Have you ever thought that you may be harming yourself more than benefiting from the medication that you are using?
In this regard, Ozempic, a medicine usually used to treat type II diabetes and weight loss, has been a new topic of discussion. It is because there’s an unexpected side effect that’s raising concern—urinary incontinence.
While urinary incontinence is often associated with losing voluntary control over the muscles that handle urination, can Ozempic be a lesser-known cause?
Let’s learn how this medication, while useful for its main functions, may be contributing to bladder problems in some individuals.
Exploring Urinary Incontinence and its Different Types
Urinary incontinence can be experienced in various forms, each with distinct characteristics.
There are various causes of these urinary conditions, which include age, obesity, hormonal changes, like post-menopausal period, neurological disorders, and some medication.
Some types of urinary incontinence are: -
1. Stress Incontinence
Stress incontinence results when ‘stressors’ such as coughing, sneezing, or exercising exert pressure on the urinary bladder and lead to leakage. Mostly, it is a result of loose pelvic floor muscles.
2. Urge Incontinence
Urge incontinence is generally associated with overactivity of the bladder and a feeling of urgency due to contractions of the bladder muscles. Sometimes, the urge to release is so strong that it becomes almost impossible to control it, which leads to inadvertent leakage.
3. Overflow Incontinence
Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder is not completely emptied, and fluid slowly dribbles out. It can also lead to constant or intermittent leakage as the bladder overfills and leaks small amounts of moisture.
4. Functional Incontinence
Functional incontinence is caused by physical or cognitive impairments, such as arthritis or dementia, that prevent a person from getting to the bathroom in time. These impairments either affect a person’s ability to recognize the need to discharge or to move quickly enough to use the restroom, thus causing involuntary leakage of fluids.
What Is Ozempic?
Semaglutide, sold under the brand name Ozempic, is a GLP-1 receptor agonist medication. However, it is mostly used as an adjunct to treat high levels of glucose in the blood in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Besides managing type 2 diabetes, Ozempic has also transformed into a weight loss solution. Therefore, some individuals who do not have diabetes are now consuming it as a way of losing weight.
Ozempic acts like GLP-1 hormone, which stimulates insulin release, suppresses glucagon release and delays gastric emptying. These mechanisms assist in the control of blood sugar levels and play their part in the issues surrounding satiety and, consequently, weight control.
Examining the Potential Connection between Ozempic and Urinary Incontinence
Millions of people wonder if there is a relationship between Ozempic and urinary incontinence. Some factors that could explain this connection may include: -
1. Weight Loss Affecting Bladder Functionality
One of the common factors that are known to result in urinary incontinence is obesity. This is because obesity exerts pressure on the bladder and decreases the strength of the pelvic floor muscles.
However, even if weight reduction is effective for incontinence, rapid or sudden loss of excess weight can cause unwanted shifts in the position of pelvic floor muscles, thereby resulting in temporary incontinence.
2. Impacts on Gastrointestinal and Urinary Fluid Balance
One may wonder, does Ozempic cause UTI?
For some reason, there is a possibility that it does cause UTI. It is because Ozempic reduces gastric emptying time, consequently augmenting intra-abdominal pressure, which may affect the bladder.
This pressure in the abdomen may cause nausea and vomiting, resulting in concentrated urine formation due to dehydration. Such circumstances can potentially inflame the bladder lining and create conditions such as urgency, incontinence, or even predisposing the patient to UTIs.
So, although UTIs have not been reported to be particularly caused by Ozempic, their impact on fluid balance and bladder irritation may prove a connection between Ozempic and UTI.
3. Hormonal Change through Neural Commands
Ozempic operates in the sense of stimulating a protein known as GLP-1 receptors that are essential to the body for some processes like hunger, metabolism of glucose, and the movement of the gastrointestinal tract.
These receptors are also located in the brain and the urinary system, so it is possible that Ozempic acts on the bladder through neural commands. Although this correlation is not clear and is still being explored, it goes a long way in explaining how the medication in play interacts with the urinary system.
4. Sugary Presence in Fluid Discharge
Some people have also raised questions, like does Ozempic make you pee out sugar?
In this context, it has been observed that Ozempic (semaglutide) does not exactly cause sugar in the discharge. However, with regard to type 2 diabetes, it aids in increasing insulin secretion, decreases hepatic glucose output, and delays stomach emptying.
That being said, it may lead to more glucose components in the discharge and cause Glycosuria. This presence of glucose in bodily fluids while on Ozempic can be attributable to high blood sugar levels and not to the direct effects of the substance.
Further, Ozempic may also affect the normal odor of discharge in certain individuals. For instance, patients may take smaller amounts of fluid due to appetite suppression, resulting in dark, strong-smelling urine. So, there is no doubt that Ozempic and urine smell have a possible link.
As a result, it may lead to UTI and cause infections, burning and so on.
Managing Urinary Incontinence: Tips for Confidence While on Ozempic
If you experience urinary incontinence with Ozempic, there are a few things you can do to alleviate symptoms and raise quality of life.
- Pelvic Floor Exercises: Patients are advised to perform Kegel exercises, which enable them to develop strong pelvic floor muscles, thus improving bladder control.
- Monitor Water Intake: Staying hydrated is needed for incontinence, but be careful with the amount of water you drink, especially before bedtime. This is because consuming access water can lead to disruption in sleep.
- Use High-quality Incontinence Products: Incontinence products like pull up diapers, disposable pads for bed, adult diapers, etc., are capable of helping you manage incontinence with comfort. Designed discreetly for privacy and convenience, they do not leak and remain hygienic, regardless of whether they are being used in the home or outside.
Overcoming Urinary Incontinence Challenges with Ozempic
Given the multifactorial nature of urinary incontinence, it is still uncertain whether Ozempic has an impact on this issue.
However, some people lose control of their bladder and experience symptoms of incontinence due to changes in their diet, weight loss, gastrointestinal impacts, hormonal changes and sugary presence in fluid discharge.
These symptoms of incontinence while on Ozempic can be maintained with pelvic floor exercises, monitoring water intake and using high-quality incontinence products.
So, if you feel any of the mentioned symptoms or changes in your urinary discharge, by following the mentioned maintenance tips, you can continue to perform your daily activities with no issues.
