Ozempic Lawsuits – Wegovy and Rybelsus

Dangerous and Defective Drug Lawyers Whittel & Melton

Ozempic is a type 2 diabetes drug that some people use to reduce weight. Even though the FDA has only licensed it to treat diabetes. While stomach troubles are one of the medication’s adverse effects, some people have encountered severe gastrointestinal problems, including as frequent vomiting that led to ER trips and even tooth loss. Novo Nordisk, the maker of the injectable semaglutide Ozempic and Wegovy, is being sued for failing to disclose the grave nature of these adverse effects.

Ozempic Explained

Ozempic is a brand-name type 2 diabetes drug. One of its side effects—weight loss—has garnered media attention. According to reports, influencers, celebrities, and others have reportedly been using it off-label to shed excess pounds.

Ozempic is administered once a week by injection into the thigh, upper arm, or stomach. The semaglutide binds GLP-1 receptors to replicate the pancreas’ release of insulin. The medication also helps lower blood sugar levels and the quantity of sugar the liver releases. By delaying the stomach’s release of food, it can help prevent blood surges.

Semaglutide: What is It?

Semaglutide is a type of type 2 diabetes medication that is marketed under the trade names Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy. Some of its side effects are:

The following are some of Ozempic’s most typical and minor adverse effects:

• Stomach pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Burping
• Dizziness
• Feeling faint
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Acid reflux
• Indigestion
• Slight elevation in heart rate
• Injection site reaction

More severe adverse effects are possible and include:

• Gallbladder disease
• Kidney disease
• Low blood sugar
• Diabetic eye disease
• Pancreatitis
• Allergic reactions
• Heightened risk of developing thyroid cancer

Type 1 Diabetes vs. Type 2 Diabetes

When the body can no longer effectively regulate blood sugar levels, a chronic health condition known as diabetes develops.

Although it usually first manifests in early childhood, type 1 diabetes is often known as juvenile-onset diabetes since it can affect adults. When a person has type 1 diabetes, their pancreas does not create enough insulin, which the body needs to control blood sugar levels.

The more prevalent kind of diabetes, known as type 2, usually strikes adults. There are two complications with this type of diabetes. The first is insufficient insulin production by the pancreas. The second is that the body’s cells take less insulin, which results in less sugar being absorbed and ending up in the bloodstream. Insulin resistance is a symptom of pre-diabetes that can be cured at least partly with medication, lifestyle adjustment a combination of both to avoid the development of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is more likely to affect some people than others. Among the potential risk factors for this illness are:

• Genetics and family history
• Being higher-weight person
• Having an excessive amount of fat in the abdominal region
• Pregnancy
• Advanced age
• Race and ethnicity
• Inactive lifestyle
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Type 2 diabetes does not have a treatment. However, a few therapies and lifestyle adjustments can address the symptoms. For people who do not currently have type 2 diabetes, maintaining a balanced diet and level of fitness can also help avoid the disease.

Insulin treatment and diabetes drugs like Ozempic are the main medical options for type 2 diabetes.

Does Ozempic Help People Lose Weight?

Ozempic can decrease appetite, leading some individuals to use it off-label for weight loss. Although the FDA has not approved the medication for weight loss, a doctor can still prescribe it if they believe it will help the patient.

Ozempic can help people lose weight, but it truly works best for obese people for whom diet and exercise alone will not work. Non-medical approaches might best serve those aiming to shed a few pounds. Physicians are worried that using Ozempic in those carrying less weight can have more severe adverse effects.

Ozempic suppresses the GLP-1 hormone receptors, which can lead to weight loss. As a result, this amplifies the effects of GLP-1, which have the following effects on the body:

• Reduces cravings in the brain’s hunger regions, therefore decreases appetite.
• Reduces the speed at which the stomach empties after eating, allowing the patient to feel fuller for longer.

Despite this side effect, the FDA has not authorized Ozempic as a drug for weight loss. Ozempic’s sibling drug, Wegovy, is also manufactured by Novo Nordisk and is authorized to treat obesity.

Even though Ozempic is intended to treat type 2 diabetes and, with a doctor’s consent, aids in weight loss for obese individuals, many well-known and wealthy individuals are using Ozempic to lose weight. While some deny the use, physicians note that Ozempic also induces a side effect known as “Ozempic face,” or the loss of facial fat, which makes it easy to identify who is using it.

Is Wegovy the Same as Ozempic?

