Q. I feel very sick to my stomach after using GLP-1 medications like Saxenda or Wegovy; is this a side effect?
It is highly likely to be a gastrointestinal side effect. This occurs because the medication slows down gastric motility, causing food to remain in the stomach for a longer period.
📝 Detailed Answer
These medications have become very popular recently. However, many patients report feeling dizzy due to nausea and an upset stomach. Based on the mechanism of these drugs, these reactions are often unavoidable.
In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this state is viewed as similar to Damjeok (痰積), or phlegm-accumulation. This is a condition where metabolic waste accumulates and obstructs the digestive pathways, hindering the circulation of Qi and Blood. Because the medication forcibly slows gastric motility, a structural stasis occurs.
- Vomiting and Nausea: These are typical reactions caused by delayed gastric emptying.
- Severe Constipation: Intestinal motility is also reduced, making bowel movements difficult.
- Lethargy: As nutrient absorption efficiency drops, the body enters a state of Bi-heo (脾虛), or Spleen-deficiency, characterized by impaired digestive function.
💡 Management Approach
Rather than simply enduring the discomfort, it is important to normalize digestive power by combining herbal prescriptions and acupuncture treatments designed to restore gastrointestinal motility.
Expert Verified
Dr. Yeonseung Choe
Chief Director