What Are the Conditions Leading to Ozempic Lawsuits?

Ozempic and similar GLP-1 medications, such as Wegovy, Rybelsus, and Mounjaro, have surged in popularity for both diabetes management and weight loss. But as their use has expanded, so has the number of patients reporting severe, unexpected, and sometimes permanent side effects. These complications have now led to a growing wave of product liability lawsuits alleging that manufacturers failed to warn consumers and doctors about serious, long-term risks.

While several types of injuries have been tied to Ozempic, one of the latest and most alarming to surface is NAION (Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy), a form of sudden optic nerve damage that can cause irreversible, permanent vision loss. Recent medical studies and patient reports have linked NAION to GLP-1 drugs, prompting litigation across the country from individuals who suffered partial or total blindness after taking Ozempic.

Because NAION represents a uniquely devastating injury, this complication now sits at the center of many high-profile lawsuits. But it is not the only serious health effect associated with Ozempic currently in litigation. At Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C., we represent individuals throughout New York who have suffered life-changing injuries due to dangerous products and defective drugs. If you experienced NAION or any of the other conditions discussed below while taking Ozempic or shortly after discontinuing use, call our office to review your case with our New York Ozempic injury lawyer.

NAION: A Fast-Growing and Alarming Ozempic-Related Complication

For decades, NAION has been recognized as a rare but serious cause of sudden blindness, occurring when blood flow to the optic nerve becomes restricted. Patients typically wake up with severe vision changes, dark spots, or permanent blind spots in one eye. There is no cure, and most patients experience lifelong vision impairment.

Recent clinical evidence suggests that GLP-1 receptor agonists, including Ozempic, may cause a rapid drop in blood pressure or significant fluid shifts, both of which can compromise blood supply to the optic nerve. For people with certain risk factors, this can trigger NAION even after short-term exposure.

Patients have begun reporting sudden vision loss occurring during or shortly after beginning Ozempic, and ophthalmologists have flagged a noticeable pattern that did not exist prior to widespread GLP-1 use.

Ozempic-related NAION cases are especially significant because:

• Vision loss is permanent. Unlike some of the gastrointestinal issues linked to Ozempic, NAION does not improve when the drug is discontinued.
• The mechanism appears drug-related, meaning it may not be tied to underlying diabetes or weight-loss conditions.
• The manufacturer did not warn about optic nerve risks, creating a potential failure-to-warn claim.
• Patients often experience no prior symptoms, making the onset sudden and traumatic.
• Blindness dramatically impacts earning capacity, independence, and quality of life, which increases the damages at stake.

Many lawsuits allege that Ozempic’s manufacturer knew or should have known about the optic nerve risks based on clinical data but failed to investigate, disclose, or provide adequate warnings to physicians and consumers.

Because NAION can cause partial or total loss of vision in a matter of hours, and because the damage cannot be reversed, it has become one of the most high-profile complications driving Ozempic litigation today.

Other Conditions Leading to Ozempic Lawsuits

While NAION is the latest and most severe complication to gain attention, several other serious medical problems have also been tied to Ozempic use. Many lawsuits filed prior to the emergence of NAION involve one or more of the following conditions.

Gastroparesis (Stomach Paralysis / Delayed Gastric Emptying)

Gastroparesis is one of the earliest and most widely reported complications associated with Ozempic. Patients describe symptoms such as extreme nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and an inability to digest food normally. Medical charts often describe the condition as gastric stasis, delayed gastric emptying, stomach paralysis, or gastric obstruction.

In severe cases, gastric motility becomes permanently impaired, leaving patients unable to tolerate solid foods and dependent on feeding tubes, surgery, or lifelong dietary restrictions. Many patients allege they were never warned that Ozempic could cause long-term or irreversible digestive paralysis.

Cyclical Vomiting (Severe Vomiting Lasting Two Weeks or Longer)

Cyclical vomiting syndrome (CVS) involves repeated, debilitating bouts of vomiting lasting two weeks or more. Patients often require emergency treatment for dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and organ stress.

