How do you stop feeling sick on Wegovy?

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1. Stay hydrated

Staying hydrated is one of the top tactics for avoiding nausea, diarrhea, and other common GI side effects of Wegovy. However, because the drug makes you feel fuller, people often end up drinking less than they did before starting treatment, making them even more at risk of feeling queasy on Wegovy.

To avoid feeling sick on Wegovy, make sure you are drinking 8–10 cups of clear, sugar-free liquids every day. Now, that may be easier said than done. So, here are a few helpful tips to make sure you’re getting enough fluids on Wegovy:

Aim for cold water or other flat, clear, sugar-free beverages (carbonation can worsen nausea)

Spruce up your glass of H20 with lemon or fruit slices

Sneak in additional hydration through water-rich foods, such as soups, yogurt, popsicles, gelatin (Jell-O)

Replenish your electrolytes after vomiting. Consider trying unsweetened coconut water in moderation.

Sip, don’t guzzle

While all of the above strategies can be effective, the last nugget of wisdom is especially worth noting. Since Wegovy slows down digestion, you don’t want to overload your system with huge gulps of water; this can make you feel even fuller and, in turn, more nauseated. So, instead, drink in small sips. For the same reasons, you also want to avoid drinking too much of any beverage during a meal. Instead, try slowly sipping on some water 30–60 minutes before or after you eat.

2. Stop eating once you feel full

When you start taking Wegovy, you’ll probably notice that you have fewer cravings, get full sooner, and feel more in control over your eating — all welcome changes that can lead to weight loss. But this process can be gradual, taking place over a period of weeks to months as you gradually increase your dosage of the medication.

In essence, Wegovy helps you tune in to your body’s hunger and fullness cues and even reduce appetite over time. Before the full effects of the drug kick in, however, you may keep eating the same amount as you did before — even though your stomach now gets physically full much sooner, thanks to the drug’s digestive-slowing properties. This can result in that uncomfortable, too-full feeling that can lead to or worsen nausea.

So, to avoid feeling sick on Wegovy, pay attention to how you feel during a meal. You may be used to clearing your plate, but you may not be able to do so any longer — and that’s okay. So, try to stop eating once you feel full and save whatever deliciousness remains as leftovers.

To help you better recognize your body’s fullness signals, try eating mindfully. Avoid doing other activities while you eat, such as reading or watching TV, and focus on the meal in front of you, enjoying how it tastes and feels while you chew slowly and savor each bite. Research shows that mindful eating can not only help people consume less during a meal but also increase their satisfaction.

3. Eat smaller meals, more frequently

Because Wegovy slows down digestion, it takes longer for food to exit your stomach and enter the small intestine. This means you may very well feel like you just licked your plate clean even when you still have plenty of forkfuls to go. But here’s the thing: Even if there is more on your plate, eating past the state of fullness can cause or exacerbate nausea.

To avoid that, you can eat smaller meals more often during the day, as opposed to larger meals less often. If you used to eat three main meals per day, try splitting them up into 6–8 smaller ones, and see if that offers you some relief.

4. Stay away from triggering foods and drinks

While no food is officially off limits when taking Wegovy, there are some bites and beverages you may want to avoid during treatment — and this is especially true if you’re dealing with digestive woes or want to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Of course, this is just a blanket list, and results may vary based on the individual.

There are a number of foods that can trigger nausea and an overall feeling of yuck on Wegovy, including:

Foods high in saturated fats (e.g. fatty meats, full-fat dairy products)
Sugary foods and beverages (e.g. candies, sodas)
High-sodium foods (e.g. canned soups, cold cuts)
Greasy, fried, and processed foods (e.g. french fries, potato chips)
Caffeine
Alcohol
Carbonated beverages

Items with a lot of spice or strong odors can also trigger nausea. While not food-related, loud noises can worsen nausea, too. So, you might want to eat at your desk or in a quiet place instead of the break room if Susan often brings a tuna salad sandwich for lunch and Bob speaks at an octave that rivals a fire alarm.

As for what to eat? Take it easy on your queasy stomach with bland foods like:

Crackers
Toast
English muffins
Baked chicken or fish
Potatoes
Noodles
Rice
Soup
Apples

Be sure to check in with your healthcare provider if your diet feels too limited to ensure you are still getting the proper types and amounts of required nutrients.

5. Try ginger or mint

When it comes to relieving nausea, there are two superfoods you should know about: ginger and mint. If you consume them on the day you inject Wegovy, make sure to eat them at least 30 minutes after your injection for the best effects.