Patients receive subcutaneous injections of Ozempic and Wegovy. The primary distinction between the two medications is that Wegovy has been approved by the FDA for use in weight loss at a dosage of 2.4 mg per week, while Ozempic is intended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes at doses of 0.5 to 1 mg weekly.

What is Rybelsus?

Rybelsus, also made by Novo Nordisk, is intended to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, just like Ozempic. However, the patient takes an oral tablet of this medication every day, not an injection.

The most common side effects of Rybelsus include diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and a decrease in appetite. However, there are more serious adverse effects of this drug, that may include:

• Thyroid tumors
• Thyroid cancer
• Pancreatitis
• Vision changes
• Hypoglycemia
• Kidney failure
• Gallbladder issues
• Severe allergic reactions

What About the Ozempic Shortage?

Because so many people, regardless of dosage, are using the drug to lose weight, there is a shortage of Ozempic available for those with type 2 diabetes who require it. Individuals who depend on the drug have been forced to go from Ozempic or its higher-dose equivalent, Wegovy, to alternative medications that may not be as successful at controlling their diabetes.

Some people have taken compounded versions of the semaglutide drug because of the Ozempic shortage. Combining chemicals from different drugs is known as compounding. The FDA has advised patients not to take compounded forms of Ozempic since they have not had their safety evaluated. The FDA generally disapproves of compounded formulas. In addition, the FDA has alerted patients about the possibility that semaglutide salts, rather than the active ingredients that give Ozempic its effectiveness, may be present in Ozempic compounds.

Why Are Ozempic Lawsuits Emerging Now?

The company that makes Ozempic, Novo Nordisk, is currently being sued for serious side effects that users say they were not told about. Severe gastrointestinal issues such as gastroenteritis and gastroparesis have been reported as side effects of Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus use.

The illness known as gastroenteritis is brought on by inflammation and irritation of the intestines and stomach. If it is caused by a bacterial infection, it may also be referred to as the stomach flu.

Gastroenteritis symptoms can include:

• Abdominal pain
• Stomach cramps
• Headache
• Fever
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea

Gastroparesis is a stomach ailment as well. It is also known as delayed gastric emptying. When food remains in the stomach for longer than it should, it can cause gastroparesis.

Among the signs and symptoms of gastroparesis are:

• Heartburn
• GERD
• Vomiting
• Bloating
• Lack of appetite
• Stomach cramps/pain
• Feeling full quickly after eating
• Weight loss
• Trouble regulating blood sugar

Novo Nordisk did issue a warning, citing connections between using Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus and experiencing nausea and stomach discomfort. The medication’s side effects list includes the two. However, the semaglutide case brought against the company includes allegations that it failed to alert consumers to the serious stomach problems that the drug could cause, such as gastroenteritis and gastroparesis.

Ozempic Lawsuits for Stomach Paralysis

In August, 2023, the makers of Ozempic and Mounjaro were named in a lawsuit on the grounds that the medications result in gastroparesis, a serious gastrointestinal ailment. The plaintiff alleges she had taken Ozempic, made by Novo Nordisk, to treat her type 2 diabetes, but had her medication switched to Mounjaro, a similar drug manufactured by Eli Lilly. She alleges in her lawsuit that both companies neglected to alert customers to the possibility of gastrointestinal problems like gastroenteritis and gastroparesis. The lawsuit claims she spent time in the ER and suffered tooth loss due to excessive vomiting.

Can I File a Lawsuit After Taking Ozempic, Wegovy, And/or Rybelsus?

Our Dangerous and Defective Drug Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are currently looking into lawsuits on behalf of those who have undergone GLP-1 RA therapies (pills or injections) under the brands Ozempic, Rybelsus, or Wegovy and:

• Are under the age of 75
• Required hospitalization
• Developed a gastrointestinal problem while taking these medications or after stopping these medications (within 30 days).

If you have taken Ozempic and have been diagnosed with any of the following conditions, you might have a case against Novo Nordisk:

• Vomiting episodes
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Damage to the esophagus that required surgery
• Removal of the gallbladder (before March 2022)
• Stomach blockage
• Damage to the gastrointestinal tract that needed surgery
• Gastroparesis
• Intestinal obstruction
• Pancreatic cancer
• Paralysis of the stomach

We Can Help You

First, talk to your doctor about your health to make sure that taking Ozempic, Wegovy, and/or Rybelsus is what caused your gastrointestinal issues. Then, schedule a free consultation by calling us at 866-945-9045 or contact us online 24/7. After assessing your case, we will determine if you have a valid claim. You will not be obligated to pay us anything until your lawsuit yields a successful outcome.