EN
Home/Australia/Answers/Constipation on Mounjaro, Wegovy or Ozempic
AUAustralia Safety

How do I relieve constipation on Mounjaro, Wegovy or Ozempic?

GLP Guidebook teamUpdated 22 Oct 202613 sourcesWritten from published sources
What we checked13 sources, each one opened and linked to the sentence it supportsLast checked 22 Oct 2026 · Next review due 22 Oct 2027 · How we write
The short answer

For constipation on Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Wegovy or Ozempic (semaglutide), healthdirect advises more high-fibre foods, plenty of fluids and regular activity first. If that doesn't work, a doctor or pharmacist can advise on a laxative. The Australian labels list constipation as very common on Mounjaro and Wegovy for weight loss; on Wegovy 2.4 mg it affected 24.2% vs 11.1% on placebo.

Before you go further
  • Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic are prescription-only medicines in Australia. Your prescriber decides your dose.
  • Side-effect rates come from each Australian Product Information (PI) and Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet, named each time.
  • Laxatives are named by their generic names only. We don’t rank products or publish prices.

How common is constipation on these medicines?

The Australian labels list constipation as very common (1 in 10 or more) on Mounjaro and Wegovy for weight loss, and common on Ozempic.1,4,5

In the Mounjaro (tirzepatide) weight trials, 16.8% had constipation on 5 mg, 14.1% on 10 mg and 10.8% on 15 mg. On placebo (a dummy injection), it was 5.2%. Stomach effects were mostly mild or moderate, came more often during dose increases and eased over time.1

On Wegovy (semaglutide) 2.4 mg, 24.2% had constipation over 68 weeks, against 11.1% on placebo. It lasted longer than other stomach effects, with a median of 47 days.3 On Ozempic, used for type 2 diabetes, it was 6.9% on 0.5 mg and 6.2% on 1 mg, against 2.7% on comparison treatments.5

Not going every day isn’t constipation in itself. healthdirect says normal ranges from 3 times a day to once every 3 days. Hard, lumpy poo and straining are signs.7 Other side effects are in Guide 5: side effects and risks.

What does healthdirect say helps?

healthdirect says to eat more high-fibre foods, drink plenty of water and other fluids, and be active regularly. If that doesn’t work, ask a doctor or pharmacist.7

To prevent it, go when you feel the urge. Sit with your elbows on your knees, lean forward and rest your feet on a footstool.7 Adult women need 25 g of fibre a day and men 30 g, and most Australians eat less. Fibre absorbs fluid, so drink enough.8

A small US trial, not a GLP‑1 study, gave adults with long-term constipation 2 kiwifruit or 100 g of prunes a day. Both eased straining over 4 weeks.9

Which laxative, and for how long?

healthdirect lists four types of laxative, and says to ask a doctor or pharmacist which may suit you best.7

Bulk-forming ones such as psyllium usually work within 24 hours, but may take 2 to 3 days; drink lots of fluids with them. Osmotic ones such as macrogol take 1 to 3 days. Stimulants such as senna take 6 to 12 hours, and the stool softener docusate 12 to 72 hours.7

Bulk-forming laxatives are usually safe long-term. Using stimulants long-term isn’t recommended and can make constipation worse. If a laxative gives you diarrhoea, stop it, and see a doctor if it continues.10

The Mounjaro leaflet says not to change your dose unless your doctor tells you to.2 For stomach symptoms, the Wegovy and Mounjaro labels leave delaying or changing the dose to the prescriber.1,3

When is constipation on a GLP‑1 serious?

healthdirect says to see a doctor for severe constipation. That might mean 3 or more days between poos, tummy pain, long straining, or feeling a ‘ball’ blocking your bottom.7

The Wegovy leaflet lists bowel obstruction, a severe form of constipation with stomach ache, bloating or vomiting, as rare (up to 1 in 1,000).4 The Ozempic leaflet lists it too.6 On Mounjaro, a blocked bowel (intestinal obstruction, including ileus) has been reported since it went on sale.1

healthdirect says a bowel obstruction is an emergency that needs hospital treatment.11 Constipation can also lead to faecal impaction, when poo gets stuck in the colon.7 For other emergencies, see When should I call 000 on a GLP‑1?

