6 Ways To Relieve Constipation Caused By Ozempic

Ozempic (semaglutide) is a well-liked medicine used to handle sort 2 diabetes and weight reduction. It really works by reducing your blood sugar, affecting your urge for food, and slowing down digestion. A typical, sometimes manageable aspect impact of Ozempic is constipation.

There are a number of methods to forestall or handle Ozempic-related constipation, corresponding to:

Consuming sufficient fiber might help forestall or deal with constipation. Meals which can be excessive in fiber embody entire grains, nut butters, inexperienced leafy greens, and berries. It is necessary to extend your fiber consumption regularly, as an excessive amount of fiber can result in digestive unwanted side effects like fuel, bloating, and diarrhea.

Ingesting sufficient water is necessary to your well being in some ways. The Nationwide Academy of Drugs recommends 15.5 cups (3.4 liters) of water a day for males and 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) a day for girls. These suggestions could differ based mostly in your exercise degree, eating regimen, location, and medical historical past.

Participating in common bodily exercise helps your digestive system maintain meals transferring by way of your intestine usually.

Attempt to have a bowel movement on the identical time every day to get your intestine and bowels right into a wholesome routine.

A nutritious, balanced eating regimen might help deal with or forestall the event of constipation. It might even be helpful to maintain a meals diary to see if there are any patterns in your eating regimen that might be inflicting constipation.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can be found to assist deal with or forestall constipation. This contains laxatives and stool softeners like Miralax (polyethylene glycol), Ducolax (bisacodyl), Senna (sennosides), and Colace (docusate sodium). Communicate with a healthcare supplier to resolve which choice could also be finest for you.

When taking Ozempic, constipation can happen for a lot of totally different causes. Attainable causes embody slower abdomen emptying, dehydration, and extra.

• Slower abdomen emptying: Ozempic belongs to a drug class referred to as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. GLP-1 agonists decelerate digestion and how briskly your abdomen empties. For this reason you could really feel fuller for longer whereas taking Ozempic. Slower abdomen emptying results in unwanted side effects like nausea, bloating, and constipation.
• Dehydration: In case you are consuming much less as a result of you don’t really feel hungry, you may additionally be ingesting much less water. Dehydration may cause arduous stools (poop) and problem passing stool. Experiencing different unwanted side effects from Ozempic, like vomiting, can even result in dehydration and constipation.
• Decrease urge for food or consuming much less meals: Ozempic slows your abdomen emptying, making you’re feeling full. This possible means you might have much less of an urge for food and will probably be consuming lower than common. Modifications in your routine and the meals that you just eat can result in constipation. Whenever you eat much less, your physique doesn’t have a lot materials to kind stool. This can make the stool that you just do have small and arduous. Not consuming sufficient of sure meals can even result in constipation. For instance, eradicating consistent fiber out of your eating regimen will possible trigger ache and problem in having a bowel motion.

It’s estimated that 40-70% of individuals taking Ozempic will expertise a number of gastrointestinal (GI)-related unwanted side effects. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are three of the most typical GI unwanted side effects reported with Ozempic. Constipation is the least widespread of all GI unwanted side effects, occurring in 4-12% of individuals taking Ozempic and different GLP-1 medicines.

Some research have reported that Ozempic-related constipation is extra widespread in folks with chubby or weight problems, in comparison with folks with diabetes. Nonetheless, extra analysis is required to know if sure medical situations have an effect on your danger for constipation.

Constipation is often seen inside the first 28 days of beginning Ozempic. Nonetheless, it could actually begin anytime inside the first 16 weeks (4 months) of therapy.

How lengthy somebody experiences constipation can differ. For instance, one examine discovered that constipation lasted for about 47 days (six weeks) in folks taking Ozempic for weight reduction. Constipation improved by itself after a while in these sufferers.

Larger doses of Ozempic can also increase your danger for constipation. Your healthcare supplier will possible begin you at a low dose to restrict your danger for unwanted side effects.

If constipation begins to intervene along with your day by day life, or you probably have no reduction after making an attempt totally different remedies, speak with a healthcare supplier. They might help you establish the following steps in therapy.

In the event you start experiencing any of the next indicators and signs, search medical care instantly:

• Extreme abdomen ache (worse than common)
• Blood in your poop or rectal bleeding
• Abdomen swelling
• Unable to cross fuel
• Vomiting, particularly if it’s a darkish coloration
• Fever

These signs could point out critical damage or sickness. You will need to see a healthcare supplier to rule out any critical well being points or considerations.

In case you are taking Ozempic and anxious about constipation, speak along with your healthcare supplier. They might help you give you a plan to both forestall or deal with the aspect impact. Don’t cease taking Ozempic when you start experiencing constipation. Discuss along with your healthcare supplier first to resolve what the most effective plan is for you and your well being situations.