Nausea
Users on Reddit report a range of experiences with nausea while on GLP-1 medications, from mild and temporary to severe and persistent. Some users find that nausea subsides over time or with dose adjustments, while others continue to struggle with it.
Experiences with Nausea:
For some, nausea can be severe. A user described their experience: "Last week was my first dose, and I misunderstood the difference between mg and unit, so I had severe nausea and vomiting. "[5] Another shared, "The start was not super pleasant, I did get waves a nausea for the first couple days each week following the shot. "[24]
Nausea can be triggered by certain foods or eating habits. One user noted, "My only issue has been feeling nauseous during a workout, so for me I try not to eat anything heavy for a few hours before the workout. "[1] Another said, "The only time I have had any adverse effects is when I've eaten too much -- especially carbs. Reaching for that third slice of pizza? Get ready for a little nausea. "[34]
Some users with pre-existing conditions like fibromyalgia report amplified nausea. One user with fibromyalgia stated, "The pain, the headaches, nausea, brain fog and fatigue have been amplified like crazy. "[4]
A user on Ozempic for 18 months still gets "bad nausea & constipation. "[10]
Another user mentioned, "I was on it for a year and would get tiny fleeting moments of nausea. Never more than like 30 seconds. "[32]
One user on compound semaglutide experienced nausea when they ate the wrong food: "My only side effects have been when I have eaten the wrong food. I became the worst bloated I have ever been, I had sulpher burps for almost a week straight and I was super constipated. the sulpher burps caused me to puke once but honestly I think it was because of how nasty the burps were at one point. "[29]
A user on Zepbound said, "This 5mg is kicking my ass every first few days of the shot I can't keep food down without zofran. "[35]
Remedies and Preventions Recommended:
"What helped for me was eating really small meals more often. Also, eating super low carb. If I ate almost any carbs at first I would throw up. "[17]
"bland foods seem more palatable on these meds but bland foods frequently = starches. So you have to sort of go out of your way to make sure you're also getting protein and necessary vitamins and minerals. "[3]
Eating saltine crackers: "An over the counter chewable medication called Nauzene really helped me. Also, eating 1-2 saltines when I start to get nauseated. "[16] Another user said, "I started keeping a pack of saltine crackers by my bedside, and as soon as I woke up, before I sat up, I'd eat 1 cracker and it helped me so much. "[13]
Ginger Products:
"I also use preggie pops or ginger to help. "[1]
"I used crystalized ginger for the first few months"[8]
"Ginger tea helps me a lot. "[9]
"Gin gin ginger chews work amazingly well for my nausea. "[11]
"I find ginger chews with my morning water to be really helpful. "[12]
"Lots of ginger chews! "[19]
Medications:
Zofran (Ondansetron): Frequently mentioned for nausea relief. "My doc gave me an anti-nausea med if I need to. That helps so much! "[28] Some users take it preventatively: "YES! Always take Zofran as a preventative. And then anytime you feel even a hint of nausea"[7], while others use it as a last resort: "IMO Zofran is a last resort, not a preventative. "[10]
Antacids: "If Zofran doesn’t work, try antacids like omeprazole. "[21] Another user's GI doc recommended omeprazole in the morning and famotidine at bedtime. [15]
Emetrol: "OTC Emetrol chewables helped when I first started. Lemon flavor. "[22]
Nauzene: "An over the counter chewable medication called Nauzene really helped me. "[16]
Dramamine: "Dramamine may help you, too. "[37]
Other Remedies:
Electrolytes: "Like others have said, electrolytes and protein will help with the fatigue! "[1] and "Keep up on electrolytes. "[26]
Sea Bands: "I like sea bands and ginger candy. "[10]
Sea Sickness Patches: "When I had nausea in the beginning I reached for some left over sea sickness patches I had from a previous cruise vacation. Crazily, they worked great. "[20]
Sniffing Rubbing Alcohol: "Sniff rubbing alcohol!!! "[23] and "There’s been studies that show that sniffing isopropyl alcohol can help reduce nausea. "[25]
CBD/THC: "CBD with a little THC in it also works wonders for nausea. "[18]
Marijuana: "Marijuana helps me. "[27]
Pepto-Bismol: "My life-saving medicine is Pepto-Bismol cherry chewables. "[29]
Lifestyle Adjustments:
Hydration: "Stay hydrated. Its easy to get dehydrated because you just aren't thinking about eating or drinking as much. "[3]
Injection Timing/Site: "Try taking the shot just before bed so sleep hopefully will stave off the nausea. And it also may help to take the shot on a full stomach. "[37] Another user mentioned, "I changed my injection date so that the majority of the fatigue would take place on my days off work. "[28] Switching injection sites (e. g. , to the thigh) was also suggested. [36]
Dosage Adjustment: "Cut your dosage in half? "[30] or "I would also only increase the dose a couple clicks at a time rather than a full . 25. "[19] One user advised, "The key is to find the best dose for your BODY... Try going down until side effects are non-existent or minimal.. and tolerable! "[28]
Some users report that the GIP component in certain GLP-1s like tirzepatide might have an anti-nausea effect. [31] It's also noted that for some, nausea might be an indicator that the medication is working, as one user mentioned their doctor said, "if you don’t get that sick feeling then there is a higher chance of no response as the two parts of the brain that responsible for nausea and hunger are next to each other (apparently).
Experiences with Nausea:
- Many users experience nausea, especially when starting the medication or increasing the dosage.
Remedies and Preventions Recommended:
- Dietary Adjustments:
- "don't inject on a full stomach don't eat greasy or fatty foods eat very slowly and stop when you're full.
Some users report that the GIP component in certain GLP-1s like tirzepatide might have an anti-nausea effect. [31] It's also noted that for some, nausea might be an indicator that the medication is working, as one user mentioned their doctor said, "if you don’t get that sick feeling then there is a higher chance of no response as the two parts of the brain that responsible for nausea and hunger are next to each other (apparently).