Safety & honesty
What to expect, plainly.
Semaglutide has been studied in large trials and prescribed for years, so its effects are well described. Here is what is common, what is rare, and what rules it out. 2 3
Common, usually early, usually easing
- Nausea — the most common effect, clustered around dose steps; smaller meals, eating slowly and a held dose are the usual fixes
- Constipation or diarrhea — often in the first weeks; fluids and fiber help, and both tend to settle
- Reflux, bloating, burping — stomach emptying is slower by design; heavy or fatty meals make it worse
- Tiredness or headache — usually in the first weeks and usually mild
Stop and tell your clinician
- Severe, persistent stomach pain — sometimes with vomiting — pancreatitis must be ruled out
- Pain under the right ribs, fever or yellowing skin — signs of a gallbladder problem
- A lump or swelling in the neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing — semaglutide carries a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents; it is not known whether this applies to people
- Vomiting or diarrhea you cannot get on top of — dehydration can strain the kidneys
- Shakiness, sweating, confusion — low blood sugar, mainly if you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea
- Rash, swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing — an allergic reaction — seek emergency care
Not prescribed if
- You or a family member have had medullary thyroid cancer, or you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2
- You are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy — semaglutide is stopped at least two months before a planned pregnancy
- You have had pancreatitis, an eating disorder, or bariatric surgery within the last year
Medicines that need care
Semaglutide slows stomach emptying, which can change how some oral medicines are absorbed, and it lowers blood sugar — so insulin and sulfonylureas may need adjusting. List everything you take in the intake, including supplements; your clinician checks each one before prescribing. 2
What it is for
Semaglutide is prescribed here for weight management in adults who meet the criteria above, alongside a reduced-calorie plan, when a licensed clinician decides it is appropriate. It is not a substitute for that plan, and it is not prescribed to anyone whose history rules it out.
If you stop
Appetite returns when semaglutide stops, and in the trial that followed people after it was withdrawn, most of the weight they had lost came back within a year. 4 That is why the dose here is calibrated over time rather than set once, and why stopping is a conversation with your clinician — a plan for holding or stepping down — rather than a cancelled card.
Compounded semaglutide is prepared for your prescription by a state-licensed U.S. compounding pharmacy, named on your label. It is not FDA-approved: compounded medications are not reviewed by the FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality. 6
Results vary. No outcome is guaranteed — your clinician will discuss what is realistic for you.