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Do Ozempic and Wegovy have hidden side effects? Lawsuit alleges bowel obstruction, stomach paralysis

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Do Ozempic and Wegovy have hidden side effects? Lawsuit alleges bowel obstruction, stomach paralysis

(NEXSTAR) – A woman who used the semaglutide drugs Wegovy and Ozempic to lose weight and treat diabetes says the drugmaker didn’t adequately warn her, or other patients, of the serious side effects she ended up experiencing.

Juanita Gantt told CBS News she was found unconscious on the floor last October. When taken to the hospital, doctors realized “parts of her large intestine had died and needed to be removed,” CBS reports.

She now has an ileostomy bag in place because her colon was removed.

The medical emergency prompted her to file a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company that makes Wegovy and Ozempic. (The drugs work the same way, but Wegovy is approved for weight loss and Ozempic is for diabetes.) Gantt claims Novo Nordisk doesn’t warn prominently warn patients of the life-threatening side effects like the ones she experienced, such as stomach paralysis or bowel obstruction.

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“We are aware of the health challenges this patient has experienced and are sympathetic to her health journey. Patient safety is our top priority at Novo Nordisk, and we work closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to continuously monitor the safety profile of our medicines,” a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told Nexstar in a statement.

These types of medications, which imitate the GLP-1 hormone to slow down digestion and reduce feelings of hunger, have been on the market a long time to treat diabetes, the spokesperson continued. There are known risks, as well as benefits, the company said. Those risks are outlined in Ozempic and Wegovy’s full prescribing information documents.

The spokesperson said Novo Nordisk believes the lawsuit allegations are “without merit” and the company plans to “vigorously defend against these claims.”

What are the known side effects of Wegovy and Ozempic?

While Ozempic and Wegovy have been hailed in recent months as weight loss and diabetes miracle drugs, they have known side effects – from the aesthetic (“Ozempic face”) to the puzzling (“Ozempic babies”).

But there are more common side effects. Many of them are gastrointestinal: nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, constipation, bloating, belching, heartburn. Other common side effects are headache, fatigue, dizziness, low blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes, stomach flu, runny nose and sore throat.

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The drugs also have more serious side effects, such as:

  • Thyroid tumors, including cancer
  • Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancras)
  • Gallbladder problems and gallstones, which may require surgery
  • Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar
  • Kidney problems and kidney failure
  • Increased heart rate while you are at rest
  • Change in vision for people with type 2 diabetes
  • Depression or thoughts of suicide
  • Serious allergic reactions

While other gastrointestinal issues are mentioned in the 15-page prescribing guidelines for each of the drugs, stomach paralysis and bowel obstruction (the issues alleged in the lawsuit) aren’t referenced.

A study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at 16 million people who were prescribed GLP-1 drugs between 2006 and 2020. When compared with those using another weight loss drug called bupropion-naltrexone, those who used the GLP-1-type drugs had a four times higher risk of bowel obstruction or stomach paralysis.

The study’s lead researchers said that these serious effects are rare, affecting only about 1% of patients, but people should still be aware of them and talk to their doctors if they have concerns.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Fort Irwin soldier allegedly murdered comrade

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Fort Irwin soldier allegedly murdered comrade

A soldier from Fontana has been charged with murder in the death of another soldier at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County.

Spc. George Cornejo, 26, is accused of killing Spc. Andrew P. Smith on Oct. 28, military officials said in a press release.

Smith, 27, was found injured in his residence that day and later succumbed to his wounds, officials said when announcing his death. The Rye, New York, native had been stationed at Fort Irwin for more than two years.

The manner and possible motivation for the alleged murder were not released.

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Cornejo has been in pre-trial custody since Oct. 29, and he’s expected to be transferred to the Naval Consolidated Brig in Miramar.

A preliminary hearing will be held to determine if Cornejo will be tried by court-martial.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Vehicle, 2 occupants plunge into crowded Southern California harbor

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Vehicle, 2 occupants plunge into crowded Southern California harbor

Two people were taken to the hospital after a vehicle they were inside plunged into the harbor Sunday night in Marina Del Rey, officials confirmed to KTLA.  

Details are limited and It’s unclear exactly how the incident occurred, but authorities with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to 4675 Admiralty Way just after 6 p.m. on reports of the vehicle in the water.  

L.A. County Fire Department Public Information Officer Marco Rodriguez said the two occupants were able to get themselves out of the vehicle after it went into the water.  

Both were examined by medical personnel with the fire department and taken to a nearby hospital in unknown condition.  

Rodriguez said that two L.A. County Lifeguard divers were deployed to ensure there were no other occupants trapped in the vehicle.  

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  • Car into Marina del Rey harbor
  • Car into Marina del Rey harbor
  • Car into Marina del Rey harbor
  • Car into Marina del Rey harbor
  • Car into Marina del Rey harbor
  • Car into Marina del Rey harbor

A witness, Johnny Hamcheck, told KTLA that a third person, a woman, exited the vehicle before it went into water, though officials did not confirm that detail.  

Footage of the recovery effort showed crews attaching large yellow floating devices to the vehicle as it was anchored to a crane and eventually pulled out of the water and loaded onto a tow truck.  

The vehicle showed heavy front-end damage, presumably from crashing through the steel railing and into the water.  

An investigation into the crash is ongoing and no further details were provided.  

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Los Angeles, Ca

Armed robbers hit couple in broad daylight on high-end Beverly Hills street

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Armed robbers hit couple in broad daylight on high-end Beverly Hills street

Two people were hospitalized after a broad daylight armed robbery on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills Sunday, police confirmed to KTLA.  

Officers with the Beverly Hills Police Department responded to the 400 block of North Rodeo Drive, at the intersection of Brighton Way just before 1:30 p.m. on reports of the incident.  

According to a BHPD news release, a man and a woman were waiting outside a boutique when they were approached by four suspects, one of whom pulled out a gun during a physical altercation between the victims and the suspects.  

“During the altercation, the suspects forcibly took two designer handbags – one from each victim – containing cash and cellphones,” police said. “One cellphone was recovered nearby. The suspects also attempted to steal the male victim’s jewelry but were unsuccessful.”  

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  • Beverly Hills armed robbery
  • Beverly Hills armed robbery
  • Beverly Hills armed robbery

In video of a portion of the incident obtained by KTLA, four suspects all wearing dark clothing and hooded sweatshirts can be seen running from the scene. At least one of the suspects has an item, possibly one of the handbags, in his hands.  

The crew was last seen running up Rodeo Drive and ducking into an alleyway. 

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It is unclear if anyone was injured, but the male victim was seen on the ground as the victim and another person knelt over him, one of which was yelling for help.  

Medical personnel with the Beverly Hills Fire Department responded to the incident, but authorities said the man and woman sought their own medical attention at a local hospital.

Their conditions were not immediately available.

An investigation into the robbery remains ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact BHPD at 310-285-2125. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.com.  

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