Key Takeaways

• Semaglutide’s most common side effects include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite
• Symptoms typically begin around the time you start semaglutide injections and should slowly subside as your body adjusts to the medication. 

How Long Do Semaglutide's Side Effects Last?

The side effects of semaglutide may vary in duration and intensity but generally diminish within two to four weeks as the body adapts. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, and digestive discomfort, particularly during initial treatment or after a dose increase. This article will guide you through the typical side effects, the factors that may influence their duration, and strategies to minimize them effectively.

Understanding Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist that aids in weight loss by encouraging your pancreas to secrete more insulin while you eat, which slows digestion and helps you stay fuller for longer. It also suppresses the pathways in your brain that cause hunger, so you may desire to eat less often. Since semaglutide encourages your pancreas to secrete more insulin, it lowers the sugar levels in your blood and helps you process sugar more efficiently. 

If you are interested in starting a GLP-1 agonist such as semaglutide or wish to switch from branded semaglutide to something similar, Ahara offers a great option—compounded semaglutide. Our medical weight loss program includes consultations with certified physicians and dietitians as well as online shipping if you meet the qualifications to begin compounded semaglutide. 

Common Side Effects of Semaglutide

Common side effects of semaglutide include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, fatigue, and abdominal pain. These side effects are generally easy to manage with over-the-counter medications, rest, and dietary modifications. 

However, semaglutide may also cause severe side effects. If you or someone you know are on semaglutide and experiencing any of the below serious side effects and symptoms, call your doctor, call 911, and seek medical attention as soon as possible. Severe side effects of semaglutide include: 

• Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar. Signs of hypoglycemia include dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headache, weakness, and pale, clammy skin. 
• Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas. Signs include pain and swelling in your abdomen, nausea and vomiting, fever, and back pain. 
• Gallbladder Disease: This can include issues such as gallstones and gallbladder inflammation. Signs of these can include right-sided abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, excessive sweating, and loss of appetite. 
• Kidney damage or failure: Symptoms related to this include swelling, difficulty breathing, producing less urine than usual when you go, needing to urinate less often, fatigue, and confusion. 
• Ileus: This is characterized by a temporary lack of movement in the small intestines, affecting digestion and causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, inability to pass gas, nausea and/or vomiting. 

Factors Influencing the Duration of Side Effects

Most semaglutide recipients who experience side effects notice them shortly after starting their injections and again around eight to 12 weeks into treatment. Side effects typically subside over the course of a few weeks (about two to four) as the body adjusts, though users often report side effects each time their dose is increased.

Many factors can influence the duration of side effects of semaglutide. These include dosage and treatment duration, adherence to treatment guidelines, pre-existing health conditions, and your current health status. Strict adherence to the prescribed guidelines is recommended, as choosing not to follow dosage calculations exactly as ordered can impact your personal safety and experience with the medication. Avoid adjusting your dose without your doctor’s guidance, and ensure any other medications, pre-existing conditions, and health changes are discussed with your physician before and throughout your course on semaglutide.

How Long Do Semaglutide Side Effects Last?

Side effects from semaglutide typically last a few weeks after starting the medication and tend to arise again whenever your dose is increased. These numbers are based on information collected from various clinical trials and patient reports over time. Rest assured, your side effects should resolve with time as your body adjusts to the medication. 

As for long-term side effects, studies that offer insight into this are still underway, as branded forms of semaglutide have been on the market for less than 10 years. Currently, the longest-running clinical trials involving semaglutide have been ongoing for 2 years. 

