Doctors reveal the shocking consequence of taking Ozempic that no one talks about... and only happens when you stop

When nan U.S. comedian and influencer Claudia Oshry, now 30, came disconnected nan weight-loss supplier Ozempic aft a year, she knowledgeable thing she surely wasn’t expecting — utmost hunger. Explaining this connected TikTok, she said she was quiet each nan clip and struggling to consciousness full.

‘I’m ever looking for snacks and things to capable maine up,’ she said successful a viral video earlier this year, aft losing an awesome 70lb. ‘I cannot enactment full, it’s impossible. I conscionable had a 12oz steak and I’m starving, truthful I’m eating popcorn.’

After posting nan video, which has since been viewed much than 1.5 cardinal times, galore of her followers shared akin struggles of utmost hunger. While it takes astir 5 weeks for Ozempic to wholly time off your system, successful immoderate cases, these problems appeared 3 weeks aft patients stopped taking it.

‘It’s chaotic really overmuch encephalon abstraction nutrient takes up. I tin eat truthful overmuch macromolecule and will still beryllium starving,’ said one; ‘I’ve been saying this for a while. My dada takes Ozempic and had to spell disconnected for a small spot and I’ve ne'er seen him eat much than he did then. Bottomless pit,’ said another; ‘I conscionable stopped 3 weeks agone and nan hunger is decidedly back,’ commented different follower.

Since then, akin anecdotal experiences person been reported by Jamy Ard, a objective intelligence astatine Wake Forest University School of Medicine successful Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who oversees nan weight guidance programme there.

His patients are connected GLP-1 agonists, a group of narcotics that includes Ozempic. Developed primitively arsenic a curen for type 2 diabetes to negociate humor sweetener levels, their expertise to trim appetite and slow down digestion has led to them besides being utilized arsenic weight-loss drugs.

In nan diary Nature, Jamy Ard says that immoderate of his patients quitting GLP-1 agonists study emotion much quiet than they did earlier they started nan treatment.

While this perceived ‘after effect’ of nan supplier whitethorn person travel arsenic thing of a astonishment to these patients, to Laura Wilson, head of The Royal Pharmaceutical Society successful Scotland, it’s hardly unexpected. She says: ‘This phenomenon, known arsenic a rebound effect aliases rebound symptom, is erstwhile symptoms that person been alleviated while connected a medicine return erstwhile you extremity taking it.

‘Very broadly speaking, this is mostly nan consequence of 1 of 3 things: withdrawal effects from nan medicine itself which has caused beingness aliases psychological dependence; returning symptoms which person thing to do pinch nan medicine; aliases worsening symptoms.

‘The second again is thing to do pinch nan medicine but simply arsenic a consequence of nan assemblage either getting utilized to moving pinch nan supplier past having to accommodate to being without it, aliases nan underlying information worsening aliases progressing while taking nan medicine to negociate it.’

The first of these — withdrawal effects from a medicine arsenic a consequence of supplier dependency — is astir apt nan astir well-publicised and concerning, pinch 7.1 cardinal patients prescribed dependency-forming medicines successful England successful 2022/23, according to NHS figures. Common culprits present see painkilling opioids, sleeping pills and antidepressants.

But successful nan lawsuit of weight-loss narcotics specified arsenic Ozempic, it is to do pinch returning symptoms.

‘While changeless hunger is not a denotation successful nan accepted sense, a desire to curb it is 1 of nan factors for group turning to these treatments successful nan first place,’ says Laura Wilson.

To understand why hunger comes backmost pinch these drugs, you person to look astatine why we consciousness it successful nan first place, explains Dr Ralph Abraham, a advisor successful endocrinology and glucosuria astatine nan London Diabetes Centre.

‘Hunger is simply a analyzable physiological consequence and location are galore hormones successful nan gut and nan encephalon that interact to thief support assemblage weight.

‘Gut hormones and nan narcotics that are now utilized successful obesity person powerful and analyzable nonstop actions connected amino acids known arsenic peptides. These are connected pinch appetite successful nan hypothalamus, nan area of nan encephalon which produces hormones that power things for illustration hunger and mood.’

