ozempic & Type 2

[K13ehr]

Hi everyone, New here today.

I've been on ozempic for about 9 weeks, also taking Lansaprazole.

About an hour before meals I'm getting an awful discomfort in my stomach area, it makes me feel a bit sick and not wanting to eat but if I can manage to eat it passes off slowly.

My day starts around 7-8am, I will have breakfast of two weetabix with milk no sugar pretty much every day, Lunch will be around 1pm and I will feel rough prior to that but it wears off, usually just a sandwich on wholemeal bread for lunch and whatever for the evening meal, it's normally after 6pm but by 4:30 like today I'm not feeling good again.

My partner seems to think it's the ozempic jab which is doing this, but my tum has always been odd, it comes and goes & I find it hard to think that it's the ozempic which is doing this, it's not every day but most days, and to be honest it's starting to stress me a bit and that is only making it worse, We don't normally have large meals,

I'm 72, 5'9'' and around 18 stones, it occured to me that I might just be hungry, I honestly don't know so looking for idea or expereinces from other ozempic users.

Regards

Kev,

 

[MrsA2]

Your current way of eating doesn't sound very nutritious or satisfying.
A lot of t 2s find replacing carbs (cereals, breads, potatoes, rice pasta, cakes biscuits, sugar etc) with bigger portions of protein (meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, ) and some natural fats such as butter or olive oil has great results in lowering blood sugar and losing weight, while still feeling full.

Have a read round the low carb sections of the forum.
Try eggs for breakfast, protein and a big salad for lunch and protein and vegetables for evening

 

[VashtiB]

I'm not familiar with Lansaprazole so not sure what effect that has.

However, as a type 2 controlled by diet I would suggest that you may want to consider changing up what you are eating. I agree with @MrsA2 that reducing your carbs and increasing your protein and fats may help you feel better. My very limited understanding of ozempic is that it is intended to reduce your appetite which in my view means that you need to make sure that you increase the nutritional value of what you are eating.

I also suggest that you consult your doctor to make sure that the symptoms are not caused by something other than hunger.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[Oldvatr]

Ozempic should not be used with a low carb diet. Like Insulin it need carbs to work on, and if your sugar levels go too low, then you will find you are in ketosis and producing ketones. This has led some forum members into a condition known as ketoacidosis which needs hospital treatment. this med is designed to force a state of ketosis which is not controlled by the normal hornone feedback path and lasts for 5 days after the injection, so eating carbs does not stop the ketosis. Please do research into euglycemic ketoacidosis (eDKA) for symptoms, and I would advise getting some ketostix from the chemist to measure ketones. A level above 5 mmol/l is to be considered a warning.

 

[EllieM]

A level above 5 mmol/l is to be considered a warning.

Is that a ketone level or a blood sugar level? I'm assuming the former but just wanted to clarify.

 

[VashtiB]

I have to admit I have no knowledge of the risks outlined by @Oldvatr but I have always found him extremely knowledgable. I recommend that you speak to your doctor about your symptoms.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi everyone, New here today.

I've been on ozempic for about 9 weeks, also taking Lansaprazole.

About an hour before meals I'm getting an awful discomfort in my stomach area, it makes me feel a bit sick and not wanting to eat but if I can manage to eat it passes off slowly.

My day starts around 7-8am, I will have breakfast of two weetabix with milk no sugar pretty much every day, Lunch will be around 1pm and I will feel rough prior to that but it wears off, usually just a sandwich on wholemeal bread for lunch and whatever for the evening meal, it's normally after 6pm but by 4:30 like today I'm not feeling good again.

My partner seems to think it's the ozempic jab which is doing this, but my tum has always been odd, it comes and goes & I find it hard to think that it's the ozempic which is doing this, it's not every day but most days, and to be honest it's starting to stress me a bit and that is only making it worse, We don't normally have large meals,

I'm 72, 5'9'' and around 18 stones, it occured to me that I might just be hungry, I honestly don't know so looking for idea or expereinces from other ozempic users.

Regards

Kev,

Hi Kev,

Welcome to the forum. Do you have access to a BG meter? What sort of numbers are you seeing if testing during these episodes?