Studies show long-term side effects are minimal thus far, and they reveal that more side effects are reported for those receiving placebos than for those actually receiving semaglutide. Below, we’ll discuss the most common reported side effects in clinical trials and how long they typically last: 

• Nausea: Nausea is one of the most commonly reported side effects of semaglutide. You will likely experience this around the time you first begin this medication. It should then subside within a few weeks after initial onset. 
• Dizziness: Dizziness is a manifestation of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia is a serious side effect of semaglutide since this medication works to increase insulin production in the body, which lowers your blood sugar. If you are experiencing this side effect, seek immediate medical attention and/or contact your physician. 
• Hair loss: Hair loss can also occur if you are on semaglutide. This results from losing weight quickly as your body adapts to a more significant caloric deficit. It is typically temporary and should subside as your body adjusts to the medication and new lifestyle modifications.
• Decreased appetite: This is one of the major effects of semaglutide because it slows your digestion and suppresses the pathways in your brain that control your appetite. With this in mind, it is important to ensure you are meeting your dietary needs. Ahara offers dietary counseling with certified dietitians who can provide specific recommendations for you concerning meal plans and even different recommendations for vitamins. 
• Fatigue: Since you will likely experience a decrease in your appetite, you’ll be consuming fewer calories than normal as a result. This will also cause you to feel more fatigued than normal upon first starting the medication, but should subside within a few weeks. Feelings of fatigue should reduce as your body adjusts to the medication and your new eating habits.  

Dos and Don'ts when Experiencing Side Effects

Side effects that result from semaglutide use are often easy to manage at home with over-the-counter medications and/or dietary modifications. Below, we’ll discuss solutions to help you cope with them.

• Nausea: Can be managed with anti-nausea medications such as Zofran (Ondansetron), Promethazine (Phenergan), and Metclopramide (Reglan), all of which require a prescription from your certified healthcare provider. You can also manage nausea by eating a bland diet such as crackers, plain toast, or ginger (lozenges, chews, or tea).  
• Vomiting: This can be managed similarly to the one discussed above. If you are vomiting from semaglutide use, it is critical that you stay hydrated. Increase your fluid intake with electrolyte-fortified beverages such as Gatorade, Powerade, or Pedialyte. 
• Diarrhea: Diarrhea can be managed with over-the-counter anti-diarrheals such as Imodium. Staying hydrated is also important when experiencing diarrhea because you may lose large amounts of fluid in the stool. In this case, you can also increase fluid intake with electrolyte-fortified drinks such as those listed in the bullet point above. 
• Constipation: Constipation can be managed with various over-the-counter laxatives or stool softeners such as Miralax, Colace, or Dulcolax. 
• Decreased appetite: This can be managed with dietary modifications such as eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Eating smaller meals more frequently also helps maintain your blood sugar and satiate your appetite.

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If you start to experience any of the above-listed symptoms, you should alert your healthcare provider immediately. If they progress in severity and/or become intolerable, please contact 911 for further evaluation.

How to Minimize Side Effects of Semaglutide

While we cannot guarantee that you won’t experience side effects, we can certainly offer advice to make them more tolerable. Side effects related to semaglutide are managed best with diet and lifestyle modifications and adjusting your habits over time. 

• If you are feeling fatigued, consider taking a short walk outside, as tolerated, to encourage circulation and get fresh air. 
• If you are experiencing gastrointestinal-related side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation, modifying your portion sizes and eating frequency can help. 
• Staying hydrated is also critical. 
• If you are lost or discouraged in the process, you can connect with one of Ahara’s certified dietitians for a consultation and practical advice on lifestyle and food modifications to make your experience on semaglutide tolerable and successful. 

When to Seek Medical Assistance

It is always important to ask yourself how tolerable your symptoms are. If they are mild and inconvenient but not generally affecting your day or how you function, you can most often manage them at home.

If you find that you are unable to carry out your usual, daily tasks due to your side effects, you will need to contact your healthcare provider. If the symptoms are intolerable and you are experiencing extreme pain and weakness or are unable to eat or drink for more than 24 to 48 hours, you should seek immediate medical assistance and evaluation in an emergency room. Please don’t wait to go to the emergency room if you’re experiencing any of the below symptoms: 

• Right-sided abdominal pain
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that are unrelieved by medications
• Dizziness/lightheadedness
• Confusion
• Abdominal distention (abdominal swelling and hardness)