Ozempic and Wegovy have exploded in popularity for their ability to help people lose weight. Now, Poison Control Centers around the country are sounding the alarm over a growing trend of semaglutide overdoses and incorrect use.
The next episode of It's (Probably) Not Rocket Science explores the problem and what consumers should know with Dr. Joseph Lambson, director of the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center.
The problem centers around compounded semaglutide, a generic version of Wegovy or Ozempic sometimes given to patients when the brand names are not available due to shortage. When a patient receives a compounded semaglutide, they must extract a specific dose from a bottle on their own rather than inject a pre-dosed amount available in Ozempic or Wegovy. That can be hard for people who have never done it before.
While working at the Utah Poison Center, Lambson started noticing an uptick in calls related to semaglutides where patients were reporting doses far higher than what pharmacists in the center knew were being prescribed. In other cases, people were calling into the poison center after taking semaglutides they were not prescribed that were purchased online or at aesthetic spas.
Three specific cases of semaglutide overdose were published in the case series, "Administration errors of compounded semaglutide reported to a poison control center," to help spread awareness around the issue. While there are no known deaths that have been caused by semaglutide overdose, too much can cause extreme gastrointestinal distress and dehydration.
In the podcast, Lambson explains how to avoid an accidental overdose of a compounded semaglutide and the dangers of buying semaglutide on social media or at spas.
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