These episodes can take months to stabilize and may permanently damage the esophagus. Plaintiffs allege that Ozempic’s warning labels do not adequately describe the risk of prolonged or severe vomiting syndromes beyond the general mention of “nausea.”

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Some patients using Ozempic report developing deep vein thrombosis, a potentially life-threatening condition where blood clots form in the deep veins, often in the legs. DVT can lead to long-term disability or cause pulmonary embolism, a deadly complication when the blood clot migrates to the lungs. Allegations typically center on inadequate warnings, especially for individuals with known clotting risks who may not have been properly advised of potential interactions.

Ileus and Bowel Obstruction

Ileus occurs when the intestines stop moving food and waste through the digestive tract. Ozempic’s effects on gastric motility can extend to the small or large intestine, causing blockages, extreme swelling, pain, and inability to pass stool or gas.

These conditions often require hospitalization, nasogastric tube decompression, or emergency surgery. Many patients were unaware that Ozempic could halt intestinal movement entirely.

Intestinal Blockages and Obstruction-Related Complications

Beyond ileus, some individuals develop full intestinal blockages requiring surgery to remove the obstruction or repair damaged bowel tissue. These injuries often involve prolonged hospitalization, a permanent reduction in digestive function, and a significant risk of recurrence.

Lawsuits allege that Ozempic’s manufacturers minimized the risk of severe gastrointestinal obstruction despite early evidence of motility disruption in clinical trials.

Gallbladder Removal (before 2022)

Before 2022, Ozempic’s warning labels did not adequately alert patients or doctors to the risk of gallstones, gallbladder inflammation, or the eventual need for surgical removal of the gallbladder.

Patients who developed acute cholecystitis or biliary obstruction often experienced sudden, severe pain, infection, and hospitalization. Many required surgery without knowing that their condition may have been drug-related.

Intraoperative Pulmonary Aspiration

Patients with delayed gastric emptying caused by Ozempic may enter surgery with undigested food remaining in the stomach. When anesthesia is administered, this can lead to intraoperative pulmonary aspiration, where stomach contents enter the lungs.

This complication can cause pneumonia, respiratory failure, prolonged hospitalization, or death. Anesthesiologists have increasingly reported unexpected aspiration in patients who were using GLP-1 drugs, prompting recent changes in surgical fasting guidelines.

Malnutrition-Related Disorders

Severe digestive impairment linked to Ozempic has left some patients with chronic nutritional deficiencies. Reported complications include:

• Sarcopenia (muscle wasting)
• Wernicke encephalopathy (a neurological disorder caused by thiamine deficiency)
• Vitamin deficiencies (including B-vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, and iron)

These conditions can lead to long-term disability, nerve damage, cognitive impairment, and permanent health decline.

Pancreatic Cancer

Some lawsuits allege that GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic may increase the risk of pancreatic inflammation and cancer. While research is ongoing, plaintiffs argue that early warning signs of pancreatic injury were observed in clinical trials and post-market reports yet not sufficiently disclosed to consumers or physicians.

Pancreatic cancer is often fatal because it progresses silently until late stages, making any undisclosed risk highly significant from a public-health perspective.

Understanding Your Legal Options if You’ve Experienced These Conditions

Patients harmed by Ozempic are filing lawsuits alleging that the manufacturer failed to provide adequate warnings, conduct sufficient safety testing, update labels as reports of severe complications increased, and properly advise doctors of the risks of long-term gastric or neurological injury. Because many of these conditions are permanent, disfiguring, or life-altering, the damages in these cases can be substantial. Compensation may include medical bills, future care, loss of earnings, disability, diminished quality of life, and, in NAION cases, compensation for irreversible vision loss.

At Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C., we investigate the medical evidence, consult experts, and build strong cases for New Yorkers harmed by dangerous or defective drugs. If you or a loved one has experienced NAION or other serious complications while using Ozempic or another GLP-1 medication, contact our office to discuss your rights.