Ozempic has been hailed as a gamechanger in the pharmaceutical industry. The popular semaglutide drug has helped numerous Americans manage their type 2 diabetes and lose a considerable amount of weight. In fact, many doctors have been prescribing Ozempic for off-label use to treat obesity. It’s estimated that 12% of the country has used Ozempic or a similar GLP-1 drug, even with the high demand and steep price tag.

Ozempic’s runaway success among celebrities and the everyday population has earned its manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, tens of billions of dollars. However, the popular GLP-1 medication has been linked to severe health complications in patients, even those who followed instructions closely and consulted their doctors about their side effects.

If you developed medical problems after taking a prescription semaglutide like Ozempic, our lawyers in Miami can help you file a lawsuit. The Ozempic attorneys of Bursor & Fisher, P.A. can discuss your eligibility for compensation in a free case review.


 

About Ozempic (Semaglutide)

Ozempic is the brand name of an injectable semaglutide medication originally developed to help manage type 2 diabetes. Ozempic received initial FDA approval for diabetes treatment in 2017.

After diabetic patients reported weight loss benefits from the semaglutide, Novo Nordisk developed Wegovy, another semaglutide specifically for people trying to lose weight. Wegovy received initial FDA approval in 2021.

The high demand for Wegovy made it difficult to obtain semaglutides specifically made for weight loss. This shortage led doctors to prescribe Ozempic for off-label use to promote weight loss in patients with obesity.

How Ozempic and Other Semaglutides Work

Ozempic is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1, or sometimes GLP-1 RA). GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and feelings of satiety. GLP-1 agonists mimic this hormone, which improves blood sugar levels, slows the movement of food from the stomach into the small intestine, and helps you feel satiated.

In other words, Ozempic helps you feel full for a longer amount of time, which prevents you from consuming more calories throughout the day.

Drugs That Are Similar to Ozempic

Many people use the brand name Ozempic as a catch-all term for GLP-1 drugs. However, there are many different GLP-1 brand names, and not all of these medications are a semaglutide like Ozempic. Regardless, these tirzepatides, liraglutides, and dulaglutides function much the same way as Ozempic.

Floridians may recognize these other popular brand names for modern and in-demand weight loss drugs:

  • Rybelsus (semaglutide from Novo Nordisk)
  • Wegovy (semaglutide from Novo Nordisk)
  • Mounjaro (tirzepatide from Eli Lilly and Company)
  • Zepbound (tirzepatide from Eli Lilly and Company)
  • Saxenda (liraglutide from Novo Nordisk)
  • Victoza (liraglutide from Novo Nordisk)
  • Trulicity (dulaglutide from Eli Lilly and Company)

Bursor & Fisher, P.A. can represent Miami clients in Ozempic lawsuits or legal actions that involve any of the GLP-1 products listed above.

Common Side Effects of Ozempic

Mild and temporary side effects are common when taking Ozempic. These minor side effects include a reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and dizziness.

These minor side effects are most common when patients start taking Ozempic and other semaglutides. The side effects typically subside as the patient gets used to taking the medication and their body adjusts to the dosage.

Serious Health Complications Linked to Ozempic

Some Ozempic patients in Miami have reported having severe side effects and medical problems. In addition to a heightened risk of pancreatitis and gallstones, Ozempic patients have also suffered from:

  • Severe and Prolonged Vomiting – While nausea and some vomiting are normal side effects of Ozempic, some patients experience frequent vomiting that lasts for two weeks or more. This can cause severe dehydration, injuries to the esophagus, and acidic erosion of a person’s tooth enamel.
  • Stomach Paralysis (Gastroparesis) – Stomach paralysis is when the nerves and muscles of the stomach do not push food into the small intestine to get digested. If this condition is left untreated, gastroparesis could contribute to malnutrition, dehydration, the formation of a bezoar (a solid mass in the stomach), and a host of other medical issues.
  • Intestinal Obstruction – An intestinal obstruction is a blockage in the small intestine or part of the large intestine that prevents food from traveling through a person’s GI tract. If not treated, intestinal obstructions could cause death of the surrounding intestinal tissue and infection of the abdominal cavity (peritonitis).
  • Bowel Obstruction – Bowel obstructions are intestinal blockages that affect the large intestine and colon. Like blockage of the small intestine, bowel obstructions could lead to tissue death, peritonitis, or sepsis without proper treatment.

If a person on Ozempic develops these complications, they need immediate emergency care and hospitalization. In extreme cases of intestinal obstruction, a person may need an ileostomy bag or a colostomy bag for the rest of their life. These complications could prove fatal without urgent medical attention.

Symptoms and Warnings Signs to Look Out For

Concerned that Ozempic or another semaglutide has caused a serious health issue? Here are the most common warning signs of the complications described above:

  • Frequent nausea
  • Excessive vomiting
  • Acid reflux (GERD)
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Bloating or swelling of the abdomen
  • Loss of appetite
  • Lack of bowel movements

If you have experienced any of the listed symptoms, seek medical attention right away. When you are well enough, you can reach out to our Miami Ozempic lawsuit attorneys for a free case review.

Can I File a Lawsuit for Health Problems Related to Ozempic Use?

Potentially, yes. If your health was adversely affected by taking Ozempic, you may be eligible to receive compensation from Novo Nordisk.

While Novo Nordisk provides warning labels about common side effects of their semaglutide medications, their labels may not provide adequate warning about severe health risks such as stomach paralysis, intestinal blockages, or bowel obstruction.

Had people been warned about the severity of these rare complications, they might not have taken Ozempic in the first place.

Eligibility to File an Ozempic Lawsuit in Miami, FL

You may qualify for a semaglutide lawsuit if you were prescribed Ozempic and suffered serious health complications as a result. However, certain medical conditions, surgical procedures, or other factors could block you from seeking compensation.

It’s important to speak with our Miami Ozempic lawsuit lawyers as soon as possible. Our attorneys can discuss what happened to you and determine if you are eligible to seek compensation from Novo Nordisk.

How Much Can I Win in an Ozempic Lawsuit?

That depends on a number of factors that are unique to your experiences taking Ozempic. As part of the free case review, our semaglutide attorneys can discuss the harm, lasting hardships, and financial losses you experienced from taking Ozempic and what that could mean for your legal claim.

Why Choose Bursor & Fisher, P.A. for Your Ozempic Lawsuit

The attorneys of Bursor & Fisher, P.A. are nationwide leaders in complex, high-stakes litigation. With offices in Miami, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area, our law firm has represented more than 160 million people in legal actions—that’s roughly 1 in every 2 Americans.

Since 2008, our law firm has secured numerous multi-million dollar verdicts in large complex lawsuits. This includes a recent $267 million jury verdict against a debt collector who was found to have violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

In addition to offering free case reviews, Bursor & Fisher, P.A. operates on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay our lawyers anything unless we can recover money for you.

How Can I Learn More About Filing an Ozempic Lawsuit?

If you or someone you care about has experienced severe health complications after taking semaglutide drugs, contact our Ozempic lawyers in Miami about filing a lawsuit. Our GLP-1 attorneys can determine if you qualify for a lawsuit during a free case review.

 

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