The anti-diabetic medication “Ozempic” (semaglutide) made by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Patients taking blockbuster obesity drugs Ozempic or Wegovy will pack the pounds back on after they stop taking the medications.
The feelings of suppressed appetite will start to go away, and people will start to feel hungry much like they did before starting Ozempic, doctors explain. If you've lost a lot of weight quickly, you may feel even hungrier than before.
What happens when you stop taking Ozempic? Weight loss caused by GLP-1 agonist drugs is not always permanent. In clinical trials, people who stopped taking semaglutide regained the majority of their prior weight loss within a year.
Yes, you'll lose weight with semaglutide – until you stop taking it. Then, evidence shows you're likely to regain the weight: one year after discontinuing the use of semaglutide, there was significant weight regain among participants. In fact, participants regained two-thirds of their prior weight loss.
How Long Can You Stay on Ozempic (semaglutide)? A person can stay on Ozempic® so long as they are tolerating the medication and it is deemed appropriate by their treating provider. There is no specific time frame when someone should stop taking Ozempic as it is a medication that is intended for chronic (long-term) use.
Teresa Shepherd said she lost 90 pounds while taking an off-brand version of the drug Ozempic for around eight months. Shepherd, who lives in Florida, told " Good Morning America" she has been able to maintain her weight loss two months after stopping the medication.
Experts said they consider Ozempic and Wegovy to be lifelong medications. "Data from our clinical trials for Wegovy showed that, not unexpectedly, patients experience weight regain once they stop taking the medication," Novo Nordisk told NBC News in a statement.
Because people stop feeling full and their food cravings return when they stop Ozempic, weight gain is likely, Kushner says.
As soon as someone stops taking the drug, their body fat and former appetite tend to return. Experts recommend working with a provider versed in obesity medicine to create a plan for improved lifestyle and long-term adherence to the drug.
Semaglutide improves postprandial glucose and lipid metabolism, and delays first-hour gastric emptying in subjects with obesity. Diabetes Obes Metab.
“GLP-1 medications [like Ozempic] are designed to be taken long-term,” explains Dr. McGowan. “They are chronic medications for the treatment of chronic conditions (both diabetes and obesity).”
“Ozempic face” is a term for common side effects of the type 2 diabetes medication semaglutide (Ozempic). It can cause sagging and aging of facial skin. A doctor may recommend lifestyle modifications or facial fillers to treat these effects.
However, doctors have now issued a warning about “Ozempic face,” a possible side effect of using the drugs both as a weight-loss method and without the proper medical supervision, as users have shared their experiences with accelerated ageing.
Many have reported losing substantial weight after taking the trendy drug semaglutide, which has the brand name Ozempic or Wegovy. But plastic surgeons say they're seeing a rise in patients coming in with saggy, loose skin that appears after dramatic weight loss — a phenomenon known as "Ozempic face" or "Ozempic body."
Stars like Chelsea Handler, Kyle Richards and more have spoken about the diet trend. Handler, for her part, admitted during a January 2023 episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast that she unknowingly took the medication.
Now a supplement called berberine is trending as a “natural” version of Ozempic. Social media influencers claim that taking berberine can improve insulin sensitivity, lower blood glucose, and help you lose stubborn weight.
Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) can cause side effects that some people are unable to tolerate. Following dosing guidelines can help manage these side effects. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are the most common semaglutide side effects.
Wegovy (semaglutide) is an injectable medication used for chronic weight management. It's FDA approved for use in adults and adolescents ages 12 and older. Wegovy is intended for long-term use. You can continue treatment if it's effective and you're able to tolerate the medication.
Stop using Ozempic® and call your health care provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without vomiting. You may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back.
Semaglutide improves body composition by helping patients lose weight and reduce excess fat, including stubborn belly fat. It also increases the proportion of lean body mass.
About a third of people who take Ozempic for weight loss will lose 10% or more of their body weight. Most people should expect to lose at least 5% of their starting body weight when using Ozempic for weight loss.
How long does Ozempic (semaglutide) stay in your system? Ozempic® stays in your system for a little over a month when taken at the highest dose of 2 mg.