What Happens if You Take Too Much Ozempic?

Main image courtesy of HealthNews.

One of the most difficult life changes to make is to follow through with the decision to lose weight. No matter how much you need to lose, choosing to change your lifestyle for the better is a great commitment to your overall health. Being overweight or obese increases your chances of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, unbalanced blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, and the chance of strokes. It also puts extra strain on your muscles and bones, and can make it more difficult to move around comfortably. So speaking with your doctor about ways to lose weight for the long term is only going to be beneficial to you. 

There are lots of fad diets out there promising to help you drop the pounds, but the problem is that more often than not they’re very restrictive, which makes them hard to maintain in the long term. As soon as you come off them, you’ll gain the weight back. There is a lot that goes into maintaining a healthy weight, and if you’re already a diabetic, you understand how crucial controlling your glucose levels are to your weight. In order to keep the weight off, you need to make lifestyle changes to your diet and physical activity levels, but you may also benefit from taking a drug like Ozempic or Wegovy. 

In this article we’re going to explore a little more about what Ozempic is, as well as:

• The differences between Ozempic and Wegovy
• The benefits of taking Ozempic
• What happens if you take too much Ozempic
• What to do if you miss a dose of Ozempic

Ozempic vs. Wegovy: What it is and who is it for?

Is there a difference between these two medications?

There has been a lot of buzz recently in the media about new drugs that claim to help people lose weight and balance out their blood sugar levels. Ozempic was approved by the FDA in 2017 and is commonly prescribed to type 2 diabetics to help manage their glucose levels by helping the pancreas make more of the body’s own insulin—perhaps even reducing your need for it to be injected entirely. It works with the liver to prevent it from making too much sugar, which helps to lower and eventually balance blood sugar levels. Additionally, it works to reduce the chance of insulin resistance, and one of the noted side effects of this medication just happens to be weight loss.

This medication is classified as a semaglutide, and while it works to help manage blood sugar levels, it also mimics a naturally occurring hormone (GLP-1) that is responsible for appetite and determining when you feel full after eating. Ozempic also slows down the digestion of food and the rate that food leaves the stomach to head into the digestive tract. This can lead to feelings of fullness after eating less, and can cause patients to consume less calories throughout the day. 

In addition to a balanced diet, good sleep schedule, and an exercise routine, doctors noticed their patients on Ozempic were losing weight. It is particularly helpful for diabetics to maintain a good body weight as this can help them better manage their diabetes and lower their risk of other diseases.

Ozempic is prescribed to diabetics, and although it does have weight loss benefits, its primary purpose is glucose level management. As doctors realized that the weight loss was very helpful for their patients, the drug company that created Ozempic, Novo Nordisk, put out another drug specifically for weight loss, Wegovy.

Wegovy was FDA approved for weight loss in 2021, and it is also a semaglutide like Ozempic. The major difference between the two is that Wegovy is typically given in higher amounts to promote weight loss, since that’s its primary function. It mimics the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 to suppress your appetite, tell your brain that you’re full, and slow down the digestive process. 

What to expect while taking Ozempic 

What you need to know about taking Ozempic

If you’re dealing with diabetes, your doctor may feel that taking Ozempic could help your situation. If this is the case you’ll typically start out with a low dose injection once per week, and gradually increase it as your body adjusts to the medication. This is done to help lower the chances of developing unpleasant side effects of the drug, such as: 

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach discomfort
• Constipation

These side effects are usually mild, if you experience them at all, and as your body becomes accustomed to the dosage, they should eventually disappear. A lot of patients continue to receive a 0.5 mg dosage each week, but your doctor may need to increase it depending on how your body responds. After a few weeks of consistently taking Ozempic, you should notice your blood sugar levels are lower and that you may even be losing weight. 

Ozempic (and Wegovy) are designed to treat chronic conditions, diabetes and obesity, and will need to be taken in the long term. If you happen to stop taking either medication, you will most likely gain back the weight you’ve lost, and your blood sugar levels and insulin production will be impacted. 

What is the highest amount of Ozempic you can take?

When you start Ozempic, your doctor will likely put you on a low dose of 0.25 mg for the first four weeks. As we mentioned earlier, this gives your body time to adjust to the medication. At week five, they will likely increase your dose to 0.5 mg per week for another four weeks. Then you will move up to 1 mg or 2 mg if more blood sugar control is required. A lot of folks are fine at 0.5 mg, but everyone responds differently. The highest amount of Ozempic you can take is 2 mg each week, which should help you lower your blood sugar levels.

