SAN ANTONIO — Weight loss medications are all the rage these days. But as we find out in tonight's Verify, these GLP-1s like Ozempic and Wegovy may have some serious side effects.
For those that are taking these medications, most already know or experienced the unpleasant side effect of nausea. But KENS 5 viewer, Cindy Cillo, stopped taking Ozempic because she had heard tonight's claim.
THE QUESTION
Can weight loss medications like Ozempic cause gastroparesis?
THE SOURCES
- Dr. Maria Escobar-Vasco, an assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology at the UT Health San Antonio, who also sees patients at University Health
- Dr. Prateek Sharma, a professor of medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine
THE ANSWER
FALSE
WHAT WE FOUND
Dr. Escobar-Vasco told us the effects of the medication could have similar symptoms to gastroparesis but once you stop the medication those effects should go away so they are temporary.
"Gastroparesis is really a problem where the nerves that go to your stomach don't work very well. And so then your stomach doesn't work very well, but the medications won't affect the nerve system. They just slow down the stomach," Escobar-Vasco said.
In a recent article about a University of Kansas study, Dr. Sharma was quoted saying, "Although these drugs do work and should be used for the right reason, we just want to caution everyone that if you do decide to start this, be prepared that you have a 30% chance that you may have GI side effects, and then the drug may have to be discontinued."
So no, it is false. Weight loss medications like Ozempic do not cause gastroparesis.
Dr. Escobar-Vasco also told us if you are having severe side effects from a GLP-1 to see your doctor right away, and also if you plan to start any kind of weight loss program.