Those living with Type II Diabetes rely upon medication to help them manage the effects of their condition, regulate their diet, and reduce their blood sugar levels. Ozempic, also known as Wegovy and Rybelsus, is an injectable medication for those needing blood sugar regulation.
Ozempic is also sometimes used as a weight loss medication, but recent reports suggest the medication can cause gastroparesis. This is a stomach paralysis disorder that causes the muscles in the digestive tract to move slower, resulting in severe stomach pain.
Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, has come under fire for failing to adequately warn consumers about stomach paralysis risk on a warning label. Jaclyn Bjorklund, a 44-year-old woman from Louisiana, filed a product liability lawsuit with Novo Nordisk for severe weight loss and gastroparesis symptoms.
What is Ozempic?
Many people have begun filing product liability lawsuits with Novo Nordisk for gallstones and stomach paralysis caused by Ozempic, a medication for those living with Type II Diabetes. It is GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Analog-Type drug that can help regulate blood sugar levels and promote weight loss.
Ozempic helps those living with diabetes by increasing the production and secretion of insulin, which mimics the human hormone called incretin glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Weekly injections of Ozempic can help regulate blood sugar levels by secreting insulin, delaying the release of glucose, and slowing muscles in the stomach.
Despite its effectiveness in helping people regulate blood sugar levels and lose weight, the drug has come under fire for causing numerous health issues. A recent lawsuit suggests that consistent use of Ozempic can cause gastroparesis or delayed gastric emptying.
How Does Ozempic Cause Stomach Paralysis?
The active ingredient in Ozempic is called semaglutide, which helps slow digestion in the stomach. However, slowing the muscles in the stomach tract can lead to food staying in the stomach longer than it should.
The food remaining in the stomach can become a hardened mass that can lead to blockages in the intestines. Food remaining in the stomach for too long can also lead a person to experience nauseous symptoms, possibly causing them to vomit.
The link between Ozempic and gastroparesis is not fully known yet, as reports of stomach paralysis from Ozempic users are a new development. However, Dr. Shipa Mehra Dang suggests, “It’s thought that it has to do with how these drugs affect the autonomic nervous system, which is in control of the digestive tract’s bodily functions.”
Symptoms of Gastroparesis After Using Ozempic
Those who use Ozempic can experience gastroparesis because of the slowing of the muscles along the digestive tract. When eating a digesting food, the digestive tract muscles use spontaneous movement called motility to pass food along.
However, Ozempic slows the muscles and prevents this process from happening as it normally would. Food can remain in the stomach, harden into a mass that affects the intestines, and cause numerous painful symptoms.
The following are some symptoms of gastroparesis you can experience after using Ozempic:
- Abdominal bloating
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Acid reflux
- Feeling full after a few bites of food
- Lack of appetite
- Vomiting undigested food eaten recently
- Changes in blood sugar levels
- Weight loss and malnutrition
Louisiana Women Files Lawsuit Against Ozempic Manufacturer
Ozempic causing the above significant health problems can lead to its classification as a defective drug. Novo Nordisk failed to warn consumers about the health risks presented by Ozempic and can be held liable for their negligence.
On August 2nd, 2023, a 44-year-old Louisiana woman named Jaclyn Bjorklund filed the first Ozempic lawsuit regarding gastroparesis. The lawsuit also involves Eli Lilly and Co., the manufacturer of Mounjaro.
Mrs. Bjorklund used Ozempic for one year before suffering symptoms and pivoting to Mounjaro. She claims both drugs caused gastrointestinal events leading to constant vomiting, stomach pain, and extreme weight loss, which led her to need multiple hospital visits. She is suing both manufacturers for failing to warn about any risk of gastroparesis.
Previous Ozempic Lawsuits Filed for Connection to Gallstones
This is not the first lawsuit against Novo Nordisk for Ozempic causing health issues, but rather the first regarding stomach paralysis. Ozempic has previously been linked to gallstones, which occur when the gallbladder cannot process bile and stones of bile material form.
While small gallstones can pass through the body, large ones cannot and cause significant pain and suffering. A 2017 study discovered through over one hundred clinical trials that those with Type II Diabetes who used GLP-1 drugs were at an increased risk of gallstones.
Many users of Ozempic who suffered gallstones have filed product liability lawsuits with Novo Nordisk for failure to warn about health issues caused by the dangerous product. With so many lawsuits mounting, it’s possible there could be an Ozempic mass tort lawsuit.
How Can a Product Liability Lawyer Help With Your Ozempic Lawsuit?
Those who have stomach paralysis because of Ozempic can file lawsuits to pursue compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Some damages they can suffer and pursue compensation for include medical bills, lost wages, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Hiring a product liability lawyer is essential to the Ozempic lawsuit process. You likely do not have the legal experience to handle each step properly. An experienced product liability lawyer will know the steps to take and how to make the most of each.
An experienced product liability lawyer can help calculate the value of your lawsuit, collect evidence, file the necessary paperwork, and negotiate a fair settlement. Your best chance for recovering fair compensatory damages is with the help of a product liability lawyer.
Contact The Russo Firm for Help With Your Ozempic Lawsuit
The product liability lawyers at The Russo Firm have experience helping victims of defective drugs like Tylenol, Tepezza, and Zantac. They can use that experience to help you pursue compensation for damages.
Our product liability attorneys can collaborate with you to craft a personalized legal counsel plan to put you in a position to recover compensation for damages. They can also offer a free consultation to show you how they can help with your lawsuit. Contact us for a free case evaluation today at (561) 203-6649 or leave a message on our online contact page.
