Ozempic Side Effects: What the Label Says

Short answer: the most common Ozempic side effects are stomach-related: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation, each reported by at least 5% of people in the label's trials. Ozempic also carries a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents and several other serious warnings.

Most common side effects (label data)

This table is from the prescribing information, in placebo-controlled trials of adults with type 2 diabetes. It shows the share of people who reported each effect.

These effects tend to be most noticeable when starting or raising a dose, which is why treatment begins at 0.25 mg and steps up.

The boxed warning

In rodents, semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors. It is unknown whether Ozempic causes these tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma, in humans. Ozempic is not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2.

Other serious warnings on the label

• Acute pancreatitis
• Diabetic retinopathy complications
• Low blood sugar when used with insulin or sulfonylureas
• Acute kidney injury from dehydration due to vomiting or diarrhea
• Severe gastrointestinal reactions
• Serious allergic reactions
• Acute gallbladder disease
• Risk of aspiration during anesthesia or deep sedation

What to do

Call your provider or seek care for severe or persistent stomach pain, repeated vomiting, signs of an allergic reaction, or a lump or swelling in the neck. Do not change or stop your dose on your own. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes. Its weight-loss counterpart, Wegovy, has its own label with a slightly different list.