A diagnosis of abnormally delayed stomach emptying with persistent symptoms. GLP-1 medications cause mild, temporary slowing in many people, which is not the same thing, but the Wegovy label says it is not recommended in severe gastroparesis.
Updated Sep 30, 2026
Gastroparesis literally means "stomach paralysis." It is a diagnosis: the stomach empties abnormally slowly with no blockage, along with persistent symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, early fullness, bloating, and upper abdominal pain.
GLP-1 medications slow gastric emptying to a degree, which contributes to fullness and can cause nausea, bloating, or reflux. That mild, temporary slowing is an expected drug effect and is not the same as gastroparesis. In rare cases the slowing may become severe enough to be diagnosed as clinical gastroparesis, which may require dose adjustment or discontinuation, so persistent or severe symptoms are worth raising with a provider. The Wegovy label says it is "not recommended in patients with severe gastroparesis" (DailyMed ↗ (external link)). In a 2023 study, gastroparesis was diagnosed at about 9 cases per 1,000 person-years on semaglutide versus about 3 on bupropion-naltrexone, though from small numbers with a wide margin of uncertainty (Sodhi et al., JAMA, 2023 ↗ (external link)). For the full picture, see the guide to gastric emptying on a GLP-1.
Was this helpful?
Revision history
Last updated · 3 revisions recorded.
Show what changed
v3
Summary rewritten; Body revised; Metadata updated
v2
Body revised
v1
Existing article recorded at the start of version history
Improve this page▾
Community notes
Share helpful experiences and questions. Notes are reviewed before publication and do not replace medical advice.
Loading notes…
New submissions are currently paused. Existing approved notes remain available.
Related terms
Hazard ratio — A statistic from clinical trials that compares how often an event happens over time in one group versus another; below 1 means a lower rate in the treated group.
Sharps container — A puncture-resistant container for safely collecting used needles, pen needles, and syringes until they can be disposed of according to local rules.
Oral semaglutide — Semaglutide taken as a once-daily pill instead of a weekly injection: Rybelsus and its reformulation, Ozempic tablets, for type 2 diabetes, and the Wegovy pill for weight management.
Related guides
Gastric emptying on a GLP-1: how much slower, how long it lasts, and what it means for gastroparesis — GLP-1 medications slow the stomach, but the trials show the effect is smaller and fades more than most people assume, especially with the long-acting weekly drugs. This guide covers how much slower, whether it lasts, how gastric emptying is measured, how it differs from gastroparesis, and why the "food ferments in your stomach" claim has no evidence behind it.
Restarting a GLP-1 after a missed stretch: what each drug's label says about re-titration — Missed a few weeks of Wegovy, Zepbound, Ozempic, Trulicity, Saxenda, or a GLP-1 pill? Only four labels spell out when to restart at a lower dose: Wegovy injection after 2 missed weekly doses, Saxenda and Victoza after more than 3 days, and Foundayo after 7 missed daily doses. The rest are silent on long gaps. This by-drug reference separates what each label says from what's left to your prescriber, and explains why going straight back to your old dose is risky.
Comparing the GLP-1 pills: Ozempic tablets (Rybelsus), the Wegovy pill, and Foundayo — There are now three GLP-1 pills in the US, and they aren't interchangeable: oral semaglutide for diabetes (Rybelsus, now sold as Ozempic tablets), oral semaglutide for weight (the Wegovy pill), and orforglipron (Foundayo). Here's how they compare on approval, how you take them, what the trials found, side effects, cost, and what you give up versus a weekly injection.