Ozempic is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes.
Ozempic has been proven to help reduce A1c levels and might even help you lose weight.
What happens if you take too much Ozempic, though?
We’ll discuss this topic in detail, so you know what to do in the case of an Ozempic overdose.
What is Ozempic (Semaglutide)?
Ozempic is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. Ozempic is in a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. The drug name for Ozempic is semaglutide.
Ozempic isn’t for patients with type 1 diabetes, nor is it a weight loss drug.
Ozempic is an injectable, non-insulin medication that comes in a prefilled injector pen. It’s meant to be taken once weekly instead of daily, which is one of its advantages.
So how does Ozempic work? GLP-1 is a hormone that increases insulin secretion and slows stomach emptying.
GLP-1 receptors in your pancreas help increase insulin secretion while reducing glucagon secretion, a hormone that raises blood sugar levels.
The GLP-1 receptor agonists activate these receptors to help control blood sugar levels. Ozempic can cause weight loss due to delayed stomach emptying.
The typical dose of Ozempic is 0.25 milligrams once weekly for four weeks, then 0.5 milligrams weekly for at least four weeks.
If you aren’t meeting your blood sugar targets with 0.5 milligrams weekly, your doctor can increase your dose to 1 milligram weekly to an eventual maximum of 2 milligrams weekly.
Can you overdose on Ozempic?
It’s possible to overdose on any prescription medication, including Ozempic. The weekly maximum dose of Ozempic is 2 milligrams weekly. However, you might take Ozempic more than once a week if you miss a dose, which isn’t considered an overdose.
According to the manufacturer, here’s what you should do if you miss your regular weekly dose of Ozempic:
If you miss a dose of Ozempic, take the missed dose as soon as possible, within 5 days after the missed dose. If more than 5 days have passed, skip the missed dose, and take your next dose on your regularly scheduled day.
This means that it’s likely safe to take more than two doses of Ozempic in the same week (as long as the doses aren’t taken fewer than 48 hours apart), especially if it’s not done often.
How much Ozempic is too much?
There isn’t a definite amount of Ozempic that is considered an overdose. Consistently taking more than 2 milligrams per week of Ozempic may constitute an Ozempic overdose since the maximum weekly dose is 2 milligrams.
If you take more than that consistently (not counting the occasional missed dose, as mentioned above), you might start to develop signs of an Ozempic overdose.
Signs and symptoms of an Ozempic overdose
If you overdose on Ozempic, you’ll likely experience more severe side effects because you have more of the medication in your system.
Some of the side effects of Ozempic, which might be amplified if you take too much Ozempic, include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Constipation
While hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) isn’t common with Ozempic, it is possible, especially if you take too much. You’re at a much higher risk of low blood sugar if you take other diabetes medications along with Ozempic, such as insulin or sulfonylureas.
Signs of hypoglycemia include:
- Feeling shaky and/or dizzy
- Rapid and/or irregular heartbeat
- Pale skin
- Fatigue
- Tingling or numbness of the lips, tongue, or cheek
- Sweating
- Hunger
- Feeling irritable or moody
- Feeling anxious or nervous
- Headache
What to do if you have taken too much Ozempic
If you’ve taken too much Ozempic, you should notify your healthcare provider immediately. They can offer guidance and tell you what to do regarding your regular dosage.
For instance, they might suggest skipping your next scheduled dose if you’ve taken more than two doses in the same week.
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Treatment for an Ozempic overdose
If you’ve overdosed on Ozempic, you should closely monitor how you feel and seek emergency medical attention for any unusual or worrisome symptoms. Otherwise, there isn’t a straightforward treatment for an Ozempic overdose.
If you’re experiencing nausea from an Ozempic overdose, your healthcare provider might recommend anti-nausea medications to ease your symptoms.
You might also consider the following lifestyle tips for handling nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea:
Eat smaller meals
Eating smaller meals is one of the more simple natural remedies for nausea. Instead of eating three large meals, try to eat small snacks every couple of hours or as often as it sounds good.
Eating small meals helps your stomach not have to work as hard to digest your food and can help reduce feelings of a queasy stomach.
Eat a bland diet
A bland diet is often recommended for the treatment of nausea and vomiting. The BRAT diet stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast, which are all soft, bland foods that you may tolerate better if you’re feeling nauseous.
Stay hydrated
You might experience vomiting or diarrhea from taking too much Ozempic. If that’s the case, try to stay hydrated by drinking clear liquids like apple juice, popsicles, sports drinks, or broth.
You should seek medical attention if you start to show signs of dehydration from chronic vomiting and severe diarrhea.
Are there any long-term effects after overdosing on Ozempic?
If you rarely overdose on Ozempic, you’re not likely to experience any long-term ill effects. However, routinely taking too much Ozempic might increase your risk of rare but serious complications such as:
Thyroid cancer
Ozempic has caused thyroid cancer in rodents. There is a chance that Ozempic may cause thyroid cancer, but it isn’t clear if taking Ozempic increases your thyroid cancer risk.
If you experience any of these symptoms while taking Ozempic, you should alert your healthcare provider immediately:
- A lump in your neck, sometimes growing quickly
- Swelling in your neck
- Pain in the front of your neck, sometimes going up to your ears
- Hoarseness or other voice changes that do not go away
- Trouble swallowing
- Trouble breathing
- A constant cough that is not due to a cold
Pancreatitis
According to clinical trials, Ozempic may cause pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of your pancreas (1). If you take too much Ozempic, you might be at increased risk of developing pancreatitis.
If you experience any of these symptoms of pancreatitis while taking Ozempic, you should let your healthcare provider know right away:
- Upper abdominal pain
- Abdominal pain that radiates to your back
- Tenderness when touching your abdomen
- Fever
- Rapid pulse
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Chronic (long-term) pancreatitis signs and symptoms include:
- Upper abdominal pain
- Abdominal pain that feels worse after eating
- Losing weight without trying
- Oily, smelly stools due to a lack of pancreatic enzymes that help break down fats
Gallbladder problems
Some people taking Ozempic have reported gallbladder problems. Symptoms of gallbladder issues include:
- Pain in your upper stomach area
- Fever
- Yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice)
- Clay-colored stools
Vision problems
Ozempic is more likely to cause retinopathy and vision changes compared to some other types of GLP-1 receptor agonists (2). Diabetic retinopathy is a complication that can lead to vision loss without treatment.
If you notice a change in your vision, such as blurry vision, double vision, eye pain, or a worsening in your night vision, those are all possible signs of retinopathy.
If you’re worried about your vision, you should seek advice from an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Conclusion
It’s possible to overdose on any prescription medication, including Ozempic. If you consistently take more than 2 milligrams per week of Ozempic, that can be considered an overdose.
If you overdose on Ozempic, you’ll likely experience more intense side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. You might also experience low blood sugar if you overdose on Ozempic.
If you consistently overdose on Ozempic, you might be at a higher risk of developing rarer complications such as thyroid cancer, pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, and retinopathy.
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