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 all the things you could learn about Ozempic, together with its advantages, unwanted effects, and use it successfully.
What’s Ozempic?
Ozempic is the model identify for a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist treatment.
Its energetic ingredient is semaglutide and it was first accredited by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA in 2017.
This injectable sort 2 diabetes drug is simply taken as soon as per week, as a result of its lengthy period of motion.
What are the advantages of Ozempic?
Ozempic has three primary advantages for individuals residing with diabetes:
Improved blood sugar administration
Ozempic helps enhance blood sugar ranges by rising the quantity of insulin the pancreas releases whereas additionally inhibiting the discharge of glucagon from the liver. This ends in 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 medical trials, individuals taking Ozempic misplaced a mean of 4-5% of their physique weight.
Ozempic is usually prescribed “off-label” (with out FDA approval) for individuals 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 threat of cardiovascular illnesses
Ozempic has been confirmed to cut back the chance of main coronary heart assault, stroke, or dying in adults with sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness.
Why would you be prescribed Ozempic?
Ozempic is simply FDA-approved for individuals who have sort 2 diabetes. Not everybody with sort 2 diabetes will probably be prescribed Ozempic as a result of many individuals are capable of handle their blood sugar ranges with food regimen, train, and typically with insulin remedy.
Nevertheless, in the event you’re struggling to keep up blood sugar ranges inside a wholesome vary with common diabetes medicines, or in the event you’re scuffling with 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 chance of stroke, coronary heart assault, and untimely deaths on this inhabitants.
What are the unwanted effects?
The commonest unwanted effects embrace:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdomen ache
- Constipation
- Weight reduction
- Low blood sugar, particularly in the event you take insulin
Though uncommon, extra extreme problems could 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 effects can result in well being problems and dying.
Name your physician or search emergency medical consideration in the event you develop a fever, expertise modifications or worsening of your imaginative and prescient, or in case you are feeling weak or in ache after taking the treatment.
Learn extra: Ozempic Aspect Results: What You Have to Know
Ozemipic dosages
Ozempic comes as a liquid resolution inside prefilled, disposable pens. You inject the drug subcutaneously (beneath your pores and skin) as soon as per week.
You’ll be able to take Ozempic with or with out meals.
Pen dose energy
Ozempic pens are available in a number of totally different strengths which are written as milligrams of semaglutide (Ozempic’s energetic drug) per milliliter of resolution (mg/mL).
| Power | Dose given per injection |
| 2 mg/1.5 mL (this will likely 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 range by affected person and it’ll rely in your well being historical past, well being targets, and life-style.
Nevertheless, most medical doctors will begin sufferers on 0.2 mg as soon as per week. You will need to take your Ozempic on the identical day every week.
After a number of weeks, in the event you’re not having hostile unwanted effects and also you’re experiencing fewer blood sugar spikes after meals, your physician could enhance your dose to 0.5 mg.
For those who’re nonetheless having blood sugar spikes with no hostile unwanted effects, your physician could enhance 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 in the event you take an excessive amount of Ozempic?
Taking an excessive amount of Ozempic may cause severe unwanted effects, resembling debilitating nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdomen ache, and even low blood sugar (particularly in the event you’re additionally on insulin) which might turn out to be deadly if not handled instantly.
For those who’ve by accident taken an excessive amount of Ozempic, name your physician instantly or search emergency medical consideration.
Can I miss a dose of Ozempic?
For those who miss a dose of Ozempic, it’s okay to take it a number of days late, however in the event you’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. Strive to not miss doses often, nevertheless, because the treatment is simplest when taken persistently.
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 rotate injection websites.
Who shouldn’t take Ozempic?
For those who don’t have a prescription for Ozempic, don’t take the treatment.
It isn’t really helpful to be used in case you are pregnant, planning on changing into pregnant, or in case you are breastfeeding.
It isn’t really helpful for individuals with out diabetes, or these with prediabetes or sort 1 diabetes, with out the steering of a doctor.
Don’t use Ozempic in the event you or any of your loved ones members have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or when you have A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome sort 2 (MEN 2).
Don’t use Ozempic in case you are allergic to semaglutide. For those who’re serious about 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 together with your physician when you have questions or considerations about beginning Ozempic or in the event you’ve lately been prescribed the treatment.
How I do cease taking Ozempic?
There are various causes that you could be wish to cease taking Ozempic: perhaps you’re experiencing hostile unwanted effects, perhaps you don’t like how the treatment makes you are feeling, or perhaps it’s gotten cost-prohibitive.
Ensure you discuss together with your physician earlier than stopping any diabetes treatment, together with Ozempic.
Your physician will in all probability need you to wean your dose earlier than stopping chilly turkey. Be forewarned, nevertheless, that insulin resistance, meals cravings, blood sugar ranges, and weight could creep again up when you cease taking Ozempic.
It would be best to have a plan in place, such instead treatment, train, or food regimen 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 problems over the long run.
It’s a lot simpler to keep up a decrease A1C in the event you’re not scuffling with insulin resistance, which Ozempic helps to fight. Weight reduction could make bodily exercise simpler as nicely.
Lastly, as a result of Ozempic lowers the chance of coronary heart assault, stroke, and untimely dying in people with sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness, taking Ozempic as a prophylactic treatment can vastly enhance well being outcomes as a result of coronary heart assault and stroke are recognized diabetes problems.
Can Ozempic change insulin?
No. Ozempic just isn’t like insulin and it isn’t an insulin substitute.
For those who’ve lately been prescribed Ozempic, don’t cease taking your different diabetes medicines until your physician has particularly instructed you to.
Ozempic lowers blood sugars over time, nevertheless it doesn’t trigger acute low blood sugars in the way in which that insulin does.
For those who usually take insulin for meals, you will have to proceed to take action. For those who’ve been on Ozempic for a number of months, it’s possible you’ll discover that your insulin wants are step by step reducing however this hardly ever, if ever, utterly takes away the necessity to take insulin to your diabetes.
Can I take Ozempic with different diabetes medicines?
Relying on the opposite treatment, sure.
Ozempic will be taken together with metformin, insulin, or different medicines, however remember to ask your physician if will probably be contraindicated with some other medicines you’re taking, and ensure your physician is aware of of each different treatment you’re taking earlier than beginning Ozempic.
Ozempic can’t be mixed with Wegovy, Victoza, Trulicity, or Mounjaro, nevertheless. These are different GLP-1 agonist medicines 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 must be refrigerated?
Sure. Ozempic must 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 together with your physician if you need a prescription for Ozempic. For those who’re scuffling with weight reduction and insulin resistance and have sort 2 diabetes, they need to have the ability to write you a prescription.
For those who don’t have sort 2 diabetes however stay with one other type of diabetes and are scuffling with insulin resistance, discuss together with your physician about your remedy choices.
For those who don’t have any sort of diabetes and wish to shed extra pounds, discuss together with your physician about FDA-approved weight reduction medicines that could be safer for you, with out the unwanted effects that Ozempic can have.
