A woman who used the weight loss drug Ozempic is now facing a lifelong battle with diarrhea due to a serious bowel injury allegedly caused by the medication. This case is just one of several lawsuits filed against Novo Nordisk, the parent company of Ozempic and its sister drug Wegovy, since November. All the plaintiffs claim that the injections led to a rare condition called gastroparesis, which affects the spontaneous movement of the stomach muscles. Symptoms include nausea, bloating, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, weight loss, and malnutrition, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The unidentified woman in this particular case was diagnosed with a life-threatening bowel injury after using Ozempic. She underwent an eight-hour operation in an attempt to repair her colon, but doctors have informed her that she will be in pain for the rest of her life and will never have a solid bowel movement again. The woman is now accusing Novo Nordisk of failing to properly warn about the risk of gastroparesis on the drugs’ packaging.
It is unclear whether the woman was using Ozempic for weight loss or the treatment of diabetes, and the duration of her medication use before the bowel injury is also unknown. Ozempic and Wegovy were initially designed for individuals with Type 2 diabetes but have been prescribed by doctors to aid in weight loss. These drugs, known as semaglutides, help the pancreas release the right amount of insulin when blood sugar levels are high. They are injected once a week into the stomach, thigh, or arm.
Similar issues have been reported with weight loss drugs manufactured by other pharmaceutical companies. One lawsuit mentioned in the Daily Mail alleges that a user of Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, another injectable weight loss drug, developed gastroparesis and experienced such severe vomiting that some of her teeth fell out. Nine other lawsuits have been filed against Eli Lilly regarding similar allegations.
Florida attorney Cameron Stephenson, whose firm represents around 100 clients diagnosed with gastroparesis after using these drugs, believes that the current lawsuits are just the beginning. He predicts that there will be thousands of cases in the future.
In response to these lawsuits, it is important for pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to be more transparent about the potential side effects of their drugs, particularly the risk of developing gastroparesis. Patients deserve to be fully informed before making decisions about their health and well-being.