Ozempic is a well-liked sort 2 diabetes drug that lowers blood sugars and helps enhance HbA1c ranges, whereas additionally serving to those that take it to lose or keep their weight.
On this article, we’ll cowl every thing it’s essential learn about Ozempic, together with its advantages, unwanted side effects, and find out how to use it successfully.
What’s Ozempic?
Ozempic is the model identify for a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist medicine.
Its energetic ingredient is semaglutide and it was first authorized by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US in 2017.
This injectable sort 2 diabetes drug is barely taken as soon as per week, as a consequence of its lengthy length of motion.
What are the advantages of Ozempic?
Ozempic has three principal advantages for folks residing with diabetes:
Improved blood sugar administration
Ozempic helps enhance blood sugar ranges by growing the quantity of insulin the pancreas releases whereas additionally inhibiting the discharge of glucagon from the liver. This leads to decrease blood sugars and A1C ranges.
Weight reduction or weight upkeep
Ozempic helps cut back meals consumption by decreasing urge for food and slowing digestion. In scientific trials, folks taking Ozempic misplaced a median of 4-5% of their physique weight.
Ozempic is commonly prescribed “off-label” (with out FDA approval) for folks with sort 1 diabetes and even with none sort of diabetes to assist with weight reduction.
Learn extra: Can Ozempic Assist You Lose Weight?
Decrease danger of cardiovascular illnesses
Ozempic has been confirmed to scale back the danger of main coronary heart assault, stroke, or demise in adults with sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness.
Why would you be prescribed Ozempic?
Ozempic is barely FDA-approved for individuals who have sort 2 diabetes. Not everybody with sort 2 diabetes shall be prescribed Ozempic as a result of many individuals are in a position to handle their blood sugar ranges with weight-reduction plan, train, and typically with insulin remedy.
Nonetheless, for those who’re struggling to take care of blood sugar ranges inside a wholesome vary with common diabetes drugs, or for those who’re fighting insulin resistance, it’s possible you’ll be prescribed Ozempic as a complement to your diabetes remedy plan.
Many individuals who’ve sort 2 diabetes and present coronary heart illness are additionally prescribed Ozempic as a result of Ozempic reduces the danger of stroke, coronary heart assault, and untimely deaths on this inhabitants.
What are the unwanted side effects?
The most typical unwanted side effects embrace:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdomen ache
- Constipation
- Weight reduction
- Low blood sugar, particularly for those who take insulin
Though uncommon, extra extreme issues might embrace:
- Thyroid tumors, together with most cancers
- Pancreatitis
- Adjustments in imaginative and prescient (worsening of diabetic retinopathy)
- Kidney issues
- Severe allergic reactions
A number of of those extra extreme unwanted side effects can result in well being issues and demise.
Name your physician or search emergency medical consideration for those who develop a fever, expertise adjustments or worsening of your imaginative and prescient, or if you’re feeling weak or in ache after taking the medicine.
Learn extra: Ozempic Aspect Results: What You Have to Know
Ozemipic dosages
Ozempic comes as a liquid answer inside prefilled, disposable pens. You inject the drug subcutaneously (beneath your pores and skin) as soon as per week.
You possibly can take Ozempic with or with out meals.
Pen dose power
Ozempic pens are available in a number of completely different strengths which might be written as milligrams of semaglutide (Ozempic’s energetic drug) per milliliter of answer (mg/mL).
| Energy | Dose given per injection |
| 2 mg/1.5 mL (this may occasionally even be written as 1.34 mg/mL) | 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg |
| 2 mg/3 mL (0.68 mg/mL) | 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg |
| 4 mg/3 mL (1.34 mg/mL) | 1 mg |
| 8 mg/3 mL (2.68 mg/mL) | 2 mg |
How a lot Ozempic do I take?
It will differ by affected person and it’ll rely in your well being historical past, well being objectives, and life-style.
Nonetheless, most docs will begin sufferers on 0.2 mg as soon as per week. It is very important take your Ozempic on the identical day every week.
After a couple of weeks, for those who’re not having adversarial unwanted side effects and also you’re experiencing fewer blood sugar spikes after meals, your physician might improve your dose to 0.5 mg.
When you’re nonetheless having blood sugar spikes with no adversarial unwanted side effects, your physician might improve your dose to 1mg as soon as weekly or as excessive as 2mg as soon as weekly.
0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg could also be your ultimate upkeep dose, however that varies by affected person.
The utmost dose for Ozempic is 2 mg taken as soon as weekly.
Learn extra: Ozempic Dosage Information: How A lot Ought to You Take?
What occurs for those who take an excessive amount of Ozempic?
Taking an excessive amount of Ozempic may cause critical unwanted side effects, reminiscent of debilitating nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdomen ache, and even low blood sugar (particularly for those who’re additionally on insulin) which may turn into deadly if not handled instantly.
When you’ve by chance taken an excessive amount of Ozempic, name your physician instantly or search emergency medical consideration.
Can I miss a dose of Ozempic?
