Manufacturers of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications Mounjaro and Ozempic are currently facing lawsuits from patients who say that the combination of diabetes and weight loss drug left them with gastroparesis, more commonly known as “stomach paralysis.” The plaintiffs allege drug manufacturers didn’t pre-warn patients about the problematic side effects. A Mounjaro and Ozempic stomach paralysis lawyer is available to discuss your legal rights with you if one of these drugs has caused you unexpected harm. Call or contact Thomas Law Offices online to have a conversation today.
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The Prescribed Uses of Mounjaro and Ozempic
Mounjaro contains the active ingredient tirzepatide, whereas Ozempic is formulated using semaglutide. Both come in varying dosage levels, ranging from 0.25 mg to 15 mg. Patients self-administer dosages of both drugs using a pen-like injector.
Ozempic first obtained FDA approval for use in reducing the incidence rate of cardiovascular problems among adults with type 2 diabetes in 2017. The drug was never specifically approved by the FDA for weight loss, though.
The same goes for Mounjaro. It previously received approval for help in reducing blood sugar among type 2 diabetics, which can reduce patients’ risk of suffering cardiovascular events. However, it hasn’t yet received standalone FDA approval for weight loss—despite many clinical studies showing it is effective for that purpose.
Doctors have long been prescribing Mounjaro and Ozempic off-label for weight loss since their initial FDA approval for use to treat diabetes.
How Diabetes and Weight Loss Drugs Mounjaro and Ozempic Work
Both of these drugs work by replicating the functionality of incretin hormones. Typically, our bodies would release these hormones as we consume food, which would, in turn, regulate our blood sugar level and the amount of insulin our pancreas secreted. However, this doesn’t happen with type 2 diabetes, which is how Mounjaro and Ozempic can help since they artificially mimic this process.
In addition to helping diabetics with insulin resistance issues, each of these injectables gained popularity in recent years because of their ability to facilitate weight loss. Each of these drugs slows the processing of food through the digestive tract, which sends messages to patients’ brains that they’re hungry, resulting in a diminished appetite.
Side Effects Associated With Diabetic Injectables
Warning labels on Mounjaro, Ozempic, and a whole host of other similar type 2 diabetes drugs list gastrointestinal problems, such as the following, as potential side effects associated with them:
- Abdominal discomfort or pain
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Discolored stools
- Indigestion
- Diarrhea
However, in entering Ozempic, Mounjaro, and other similar medications into the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard, thousands of reports of much more serious adverse side effects, including the following, come up:
- Pancreatitis
- Gallbladder issues
- Kidney failure
- Thyroid tumors
- Cancer
- Gastroparesis
Gastroparesis, also known as stomach paralysis, is what has led to many patients filing lawsuits against the drugs’ manufacturers most recently. A Mounjaro and Ozempic stomach paralysis lawyer can provide you with a free initial consultation to discuss your legal options if you’re suffering from any of the aforementioned side effects or complications associated with these drugs. Reach out to our law firm to apprise yourself of your legal rights and preserve your right to compensation today.
Diabetic and Weight Injectables and Stomach Paralysis
The gastroparesis that has prompted many Ozempic and Mounjaro patients to file lawsuits stems from these drugs, causing it to take too long for their stomachs to empty out. It’s a relatively severe, often irreversible condition that leaves individuals feeling full shortly after starting to eat a meal and feeling that way for an extended time after consuming it. In addition, it can make patients nauseous and cause them to vomit.
Gastroparesis by itself slows or altogether stops food from moving from the stomach into the small intestine despite there not being any blockage. In addition to some of the other gastrointestinal conditions described above, gastroparesis can lead to malnutrition and dehydration, leading to further health complications.
Gastroparesis is a condition that doesn’t generally go away with time. Additional medical intervention is necessary to address it.
Timelines for Complaints Against Ozempic and Mounjaro
As you may be aware, most drugs must undergo extensive clinical trial testing before acquiring FDA approval. The federal agency wants to see records showing how a select group of willing patients responded to receiving a drug versus a placebo to confirm that it’s safe for patients with specific conditions to take it.
