Many people who start dieting see their weight loss stall after they hit a plateau. If this happens to you, a medication like Ozempic might be able to help.

Before you begin using Ozempic, make sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you take, as well as any vitamins or supplements. Different medications can interact with each other, and some can raise or lower the effectiveness of a drug.

How Does Ozempic Work?

Ozempic works by mimicking the natural hormone released in your digestive tract called glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1). GLP-1 slows how fast food leaves your stomach and signals your brain to feel full. By lowering your appetite, GLP-1 can help you eat less and lose weight.

Ozempic is a once-weekly injection given in the thigh, abdomen or upper arm. It's in a class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are used to treat diabetes and obesity. These drugs are not meant to be a quick fix, but they can help you reach your health goals in combination with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Like many medications, Buy Ozempic for Weight Loss can cause mild side effects. These may go away after a few days or a couple of weeks. If you experience any serious side effects, call your doctor right away.

One important thing to know is that Ozempic can increase your risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) if you take it with insulin or drugs that increase how much insulin your body makes, such as sulfonylureas, including glimepiride, glyburide and glipizide. If you are taking these medications, you will need to check your blood sugar more often.

You should also tell your doctor about any other medications, vitamins or supplements you're taking, as they can affect how well Ozempic works. This includes over-the-counter medicines, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, as well as herbal remedies and other supplements.

Grunvald said he's seen many people who have lost a significant amount of weight on Ozempic or similar drugs, such as Wegovy, and then plateau. He says it's best to stick with the medication for the long haul, even if you're no longer losing weight.

What Are the Side Effects of Ozempic?

While the medication works great for many people, it’s not without its risks. GI side effects are the most common, including nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, and stomach pain. But they’re usually mild to moderate and go away as you continue to take the medication. GI problems are more common in the first few weeks, and your doctor will increase your dose slowly over time to prevent these side effects.

Other possible side effects include abdominal cramps and a feeling of fullness, especially after meals. You may also feel tired or weak. If you have a severe allergic reaction—like hives, swollen face or mouth, or trouble breathing—tell your doctor right away. You might get gallbladder issues like cholecystitis or cholelithiasis from Ozempic, but these are less common.

Another risk of this medication is that it can raise the risk of thyroid cancer and noncancerous tumors in mice, though it’s not known if these risks would happen in humans. If you have a history of thyroid tumors or a family history of medullary thyroid cancer, or you’re at risk for these conditions, your doctor might not recommend this drug.

Some people also experience a plateau on this medicine, which is when they stop losing weight. They might not know that this is normal, or they might think they’re not making progress because of the GI side effects. But Grunvald says that’s because they’re over-relying on the medication and not making other changes in their diet or exercise plan. He notes that most people regain the weight they lost when they stop taking Ozempic or Wegovy, or both. So if you do reach a weight loss plateau, talk to your doctor about what might be causing it and how you can make changes to help you lose more weight.

How Long Will I Need to Take Ozempic?

As long as you continue to follow your doctor’s guidelines for your treatment, you should be able to safely take Ozempic over the long term. You should not stop taking it or take less than the prescribed dosage, as this can lead to high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), which can be a dangerous condition.

To help you maintain your weight loss, you will need to regularly inject Ozempic under the skin in your thigh or abdomen. Your doctor will show you how to give the injections when you first start treatment. If you feel nervous about giving yourself injections, it may be helpful to bring someone with you for support. Your doctor can also teach you how to properly clean the injection site so that infection is unlikely.

If you do experience an allergic reaction while taking Ozempic, it is important to let your doctor know right away. Some common symptoms of a reaction include a rash, hives, or difficulty breathing.

Before prescribing the drug, doctors will make sure it’s safe for a patient, which involves ruling out medical contraindications like medullary thyroid cancer or pancreatitis. It is also not recommended for patients with a history of gastro paresis, which slows down or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine.

In addition, it is not recommended to use Ozempic during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, and it should not be used by anyone under the age of 18. There are a number of other medications that can treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, including metformin, glistens, and glyburide, so be sure to talk with your doctor before beginning any new treatments.

Can I Stop Taking Ozempic?

Many patients are concerned about how to stop taking Ozempic once they’ve reached their weight loss goals or have stabilized their blood sugar levels. However, GLP-1 medications are not intended to be taken short-term and should only be discontinued after discussing it with a doctor. In one study, most people who stopped Ozempic regained the weight they lost. It’s important to continue to follow a healthy diet and engage in regular exercise to avoid significant weight regain.

In addition, some of the same side effects that occur when you first start taking Ozempic—such as nausea and stomach pain—can return once you stop the medication. It’s also important to monitor your blood sugar levels more frequently after you stop taking the medication.

A physician can help you decide if it’s safe to resume taking Ozempic, and a doctor may prescribe a low dosage to begin with. This can help reduce the risk of gastrointestinal side effects, which is especially important if you’re experiencing them.

While there are a few safety concerns with the use of Ozempic, most of these are related to the medication’s interactions with other drugs used for type 2 diabetes—particularly sulfonylureas (like glimepiride, glyburide or glipizide). Ozempic can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can be serious and sometimes lead to death. This is most likely to happen if you take Ozempic with a sulfonylurea or insulin. You should call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room right away if you have symptoms of hypoglycemia, which include dizziness, tremors, headache or trouble thinking. There’s also a potential risk that Ozempic can cause thyroid tumors, including a rare cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). You should talk to your doctor about MTC and other possible risks of using this medication.

What if I Stop Taking Ozempic?

It’s important to consider your options carefully when you are ready to stop taking Ozempic. You will want to make this decision in consultation with your health care providers, who can help you find alternatives or a lower, maintenance dose. In addition, keep in mind that plenty of people have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off without the use of medication. The key is a balanced diet and regular exercise, which will likely help you feel full and increase the number of calories you burn.

When you discontinue semaglutide, blood sugar levels usually rise quickly and your appetite may return. You will need to reestablish healthy habits like eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and monitoring blood sugar levels. Choosing foods high in fiber and protein can accelerate your Weight Loss because they will help you feel satisfied more quickly and slow the emptying of the stomach.

If you have diabetes, it’s best to consult with your doctor if you plan to discontinue Ozempic because this can negatively impact your blood sugar control and cause serious complications. If you are using it to manage diabetes, you should also discuss alternate medications to ensure your blood sugar remains stable.

Taking anti-obesity medication is a long-term commitment just like taking medicine to manage other chronic conditions such as high blood pressure. It’s best to consider a switch to another GLP-1 drug or alternative medication with the help of an obesity specialist who can walk you through the process safely and effectively. LifeMD offers comprehensive obesity management that pairs medications with ongoing clinical support, care and testing, and education that will help you lose weight and keep it off for good.