SEMAGLUTIDE
Side Effects of Semaglutide
The most common side effects of semaglutide are gastrointestinal, and include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Stomach pain
- Indigestion
- Burping
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Intestinal infections, known as gastroenteritis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- In people with type 2 diabetes, semaglutide can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Other more serious side effects include:
- Symptoms of an allergic reaction, including: itching; rash; swelling of the face, eyes, mouth, tongue, or throat; difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Changes in vision
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Persistent pain in the upper left or middle of the stomach
- Heart palpitations
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes, fever, or clay-colored stools
If you experience any serious side effects, contact your healthcare provider immediately or seek emergency treatment.
Risks Associated with Semaglutide
The medication should not be used in anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), because there is an increased risk of developing thyroid C-cell tumors. You are NOT a good candidate for semaglutide if you currently have or have had in the past any of the following: diabetic retinopathy, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), poor kidney function, or pancreatitis,
There is also an increased risk of other complications including:
- Gallbladder problems, such as gallstones
- Inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis
- Suicidal thinking or behavior
- Damage to the retina in the eye in diabetic patients, known as diabetic retinopathy
- Kidney damage
Important note:
Not everyone will respond to semaglutide—about 13% of individuals with obesity in the semaglutide clinical trials didn’t lose any weight. Researchers say this is because there are different kinds—or subtypes—of obesity that remain unknown.