Ozempic and another drug, Wegovy, both contain semaglutide, which regulates blood sugar and insulin. It also reduces appetite and causes the stomach to empty more slowly, so that a person feels fuller faster.
These drugs have become increasingly popular in the past year for their weight-loss effects. But for people who take them to manage diabetes as well as those who do so primarily to manage weight, going off them suddenly can take a toll. Doctors say patients should be aware of these ramifications.
While some patients who try the drug choose to stop it, more and more have stopped simply because they can’t find it anymore. The Food and Drug Administration has listed Ozempic and Wegovy as “in shortage” for months; Trulicity, another diabetes drug that can lead to weight loss, joined the list in December.
Dr. Andrew Kraftson, a clinical associate professor in the division of metabolism, endocrinology and diabetes at Michigan Medicine, said that he was “overwhelmed” by messages from obesity and diabetes patients who wondered where their next dose was and how they would cope without the medication. “When people cannot get it,” Dr. Kraftson said, “it’s a big SOS.”
We asked doctors what happens in the brain and body after someone stops taking Ozempic and Wegovy:
-Blood sugar rises
-Cravings come back
-Side effects subside
You start feeling those usual hunger pangs again, and consequently, you may start eating more to satisfy that hunger. An increase in your consumption can lead to the regaining of weight that was lost. A 2022 study found that most individuals gain weight back a year after stopping the medication.
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