Ozempic gained FDA approval for treating type 2 diabetics in 2017. Mounjaro gained FDA approval in May 2022. Different clinical studies continued after these drugs were given the go-ahead for release on the market by the FDA.
By 2020, researchers attributed drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro that contain the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone to a worsening of pre-existing gastroparesis in diabetics. These drug manufacturers didn’t share these findings with doctors so that they could adjust their patients’ dosage, which would have potentially reduced their risk for this condition. By not doing so, doctors also couldn’t warn their patients of the potential exacerbation of their gastroparesis if they already were suffering from it so that they could make an informed decision about whether to take the drug
By 2022, researchers additionally tied gallbladder issues to this class of drugs, which opened the door to the first round of lawsuits against manufacturers. And finally, by August 2023, thousands of plaintiffs had already lined up to file lawsuits against the drug manufacturers for failing to warn about stomach paralysis concerns.
Legal Options if Ozempic or Mounjaro Caused Your Stomach Paralysis
Patients like yourself are currently aligning themselves with dangerous drug attorneys like ours at Thomas Law Offices to sue drug manufacturers Eli Lilly and Co. and Novo Nordisk for failing to warn them of this life-altering side effect of these medications. If successful in winning a judgment against these two pharmaceutical companies, you may be able to recover compensation for your losses such as:
- Medical expenses (such as any surgery you required)
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress or mental anguish
- Lost wages or future lost earnings
In short, you can potentially recover damages for any losses you can attribute to your use of the drug, whether they already occurred or are forecasted to be a problem down the line because of your gastroparesis diagnosis. Considering how costs associated with receiving medical care continue to soar in our country, securing a settlement can make all the difference as to the quality of life you’re able to enjoy now and in the future.
So, don’t make the mistake and assume that your healthcare coverage will take care of your needs in the future. Insurers are constantly adjusting what or how much they cover. Having compensation in hand will ensure you will receive the best possible care. A Mounjaro and Ozempic stomach paralysis lawyer can provide you with a free case review to determine if you have a viable claim and, if so, how you should move forward. So, call or contact our firm online to arrange a meeting right away.
When to Personally Sue a Drug Manufacturer or Join a Class Action Lawsuit
Generally, you would have two options of primary legal remedies available to you if a failure to warn or some other negligence on behalf of a drug manufacturer harmed you, which would be:
- To identify and join a mass torts lawsuit, more commonly known as class action, against Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly
- Hire a dangerous or defective drug lawyer and sue these drug manufacturers in your individual capacity
How do you choose between these two choices if you’re intent on taking legal action after the onset of your gastroparesis?
Generally, it comes down to a few different factors, including:
- The extent of your pain and suffering
- How much your gastroparesis diagnosis is expected to affect your quality of life in the future
- The amount you’ve accumulated in medical bills thus far in treating your condition (i.e., doctors’ and hospital bills)
- Whether your stomach paralysis limits your ability to work now or will do so in the future
Here at Thomas Law Offices, we regularly aid clients pursuing either type of litigation. When a Mounjaro and Ozempic stomach paralysis lawyer reviews your case, they often look to see the gravity of your situation in terms of how extensive pain, treatment, and costs were when advising a prospective client which legal course of action to pursue.
Essentially, the more serious your condition is or the more significant your losses are, the more likely it is that we will recommend you file suit unilaterally against the drug manufacturers. Why? It comes down to how class action lawsuits work. While they can significantly reduce legal costs, awards won get distributed among plaintiffs, which can mean that you receive less than you deserve depending on the circumstances surrounding your condition.
A Mounjaro and Ozempic stomach paralysis lawyer is standing by to discuss the ins and outs of your gastroparesis experience. Contact Thomas Law Offices today by phone, chat, or email at the onset of your stomach paralysis and your prognosis so that an experienced dangerous drug attorney can advise you on how to best protect your rights to secure a settlement award. An initial consultation with one of our lawyers is completely free.
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