What You Can Do If Ozempic Is Giving You Heartburn

Ozempic (semaglutide) is an injectable prescription medication that’s FDA-approved to help treat Type 2 diabetes. Ozempic prompts the body to make more insulin. This can help people manage their blood sugar.

While it’s a powerful tool for diabetes treatment, Ozempic can cause side effects. Stomach upset and other gut issues are the most commonly reported side effects. And they can be unpleasant. 

But the good news is that most Ozempic-related side effects do go away with time. With the right treatment, you can keep yourself comfortable and get the benefits of Ozempic while you wait for the side effects to ease. 

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If you’ve been experiencing heartburn since starting Ozempic, here’s what you should know about the connection between Ozempic and acid reflux — and how to manage it. 

Does Ozempic cause heartburn?

Yes. In clinical studies, about 2% of people reported symptoms of acid reflux or heartburn. 

Data from these trials shows that people were more likely to experience heartburn while taking the lower dose of Ozempic (0.5 mg per week). This is unusual, because all of the other reported side effects got worse with higher doses. 

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The most commonly reported heartburn symptoms include:

• Burning sensation in the middle of the chest

• Indigestion

• Stomach pain

• Burping or belching

Excessive burping while taking the medication has been dubbed the “Ozempic burp” in the media. Increased burping is a common heartburn symptom. But the “Ozempic burp” has one additional quality that sets it apart from regular heartburn gas: Ozempic burps smell (and reportedly taste) like rotten eggs. 

While all this may sound highly unpleasant, here’s some good news. Studies have shown that the majority of people keep taking Ozempic despite the side effects. This implies that the benefits of taking this medication outweigh the discomfort and annoyance of side effects. 

Why does Ozempic cause heartburn?

It’s not exactly clear why Ozempic causes heartburn. But there are a few theories.

Acid irritation from nausea and vomiting

The first reason is related to other Ozempic side effects, such as nausea and vomiting. Ozempic-induced nausea and vomiting are the two most commonly reported side effects. 

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Is Ozempic making you feel nauseous? These tips may help you cope with the digestive side effects.

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• Wondering if Ozempic is causing your new symptom? Learn more about the most common Ozempic side effects.

Acid rises from your stomach into your esophagus when you vomit or feel like you’re going to vomit. This acid burns the lining of your esophagus and makes you feel pain or discomfort. These are common symptoms of heartburn and can come and go throughout the day. Depending on how sensitive you are to these symptoms, you may only notice heartburn symptoms and not nausea. 

Acid backup from slowed stomach emptying

Ozempic slows how fast your stomach empties. By slowing down digestion, Ozempic can help you feel fuller faster and longer. This is how Ozempic can cause weight loss, another commonly reported side effect. 

Heartburn can be a result of having an overly full stomach. A band of muscle clamps down to separate your stomach from your esophagus. But as your stomach fills, the pressure on that muscle increases. This lets acid from your stomach escape into your esophagus, which causes heartburn. 

Most of the time, this isn’t a huge issue since the stomach empties pretty quickly. But if you’re taking Ozempic, food hangs around in your stomach much longer. That means more pressure on your muscle band and more time for acid to make its way into your esophagus, leading to heartburn. 

How can you treat heartburn caused by Ozempic?

There are ways to manage heartburn from Ozempic. Using these tips together can help you stay comfortable while taking Ozempic. 

Avoid foods and drinks that trigger heartburn

If you’ve never had heartburn before, you might not realize that certain foods and drinks can trigger heartburn or make it worse. Limiting these foods and drinks in your diet can help you manage your heartburn symptoms. Avoid or cut down on these foods while taking Ozempic, especially if you have heartburn:

• Greasy and fried foods

• Spicy foods

• Chocolate

• Citrus fruits and tomatoes

• Drinks that contain caffeine 

• Alcohol

• Peppermint

Instead, opt for foods and drinks that can help improve heartburn like:

• Watermelon

• Cantaloupe

• Bananas

• Dates

• Chicken

• Turkey

• Salmon

Change your sleep position

Most people notice that their heartburn gets worse at bedtime. That’s because the muscle band between your stomach and esophagus loses its most helpful ally — gravity. When you’re standing or sitting, gravity holds down your stomach acid. With that force gone, acid can easily escape into your esophagus. 

You can try sleeping slightly propped up to help with heartburn symptoms. You can also try raising the head of your bed by 6 to 10 inches by placing a wedge under your mattress. 

Sleeping on your left side also helps to keep stomach acid down, while sleeping on your back makes reflux worse. You can stack pillows next to you to try and keep you on your left side while you sleep. 

Wear loose clothes

Tight clothes and waistbands put pressure on your stomach. This can force more acid into your esophagus and trigger heartburn.

Opt for loose-fitting pants or skirts and dresses that take the pressure off your midline. This can help relieve your heartburn symptoms.

Try an over-the-counter heartburn medication

For quick relief from heartburn, you can take an over-the-counter (OTC) antacid like:

• Tums

• Rolaids

• Alka-Seltzer

• Mylanta

These medications usually start working within minutes. You can take them as soon as you're done eating or when you start feeling heartburn symptoms. Keep in mind that the effects only last about an hour. These medications don’t prevent future reflux either.

For longer lasting relief, you can also try histamine-2 antagonists, or H2 blockers, like:

• Famotidine (Zantac 360, Pepcid AC)

• Cimetidine (Tagamet HB)

These medications take a couple of hours to start working but provide relief most of the day. You should take them a few hours before eating. But you can also take them when you start feeling heartburn symptoms. Just keep in mind that you won’t feel the effects right away. You may also want to keep an antacid on hand, just in case.

When to speak to a healthcare professional

Talk with a healthcare professional if your heartburn hasn’t gone away within 2 weeks. If your heartburn is so bad that you can’t eat or drink or you’re thinking about stopping Ozempic, talk with your prescriber right away. 

There are other medications for heartburn — like proton pump inhibitors — that can keep you comfortable while you wait for the side effects to go away on their own. A healthcare professional can help you find the right combination of therapy to keep you comfortable. 

They can also make sure you’re not taking medications that can trigger or worsen heartburn. If you’re taking one of these medications, they may have an alternative you can try instead. Just remember, don’t stop taking medications without first talking with your prescriber. 

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Written by:

Tracy Norfleet, MD, FACP

Dr. Tracy Norfleet is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician, health expert, and physician leader with over 20 years of experience practicing adult medicine. Dual-certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Tracy possesses a wealth of knowledge and expertise in both traditional medical practices and innovative lifestyle interventions for chronic disease management and reversal.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

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