 

[K13ehr]

Thank you all, I struggle to understand that as there are differing thoughts

I did try the other day to just have a slice of bread prior to my evening meal when this 'feeling' came on and it seemed to work and I was able to eat later wit more pleasure.

I do have a history of stomach problems, I had peritonitis when I was 15 and they took a fair bit away.


So to go back to the OP

Is anyone else on Ozempic and are they having any similar symptoms?

 

[Oldvatr]

Is that a ketone level or a blood sugar level? I'm assuming the former but just wanted to clarify.

Certainly. That is ketone level.

The advice I have seen from the DKA investigations was that users of Glutide medications should be careful when their glucose readings fall below 7 mmol/l since this indicates an increased risk from DKA event.

Normal nutrition level of ketones will be in the range 0 to 4 mmol/l when on ketosis due to diet. Intensive exercise or fasting can raise the levels up to 5 ( or sometimes 7 in extreme conditions with dehydration) but for most people rises above 5 need to be watched. Normally with nutritional ketosis it can be stopprd by eating carbs, but this does not work where the ketosis is chemically forced as in the case of the Glutides. These meds imitate the GLP-1 hormone, which forces a constant demand for insulin from the beta cells. The demand signal lasts for 5 days (the half life of most Glutides) and it cannot be turned off by diet changes.

If you think sulfonyl meds are thrashing the pancreas then this surpasses them. I presume there must be some limiting factor that provides some protection from hypo and dka but the studies I read did not describe any alternate control parthway. I am on Gliclazide (a sulfonyl) which has a half life measured in hours, not days. I can be assured that any hypo event will fade after about 5 hours after eating. Also the sulfonyl requires a trigger signal that occurs as a result of eating sugar or simple carbs so has a limited override time when it is increasing insulin demand and it is linked to eating. The GLP-1 meds are not limited and remain in control for days.

 

[MrsA2]

anyone else on Ozempic and are they having any similar symptoms?

Try putting Ozempic in the search box . I'm sure there's been lots of past discussions which you could be reading if there's no one on line currently

 

[PBHowe]

Hi there, I am on Ozempec and have been since March.

It has taken me a long time for my body to become used to it and for many months found that I could only eat small amounts, it was as though my body would reject anymore food.

My weight dropped from around 16.5 stone to 11.

I am now eating better although still nowhere near my pre-diabetic levels.

In that time I have also suffered from a lot of diarrhea, but that has also now settled down.

Food wise, I still eat carbs, although I do eat far less than I used to, I do avoid any added sugars. I regularly have fruit, but no more than a couple of portions a day. I avoid, all chocolate, cakes and biscuits, but do allow myself the occasional treat of a muffin or similar, but only very occasionally.

I also have sugar free cookies or wafer biscuits, again only occasionally though.

I also take Metformin, but have reduced my daily dosage of 2000mg to 1500. When I do my finger prick tests my levels are normally between 5.5 and 6.5. My HBA1C level has dropped for 117 at the end of January to 41 in July and 40 in October.

All in all the discomfort that the Ozempec caused has definitely been outweighed by the positive effects that it has had, but it definitely has not been an easy journey and has involved a lot of sacrifices.

This is my first Christmas with diagnosed diabetes and already it is one of the toughest challenges I have had in the last 11 months - harder than Easter by far.

Speak to you Dr or Nurse just to get reassurance that everything is ok, but try and bear with it, it will be worth it in the end...

 

[K13ehr]

Try putting Ozempic in the search box . I'm sure there's been lots of past discussions which you could be reading if there's no one on line currently

The first thing I did as I'm well used to forums.

 

[K13ehr]

I do intend to stick with it but my glucose levels are not dropping much at all pre-breakfast is usually above 8.0, and the lowest recorded in the last 3 months is 6.9 to say 5 etc is too high misses the point that we are individuals and will have different "normal" level, the diabetes nurse told me if it goes and stays above 10 then you have a problem.

I was checking daily but was advised not to as this can lead to anxiety which can pus glucose levels up so I just do it as and when.

