How to Stop Nausea from GLP-1 Medications: Tips for Managing Side Effects
Nausea is one of the most common side effect of GLP-1 medications, known generically as semaglutides, liraglutides, and tirzepatides. Sometimes the nausea causes people to stop taking these drugs in the first few weeks. But know this, for most people, nausea and other gastrointestinal side effects are more intense around the beginning of treatment. These side effects should ease as your body adjusts to the medicine and as you adjust the foods you eat.
There’s no way to tell ahead of time what your particular experience will be, but you can be ready by both talking to your doctor about potential side effects and gathering advice and information that can help.
8 Tips for Managing GLP-1 Weight Loss Medication Side Effects
When taking GLP-1 medication, you’ll want to follow your doctor’s instructions and take time to understand what you’re feeling if you start feeling discomfort. Is it nausea or do you feel full and uncomfortable after eating?
The way the medicine works is it slows down the movement of food from the stomach into the small intestine to help you feel full longer. If you eat a large meal, even just the size of everyday meals you were previously used to, you may end up feeling full, bloated, and nauseous because of the way the medicine works.
So, how do you stop nausea from a GLP-1? By paying attention to how you feel during and after you eat, you can adjust your habits to help ease these feelings of discomfort. The following tips may also help you prevent and reduce nausea:
1. Eat slowly and in smaller portions.
Eating more slowly can help prevent you from eating too much, so can eating in smaller portions. If you eat slowly and in smaller portions more frequently throughout the day, you may be able to avoid that “too full” feeling. If you start feeling full while eating, stop. Give your body time to digest the food and eat when you feel hungry again.
2. Increase fluid intake.
Staying hydrated is always helpful for digesting food. You’ll want to drink water and healthy liquids to ease digestion and help relieve nausea and constipation associated with GLP-1 meds. But, at the same time, be sure to sip and drink these liquids slowly so you don’t end up feeling too full and bloated. Limit bubbly or fizzy drinks to avoid bloat and gas as well.
3. Avoid spicy, high-fat, and high-sugar foods.
These foods can irritate your stomach under normal circumstances, so especially when first starting on GLP-1 weight loss medications, stick to foods that are less-irritating and easy on your stomach and digestive system. As you get used to the medication and gastrointestinal side effects ease, slowly work in a few of your favorite foods that you’ve been missing, especially the more flavorful ones, not necessarily high-fat or high-sugar foods.
4. Eat bland or easy-to-digest foods.
Remember when you were sick or had a bellyache as a kid? What did your parents feed you? Crackers, rice, and potatoes are bland foods that can help you eat through the nausea and help you feel better. Water-rich foods are a smart choice too to help increase hydration for digestion. Some good choices include broth, light soups, plain yogurt (low in sugar or no sugar only), applesauce, melons, and cucumbers. When eating proteins look for low-fat foods such as chicken and fish.
5. Take regular walks outside or do light exercise.
You may not want to continue your exercise routine full force until you adjust to your medication. But, you can still take regular walks outside or on a treadmill—though the fresh air can help with nausea while the treadmill might add to it, depending on how you feel. Light exercise will also be helpful as movement aids digestion. Just don’t exercise right after a snack or meal. Give yourself a little time first.
6. Use a stool softener for constipation
Constipation can be a side effect of GLP-1 medications that can then cause nausea. If you’re following the above tips and others from your doctor or other health experts and you’re still constipated, you may be able to try a stool softener to help get things moving. Do not rely on them as an everyday tool, however. Fleet® Liquid Glycerin Suppository or Fleet® Stimulant Oral Laxative may provide relief from GLP-1 related constipation, consult your doctor.
7. Try over-the-counter nausea remedies
If you are trying the above lifestyle changes and need a little extra help to fight the nausea, you may want to consider an over-the-counter nausea remedy. This could be what you would normally use for nausea or upset stomach—such as medicines containing bismuth subsalicylate, dimenhydrinate, or diphenhydramine—or a ginger-based remedy like Advanced Herbals™ Ginger Chews that are made with a clinical dose of ginger extract† which may provide non-medicated relief from GLP-1 related nausea. Consult your doctor.
8. Talk to your doctor about nausea and other weight loss medication side effects
If you’re having continuing problems with nausea or constipation or if these side effects are severe and interfering with your ability to work, eat, or live your life normally, talk to your doctor. Ask them how to relieve nausea from the semaglutide or other GLP-1 medication you’re taking. They may be able to lower your dose, switch medications, or give you advice that’s more specific to your personal needs. Be sure to tell them about any other drugs, supplements, or herbs you’re taking so they can rule out possible interactions too.
It’s also worth repeating here that most GLP-1 side effects occur within the first week or two of beginning the weight loss medication and are usually mild to moderate, decreasing within the first two months. So, hang in there and continue to keep in touch with your doctor.
* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Extract equivalent to clinically tested dose of powdered ginger for morning and motion sickness.
† Extract equivalent to clinically tested dose of powdered ginger for morning and motion sickness.