Post-Ozempic Body Changes: What Happens When You Stop Ozempic? - GoodRx (2024)

Ozempic (semaglutide) is primarily used to improve blood sugar management for people with diabetes. But it has become a popular medication for the way it also causes people to rapidly lose weight. So many people — with and without diabetes — take Ozempic for weight loss.

When you take Ozempic, your body gets used to it — especially if you have been taking it for some time. But what happens when you stop taking Ozempic? Many people regain most of the weight they lost. And there are other changes in the body to know about.

Keep reading to learn more about the short- and long-term effects of taking and stopping Ozempic, including tips for how to do this safely to prevent Ozempic withdrawal symptoms.

Overview of what happens when you stop taking Ozempic

After you stop taking ozempic, the effects reverse pretty quickly. This can lead to a number of changes in your body. Some of them are symptoms you can feel — like increased appetite. Other changes happen below the surface that may not cause any symptoms — like increased blood glucose (sugar) levels.

Some of the main side effects of stopping Ozempic include:

• Increased appetite and cravings

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• Decreased side effects, like nausea and feeling full

• Spikes in blood sugar

• Increased risk of cardiovascular issues, like strokes and heart attacks

• Weight gain

We go through all of these in more detail below.

Ozempic withdrawal symptoms: What you will notice immediately

Some people have used the phrase “Ozempic withdrawal” to describe how they feel right after stopping Ozempic. People describe feeling a noticeable increase in their appetite. This can result in not feeling full even after eating a lot.

For people with diabetes, stopping Ozempic can also lead to a dangerous increase in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). This can lead to symptoms like:

• Excessive thirst

• Excessive urination

• Blurry vision

• Headaches

• Nausea or vomiting

A lot of these withdrawal symptoms can be unpleasant and risky. But it’s not all bad news. Ozempic has some well-known side effects, which can improve as soon as you stop the medication. So you may notice a decrease in:

• Headaches

• Joint and muscle pain

• Nausea

• Heartburn

• Diarrhea

• Sagging and wrinkled skin in the face, referred to as “Ozempic face”

It’s also important to be aware of the longer-term changes in your body that happen when you stop taking ozempic.

The post-Ozempic body: Long-term changes and health risks

There are not a lot of scientific studies looking at the effects of stopping Ozempic. So it’s too early to say exactly what the long-term effects are. But weight gain is the main change people see in their body after stopping Ozempic.

Weight gain

A 2022 study did show that 1 year after stopping Ozempic, people gained back ⅔ of the weight they had originally lost. This still resulted in a net weight loss of about 5% from before ever starting Ozempic. In the study, the people who lost the most weight with Ozempic also gained the most weight back. But these people still had the greatest net weight loss.

Another study showed similar results. People who took Oxempic lost an average of 10% of their body weight. When they stopped the medication, they gained back an average 7% of their body weight in about a year. This seems to be similar to what happens when using and stopping other weight-loss drugs, like orlistat.

People have the most success when they establish a healthy diet and regular exercise habits. In other words, don’t get discouraged or feel like you need to rely on a pill. Establishing a healthy relationship with food and movement is the most important thing you can do to maintain a weight that’s healthy for your body.

Blood sugar

Along with weight regain, blood sugar levels return almost back to baseline in people with diabetes. But in people who had prediabetes when starting Ozempic, 43% were able to keep their blood sugars at normal levels even after stopping the medication.

Heart health

The same study that looked at weight regain after stopping Ozempic also looked at changes in heart health. Interestingly, even though people regained the weight they lost, the study still saw some improvements in most cholesterol tests. It also showed improvement in CRP, a blood test for inflammation.

This means that even when you stop Ozempic, your risk of a major cardiac event, like a heart attack, remains lower.

But it’s important to note that most people’s blood pressure returned back to their pre-Ozempic levels. So more research is needed to understand the effect on heart health when you start and stop Ozempic.

How to stop taking Ozempic safely

As with any medication, it’s best to talk with your healthcare provider before you stop taking Ozempic. This is especially true if you have:

• Diabetes

• Prediabetes, or have an increased risk of diabetes

• Heart disease

• Increased risk for heart disease

• High cholesterol

• High blood pressure

If you have diabetes, your provider may recommend you taper off Ozempic slowly. They can also help make sure you’re taking the right medication to prevent any spikes in blood sugar. And if you’re worried about experiencing any of the Ozempic withdrawal symptoms or long-term changes above, they can help you find the right treatment plan to stay healthy.