I think I must be part stone as getting any blood out of my finger is a feat in itself, even though I'm on blood thinners

 

[Daibell]

I think you need to review the amount of carbs you are eating. I take the point raised by @Oldvatr about the risks of low BS with Ozempic but it appears that currently you are effectively having carbs to feed the meds. Ozempic is normally prescribed for T2s with high BS and excess weight. Prior to being prescribed Ozempic, carb reduction would be sensible as it may even avoid the need to start Ozempic. I would try to gradually reduce the carbs whilst keeping an eye on your BS. In the longer-term you may even be able to stop the Ozempic. Lanzaprazole is very similar to omeprazole which many take for excess stomach acid. I assume this is why you are taking it? Be aware that for some people Ozempic can cause acid reflux so if you can reduce it in the longer term you may avoid your current problems.

 

[K13ehr]

Cutting out carbs is difficult for me as I'm a fussy eater, yes the Lansaprazole is for the acid taken after the evening meal, I also take 2 x 500g Gluco phage with them, I was on 1500 but it upset my stomach too much.

 

[Larissima]

Ozempic should not be used with a low carb diet. Like Insulin it need carbs to work on, and if your sugar levels go too low, then you will find you are in ketosis and producing ketones. This has led some forum members into a condition known as ketoacidosis which needs hospital treatment. this med is designed to force a state of ketosis which is not controlled by the normal hornone feedback path and lasts for 5 days after the injection, so eating carbs does not stop the ketosis. Please do research into euglycemic ketoacidosis (eDKA) for symptoms, and I would advise getting some ketostix from the chemist to measure ketones. A level above 5 mmol/l is to be considered a warning.

Really? I have been on Ozempic for almost a year and on a very low carb diet as well. No issues, except an excellent HbA1C and finally getting into a normal BMI range.

 

[Oldvatr]

Really? I have been on Ozempic for almost a year and on a very low carb diet as well. No issues, except an excellent HbA1C and finally getting into a normal BMI range.

From what I can see from the DKA reports linked to these medications the suspected events are actually due to a transient insulin deficiency that may occur shortly after starting treatment when glucose levels are low. This is thought to be where a low carb diet has been used to reduce hyperinsulinemia at the start of treatment, and the sudden improvement / demand can tip things over, It is an increased risk factor for these meds, and occurs mainly in the other forms of the med (liriglutide, extenide etc) so the makers of Ozempic are able to claim no problems with Semaglutide but this med is being monitored.

Looking at how the meds work, the presence of a strong GLP-1 demand will empty the pancreas granules, so lowering insulin output Normally our bodies produce GLP-1 in response to eating, so is cyclic in nature, allowing the pancreas to charge up the granule storage for the Phase #1 insulin response. Instead, the pancreas is running at full tilt which is why the advice is to eat carbs while on this medication.

 

[rosemary w]

hi i am type 2 on insulin and ozempic once a week i used to be 20stone i have lost 5stone so far

 

[LokiTheFiddler]

Hi everyone, New here today.

I've been on ozempic for about 9 weeks, also taking Lansaprazole.

About an hour before meals I'm getting an awful discomfort in my stomach area, it makes me feel a bit sick and not wanting to eat but if I can manage to eat it passes off slowly.

My day starts around 7-8am, I will have breakfast of two weetabix with milk no sugar pretty much every day, Lunch will be around 1pm and I will feel rough prior to that but it wears off, usually just a sandwich on wholemeal bread for lunch and whatever for the evening meal, it's normally after 6pm but by 4:30 like today I'm not feeling good again.

My partner seems to think it's the ozempic jab which is doing this, but my tum has always been odd, it comes and goes & I find it hard to think that it's the ozempic which is doing this, it's not every day but most days, and to be honest it's starting to stress me a bit and that is only making it worse, We don't normally have large meals,

I'm 72, 5'9'' and around 18 stones, it occured to me that I might just be hungry, I honestly don't know so looking for idea or expereinces from other ozempic users.

Regards

Kev,

eat apples or a few walnuts, almonds or other nuts, when you stomach gets hungry and drink a large glass of water.
Will help your gut biome and help you move your bowels better. Side effect of GLP-1 is slower digestion and after a while that increases blood sugar.
Nuts help with testosterone too so if over 40 could help.

BTW if taking metformin.. take extra B12 preferably sub lingual (under tongue)

 

[rosemary w]

Hi i have on ozempic for a while i use to feel sick and did not want to eat but it dose not make me feel sick and i also go to slimmers world that is how i lost 5 stone