What Happens When You Stop Taking Ozempic? Here Are the Short- and Long-Term Side Effects
Key takeaways:
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a medication used to lower blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes. But many people also experience weight loss while taking it.
When you stop taking Ozempic, you may notice some immediate effects, like an increase in appetite or blood sugar levels.
Most people will gain back most of the weight that they lost while taking Ozempic. But some research shows that you may still get heart-health benefits even after stopping Ozempic.
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Table of contents
Ozempic (semaglutide) is primarily used to improve blood sugar management for people with diabetes. But it has become a popular medication for the way it also causes people to rapidly lose weight. So, many people — with and without diabetes — take Ozempic for weight loss.
When you take Ozempic, your body gets used to it — especially if you’ve been taking it for some time. But what happens when you stop taking Ozempic? Many people regain most of the weight they lost. And there are other changes in the body to know about.
Keep reading to learn more about the short- and long-term effects of taking and stopping Ozempic, including tips for how to do this safely to prevent Ozempic withdrawal symptoms.
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Overview of what happens when you stop taking Ozempic
After you stop taking Ozempic, the effects reverse pretty quickly. This can lead to a number of changes in your body. Some of them are symptoms you can feel — like an increased appetite. Other changes happen below the surface that may not cause any symptoms — like increased blood glucose (sugar) levels.
Some of the main side effects of stopping Ozempic include:
Increased appetite and cravings
Decreased side effects, like nausea and feeling full
Spikes in blood sugar
Increased risk of cardiovascular issues, like strokes and heart attacks
Weight gain
We’ll go through all of these in more detail below.
Ozempic withdrawal symptoms: What you will notice immediately
Some people have used the phrase “Ozempic withdrawal” to describe how they feel right after stopping Ozempic. People describe feeling a noticeable increase in their appetite. This can result in not feeling full even after eating a lot.
For people with diabetes, stopping Ozempic can also lead to a dangerous increase in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). This can lead to symptoms like:
Excessive thirst
Excessive urination
Blurry vision
Headaches
Nausea or vomiting
A lot of these withdrawal symptoms can be unpleasant and risky. But it’s not all bad news. Ozempic has some well-known side effects, which can improve as soon as you stop the medication. So you may notice a decrease in:
Sagging and wrinkled skin in the face, referred to as “Ozempic face”
It’s also important to be aware of the longer-term changes in your body that happen when you stop taking Ozempic.
Has your Ozempic stopped working for weight loss? Many people reach a weight loss plateau while taking Ozempic. Here’s why.
Foods to avoid while taking Ozempic: Certain foods can worsen the unpleasant side effects of Ozempic. And others are best to avoid for your blood sugar.
Can’t fill your Ozempic prescription? Here are several other medications that work in a similar way.
The post-Ozempic body: Long-term side effects
There aren’t a lot of scientific studies looking at the effects of stopping Ozempic. So it’s too early to say exactly what the long-term effects are. But weight gain is the main change people see in their body after stopping Ozempic.
Weight gain
A 2022 study did show that 1 year after stopping Ozempic, people gained back two-thirds of the weight they had originally lost. This still resulted in a net weight loss of about 5% from before ever starting Ozempic. In the study, the people who lost the most weight with Ozempic also gained the most weight back. But these people still had the greatest net weight loss.
Another study showed similar results. People who took Ozempic lost an average of 10% of their body weight. When they stopped the medication, they gained back an average 7% of their body weight in about a year. This seems to be similar to what happens when using and stopping other weight-loss drugs, like orlistat.
People have the most success when they establish balanced eating habits and regular exercise routines. In other words, don’t get discouraged or feel like you need to rely on a pill. Establishing a positive relationship with food and movement is the most important thing you can do to maintain a weight that’s comfortable for your body.
Blood sugar
Along with weight regain, blood sugar levels return almost back to baseline in people with diabetes. But in people who had prediabetes when starting Ozempic, 43% were able to keep their blood sugar at normal levels even after stopping the medication.
Heart health
The same study that looked at weight regain after stopping Ozempic also looked at changes in heart health. Interestingly, even though people regained the weight they lost, the study still saw some improvements in most cholesterol tests. It also showed improvement in CRP, a blood test for inflammation.
This means that even when you stop Ozempic, your risk of a major cardiac event, like a heart attack, remains lower.
But it’s important to note that most people’s blood pressure returned back to their pre-Ozempic levels. So more research is needed to understand the effect on heart health when you start and stop Ozempic.
How to stop taking Ozempic safely
As with any medication, it’s best to talk with your healthcare professional before you stop taking Ozempic. This is especially true if you have:
Diabetes
Prediabetes, or an increased risk of diabetes
Heart disease
Increased risk for heart disease
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
If you have diabetes, your healthcare professional may recommend you taper off Ozempic slowly. They can also help make sure you’re taking the right medication to prevent any spikes in blood sugar. And if you’re worried about experiencing any of the Ozempic withdrawal symptoms or long-term changes above, they can help you find the right treatment plan to stay healthy.
Frequently asked questions
Most people who take Ozempic for diabetes need to take it indefinitely to benefit from its effects. When you stop taking Ozempic, you may see an increase in your blood sugar and weight. This is especially true if you don’t have other measures or treatments in place to help. But rest assured, if Ozempic doesn’t feel like the right medication for you, there are plenty of other treatment options for both blood sugar control and weight loss.
At some point, you may stop losing weight while taking Ozempic. But everyone experiences weight loss a little differently. Some people lose weight quickly right after they start the medication, and then plateau. Other people have little weight loss right after they start it, then lose weight gradually over several months. This is why it’s important to incorporate other lifestyle changes alongside Ozempic. These include a balanced diet, daily physical movement, and medications for other health conditions.
Everyone has a slightly different experience with Ozempic side effects. By the numbers, the most common include nausea and diarrhea. But for many people, these side effects improve after taking Ozempic for several weeks.
Not all the side effects are unpleasant. For example, many people notice a decreased appetite and a reduction in “food noise” in their head (a preoccupation with hunger and food).
The bottom line
Ozempic (semaglutide) can be a helpful drug for many people. But for different reasons, it’s not always sustainable long term. Some people experience unwanted side effects. Others may have trouble affording their medication.
So it’s important to know some of the side effects you may experience when you stop taking Ozempic. The main ones to be aware of are increased blood sugar and weight gain. Both of these can have a serious effect on long-term health. If you’re taking Ozempic and are thinking of stopping it, talk with your healthcare professional. They will help you find a safe way to stop taking the medication.
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References
Anderson, L. A. (2023). What happens when you stop taking Ozempic? Drugs.com.
Cozlea, D. L., et al. (2013). The impact of C reactive protein on global cardiovascular risk on patients with coronary artery disease. Current Health Sciences Journal.
Rubino, D., et al. (2021). Effect of continued weekly subcutaneous semaglutide vs placebo on weight loss maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity. Journal of the American Medical Association.
Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2022). Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism.
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