People’s Pharmacy: Alarming complications of Ozempic resulted in surgery

Q. If you watch television and see the drug commercials, diabetes is the happiest disease you could hope to have. The ads make you almost want to have it, because people are always having so much fun.

What a farce. Some of these drugs that are also advertised for weight loss could easily stop your digestion and put you in the hospital.

I am not a happy diabetic due to the multitude of problems associated with the disease and the drugs. I only lost 12 pounds on Ozempic after two years. That was followed by removal of a foot of my colon when slowed digestion resulted in a tear in my intestine. How much fun am I having?

A. As with many drugs, the more we learn about semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), the more side effects appear. We are sorry you had such difficulties.

For many people with diabetes, semaglutide helps control blood glucose. It also aids many people in losing weight.

A slowdown of the digestive tract (gastroparesis) can be a serious side effect, though. Researchers who analyzed the health records of 16 million people revealed that pancreatitis and bowel obstruction are also a risk for those taking semaglutide (JAMA, Oct. 5, 2023).

As you point out, commercials do not offer an unbiased perspective. Always ask about side effects before beginning a prescription. Unfortunately, some will only be discovered after many people have been taking the medication.

Q. I had a bad experience with Ambien. I totaled my car only two houses from my home. One evening, about 10 minutes after I had taken the drug, my husband mentioned that he had forgotten to pick up one of his prescriptions. I told him I would go pick it up. The pharmacy is only about five minutes from our home. I felt fine to drive.

I crashed into a mailbox and tree. I never felt sleepy while driving. I have wondered if a study has been done regarding the number of traffic accidents that have occurred after someone took zolpidem.

A. The sleeping pill zolpidem (Ambien) can begin to exert an effect quite quickly, depending in part on the formulation and timing. Most people start to feel sleepy within 15 to 30 minutes, so your impairment came on very fast. We have heard from others who have engaged in dangerous activities after falling asleep.

The official prescribing information states: “Complex sleep behaviors, including sleep-walking, sleep-driving, and engaging in other activities while not fully awake, may occur following the first or any subsequent use of AMBIEN. Patients can be seriously injured or injure others during complex sleep behaviors. Such injuries may result in a fatal outcome. Other complex sleep behaviors (e.g., preparing and eating food, making phone calls, or having sex) have also been reported. Patients usually do not remember these events.”

You can learn more about the pros and cons of various sleeping pills and many nondrug options for dealing with insomnia in our eGuide to Getting a Good Night’s Sleep. This online resource can be found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Another reader shared a somewhat similar experience. “I took Ambien, jumped in the shower, ate something and fell asleep watching TV. Apparently, I got in my car and drove into an electrical pole, knocking it over. I woke up in a hospital emergency room the next day with no recollection of anything.”

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, Fla. 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”