Could Your Type 2 Diabetes Medication Cause Stomach Paralysis? Experts Explain
Ozempic and Mounjaro have been making headlines for lowering blood sugar in those with type 2 diabetes—and, in part, due to social media chatter (and legit studies) about the drugs aiding in weight loss (though neither Ozempic nor Mounjaro is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, for weight loss). But these injectable medications are not without drawbacks. From “Ozempic butt” to “Ozempic face”, questions regarding side effects of the drugs continue. Now, many wonder if Ozempic and/or Mounjaro cause gastroparesis (a.k.a. stomach paralysis), after published reports noted instances of this happening.
In fact, one person is suing Novo Nordisk, the drugmaker of Ozempic, and Eli Lilly, the drugmaker of Mounjaro, after they say they developed symptoms of gastroparesis after taking the medications.
The patient says in the lawsuit said that they suffered from “severe gastrointestinal events,” like severe vomiting, throwing up food hours after eating, stomach pain, and the loss of teeth from vomiting, and notes that neither medication warns that gastroparesis is a potential side effect. CNN also spoke to several people who said they developed gastroparesis after using Ozempic or Wegovy (a drug that uses the same active ingredient as Ozempic, known as semaglutide, that is FDA-approved for weight loss).
So, do Ozempic and/or Mounjaro actually cause gastroparesis? Here’s what we know right now.
What is gastroparesis?
Gastroparesis is a disorder that slows or stops the movement of food from your stomach to your small intestine, even though there is no blockage in the stomach or intestines, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
Symptoms of the condition can include feeling full soon after starting a meal, feeling full long after having a meal, nausea, and vomiting, the NIDDK says.
Gastroparesis is dangerous because it can raise the risk of malnutrition, dehydration, bacterial infections, and difficulty with blood sugar management, per the Mayo Clinic.
Treatment for gastroparesis varies, but it can include changing eating habits to have smaller meals in a day, working to manage blood sugar levels (in patients with diabetes), and taking medications to help the muscles in your stomach work better, the NIDDK notes. In more extreme cases, a patient may need a feeding tube or a surgical opening called a gastronomy to ensure adequate nutrition and to relieve pressure, the organization says.
Do Ozempic and Mounjaro, and similar drugs cause gastroparesis?
Ozempic and Mounjaro belong to a class of type 2 diabetes drugs known as GLP-1, glucagon-like peptide 1, that improve blood sugar and may also lead to weight loss, per the Mayo Clinic. It’s important to point out that Ozempic was approved in 2017 by the FDA for use in adults with type 2 diabetes, and Mounjaro was approved in 2022. With that, there isn’t data available on the long-term effects of using these medications. However, very few incidents of gastroparesis have been linked to these medications as of press time.
Notably, clinical trials for these medications did not detect gastroparesis in study participants. With that, the FDA labels for each medication do not warn that this is a possible side effect. Instead, Ozempic states that users may experience the following common side effects:
Nausea
Diarrhea
Stomach pain
Vomiting
Mounjaro also warns about these potential side effects:
Nausea.
Diarrhea.
Decreased appetite.
Vomiting.
Constipation.
Indigestion.
Stomach Pain.
Both of these medications work by slowing the movement of food through your stomach, making you feel fuller, longer, says Dina Peralta-Reich, M.D., director of New York Weight Wellness Medicine. “These medications slow the contractions of the stomach,” she explains. “By having the food there longer, your satiety hormones go up and you feel fullness, which is the effect we’re trying to achieve.”
But experts say this is different from gastroparesis, where the movement of food in your stomach may actually be stopped—Dr. Peralta-Reich says she and her colleagues have never seen this in their patients taking the drugs. Neither have the two other experts we spoke to for this story.
“I have not seen this in patients,” says Mir Ali, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.S.M.B.S., bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. “I have just read reports about a handful of cases.” Christina Inteso, Pharm.D., a clinical pharmacist at Corewell Health, has had a similar experience with the medications. “I personally have never had anyone experience stomach paralysis,” she says.
Dr. Ali says that the reports are “concerning” and that people should know that gastroparesis may be a potential side effect of these drugs. “But there is a very low incidence of this,” he says. “There are thousands and thousands of prescriptions written for these medications.”
It’s also important to note, per the NIDDK, that diabetes is the most commonly known cause of gastroparesis. This is due, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to high blood sugars causing nerve damage and therefore slowing down the muscles in your digestive tract. These medications are designed to be used by people with type 2 diabetes, making it tricky to parse out the cause of the complication.
Other causes of slowed gastric emptying can include certain pain medications, beta-blockers, and calcium supplements, Dr. Peralta-Reich says. “These are things to keep in mind when people are on these medications and it’s why they shouldn’t be prescribed randomly,” she says.
“I get asked by patients all the time, ‘Will I have side effects?’ and the answer is ‘We won’t know until you try it,’” Inteso says.
Does Ozempic make gastroparesis worse?
Ozempic and similar medications are not recommended for people who have gastroparesis, Dr. Ali says. “I would not suggest prescribing it to somebody who already has symptoms of gastroparesis or a diagnosis,” he says. “One of the things this medication does is slow the emptying of the stomach—that’s already an issue with gastroparesis.”
That’s why Inteso says it’s important to have an honest conversation with your doctor before going on a medication like Ozempic.
How to know if these medications are right for you
Doctors say these medications can be helpful for people who meet certain criteria. And, as of right now, that means taking them when you have type 2 diabetes and are unable to manage blood sugar with diet and exercise alone.
“Overall, these medications are safe,” Dr. Ali says. “But like any other medications, there are potential side effects and complications. Patients need to discuss it with their physician to decide if it’s right for them.”
This is a developing reported story. All information is accurate as of press time.
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