Ginger is one of the most popular herbal remedies for nausea and can be found as a whole food and in ginger chews and teas. For persistent nausea, however, you might want to consider a ginger supplement from a reliable source (available as a capsule, powder, or liquid extract) — just check with your healthcare provider first to make sure your symptoms aren’t a sign of something else. Studies have found that taking 1,500 mg of ginger per day, divided into doses (e.g. two or three times per day), can be an effective dosage for nausea relief. Keep in mind that if you are using processed formulations to be sure you are obtaining them from reliable sources, since supplements are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Another anti-nausea strategy is to incorporate mint into your routine, such as by adding some mint leaves to your salad or glass of water. You can also enjoy nausea relief through mint aromatherapy, according to studies of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and after surgery. That said, be careful of adding mint to your routine if you experience significant acid reflux, as mint could worsen those symptoms. And if you give either ginger or mint a try and find it is not working out for you, discontinue them. What’s most important is for you to feel as good as possible.

6. Avoid lying down after you eat

When you’re nauseated, you may feel like simply lying down on the couch or even your bed (any comfy surface will do!) will make it all better. But try to avoid the temptation to go horizontal, especially if you just ate, as doing so can worsen your symptoms. Instead, stay upright and sit quietly until you feel better.

You can also go for a light (keyword!) stroll, ideally in fresh air. A short 10–15 minute walk after a meal may help relieve other gastrointestinal side effects of Wegovy, such as bloating, belching, flatulence, and stomach pain.

7. Check in with your healthcare provider

Despite your best efforts, your digestive distress — be it nausea, abdominal pain, or another symptom — just won’t go away? Then, it’s high time to contact your healthcare provider.

If you’re still ramping up to your maintenance dosage of Wegovy, your provider can take that process more slowly or even take you back down to a lower dosage before trying a higher one again later on. They can also recommend anti-nausea medications such as Motilium (domperidone) to help ease your symptoms.

Depending on your tolerance for Wegovy, your healthcare provider may recommend switching to another GLP-1 medication for weight loss, such as Zepbound (tirzepatide) or Saxenda (liraglutide). While other drugs in this class are also known to cause gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea, your body may react differently to each one. So, attempting a different medication might be worth a try.

How long does nausea last on Wegovy?

If you’ve read any reviews of Wegovy, you’re probably aware that nausea is a common side effect. In particular, research suggests that nausea is most common during the first 4–5 weeks, but can remain frequent all the way through week 20 (the start of month 5), at which point it gradually goes away on its own.

Week 20, or the start of month 5, is right about the time that you may reach the highest dosage of Wegovy, if you follow a standard dosing schedule. While there is no fixed duration of episodes of nausea, some experience longer-lasting episodes, even more than eight days at a time. Keep in mind, your experience could vary and could depend on factors unique to your own body.

If your nausea is persistent or severe, contact your healthcare provider. If it’s accompanied by other symptoms such as severe stomach pain or vomiting that makes it hard to keep food down, seek emergency medical attention

Other common side effects of Wegovy

While nausea is by far the most common side effect of Wegovy, it’s not the only one. Here is a more comprehensive list:

Diarrhea
Vomiting
Constipation
Abdominal pain
Headache
Fatigue
Upset stomach or indigestion
Dizziness
Bloating
Belching
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in people with type 2 diabetes
Flatulence
Stomach flu
Heartburn
Common cold

You may not experience all of these side effects, but they were all reported by at least 5% of people in clinical trials. The good news is that most of them — especially the digestive side effects like nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting — tend to go away on their own with time as your body adjusts to the medication.

In the meantime, follow these three tips to feel less sick while taking Wegovy:

Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated can help relieve nausea as well as vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, belching, and flatulence. Take care to drink in small sips and avoid using a straw. Steer clear of soft drinks and carbonated beverages, which can worsen GI symptoms, and opt for water or decaffeinated tea instead.

Stay active. Regular exercise is recommended when taking Wegovy. Doing anything vigorous may not be the best idea when you’re feeling sick on Wegovy, but light exercise — such as a short walk after a meal — can help relieve nausea and gassiness. If you’re dealing with a lot of constipation, increasing your physical activity can help get things moving.

Watch your fiber intake. High-fiber foods can be great for weight loss since they boost feelings of fullness. But depending on your symptoms, you may want to eat more — or less — of the nutrient. Fibrous foods like whole grains, nuts, and veggies can lead to more diarrhea, bloating, and flatulence. If you’re experiencing constipation, on the other hand, they can help clear things up.

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