Ozempic Lawsuits
Ozempic is a type 2 diabetes medication that some also take to lose weight even though it has only been approved by the FDA to treat diabetes. The medication’s side effects include some stomach problems, but some patients have experienced extreme gastrointestinal issues, including excessive vomiting that resulted in emergency room visits and even lost teeth. A semaglutide lawsuit has been filed against manufacturer Novo Nordisk over a failure to warn about the severity of these side effects.
What Is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a brand-name medication that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. This medication, sold in its generic form as semaglutide, has made headlines because of one of its side effects: weight loss. There have been reports that influencers, celebrities, and even a tech mogul have been taking it off-label to lose weight. Ozempic is manufactured by Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company that was founded in 1923 and is the biggest pharmaceutical company in all of Denmark.
What Is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a kind of type 2 diabetes medication that is sold under the brand names Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy.
What Does Ozempic Treat?
Ozempic is approved by the FDA to treat type 2 diabetes in combination with exercise and dieting in order to improve blood sugar control. Despite weight loss being a common side effect,it is not approved by the FDA for that purpose and any usage of it for that purpose specifically isconsidered off-label.
How Does Ozempic Work?
Ozempic is a weekly injection into the stomach, upper arm, or thigh. The semaglutide then bindsGLP-1 receptors to mimic the pancreas’ release of insulin. The drug also helps to reduce blood sugar and to reduce the amount of sugar that the liver releases. It can help to prevent blood spikes by slowing down the process of the stomach releasing food from the stomach.
Ozempic Side Effects
The most common and mild side effects of Ozempic can include:
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Changes in taste
- Burping
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Flatulence
- Acid reflux
- Indigestion
- Minor heart-rate increase
- Reaction at the injection site
There are more serious side effects that can occur, including:
- Gallbladder disease
- Kidney disease
- Hypoglycemia
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Pancreatitis
- Allergic reactions
- Increased risk of developing thyroid cancer
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a long-term health condition that results when the body is no longer capable of properly regulating the sugar levels in the blood. There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 diabetes can affect adults, but is often called juvenile-onset diabetes because it typically appears during childhood. In those with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin, which the body uses to regulate how much sugar is in the bloodstream. This type of diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes because there is no cure for it and those who have it are dependent on taking insulin to regulate their blood sugar.
What Is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of diabetes and typically occurs in adulthood. In this kind of diabetes, there are two issues. The first is that the pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin. The second is that the cells in the body don’t respond as well to what insulin is present, meaning that they take in less sugar, leaving that sugar in the bloodstream. This insulin resistance is a symptom of pre-diabetes and can, if caught early enough, be reversed at least partially with medication, lifestyle changes, or both in order to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes typically include the following:
- Increased thirst and hunger
- Urinating more frequently
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- More frequent infections
- Sores that don’t heal
- Tingling in the hands or feet
- Numbness in the hands or feet
- Blurry vision
- Spots of darkened skin, usually around the neck and armpits
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes
The exact cause of type 2 diabetes isn’t known. The disease occurs when the following two conditions happen:
- The pancreas isn’t making enough insulin.
- The cells aren’t absorbing enough sugar.
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors
Some people are more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes than others. The risk factors for thisdisease can include:
- Family history and genetics
- Being overweight
- Having fat concentrated around the abdomen
- Pregnancy
- Older age
- Ethnicity and race
- Being inactive
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Prediabetes
Complications of Type 2 Diabetes
It’s important to manage and treat diabetes to prevent any complications that can arise. Type 2 diabetes can cause the following health complications:
- Eye damage
- Nerve damage
- Kidney disease
- Heart disease
- Blood vessel disease
- Dementia
- Sleep apnea
- Skin conditions
- Hearing problems
- Healing more slowly
Type 2 Diabetes Treatments
There is no cure for type 2 diabetes. However, there are some treatments and lifestyle changes that can help to manage the symptoms. For example, diet and exercise can help to reduce the severity of the disease. Eating healthy and keeping fit can also help to prevent type 2 diabetes in those who don’t already have it.
The primary medical treatments for type 2 diabetes include diabetes medications like Ozempic and insulin therapy.
Ozempic for Weight Loss
Because Ozempic can suppress appetite, some people have been taking it off-label as a weight-loss aid. The FDA has not approved the drug as a treatment for weight loss, but a doctorcan still prescribe it for that purpose if they deem it to be in the best interest of a patient.
Ozempic’s ability to cause weight loss is really only effective for those who are obese and for whom diet and exercise won’t be enough. Those looking to lose a few pounds would be better served with non-medical interventions. Doctors have concerns that Ozempic usage in those at lower weights could result in more serious side effects.
