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Multiple users of the diabetes and weight loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, are coming forward to tell current and potential users to stop using the drugs.
In an interview with CNN, Toronto teacher Emily Wright, began participating in Ozempic in 2018. She said that she shed 80 pounds over a year and was able to keep them off. But according to Wright, her regular vomiting has forced her to take a leave of absence from work.
Both drugs use liraglutide and tirzepatide, which imitate the action of the hormone GLP-1, which is produced naturally by the body. GLP-1 makes individuals feel fuller for longer by slowing the movement of food within the stomach. However, if the stomach slows down too much, it can cause serious issues for the user.
In clinical studies, 44% of participants who took Wegovy experienced nausea, and almost one in four of them had vomiting, both of which are typical symptoms of gastroparesis.
1 in 5 patients had nausea, and 1 in 10 experienced vomiting during the studies for Ozempic, a drug that is a comparable medicine to Wegovy but is taken at a lower dose.
Doctors in the CNN article say that there is a cause of concern for those who aren't aware of the side effects of taking Ozempic and Wegovy. As more individuals use these medications, they may not be aware of the associated gastric slowing because there is little information available about it. With the lack of information, people may not know how and what to tell their doctors.
Dr. Linda Nguyen tells CNN, "... patients need to pay attention to the side effects. If you vomit once or twice, that might be normal, but persistent vomiting is not."