He adds: ‘GLP-1 agonists specified arsenic Ozempic activity by recreating nan effects of GLP-1, a hormone people produced successful nan gut aft eating, which sends signals to artifact these encephalon hunger receptors. This, successful turn, reduces hunger and cravings.

‘This intends that while you return nan medicine each those desires are put connected hold.

‘The narcotics besides make you consciousness fuller much quickly and slow down digestion successful nan stomach. But for illustration immoderate medicine — erstwhile you extremity taking it, this stops too,’ says Dr Abraham.

He adds: ‘With regards to group saying they consciousness hungrier than they did before, it’s difficult to measurement people’s cognition of hunger.

‘However, it isn’t astonishing that if your hunger is suppressed by medicine and you extremity taking it — past you’d surely beryllium struck by nan opposition and truthful much apt to announcement and remark connected it.’

Because of this, Dr Anita Raja, a Birmingham-based GP, who besides runs a weight-loss clinic, says you person to alteration different behaviours during that clip to springiness yourself a fighting chance of keeping weight disconnected erstwhile you extremity taking nan medication.

‘These narcotics aren’t occurrence cures,’ she says. ‘If you don’t recognise that you were overeating, aliases neglect to reside why that was happening successful nan first spot — your narration pinch food, your behaviours towards it aliases your wide lifestyle, for lawsuit — past erstwhile you travel disconnected nan medicine you’ll revert backmost to wherever you were successful nan first place, namely emotion overly quiet and putting that weight backmost on.’

But successful Dr Abraham’s acquisition that’s not ever easy aliases possible. ‘That’s why immoderate of my patients are going to beryllium connected GLP-1 agonists narcotics agelong term. I’m talking up to 10 years here,’ he adds.

When it comes to rebound effects arsenic a consequence of medicine dependency, antidepressants, which much than 8 cardinal group successful nan UK are on, tin origin rebound ‘depression’ — aliases rather, symptoms that seem to beryllium nan slump returning but are really withdrawal symptoms from nan drug.

A caller reappraisal successful The Lancet Psychiatry noted 1 retired of each six group successful nan UK who return nan narcotics knowledgeable withdrawal symptoms.

Dr Mark Horowitz, a training psychiatrist and objective investigation chap successful psychiatry astatine North East London NHS Foundation Trust, says: ‘Antidepressants impact not conscionable your brain, but your full tense strategy and moreover your hormonal strategy — and nan assemblage tin adapt and go physically limited connected these successful arsenic small arsenic a fewer weeks of taking nan drug.

‘Because of this, erstwhile you travel disconnected them, you tin acquisition some psychological withdrawal symptoms: debased mood, anxiety, panic attacks, crying and suicidality — positive beingness symptoms specified arsenic dizziness, headaches and encephalon zaps, fundamentally nan emotion of an electrical daze successful your head.

‘Unfortunately, immoderate doctors correction these withdrawal effects arsenic simply nan slump returning and, hence, re-enforcing nan request for medication. But successful galore cases it’s thing to do pinch that astatine all, it’s each astir nan body’s dependency connected nan drug.

‘That’s why it’s captious to taper disconnected nan medication, reducing it by a mini percent each fewer weeks. Quitting antidepressants tin return months aliases moreover years.’

A akin rebound effect tin beryllium seen pinch anti-anxiety pills specified arsenic bromazepam, portion of a people of medicines called benzodiazepines.

Also wide prescribed — 6.4 cardinal items (a azygous portion of medicine listed separately connected a medicine form) were prescribed betwixt December 2022 and November 2023, according to nan NHS — studies person shown that 50 per cent of those utilizing benzodiazepines for conscionable 4 weeks suffer withdrawal symptoms specified arsenic anxiety, dizziness, nightmares and weakness. And anyplace betwixt 58 and 100 per cent of patients acquisition a withdrawal reactions aft taking them for much than 1 year.

Once again, Dr Horowitz stresses nan value of tapering disconnected and not stopping nan narcotics abruptly aliases excessively quickly.

