Doctors say people taking weight-loss drugs are suffering from stomach paralysis

While losing weight could be a way for some people to get to their goal of leading a healthier and more fulfilling life, our cultural obsession with the topic of weight-loss means that both common people, and the medical establishment have to regularly confront a variety of questionable weight-loss solutions.

In one instance, doctors found that a certain weight loss pill sold online could induce heart attacks, while in another instance, they raised the alarm on the dangers of a new weight loss injection available in pharmacies in the UK.

Now, as news has spread about a diabetes drug that could help with weight loss, medical professionals are now raising awareness on the potential dangers of consuming such medications, which as reported by CNN, could also include severe gastroparesis, or stomach paralysis!

Semaglutide for weight-loss

Semaglutide, sold under names such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus, is a class of drugs that is used to treat diabetes. While these drugs are important for patients, these have also become very popular for people who want to lose weight. Semaglutides help the body by mimicking the role of the GLP-1 hormone which is naturally produced by the body.

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This hormone slows the passage of food, and helps the stomach to feel fuller for longer. Thereby, reducing hunger and the quantity of food consumed.

As reported by CNN, one of the serious consequences of this slowing down of the stomach could arise if the stomach slows down way too much, in some cases leading to severe gastroparesis, or stomach paralysis.

The side-effects of these weight-loss drugs

The consumption of semaglutide itself comes with a long list of negative side effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Coupled with this, as reports of patients experiencing slowed stomach or stomach paralysis is emerging, US Food and Drug Administration has raised awareness of such instances.

Again doctors from American Society of Anesthesiologists have warned that patients should stop taking these medications a week before surgery so as to avoid the risk of them regurgitating food during an operation, since their slower stomach might still have food in-spite of the mandated fasting time before a surgery.

For now, these connections between taking semaglutide and stomach paralysis have not been soundly established. Dr. Michael Camilleri, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic, told CNN,

Unfortunately, there have not been these types of robust studies, and so the whole idea that this class of medications actually delays gastric emptying is not as well recognized.

It is conceivable that some patients may have borderline slow gastric emptying and starting one of the GLP-1 agonists may precipitate a full-blown gastroparesis.

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Sources used:

CNN: 'They took blockbuster drugs for weight loss and diabetes. Now their stomachs are paralyzed'