What happens if you take too much Ozempic as poison warning issued over simple mistake

Here is what happens if you take too much Ozempic, as an increase in poison control calls has been linked to the widespread availability of the medication.

Now available through the NHS and on private prescription, semaglutide medication Wegovy and tirzepatide alternative Mounjaro have become a lifeline for people who've previously struggled with weight management.

Wegovy has recently become available in the UK in a tablet form, meaning that Brits who don't fancy stabbing themselves with a needle have an alternative, while Ozempic - which is only licensed for diabetes - is also used off-label for weight management reasons.

But with the increased availability of the medication, concerns have also been raised about the risk of complications caused through misuse of the drug.

So, what happens if you take too much?

Injectable GLP-1 use has skyrocketed in the past couple of years (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Like all other forms of medication, GLP-1 and GIP drugs have unpleasant side effects when misused, with Bolt Pharmacy noting that people who take more than the directed once-a-week dose are likely to experience severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea due to the increased effects on your gastrointestinal system. As people who are familiar with the drugs will already know, they work by slowing down your digestion.

In some cases, particularly when a patient is using the drug for the management of Type 2 diabetes, an overdose can lead to hypoglycaemia, a serious complication which can cause seizures and loss of consciousness.

There is currently no specific antidote to an overdose of semaglutide, with patients instead treated through monitoring by medical professionals.

GLP-1s and an increase in poison control calls

Warnings over the risk of overdose come as the results of a recent study examining a potential link between GLP-1s and poison control calls in the US were released.

Published in Science Daily, the study suggested that patient mismanagement of the drugs had led to a spike in the number of people seeking medical assistance.

However incorrect dosage use can lead to unwanted health complications (Getty Stock Images)

Noting a jump from 1,000 to 1,500 GLP-1RA-related cases in 2021 to more than 8,000 by 2023, UT San Antonio undergraduate and researcher Jordan Miller said that several of the cases would've been avoided if patients had a better understanding of the drug they were taking.

According to the data, the two most common mistakes made by patients were taking the medication daily instead of weekly and starting immediately with the highest dose instead of a gradual increase.

Miller and research mentor Dr David Han concluded that patient education was the best way of preventing future overdoses.

Bolt Pharmacy suggests patients keep a weekly medication diary to take doses as well as avoid doubling up in the event of missing a dose, while Novo Nordisk guidance says the drug is intended as a once-a-week dose and should be started at 0.25 mg to help patients adjust to treatment.

LADbible has approached Novo Nordisk for comment.