Headache medicine tin besides origin rebound symptoms — these rebound headaches aliases medication-overuse headaches hap successful those who extremity taking medicine for chronic headaches aliases migraines.

‘This tin beryllium caused by painkilling opioids specified arsenic codeine, tramadol and oxycodone which whitethorn beryllium prescribed to dainty migraines on pinch different mean to terrible pain,’ says Dr Raja.

‘They activity by attaching to opioid receptors successful nan encephalon to artifact symptom messages, and overuse — taking much than nan recommended regular dose for much than a fewer times a week — tin lead to nan assemblage having a withdrawal guidance arsenic nan symptom reliever wears off. This intends it’s not nan original headaches, it’s a drug-withdrawal induced one. It’s a vicious circle.’

She adds: ‘Rebound headaches tin besides beryllium caused by an overuse of NSAIDs specified arsenic aspirin aliases ibuprofen.

‘Gabapentinoids, a group of anticonvulsant narcotics that see gabapentin and pregabalin, tin origin this too.’ These narcotics are utilized to dainty epilepsy and conditions that origin nervus symptom specified arsenic glucosuria and shingles — ‘they alteration nan measurement nerves nonstop messages to your brain’, says Dr Raja.

Rebound insomnia tin hap from coming disconnected sleeping tablets specified arsenic Z-drugs (e.g. zolpidem and zopiclone), explains Dr Dipesh Mistry, a psychiatrist and slumber master based astatine nan backstage Ankha session successful London.

You don’t request to beryllium taking immoderate medicine for agelong to suffer from rebound symptoms erstwhile you travel disconnected them.

Decongestant nasal sprays containing oxymetazoline aliases phenylephrine tin origin rebound congestion if utilized for much than a fewer days, explains Laura Wilson.

‘These sprays activity by fundamentally shrinking inflamed humor vessels to relieve congestion and swelling. But return these for much than 3 days and nan humor vessels successful your chemoreceptor go sensitised and fundamentally swell backmost up arsenic nan medicine wears off,’ she says, ‘and past you usage much spray’.

The past category, namely nan worsening of symptoms aft stopping medicine is, perhaps, little well-known than nan different 2 types of rebound.

Rebound glucosuria — erstwhile patients acquisition an summation successful humor sweetener levels aft coming disconnected their medicine — tin autumn into this camp.

‘Type 2 glucosuria medications specified arsenic GLP-1 agonists activity chiefly by making nan pancreas nutrient much insulin, nan hormone our assemblage makes to support humor glucose levels wrong nan normal range,’ explains Dimitris Papamargaritis, an subordinate professor successful glucosuria and endocrinology astatine Leicester Diabetes Centre.

‘They besides trim levels of nan hormone glucagon, which helps amended humor glucose levels. Additionally, arsenic we know, they suppress nan appetite, helping you suffer weight.’

‘If you person type 2 glucosuria and extremity taking them, they extremity having that nonstop effect connected nan pancreas which is independent to weight loss. As a result, moreover if you negociate to support nan weight disconnected and support patient eating habits, your humor glucose levels will apt rise.’

Similarly, patients tin acquisition rebound hypertension —high humor unit — erstwhile coming disconnected aliases lowering nan dose of definite antihypertensive narcotics specified arsenic betablockers, says Laura Wilson. It tin hap days — moreover hours — aft stopping.

‘While these narcotics aren’t addictive, nan assemblage tin get utilized to moving pinch nan medicine erstwhile taken regularly, truthful stopping abruptly tin origin a emergence successful humor pressure.’

So is location thing you tin do to forestall these rebound effects? ‘Always return your medicine for nan prescribed magnitude of clip — nary longer,’ says Dr Raja.

‘Ensure you don’t extremity immoderate medicine you’ve taken for a while for a chronic information without seeking aesculapian proposal — often you’ll beryllium put connected a clear scheme to taper disconnected complete weeks aliases months. Finally, inquire astir replacement ways to complement nan guidance of nan condition.’