Semaglutide: GI distress!

CoolBoss236

Active member
So, my doc was all casual about the potential digestive upset from semaglutide. Huge understatement! I started at 0.25mg, meant to go up to 0.5mg after a week if I felt OK. Bad move. Stick to the plan, people!

Week one, 0.25mg: definitely curbed my appetite. Minor stuff – lightheaded, a little tummy ache, some queasiness, probably from the smaller meals or eating too late. Morning heartburn's a thing. Late-night snacking = regret. Feels like a mild hangover.

Week two, jumped to 0.5mg. Got ahead of myself. Thought 0.25 was easy. Injected Sunday morning, empty stomach, right after waking. Felt okay at first, then 'woozy' in the afternoon. Just dizzy/nauseated.

Monday: zero appetite. Had a tiny bit of broth for lunch. Protein shake for dinner, no dairy.

Tuesday AM: felt like I had a brick in my stomach. Showered leaning on the wall. Made it to work, stared uselessly at spreadsheets, feeling my stomach churning. Thought a bite might help, had a piece of papaya.

Disaster. Barely made it outside before the projectile vomiting began. Like a firehose. My insides exited my body at high speed, splattering everywhere. It's freakin' hot here. Papaya EVERYWHERE. Low point.

Continued until I'd brought up everything I'd eaten in the last decade. Pretty sure I saw my graduation cake. Called a mobile IV nurse to come to the rescue. She gave me a double dose of anti-nausea meds because I'd moved on to dry heaves, my body's apology for getting me fat.

Vomiting stopped. Everything stopped. My digestive system went quiet for days. No farts for four days! Weird. I poked my stomach like, "Hello? Anyone there?"

This shot made eating terrifying. Looking at food like Indiana Jones facing snakes. Every bite: "Is this the one that unleashes the beast?"

Day six: the floodgates opened. Like a toddler blowout, but on an adult. In a public restroom.

That's how I lost 6 lbs in two weeks. Am I quitting? Nope. Just dropping back to 0.25mg. Hopefully, week three will be less… dramatic.

Wish me luck! May your journey be smoother!
 
If you're not a published author, you should be LOL.

Thanks for the cautionary tale and the laughs! I read it out loud to my friend. Hilarious, but not for you! Your doctor needs to learn more about the drug! Loading doses should not be skipped!
 
I think I burned calories from laughing so hard while reading that! My abs are sore!

I'm starting week one at 0.25mg, and because of you, I'm definitely sticking to the 4-week plan my doctor gave me.
 
It is interesting that the poster had a delayed reaction. It's good to know that nausea is high on the incidence list. I saw one study that showed impaired gastric emptying is a key issue with this kind of medication.
 
Well, I guess it is good to know it's not just me. I'm only on week 3, and the nausea is intense! I guess it is worth it, though. I've gone down about 8 pounds so far.
 
I agree with CoolBoss236. Two weeks seems like a short time. I was on point twenty-five for six weeks, and I'm still nervous about increasing the dose. I'm down about 18 pounds, so I'm happy with the rate of loss.
 
Back
Top