When you’re taking the 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg doses your doctor will give you a specific type of pen for each amount required for the injection. If you need to increase the amount of Ozempic, they will then give you another pen that can either hold the 1 mg or 2 mg doses. This is designed this way so you’re taking the doses that are prescribed by your doctor. 

What if you miss a dose of Ozempic?

Doctors do not recommend skipping or missing doses of Ozempic, but if this happens, make sure to take your dose ASAP within 5 days of the missed dose. If more than 5 days have passed since your missed dose, wait until the usual day of your dose and take it then. Do not double up on doses on the same day because you missed a previous dose, as it can result in an Ozempic overdose.

What happens if you take too much Ozempic?

Your doctor prescribes a specific amount of Ozempic for a reason, and you should always follow their advice when it comes to dosing. Although you may want to see the effects of the medication sooner, it’s important to remember to practice patience as you wait for your body to adjust the drug. Starting low and going slow is a proven way to limit the amount of side effects you feel, as well as allow your body the time it needs to adjust to the weekly injections. After all, you’re in this for the long run, so it’s important to keep that in mind! 

If you take too much Ozempic, you’ll likely experience a variety of side effects that can include:

• Hypoglycemia. Ozempic is designed to lower your blood sugar after you eat, but if you happen to take too much, it can cause your body to experience hypoglycemia, which is low blood sugar. This can lead to feelings of confusion, nausea, sweating, shaking, and in severe cases you can experience blurred vision or loss of consciousness.

• GI issues. While some people experience stomach issues taking the normal dose of Ozempic, if you take too much you’ll likely experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting as your body tries to process the overdose.

• Loss of appetite. Loss of appetite is one of the main functions of a semaglutide like Ozempic, so if you take too much, you may lose your appetite entirely or at least experience fullness when you eat very little.

• Fatigue and confusion. These side effects are common because of low blood sugar levels, and can cause exhaustion. You may also feel confusion and anxiety.

• Rapid heart rate. An increase in your heart rate is common if you take too much Ozempic, which is known as tachycardia and is a result of your body trying to overcompensate for the drop in blood sugar levels.

A semaglutide overdose is serious, and you should seek immediate medical help. Contact an emergency room or a poison control center and let them know how much Ozempic you took and when you took it if possible. Overdosing can cause serious health problems if not addressed by professionals, so don’t think you can just wait it out. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed and try to monitor which symptoms you’ve experienced. 

Proper dosing is essential to getting the full benefits of Ozempic, and you don’t want to do your body additional harm by taking too much. 

How are people taking too much Ozempic?

The next logical question you may have is if this is a prescription only medication, how are people overdosing on a semaglutide like Ozempic? There are a few different reasons there’s been an uptick in people calling into poison control centers or visiting the emergency room.

1. Taking 2 doses of Ozempic at one time

Sometimes the reason why a patient is experiencing those symptoms of a semaglutide overdose is because they did not follow their doctor's instructions. Lots of folks want to see results immediately, whether that’s the weight loss associated with Ozempic, or its effect on blood sugar levels. This causes some people to inject themselves with 2 doses instead of the 1 dose per week. Too much Ozempic in your system, and not giving the body the appropriate time to adjust, can lead to harmful side effects.

2. Compounded drugs

Another way people are getting too much Ozempic is due to compound pharmacies, which can create a medication that is tailored to an individual’s needs. This means that they can add or remove ingredients that a patient may be allergic to, or turn the medication into another form—such as turning a pill into a liquid to be administered. These pharmacies are legal, but the altered medication is not approved by the FDA. Compounded semaglutide has never been tested, so doctors have no idea how people may respond to it. 

It’s unclear what’s in these compounded semaglutide medications, but this is another reason for the increase in Ozempic overdoses. 

3. Unlicensed administering

Ozempic can only be prescribed by your doctor, and cannot be administered in a medical spa or other health facility. People who get a semaglutide in one of these locations are not getting the drug Ozempic, and authorities have no idea what is being sold as Ozempic. There are no generic versions of this medication and no other FDA-approved way to administer it except by the specific pen that was designed for it.

Dr. Emil’s Carb Control Complex

If you’re looking for another way to lower your blood sugar levels and manage your weight, consider picking up Dr. Emil’s Carb Control Complex. This high quality and third party tested supplement includes:

• White kidney bean extract to block carbs
• Berberine and bitter melon extract to support healthy blood sugar levels
• Garcinia cambogia to reduce appetite 
• And cluster dextrin for sustained energy

Make sure to follow all dosing advice from your doctor if you decide to take Ozempic

You can avoid taking too much Ozempic and get great results if you get your medication through the right channels (a prescription from your doctor) and follow your doctor’s instructions!