Does Ozempic Make You Thirsty?

Some people may experience mild to serious side effects during Ozempic treatment. Examples of the drug’s commonly reported side effects include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• abdominal pain
• constipation

Some of these side effects, such as diarrhea and vomiting, can cause you to quickly lose too many bodily fluids. This can lead to dehydration and your body not having enough fluids to work properly.

Talk with a healthcare professional if you have severe Ozempic side effects or common side effects that don’t go away.

Dehydration is not a direct side effect of Ozempic. But you may experience dehydration for the reasons noted above. Dehydration can lead to thirst, though you may be dehydrated before you start feeling thirsty. You may also have other symptoms.

Symptoms of dehydration

If you’re dehydrated, you may have symptoms that include:

• extreme thirst
• dry mouth
• urinating and sweating less than usual
• dark, amber, or honey colored urine
• dry skin
• tiredness
• dizziness
• muscle cramps

Dehydration can be mild, but it can also get severe enough to be life threatening. You (or someone on your behalf) should seek immediate medical care if you:

• become confused
• feel faint
• can’t urinate
• have a very fast heartbeat
• are breathing very fast
• are in shock

If you become very dehydrated, you may not be able to replace your body fluids by drinking liquids. You may need a healthcare professional to hydrate you with fluids via an intravenous (IV) infusion (an injection into a vein given over time).

Conditions caused by severe or ongoing dehydration

Dehydration from the side effects mentioned above can worsen existing kidney problems. It can also cause kidney problems, such as acute kidney failure, which requires urgent and early treatment.

Healthcare professionals will monitor your kidney health during your Ozempic treatment. They’ll explain signs and symptoms to look for and precautions to take. They may stop your treatment if you develop kidney problems.

Dehydration over time can also make you more likely to develop other conditions over time, such as:

• urinary tract infection (UTI)
• constipation
• metabolic diseases, which are conditions that occur together and increase the risk of other serious conditions like stroke or heart disease
• electrolyte imbalance (levels of certain minerals in your body that are too high or too low)
• kidney diseases
• kidney stones

In some cases, you may become so dehydrated that your body can’t sweat enough to cool down. This is called heatstroke. If this happens, your body temperature could get dangerously high very fast. Heatstroke can cause severe complications or be fatal without emergency treatment. If you or someone around you has heatstroke, get emergency medical help immediately.

Some research also indicates that long-term side effects of not being hydrated can include chronic conditions, such as:

• heart failure
• diabetes
• chronic lung disease
• dementia
• faster aging
• reduced life span

How to stay hydrated

Tips to help you stay hydrated include:

• drinking mostly water or low calorie beverages (black coffee, herbal tea, sparkling water, etc.)
• carrying a water bottle and refilling it throughout the day
• drinking at regular times, such as with meals
• drinking water before, during, and after exercising
• drinking extra fluids during hot weather and when you’re sick
• drinking whenever you feel thirsty, if not before

How much you should drink each day depends on many factors, including your age, body weight, and where you live. Your body can also lose water at different rates in various situations, such as when you’re active in hot weather.

On average, experts recommend that females drink 9 cups of fluids per day and males drink 13. (In this article, we use the terms “male” and “female” to refer to someone’s sex assigned at birth. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article.)

Some side effects of Ozempic may make you dehydrated. Dehydration can make you thirsty, although it doesn’t always do so.

Although dehydration may be mild, in some cases it can be severe. Severe or ongoing dehydration can lead to serious or possibly fatal complications. Long-term dehydration may also cause other complications over time.

In some cases, dehydration from Ozempic side effects can cause kidney problems. Healthcare professionals will monitor your kidney health during treatment. They can also treat dehydration.

To avoid dehydration, it’s best to drink water frequently throughout each day and talk with your doctor about the ideal amount for you to consume.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.