Is Zepbound Safe to Take?

Zepbound is an obesity medication manufactured by the Eli Lilly Company. It is approved to treat overweight adults with at least one weight-related health issue like high cholesterol, hypertension or type 2 diabetes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zepbound for weight loss in November 2023.

Zepbound is a self-injected medication used once a week. It stimulates hormones that regulate blood sugar levels to reduce appetite. Zepbound also makes people feel fuller by making the stomach empty slower, which can lead to weight loss. 

Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in both Zepbound and Mounjaro®, another drug made by Eli Lilly. Zepbound is approved for weight loss, while Mounjaro is used to manage type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide is intended to be used with diet and exercise to control either condition. 

Zepbound has numerous safety concerns. The medication may be linked to severe gastrointestinal issues like ileus, intestinal blockages and gastroparesis. It may also be linked to thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Zepbound should not be used by pregnant women or people who have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2.

Other drugs in its class have also been linked to vision loss, pulmonary aspiration and blood clots leading to pulmonary embolism.

Other common side effects associated with Zepbound use include:

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting 

Zepbound can cause these and other gastrointestinal side effects. If you lose weight on the medication, you might need to take it indefinitely to keep from regaining lost weight.

Zepbound safety concerns on its warning label

Multiple Zepbound safety concerns are listed on its warning label, including thyroid tumors and thyroid cancer. Studies have found that Zepbound causes these conditions in rats. 

Unlisted safety concerns about Zepbound

Unlisted safety concerns about Zepbound have also prompted lawsuits against Eli Lilly. These alleged Zepbound risks include:

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): A blood clot forms in the deep veins in the body, typically in the legs, and may cause pain, swelling, warmth and tenderness in the leg. DVT can be severe if the blood clots in the legs break loose, travel to the lungs and obstruct blood flow.
• Gastroparesis: Sometimes called delayed gastric emptying or stomach paralysis, gastroparesis slows or stops food from moving from the stomach to the small intestine, even when there is no blockage. Symptoms of gastroparesis include feeling full well after eating a meal, having nausea and vomiting.
• Ileus: A partial or complete intestinal obstruction that temporarily prevents food and waste from moving through the digestive tract. Ileus can be caused by health issues, infection, injury, surgery or medications. Symptoms include bloating, constipation, cramps, dehydration, loss of appetite, nausea, watery stools and vomiting.
• Vision loss: People with diabetic retinopathy might experience a temporary worsening of vision when they begin to use Zepbound or when they start taking a higher dosage. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that develops when high blood sugar levels cut off blood flow to the retina, potentially causing permanent blindness.

The safety concerns about Zepbound have led to legal action against Eli Lilly. People who have suffered from these and other serious conditions have started filing Zepbound lawsuits.

Is Zepbound safe for weight loss?

Zepbound may be unsafe for some patients. The FDA has approved Zepbound for treating obesity. However, lawsuits allege safety concerns about the medication and alleged unlisted effects. 

Patients who have concerns about Zepbound should speak with their doctors about their medical options. You should speak with a knowledgeable attorney if you have suffered from complications involving unlisted side effects. Attorneys can discuss your potential eligibility to file a Zepbound lawsuit.

Is Zepbound safer than Ozempic®?

Whether Zepbound is safer than Ozempic® depends on the patient and the situation. Both Zepbound (tirzepatide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) are FDA-approved injectable medications that people use once per week. Zepbound is used for weight loss, while Ozempic is approved to treat patients with type 2 diabetes and for cardiovascular benefits. 

Ozempic isn’t approved for weight loss, but many people lose weight when they take it. Zepbound may allow patients to lose more weight than Ozempic, but the medication’s cardiovascular effects have not been proven.

Although Zepbound and Ozempic are FDA-approved, both medications have generated serious safety concerns: 

• Zepbound may cause abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and has been linked to thyroid cancer in rats.
• Ozempic may be connected to serious gastrointestinal side effects including gastroparesis (stomach paralysis) and gastroenteritis. Ozempic may also cause malnutrition, cyclical vomiting and intestinal obstruction or blockage.

If you are experiencing harmful side effects from Zepbound or Ozempic, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Are there lawsuits over Zepbound’s safety?

Yes, there are lawsuits over Zepbound’s safety. Zepbound lawsuits are part of the multidistrict litigation involving other GLP-1 RA medications like Ozempic, Wegovy®, Mounjaro and others. Lawsuits are still being filed as part of this MDL. A Zepbound lawyer can help you explore your legal options.

Our medical attorneys have represented thousands of patients seriously injured by dangerous prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Motley Rice has been at the forefront of the Ozempic and Wegovy litigation: 

• Our attorneys filed the first Wegovy lawsuit in the country alleging severe health problems caused by the drug. 
• Attorney Jonathan Orent successfully argued for the assignment of the Ozempic MDL to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania during a hearing overseen by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML). 
• Attorneys Sara Couch and Grace Chandler have been featured prominently as panelists for HarrisMartin’s January 2024 MDL Conference on Ozempic and Suboxone and multiple other conferences.

If you believe a medication made you sick or harmed you, our attorneys have the resources needed to thoroughly investigate your potential claim.

Read more about 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. Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic remain approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.