Are there side effects?

All medications have potential side effects, and this includes GLP-1 agonists. This doesn’t mean that they affect everyone who takes it but it’s important to be aware of the most common ones. Remember that everyone is different. People often report feeling sick at the start of taking the medication. This usually passes after a few weeks.

The most common side effect is mild to moderate nausea, which usually improves

over time.

Tips to help with nausea:

- Reduce the size of your meals

- Stop eating when you feel full and are not hungry (i.e. less snacking)

- Avoid spicy or high-fat foods

- Drink fewer carbonated or alcoholic beverages

- Drink more water and eat high-fibre foods

Very common (more than one in 10 people will experience these)

- Headaches

- Vomiting

- Diarrhoea

- Constipation

- Nausea

- Abdominal pain

- Fatigue

- Weakness

These side effects usually reduce in frequency over time and are mainly seen during the dose titration period.

Common (≥1/100 to <1/10)

- Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) in patients with type 2 diabetes*

- Dizziness**

- Diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes

- Gastritis

- Gastroesophageal reflux

- Dyspepsia

- Eructation

- Flatulence

- Bloating

- Abdominal distension

- Cholelithiasis

- Hair loss

- Injection site reaction

*When in combination with other diabetes medications, caution must be used when driving and using heavy machinery. Risk of hypoglycaemia is increased at doses of 2.4mg with a sulfonylurea.

**Dizziness is particularly common during dose titration; caution must be exercised especially when driving or operating machinery if this occurs.

Uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100)

- Increased heart rate

- Acute pancreatitis

- Increased amylase

- Increased lipase

Rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000)

- Anaphylaxis

- Angioedema

Immediate medical help should be sought. In the event of breathing problems, swelling of the lips, tongue, face, throat, difficulty swallowing, wheezing, fast heartbeat, pale and cold skin, sudden weakness or dizziness, medical help must be sought immediately.