Have You Experienced Serious Side Effects from Ozempic?

 Posted on February 26, 2025 in Dangerous Products

A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that more than two in five adults in the United States (42.4 percent) suffer from obesity. Obesity can cause a number of health issues, which could explain why the weight loss industry in the nation makes more than $90 billion a year. This push for Americans to lose weight explains why weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro are so popular right now.

The financial cost of these drugs can be unaffordable for many, even those with insurance. The cost of Ozempic without insurance is more than $1,000 a month. Most of those with insurance will pay between $50 and $300 per month for the drugs. While these drugs are being touted as a "miracle" for weight loss, there is a dark side that is rarely talked about. Many of the severe side effects of these weight loss drugs can be devastating.

Unfortunately, there are far more dangerous drugs and medical devices out there than you might imagine. Keeping the public safe from drugs with serious side effects is difficult at best, usually only accomplished when injured consumers file lawsuits against these huge pharmaceutical companies for failure to warn. If you have suffered serious side effects from a weight loss drug like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, or Mounjaro, speaking to an experienced Chicago, IL product liability attorney can be beneficial.   

How Do These Weight Loss Drugs Work?

These weight loss drugs come as an injectable medication that includes a class of drugs known as a GLP-1 agonist. An agonist is a drug that works by acting like a substance your body has naturally. A hormone made in the small intestine is known as glucagon-like peptide 1, or GLP-1.

When a person’s blood sugar rises, GLP-1 tells the body to make more insulin to lower blood sugar. Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound can reduce hunger by ensuring food remains in the GI tract for a longer time. This, in turn, leads to less "food noise," which is characterized by an individual constantly thinking about their next meal.   

What Are Some of the Most Serious Side Effects of Ozempic?

The most common side effect of these weight loss drugs is nausea, along with diarrhea, vomiting, or constipation. For some, these side effects are manageable, but for others, the nausea is severe enough to keep them from their everyday lives. While these side effects can be problematic, there are much worse side effects experienced by some who take these drugs, including:

• Acute pancreatitis
• Intestinal blockages
• Dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Thyroid tumors
• Tachycardia
• Eye issues, including diabetic retinopathy, blurry vision, macular degeneration, and a rare eye condition (Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Neuropathy or NAION) that can lead to blindness.

NAION is caused by reduced blood flow to the optic nerve and can lead to sudden vision loss, especially in the sharpness and field of vision. An American study definitively linked GLP-1 use with a higher risk of NAION. The study found that those taking Ozempic or other GLP-1 weight loss drugs had a 2.19 times higher risk of developing NAION. Since Ozempic’s introduction in 2018, the number of NAION cases has increased from one in 20 diabetics to one in four.  

Contact a Chicago, IL Dangerous Drug Lawyer

If you have taken one of these weight loss drugs and subsequently suffered serious side effects, it is time to speak to a skilled Chicago, IL dangerous drug attorney from Winters Salzetta O'Brien & Richardson, LLC. Our firm has a solid track record of successfully fighting for the rights of consumers to be free of prescription drug-related injuries. Call 312-236-6324 today to schedule your free consultation.