Nausea on GLP-1 medicines

In short

Most people who get nausea on a GLP-1 feel it in the first weeks and after each dose increase. In trials it was usually mild to moderate and eased with time for most.

Why it happens

GLP-1 medicines slow how fast food leaves your stomach. A meal sits longer, so a portion that felt normal last month can now feel like too much.

These drugs also act on areas of the brain that control appetite and nausea. That is part of why you feel full sooner, and why the same signal can tip into queasiness.

When it starts and fades

Nausea usually starts within a day or two of an injection and is often worst in the first weeks of treatment and after each dose increase. In the clinical trials, stomach side effects were mostly mild to moderate and were reported most often during dose escalation.

For many people it fades as the body adjusts to each new dose. If it is not easing after a few weeks at the same dose, tell your prescriber. They may hold you at a dose longer before stepping up.

What helps

• Eat smaller meals and stop as soon as you feel full, even if food is left on the plate.
• Go easy on fried, greasy and very rich foods, which sit in the stomach longest.
• Eat slowly and put your fork down between bites.
• Sip water or clear fluids through the day instead of large amounts at once.
• Try bland foods like crackers, toast, rice or bananas on rough days.
• Avoid lying down right after eating.
• Keep a short log of what you ate and when nausea hit to spot your own triggers.