What to Do If You Take Too Much GLP-1 Medication

About GLP-1 Overdoses

Taking more GLP-1 medication than prescribed is unlikely to cause a life-threatening emergency on its own — but it can make you feel sick, most often with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms are usually uncomfortable but tend to go away within 8 to 48 hours.

GLP-1 medications work by boosting your body’s insulin response when you eat. Because this effect is tied to meals, the risk of dangerously low blood sugar is low when these medications are used on their own. However, your risk of low blood sugar increases if you also take certain diabetic medications such as insulin or a sulfonylurea (such as glipizide, glyburide, or glimepiride), or if you become severely dehydrated from vomiting or diarrhea. It is important to know what to do and when to get help.

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How Accidental GLP-1 Overdoses Can Occur

Common Causes

• Injecting the wrong dose due to unclear dose markings or confusion about units.
• Injecting twice in one week — for example, losing track of whether a weekly dose was taken
• Dose escalation errors — moving to a higher dose before the intended date
• Accidental double injection during a single session

Most Common Errors

• Wrong dose dialed on the pen — the numbers on some pens are small and easy to misread
• Taking your shot twice in one week — losing track of your injection day can lead to an accidental double dose
• Mixing up pen devices or strengths — if you use more than one injectable medication, the pens can look alike
• Increasing your dose too fast — GLP-1 medications are meant to be increased gradually per the manufacturer’s cited dose uptitration
• Injecting twice in the same day

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What to Expect — Symptoms to Watch For

Most people who take too much GLP-1 medication experience more intense versions of the medication’s normal side effects:

Likely Symptoms

• Significant nausea and vomiting
• Severe loss of appetite
• Abdominal pain — stomach pain or cramps
• Diarrhea, Fatigue or low energy
• Headache

Serious Symptoms — Seek Immediate Medical Attention

• Signs of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar (especially if also on insulin or sulfonylureas): shakiness, sweating, feeling confused, rapid heartbeat or palpitations
• Severe and/or persistent vomiting and inability to keep fluids down — which can lead to dehydration
• Severe abdominal pain that is persistent or escalating, or spreading to other regions
• Chest pain or difficulty breathing

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What to Do Immediately

Follow These Steps

• Step 1 — Do not take another GLP-1 injection or pill — even if you are not sure how much you took. It is better to wait and talk to your doctor.
• Step 2 — Call your Onsera care team right away. Tell them what medicine you took, how much you took, when you took it, and your usual prescribed dose.
• Step 3 — If you take insulin or diabetes prescription pills, check your blood sugar right now. If it is ≥70 mg/dL, check it again every 30 to 60 minutes for the next few hours. If your blood sugar is 70 mg/dL or lower, take fast-acting glucose (glucose tablets, juice, or regular soda). Recheck in 15 minutes. If blood sugar continues to be ≤70 mg/dL or symptoms persist, seek immediate in-person medical attention. If blood sugar is ≤54 mg/dL or you experience severe symptoms such as loss of consciousness or confusion, seek immediate in-person medical attention.
• Step 4 — Drink water to stay hydrated. Small sips of water or clear liquids can help if you feel nauseated or sick to your stomach.
• Step 5 — Rest and eat small bites of bland food if you can. Do not force yourself to eat if you feel very nauseated.
• Step 6 — Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 if you cannot reach your Onsera care team.
• Step 7 — Call 911 or go to the hospital if you lose consciousness, feel very confused or disoriented, have a seizure, or cannot stop vomiting.

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What Not to Do

• Do not take more of your GLP-1 medication to correct the mistake.
• Do not skip your next GLP-1 injection or pill without consulting with your Onsera care team first.
• Do not assume you are okay just because you feel fine right now. GLP-1 medications are long-acting, and symptoms may appear hours later.
• Do not induce vomiting (make yourself throw up) if you have taken an extra dose. For injectable GLP-1 medications, the medicine was injected and is already in your bloodstream — vomiting will not remove it. For oral GLP-1 medications (tablets), inducing vomiting is still not recommended.

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Preventing Future Errors

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Contact Your Care Team If…

Reach Out — Don’t Wait It Out

• You realize you may have taken too much — even if you feel fine right now
• You have symptoms of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar — feeling shaky, feeling like you are about to pass out, feeling sweaty, confused, or your heart is beating fast
• You have severe vomiting or are unable to keep fluids down
• You have severe or worsening abdominal pain
• You are on insulin or a sulfonylurea and your blood sugar drops below 70 mg/dL

Seek Urgent or Emergency Care If…

• Pain or difficulty swallowing — food sticking in your throat or chest
• Chest pain that you cannot clearly attribute to medication side effects — always rule out cardiac causes first
• Signs of dangerously low blood sugar — shakiness, sweating, confusion, rapid heartbeat — that do not improve after taking fast-acting glucose
• Severe and persistent vomiting and inability to keep fluids down
• Severe abdominal pain that is persistent or escalating, spreading to other regions
• Loss of consciousness, seizure, extreme confusion or disorientation
• Blood sugar ≤54 mg/dL or severe hypoglycemia symptoms at any blood sugar level

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_{This guide is for educational purposes only. It does not take the place of personalized medical advice from your health care provider. Always consult your Onsera care team before making any changes to your medication or treatment plan.}