Pennsylvania Woman Had Multiple ER Trips After Ongoing Ozempic Gastrointestinal “Attacks”

For most of her life, Dee never had to think about her stomach. The 53-year-old woman from Pennsylvania always enjoyed eating and drinking whatever she wanted without pain, nausea or digestive problems. While Dee has Type 2 diabetes, she’s managed it well with her doctor’s help and regular care.

Then, her doctor suggested trying Ozempic –– a GLP-1 medication approved to treat Type 2 diabetes. He told her it could help control her condition better, so she started taking it.

She could never have anticipated the crippling gastrointestinal side effects she suffered after taking the drug. Dee wanted to share her story to warn others about potential risks. She’s using a pseudonym to protect her privacy.

In the beginning, Dee took Ozempic without major issues, but that changed suddenly. One day, she noticed a strange, loud gurgling in her stomach that she had never felt before.

By the end of the month, Dee was vomiting constantly. She became so weak and tired that even simple daily tasks felt impossible, and she lost 13 pounds in just one week. Worried and exhausted, she went to the emergency room, but doctors told her it was “just a virus” and sent her home.

Dee wasn’t warned that some studies found GLP-1s could increase the risk of serious gastrointestinal issues, such as bowel obstruction and gastroparesis. For example, one study in JAMA found that people who took GLP-1s had about a four times greater risk of bowel obstruction and about three and a half times greater risk of gastroparesis, or paralyzed stomach, than people who took bupropion-naltrexone, another weight loss drug.

Thousands of people have since filed Ozempic lawsuits claiming the drug’s maker failed to adequately warn about severe gastrointestinal side effects. Others have filed lawsuits claiming the drug’s maker failed to warn about the risk of permanent vision loss.

Despite doctors telling her that her symptoms were from a virus, Dee didn’t get better. Over Easter weekend, she was back in the emergency room. This time, imaging and tests showed a partial bowel blockage and enteritis, an inflammation in her intestines. She spent three days in the hospital before being discharged with medications and instructions to follow up.

A week later, she was in the emergency room again for the same severe symptoms. Doctors tried more medications, but the vomiting, pain and weakness continued, coming in “attacks” every two weeks that lasted at least two days.

“When I have my attacks, I’m in a lot of pain, and I can’t hold anything down,” Dee said.

In fact, Dee had to reschedule an interview with Drugwatch when her symptoms flared up so severely that she couldn’t function.

Because of her symptoms, Dee’s family doctor decided to stop Ozempic treatment. He told her he had since learned that the drug can cause gastrointestinal problems.

Dee’s attacks continue to this day. During these phases, Dee is in severe pain and can’t keep food or liquids down. She feels extremely weak and tired, and the episodes have started to impact her work.

“My job is also being affected. [The attacks] happened at work a couple times, and I can barely get a full workday in,” Dee said.

Now, Dee is under the care of a gastroenterologist who is trying to uncover what is happening inside her stomach and intestines and whether there is lasting damage.

“He is giving me a couple procedures to see what is going on internally, and hopefully this will all be resolved,” Dee said.

Dee said she never would have taken Ozempic if she had known it might lead to these kinds of stomach problems and repeated hospital visits. She does not want anyone else to go through what she is experiencing.

“I don’t wish this on anyone. I would never have taken it if I knew this was going to happen. I would tell anyone to try a different weight loss or diabetic control. It’s not worth it,” she said.