When you miss a dose of Ozempic, it’s okay to take it a couple of days late, however for those who’ve missed your dose greater than 5 days in the past, simply skip that week’s dose and take your often scheduled dose on time.
You’ll not expertise insulin resistance or weight achieve from one missed dose. Attempt to not miss doses often, nonetheless, because the medicine is only when taken constantly.
Easy methods to inject Ozempic
Verify the Ozempic liquid within the pen visually earlier than injecting. If there are any particles or discoloration current, don’t use the pen.
Earlier than injecting, clear the injection website with rubbing alcohol. Change the injection website every week to stop accidents beneath the pores and skin.
Ozempic is often injected beneath the pores and skin within the thigh, stomach, or higher arm. Speak to your physician about one of the best locations so that you can inject and find out how to rotate injection websites.
Who shouldn’t take Ozempic?
When you don’t have a prescription for Ozempic, don’t take the medicine.
It’s not really helpful to be used if you’re pregnant, planning on turning into pregnant, or if you’re breastfeeding.
It’s not really helpful for folks with out diabetes, or these with prediabetes or sort 1 diabetes, with out the steering of a doctor.
Don’t use Ozempic for those who or any of your loved ones members have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or you probably have A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome sort 2 (MEN 2).
Don’t use Ozempic if you’re allergic to semaglutide. When you’re fascinated by attempting a GLP-1 agonist however you’re allergic to semaglutide, it’s possible you’ll go for Victoza whose energetic ingredient is liraglutide.
Speak along with your physician you probably have questions or considerations about beginning Ozempic or for those who’ve not too long ago been prescribed the medicine.
How I do cease taking Ozempic?
There are numerous causes that you could be wish to cease taking Ozempic: perhaps you’re experiencing adversarial unwanted side effects, perhaps you don’t like how the medicine makes you’re feeling, or perhaps it’s gotten cost-prohibitive.
Be sure you speak along with your physician earlier than stopping any diabetes medicine, together with Ozempic.
Your physician will most likely need you to wean your dose earlier than stopping chilly turkey. Be forewarned, nonetheless, that insulin resistance, meals cravings, blood sugar ranges, and weight might creep again up when you cease taking Ozempic.
You’ll want to have a plan in place, such in its place medicine, train, or weight-reduction plan plan to assist fight any rebound results it’s possible you’ll expertise.
How does Ozempic enhance diabetes administration?
Decrease blood sugar ranges mixed with weight reduction or upkeep make diabetes administration quite a bit simpler. Moreover, research have proven that decrease A1Cs correlate with fewer diabetes issues over the long run.
It’s a lot simpler to take care of a decrease A1C for those who’re not fighting insulin resistance, which Ozempic helps to fight. Weight reduction might make bodily exercise simpler as properly.
Lastly, as a result of Ozempic lowers the danger of coronary heart assault, stroke, and untimely demise in people with sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness, taking Ozempic as a prophylactic medicine can vastly enhance well being outcomes as a result of coronary heart assault and stroke are identified diabetes issues.
Can Ozempic exchange insulin?
No. Ozempic just isn’t like insulin and it isn’t an insulin alternative.
When you’ve not too long ago been prescribed Ozempic, don’t cease taking your different diabetes drugs except your physician has particularly informed you to.
Ozempic lowers blood sugars over time, but it surely doesn’t trigger acute low blood sugars in the way in which that insulin does.
When you usually take insulin for meals, you have to to proceed to take action. When you’ve been on Ozempic for a number of months, it’s possible you’ll discover that your insulin wants are progressively reducing however this not often, if ever, utterly takes away the necessity to take insulin in your diabetes.
Can I take Ozempic with different diabetes drugs?
Relying on the opposite medicine, sure.
Ozempic may be taken together with metformin, insulin, or different drugs, however remember to ask your physician if it will likely be contraindicated with some other drugs you are taking, and ensure your physician is aware of of each different medicine you are taking earlier than beginning Ozempic.
Ozempic can’t be mixed with Wegovy, Victoza, Trulicity, or Mounjaro, nonetheless. These are different GLP-1 agonist drugs and it’s harmful to mix them with Ozempic.
Learn extra: Ozempic vs. Victoza: Which One Ought to You Select? and Ozempic vs. Wegovy – Which Drug Is Proper for You?
Does Ozempic have to be refrigerated?
Sure. Ozempic ought to be saved within the fridge between 36°F to 46°F. It may be used for as much as 56 days after opening.
How do I get a prescription for Ozempic?
Speak along with your physician if you need a prescription for Ozempic. When you’re fighting weight reduction and insulin resistance and have sort 2 diabetes, they need to have the ability to write you a prescription.
When you do not need sort 2 diabetes however reside with one other type of diabetes and are fighting insulin resistance, speak along with your physician about your remedy choices.
When you do not need any sort of diabetes and need to drop pounds, speak along with your physician about FDA-approved weight reduction drugs which may be safer for you, with out the unwanted side effects that Ozempic can have.
