Ozempic Constipation: Effective Home Remedies for Quick Relief!

Constipation is one of the most frequent side effects of Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus (Semaglutide). The most effective way to get relief from constipation induced by any drug is to stop the drug.

However, stopping a drug is sometimes not possible. Other times, the benefits of a drug outweigh the side effects and therefore, it is not advised to stop the treatment.

Ozempic constipation or Ozempic-induced constipation is one such side effect. Although stopping Ozempic treatment might improve gut-related symptoms rapidly, it is usually not advisable to stop Ozempic.

Instead, different medical and non-medical therapies and effective home remedies may be tried to get relief from Ozempic constipation.

Some of these home remedies and treatments may be very effective, while others might not. Interestingly, these interventions may suit one person while the same method may not help another.

Here are a few non-medical and medical therapies to help relieve your constipation while you are on Ozempic:

Non-Medical Therapies and Home Remedies for Ozempic Constipation:

As mentioned earlier, natural remedies may work in one group of patients and be useless in another. Therefore, before going on to the medical treatment of constipation, try each of the following home remedies to treat your constipation.

It is also advisable to try multiple natural remedies at the same time to get instant relief.

• Follow a routine:

The human body follows a schedule if you train it properly. You should go to the toilet daily at a fixed time, preferably early in the morning after breakfast.

It is not advisable to go to the toilet before breakfast as meals enhance gut movements.

Initially, you’ll have to waste your time sitting there on the toilet for some time. Do not strain. Sit for 20 to 30 minutes daily.

In the initial days, even if you get up without passing stools, don’t panic. Your bowels will get used to the schedule.

It is important not to strain hard as you may develop complications like piles and anal fissures.

• Increase Fiber Intake:

Fiber is of two types: Soluble and Insoluble Fiber. Soluble fiber helps to soften stools while insoluble fibers add bulk to the stools.

It is recommended to take at least 30 gms of fiber daily. Fiber is found in abundance in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Passion fruit has the greatest amount of dietary fiber per cup. It is estimated to have about 24.5 gms of fiber per cup.

You can calculate your fiber intake by taking a look at the following table and estimating your average daily intake.

The amount of fiber in grams per 100 grams of fruits is given in the table below:

The amount of fiber in grams per 100 gms of vegetables is given in the table below:

In addition to the fruits and vegetables, your should try to eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread and brown rice instead of white rice.

You should have bran cereal in your breakfast and eat a whole fruit after lunch and dinner instead of a sweet dish.

• Follow an exercise routine:

Exercise increases your bowel movements. Your routine should include at least 30 minutes of exercise.

Apart from regular exercise at a scheduled time, you should also try to walk wherever possible.

You can simply use stairs instead of an elevator, or park at a distance from your workplace.

• Increase water intake:

Water intake softens stools. You should drink a glass of water immediately after waking up. This increases your bowel movements.

Some people recommend a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day, however, your body will tell you if you need more.

In addition to water intake, a cup of tea may also help you lose your bowels. Teas that are especially proven to help Ozempic constipation are:

• Senna tea:

  • Senna extract is used to treat constipation

• Dandelion Tea:

  • It has a mild laxative effect

• Cascara Tea:

  • It is a strong laxative. You shouldn’t exceed the recommended amounts.

• Peppermint tea and green tea:

  • Both these teas have a better effect on the gut and may relieve chronic constipation.

• Black coffee:

  • Black coffee may also move your bowels.

In addition, prune juice also has a good laxative effect. It is also available in medical stores as an OTC treatment for constipation.

It is also recommended to go to the toilet as soon as you feel the urge. Do not try to suppress the urge to evacuate your bowels.

Medical Treatment to Relieve Ozempic Constipation:

Medical treatment should follow if all the non-medical measures don’t help. Since constipation is associated with anxiety and other complications, treatment should not be delayed.

Some of the commonly used and safe medical treatments to relieve Ozempic constipation include:

• Fiber supplements:

Psyllium, the main ingredient of Metamucil, is a good supplement to treat constipation. it retains water adding bulk to the stools.

Fybogel contains Isphghula husk. It is one of the most commonly used fiber supplements to treat constipation.

It may be taken in the morning or evening with a glass of warm milk or water. It is recommended to take it with sufficient amounts of water for better results.

Other fiber supplements that may be used include Benefiber and Citrucel Fiber Caplets.

• OTC Laxatives:

Commonly used laxatives that are available over the counter include:

• Miralax (Milk of Magnesia):

  • It is one of the most commonly used OTC osmotic laxatives. It relieves constipation by drawing water into the gut.

• Oral stool softeners (Colace and Surfak):

  • Stool softeners allow strain-free movements of the bowel through their stool-softening qualities.

• Oral bowel stimulants (Dulcolax and Senokot):

  • These drugs act by increasing bowel movements. They stimulate muscle contractions of the intestines to enhance the transit of stools and relieve constipation.

• Rectal suppositories (Dulcolax and PediaLax):

  • These drugs act similarly to stimulant laxatives. They are inserted into the rectum to stimulate bowel movements.

Prescription Laxatives:

• Lactulose (Duphalac, Enulose, Generlac):

  • Lactulose is an osmotic laxative that works within hours. It increases the water content of the stools to relieve constipation

• Linaclotide (Linzess):

  • Linzess is available as oral capsules. It is indicated for the treatment of chronic constipation and IBS-C (irritable bowel syndrome with predominant constipation).
  • It relieves constipation by increasing the water content of the stools as it acts on the intestinal epithelial cells.

• Lubiprostone (Amitiza):

  • Lubiprostone is indicated for the treatment of chronic constipation, IBS-C, and opioid-induced constipation.
  • It may sometimes be associated with severe diarrhea requiring hospitalization.

• Plecanatide (Trulance):

  • Trulance is available as tablets. It acts like Linzess as it increases the water content of the stools. It is indicated in the treatment of chronic constipation.

Methylnaltrexone, Naloxegol, and Naldemedine are other drugs used to treat opioid-induced constipation.

In addition, one should also avoid iron and calcium supplements that may worsen constipation.

In Summary:

Ozempic-induced constipation is one of the common side effects of Ozempic (Semaglutide). Constipation may be one of the reasons people discontinue treatment.

Simple dietary measures help most people, however, medical treatment may be required in some cases.

When using Ozempic, one should increase fiber intake, eat whole fruits, vegetables, and brown bread, and drink plenty of water.

Tea and black coffee may help relieve Ozempic constipation and enhance weight loss as well, however, fiber supplements such as Isphaghula and Benefiber may be needed in addition to the dietary interventions.

Prescription medicines may be required if Ozempic constipation is not relieved with home remedies and OTC laxatives.

Here is a summary of all the medical treatments for Ozempic-induced constipation. I have added links from Amazon to make it easy for you to buy the best-seller OTC laxatives.

“Download PDF Format of the above table Here”