots that don’t move

While “changes in vision” is listed as a serious side effect on the Ozempic warning label, NAION is not currently listed or mentioned on the label.

Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis stops your stomach from being able to contract and push food through your digestive system.

Ozempic is designed to slow digestion. But, when stomach movement (motility) is too low or stops altogether, it could prevent the stomach from emptying. This can lead to blockages and may require surgery to correct.

Some common symptoms associated with gastroparesis include:

• Abdominal bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Acid reflux
• Feeling full after consuming a small amount of food
• Increased blood sugar levels
• Lack of appetite
• Malnutrition
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Weight loss

You should not stop Ozempic without talking with your doctor first. Your physician will be able to prepare you for potential side effects that come with stopping Ozempic. If you stop taking any medication prescribed on a long-term basis, you could experience withdrawal. With Ozempic, this may include destabilized blood sugar, appetite changes and rapid weight gain.

Withdrawal occurs because your body has gotten used to receiving semaglutide. Instead of stopping Ozempic abruptly, you should consult with your doctor to work out a plan for tapering off your dose. If you experience several of the following serious side effects, contact your doctor as soon as possible:

• Allergic reaction
• Changes in vision
• Confusion
• Difficulty breathing
• Dizziness
• Extreme abdominal pain
• Feeling shaky
• Itching
• Kidney failure
• Mood changes
• Rapid heartbeat
• Rash
• Severe vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Sweating
• Weakness

You may also need to stop Ozempic if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant. The Ozempic prescribing information states that semaglutide should be stopped at least two months before becoming pregnant. It can take a significant amount of time for semaglutide to clear out of your system.

Whether you are taking Ozempic for on or off-label uses, you may need to plan on continuing the medication for the rest of your life. However, it is important to weigh the potential side effects and benefits with your doctor, as adverse reactions and serious side effects may not be worth the risk.

When you stop taking Ozempic, you may experience side effects and symptoms of withdrawal. You could potentially regain some or all of the weight you lost. Healthcare providers may consider Ozempic a lifelong treatment, so it is important to discuss potential side effects with your doctor if you are going to stop taking semaglutide. Ozempic is not a cure for diabetes or obesity, so it will stop working when you stop taking it.

Your body may react by experiencing symptoms of Ozempic withdrawal, including:

• Binge eating
• Blood glucose level increases
• Increased appetite
• Increased facial volume
• Weight regain

It is especially important to be aware of the "rebound effect" that could occur whether you are taking Ozempic for type 2 diabetes or weight loss. The rebound effect is when the condition you were treating with Ozempic comes back even stronger after the drug loses its effectiveness or you stop taking it.

Diabetic patients who stop Ozempic could become hypoglycemic and experience much lower blood sugar levels than before starting semaglutide. Patients taking Ozempic to treat obesity may gain some or all of the weight lost or end up weighing more than before taking Ozempic.

Our medical lawyers at Motley Rice have decades of experience advocating for patients who have suffered after taking dangerous prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs.

If you have been prescribed Ozempic, Wegovy or another semaglutide weight loss drug and have experienced an injury, you may have the right to file a lawsuit as a way to be compensated for your injuries and harms. Our attorneys can help you determine if you’re eligible to file an Ozempic lawsuit.

Our team will work tirelessly by:

• Investigating whether your medical condition and symptoms stem from your use of Ozempic or semaglutide
• Gathering evidence to prove Novo Nordisk’s lack of compliance with FDA regulations
• Demonstrating how the Ozempic warning label fails to properly warn you of the potential for certain serious side effects and adverse reactions
• Identifying potential roadblocks throughout the litigation process

Read more on our medical drug litigation 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, Wegovy and Mounjaro remain approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.