Louisiana Woman Sues Makers of Ozempic, Mounjaro Over “Stomach Paralysis” Side Effects
As injectable type-2 diabetes medications continue to gain popularity as weight-loss agents, a woman from Louisiana has filed a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly — the companies that make Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide), respectively — alleging that the manufacturers failed to adequately warn her about the risk of extreme gastrointestinal complications, according to CNN Business [1.].
In the lawsuit, 44-year-old Plaintiff Jaclyn Bjorklund alleges she experienced “severe vomiting, stomach pain, gastrointestinal burning, being hospitalized for stomach issues on several occasions including visits to the emergency room” and “excessive vomiting” that not only left her “throwing up whole foods hours after eating” but also required her to take “additional medications.”
The suit further claims that Bjorklund took Ozempic for more than 1 year before switching to Mounjaro in 2023 per the advice of her doctor. Bjorklund accuses Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly of knowing but failing to disclose the “association” between their glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists and stomach problems like gastroparesis.
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Diabetes Drugs and Weight Loss
GLP-1 agonists are a relatively new class of diabetes drugs which are advertised as not only being able to improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics, but also to help obese individuals lose weight.
This line of medications are designed to work by mimicking the action of glucagon-like peptide 1, a hormone that stimulates insulin secretion and inhibits glucagon secretion. When blood sugar levels rise after meal time, GLP-1 agonists stimulate the body to produce more insulin, which helps lower blood sugar levels.
GLP-1 agonists include:
- Dulaglutide (Trulicity)
- Exenatide extended-release (Bydureon base)
- Exenatide (Byetta)
- Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy)
- Liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda)
- Lixisenatide (Adlyxin)
- Semaglutide (Rybelsus)
What is Gastroparesis?
Gastroparesis, also known as stomach paralysis or delayed gastric emptying, is a rare condition that slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine, even though there is no blockage in the stomach or intestines. In healthy individuals, when the stomach is working properly, contractions of the stomach pulverize food and then move it into the small intestine for further digestion and absorption of nutrients.
People Who Took Weight-Loss Drugs Say Their Stomachs are Paralyzed: CNN Video
Stomach Paralysis Symptoms
Symptoms of gastroparesis include:
- Feeling full soon after starting a meal
- Feeling full long after eating a meal
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Too much bloating
- Too much belching
- Pain in your upper abdomen
- Heartburn
- Poor appetite
Do Weight-Loss Drugs Have a Stomach Paralysis Warning?
While vomiting and abdominal pain are listed as potential side effects on prescribing information for GLP-1 receptor agonists, Bjorkland’s suit maintains existing warnings are “inadequate” because they fail to specifically mention mention gastroparesis or stomach paralysis.
Do I Have a Weight Loss Drug Stomach Paralysis Class Action Lawsuit?
The Class Action Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Weight Loss Drug Lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new stomach paralysis cases in all 50 states.
If you or a loved one suffered from stomach paralysis or another injury after taking a weight loss medication, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a Weight Loss Drug Stomach Paralysis Class Action Lawsuit and our lawyers can help.