As noted above, Pancreatitis is listed as a serious Rybelsus side effect and there have been numerous individuals taking weight loss drugs in the same class as Rybelsus ​who have developed pancreatitis. The reason why those who took Rybelsus and developed Pancreatitis is because weight loss drugs such as Rybelsus are GLP-1 receptor agonists and work by stimulating the pancreas to make insulin. As explained by Dr. Rekha B. Kumar, associate professor of medicine at Cornell and Chief Medical Officer at Found, in an article in Healthline, “It is . . . more common in patients with other risk factors for pancreatitis – prior history of pancreatitis, high triglycerides, high alcohol intake, or other genetic predispositions to pancreatitis[.]”
Dawn Gentle took Ozempic from 2018 to 2021 to help manage her type 2 diabetes. In 2021, she had to be rushed to the emergency room as a result of experiencing extreme abdominal pain. After several tests, she was diagnosed with pancreatitis. She stated that “I found out about this side effect after I was rushed to the emergency room at the hospital. The doctor asked me about the medications that I was taking for my diabetes. When I informed him about taking Ozempic, he said to ‘stop taking that drug right away.’ It had caused my pancreatitis[.]” (emphasis added).
After undergoing numerous tests for her abdominal pain, she learned not only did she have pancreatitis, but doctors found a cancerous tumor at the end of her pancreas. “When I asked the doctor if it was also caused by taking Ozempic, he was nice enough to inform me that it was strongly possible[.]” she said. Gentle also stated that as a result of her experience, if she had known about the side effects and how severe they could be, she would have never taken Ozempic. Reybelsus contains the same active ingredient, semaglutide, as Ozempic, and as noted above, individuals who become stabilized on Rybelsus tablets can be transferred to Ozempic subcutaneous injection.
Contact a Nashville Rybelsus lawyer today, if you took Rybelsus and developed Pancreatitis.