(VitalNews.org) – Ozempic and Wegovy, both brand names for the drug semaglutide, have been approved for use in treating diabetes and inducing weight loss in many countries around the world, including the United States of America. However, many countries are now looking into potentially dangerous and long-term side effects that put its users at risk of harm.
The drug is designed to act like a hormone known as GLP-1 which makes the stomach empty itself more slowly, reduces appetite, and boosts insulin release in order to regulate blood sugar more effectively. This has the effect of making it easier for people to regulate their blood sugar and also to eat less food overall, aiding in weight loss, and making it a popular choice in recent years for people who want to lose weight more easily.
This apparently easy weight loss has come with a high price for some users of the drug, however. Several women have spoken out recently about their experience with stomach paralysis, or gastroparesis while taking Ozempic but also several years after stopping its use. 37-year-old Joanie Knight described experiencing terrible nausea and vomiting which has left her incapable of eating more than a few bites at a time, even two years after she stopped taking the drug.
A 38-year-old teacher from Toronto, Emily Wright, had to quit her job because her stomach paralysis was so debilitating after using Ozempic for 4 years. The drug allowed her to lose 80 pounds but caused her to vomit so frequently, she could no longer teach. She claims she still hasn’t regained her full health a whole year after giving Ozempic up for good, and she regrets ever using it.
As well as these concerning physical side-effects, investigations are underway into a possible mental danger of the drugs. The United Kingdom is examining suicidal ideation as a potential side-effect of the weight-loss drug after multiple patients reported experiencing thoughts of self-harm and suicide after taking it. The European Medicines Agency, the drug regulator of the European Union, is also investigating a broad range of weight loss drugs over similar concerns. These drugs include Ozempic and Wegovy but include other brands of drugs that work in similar ways.
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