How Does Ozempic Cause Weight Loss?
Ozempic causes weight loss by suppressing the receptors of the hormone GLP-1. This has the result of enhancing the effects of GLP-1, which have the following two impacts on the body:
- Suppresses appetite by reducing cravings in the brain’s hunger centers
- Slows the rate at which the stomach empties after eating, which means the patient maintains a full feeling for longer
Despite this side effect, the FDA has not approved Ozempic as a weight loss medication. It’s approved only for type 2 diabetes. Wegovy, Ozempic’s sister medication, also by Novo Nordisk, is the medication approved to treat obesity.
Ozempic vs. Wegovy
Ozempic and Wegovy are very similar medications. Wegovy is also a semaglutide drug and is the same medication as Ozempic, just at a higher dosage. Wegovy is approved by the FDA for weight loss in order to treat obesity. Ozempic, on the other hand, is FDA-approved only for treating type 2 diabetes. Taking Ozempic for weight loss is considered off-label even for those who are obese.
Ozempic in Hollywood
Although Ozempic is meant to treat type 2 diabetes and possibly weight loss for the obese with the approval of a doctor, many wealthy and famous people are taking Ozempic to lose a few extra pounds. Although many have denied taking the medication for weight loss, others like Chelsea Handler have admitted to taking it. Doctors also say that it’s usually clear who is taking Ozempic because the medication also causes the loss of fat in the face, a side effect called Ozempic face.
Ozempic Shortage
With so many taking the medication in order to lose weight, regardless of dose, there has been a shortage of Ozempic for those who need it to treat their type 2 diabetes. Patients who rely on the medication have had to switch to other drugs that aren’t necessarily as effective at treating their diabetes because they can’t access Ozempic or its higher-dose equivalent, Wegovy.
FDA Warnings about Compounding Ozempic
Due to the Ozempic shortage, some have taken compounded versions of the semaglutide medication. Compounding a medication involves combining the ingredients from multiple medications. The FDA doesn’t approve compounded formulas in general and has warned patients against taking compounded versions of Ozempic, which haven’t been reviewed by the FDA for safety. The FDA has also warned patients to be aware that Ozempic compounds may contain semaglutide salts instead of the active components that make Ozempic effective.
Why Is Novo Nordisk Facing Ozempic Lawsuits?
Novo Nordisk, the company that manufactures Ozempic, is now facing lawsuits over severe side effects that plaintiffs claimed they weren’t warned about. These side effects have included severe gastrointestinal problems like gastroenteritis and gastroparesis.
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is a condition caused by the irritation and inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It may also be known as the stomach flu if it’s a temporary condition caused by a bacterial infection.
Symptoms of Gastroenteritis
The symptoms of gastroenteritis can include:
- Stomach pain
- Cramping
- Headache
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Gastroparesis
Symptoms of Gastroparesis
- Heartburn
- GERD
- Vomiting undigested food
- Bloating
- Lack of appetite
- Upset stomach
- Feeling full very soon after eating
- Abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Difficulty controlling blood sugar
Ozempic’s Warnings
Novo Nordisk did warn that there were links between taking Ozempic and vomiting and abdominal pain. The two are listed as side effects of the medication. However, the semaglutide lawsuit filed against the company involved claims that the company had failed to warn about thesevere stomach issues like gastroenteritis and gastroparesis that could result from taking the medication.
Semaglutide Lawsuits
A woman in Louisiana named Jaclyn Bjorklund filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, against both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Bjorklund reported that she had spent time in the emergency room and had her teeth fall out due to excessive vomiting. She had taken Ozempic to treat her type 2 diabetes until July of 2023, at which point she had switched to taking Mounjaro, which is manufactured by Eli Lilly.
In her lawsuit, she claims that both companies failed to warn about the risk of gastrointestinal issues, such as gastroenteritis and gastroparesis.There are currently over 400 other cases being investigated against Novo Nordisk in 45 states across the US
Do I Have an Ozempic Case?
You may have a case against Novo Nordisk if you have taken Ozempic and have been diagnosed with one of the following:
- Cyclical vomiting
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Esophageal injury that required surgical intervention
- Gallbladder removal (prior to 03/2022)
- Gastric obstruction
- Gastrointestinal injury that required surgical intervention
- Gastroparesis
- Intestinal blockage
- Pancreatic cancer
- Stomach paralysis
First, discuss your condition with your doctor to be certain that your stomach complaints were a result of taking Ozempic. Then, contact Farah & Farah for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys will review your situation and determine whether you have a case. You won’t owe anything unless your case is successful.
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