Blindness, paralysis, tooth loss: Americans become crippled after taking trendy drug Ozempic

People affected by Ozempic are suing the drug's manufacturers for millions of dollars. The first lawsuits began to arrive in the fall of 2023, but since then the number of people joining the lawsuits has been steadily growing, writes Daily Mail.

Photo: Oleschwander | Dreamstime.com

When Monica Church was prescribed Ozempic for her diabetes in October 2023, she was told it would ease her symptoms.

By Christmas, a 55-year-old Michigan woman was hospitalized for two weeks with abdominal pain, vomiting and stomach paralysis.

She has lost the ability to enjoy foods she once enjoyed, such as pizza and bread. Now, the sufferer eats only small portions to avoid stomach upset. She said her doctor did not warn her about these side effects.

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Church is not alone. She is one of several people suing Novo Nordisk and its parent company, Eli Lilly, for failing to include warnings about side effects and risks on their drug packaging. Robert King, a New York attorney representing 400 patients, said stomach problems were the most common complaint.

But he also represents people who developed blood clots after starting the drug, and people who say the drug caused blindness, tooth loss and paralysis.

King says people tell him all the time that they wish they had been better informed about the risks of the drug before they started taking it: "You know, no one would think that losing weight would cost them blindness."

Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Trulicity are in a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists.

They mimic a hormone that controls feelings of fullness and how quickly food moves through the body. These drugs were originally created to treat diabetes, but after noticing how well they helped people lose weight, doctors began prescribing them to patients trying to lose weight.

In May 2024, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) surveyed adults in the United States and found that about one in eight adults (12%) had ever taken a GLP-1 drug. About 6% of adults said they were currently using these drugs, including popular ones like Ozempic and Wegovy.

The survey found that about 43% of patients with diabetes and 26% with cardiovascular disease were taking these drugs. GLP-1s have become popular due to their effectiveness in weight loss and improving health, which has increased public awareness of them - 82% of respondents said they had heard of such drugs.

The survey was conducted among 1479 adults in the United States using online and telephone interviews, providing fairly accurate data on the perception and use of GLP-1 drugs in the country.

Attorney Robert King said the lawsuits began arriving in the fall of 2023, and the number of people joining the lawsuits has steadily increased in the past year.

Cecily King, 43, of Kentucky, had been taking GLP drugs since September 2021.

Over time, she developed gastroparesis, a paralysis of the stomach that can cause vomiting, constipation, malnutrition, acid reflux, and blood sugar problems. The constipation caused Cecily to have profuse, persistent vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, which sent her to the emergency room.

The damage was irreversible, and the woman still suffers from gastrointestinal problems. Church, the Michigan patient, said it was difficult to live with.

"I couldn't eat or drink anything. I had this burning sensation in my stomach and chest that nothing helped," she complained.

King is one of the plaintiffs suing Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Her lawsuit alleges that the companies “downplayed the severity of the gastrointestinal problems caused by GLP-1RA.”

Gastroparesis can even be life-threatening, as it was for Jacqueline Barber, 49, of Louisville, whose doctor promised her the drug would “work wonders” for her diabetes.

But she says the treatment ruined her stomach and left her bedridden. Jacqueline vomited constantly for a year while she was taking the drug.

Yes, she lost 62 pounds, but her teeth began to crumble from stomach acid and she had to use a walker because she became so weak.

King's attorney said there are, among other cases, cases of patients developing life-threatening blood clots associated with taking GLP-1 drugs.

Roderick Shirley, 83, of Florida, began taking Ozempic in 2022 on the advice of his endocrinologist. He initially tolerated the drug well.

But in September 2023, Shirley developed chest pains and went to see doctors. They discovered a large blood clot in his thigh and lungs, called deep vein thrombosis. The clot had broken off and traveled to his lungs. This was potentially cutting off blood flow to the vital organ, damaging it.

He needed emergency surgery and almost died twice on the operating table. He had three cardiac arrests.

Shirley was hospitalized for three weeks afterward, at great cost to him, with huge medical bills. Shirley is another plaintiff in the case, and his complaint states that "my life has been forever changed by taking Ozempic."

Scientists from Chenzhen Longhua County Central Hospital in China conducted a study linking GLP drugs to the type of blood clots Shirley suffered from.

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However, their evidence is not conclusive. There are also studies suggesting that the drug may reduce blood clots and related heart problems.

The companies that make the drugs have vigorously denied that the drug could cause harm. Novo Nordisk has previously said the claims are baseless. They said the side effects and risks of Ozempic are clearly stated on the label.

“Novo Nordisk stands behind all of our GLP-1 medicines as safe and effective when used as directed and taken under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional,” the company said.

Ozempic's FDA-approved warning label mentions "adverse gastrointestinal reactions."

None of the labels appear to mention gastroparesis.

However, the plaintiffs say their goal is not to get rid of Ozempic, but to help people better understand the risks of taking it.

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