In late July 2023, CNN published a shocker of a story, alleging that semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) was causing severe cases of gastroparesis, or delayed stomach emptying, leaving some patients with stomach paralysis that just won’t go away. While Ozempic has become the world’s buzziest drug because it is so effective for weight loss, the story seemed especially concerning for people with diabetes, because gastroparesis is a common complication of the condition.

The story raises red flags. Do Ozempic (and related drugs) cause gastroparesis? If you already have gastroparesis, could Ozempic make it even worse?

I started writing for the website Diabetes Daily in July and this piece I just wrote was fascinating to research. Ozempic is just one of several drugs in the GLP-1 receptor agonist category that treat type 2 diabetes. What should people who have the disease know?