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Weight losspossible treatment for opioid use disorderand reduced risks for heart disease, strokeand a multitude of other illnesses – these are just some of the benefits of Ozempicthe medication for type 2 diabetes that one in eight The Americans tried. But not everything is positive: last year, poison control centers reported A increase in people taking too much semaglutide (the drug’s key ingredient), stoking fears of Ozempic overdoses.

Given how many people take Ozempic, it’s understandable to have questions. So, is it possible to overdose on Ozempic? Here’s what the doctor who prescribes the medication wants you to know.

Meet the expert: Alexandra Sowa, MDis an internal medicine physician specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and obesity medicine and the author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution.

Can you overdose on Ozempic?

Yes, it’s technically possible to overdose on Ozempic, but it’s unlikely, says Alexandra Sowa, MDinternal medicine physician specializing in preventative health, nutrition and obesity medicine and author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution.

“With proper instruction, the chances of this happening are very low,” she says.

Here’s why: Ozempic comes in a pen that you press to dispense the appropriate dose of the medication. “It’s pretty simple,” says Sowa. There is, however, a certain margin of error.

Because Ozempic is very expensive and not all health insurance plans cover it, Sowa says some doctors will prescribe patients a higher dose of the drug than they need to help make it more affordable. Patients are then asked to “microdoses” the higher doses to spread the drug out over time, saving them money, she says.

“But if you start hacking the pen without clear instructions, it can get confusing,” says Sowa. “A patient may end up administering a full dose that was intended to be administered over weeks or months.”

Additionally, some patients can obtain GLP-1 from compounding pharmacies, which sell custom medications and some medications on the FDA website. list of drug shortages (like Ozempic). But the FDA does not approve compounded drugs the way it does traditional prescription drugs, according to the organization.

Since these compounded medications typically involve measuring the medication yourself and giving yourself your own injections (rather than using an auto-injector pen), there is more room for error. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported a number of dosing errors in these drugs earlier this year.

“With compounded medications, you are a scientist at home,” Sowa says. “People may not understand that eight units is not eight milligrams,” says Sowa. “That’s where we risk taking on too much.”

What happens if you overdose on Ozempic?

Sowa says “overdose” isn’t necessarily the right word to use here. “An overdose has catastrophic consequences,” she says. “However, you could give yourself too much, leading to significant side effects.” »

According to the FDA, these side effects may include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Stomach pain

• Fainting

• Headache

• Migraine

• Dehydration

• Acute pancreatitis

• Gallstones

What happens if you take two doses of Ozempic?

It can happen – and it has happened before. Sowa has spoken to people who weren’t sure if they had given the first injection correctly, so they gave themselves another dose.

If this happens to you, you may experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), as well as the side effects listed above.

“If you think you have taken too much, you should contact the prescriber,” says Sowa. They can guide you through the next steps and explain how to reduce the chances of this happening again.

To help you get through this, your doctor may recommend “lots of hydration,” very small meals, and electrolyte intake via a bone broth Or electrolyte drinkSowa said. “Your doctor may also prescribe anti-nausea medication if you feel nauseous,” she adds.

How can I avoid an Ozempic overdose?

The best way to reduce the risk of overdose with Ozempic is to talk to your prescriber and ask questions if you don’t understand anything, says Sowa. Also, if you are unsure whether you have given yourself a dose or whether it is working, contact your doctor instead of doubling the dose.

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