What do people on Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic report about constipation?

From public patient forums: 10 Reddit threads in r/Zepbound, r/Wegovy, r/Semaglutide, r/Ozempic and r/MounjaroUK, read in October 2026. Personal reports, not medical evidence.

What people describe

  • Matches the label Several say it started or got worse after a dose increase. The Australian Wegovy label says stomach side effects were most often reported during dose increases, and that constipation lasted longer than the others.3
  • Matches healthdirect Several describe poo so hard it got stuck, and a few needed emergency care for it. healthdirect lists faecal impaction, when poo gets stuck in the colon, as a complication of constipation.7
  • Matches healthdirect Several warn that you can still pass some poo, even runny poo, and be badly blocked. healthdirect lists faecal incontinence, leaking of poo between bowel movements, as a possible complication of constipation.7
  • Not studied A few say fewer poos is expected when you eat less, as long as poo stays soft. healthdirect says not going every day doesn’t by itself mean constipation.7

Advice people share

  • Matches healthdirect and a trial Most start with more water and fibre, and many eat prunes or 2 kiwifruit a day. healthdirect advises fibre and fluids. A small US trial, not of GLP‑1 users, found kiwifruit and prunes eased straining.7,9
  • Matches healthdirect Most replies in threads about blockages say not to let it run past a few days. healthdirect says 3 or more days between poos can mean severe constipation, and to see a doctor.7
  • healthdirect says otherwise Several take stimulant laxatives such as senna every day for weeks. healthdirect says long-term use of stimulant laxatives isn’t recommended and can make constipation worse.10
  • Label says otherwise A few skip or put off GLP‑1 doses on their own. The Australian leaflets say not to change your dose or stop without your doctor. The Wegovy label leaves dose changes for stomach symptoms to the prescriber.2,3,4
Get help now: call triple zero (000) or go straight to the nearest emergency department if you have severe pain in your tummy.12

Go to the emergency department straight away if you have tummy pain and can’t poo or pass wind. Don’t eat or drink anything before a doctor examines you there.11 Call 000 for any illness that feels critical or life-threatening.13

Get urgent care if you have constipation as well as any of these, healthdirect says:7

  • weight loss you can’t explain
  • bleeding from your bottom, or blood in your poo
  • severe tummy pain, cramping or bloating
  • vomiting

Tell your doctor as soon as possible if, on Mounjaro, you have bloating or trouble passing wind, nausea or vomiting, or urges to poo with nothing coming out, the leaflet says.2 Severe tummy pain, or tummy pain when you can’t poo or pass wind, is the emergency line at the top of this box.11,12 For advice any time, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222.13

Raise constipation at your next GP visit

Build a list of questions to take along. Free, no sign-up.

Make my list

Read the full picture

Related questions

When should I call 000 on a GLP‑1? How do I report a side effect to the TGA? Why am I not losing weight on Mounjaro or Wegovy? What is the maintenance dose of Mounjaro or Wegovy?
Did this answer your question?

Sources

  1. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro and Mounjaro KwikPen (tirzepatide) Australian Product Information, vA14.0, date of revision 2 October 2026, sections 4.4 and 4.8 (SURMOUNT-1 and SURMOUNT-2; postmarketing data). Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  2. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro KwikPen (tirzepatide) Consumer Medicine Information, prepared September 2026, sections 4 and 6. Australian leaflet. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  3. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) Australian Product Information, date of revision 22 June 2026, sections 4.2 and 4.8. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au
  4. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy FlexTouch (semaglutide) Consumer Medicine Information, prepared July 2026, sections 5 and 6. Australian leaflet. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  5. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) Australian Product Information, date of revision 25 September 2026, section 4.8. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  6. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) Consumer Medicine Information, prepared August 2026, section 6. Australian leaflet. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  7. healthdirect. Constipation (last reviewed December 2025). healthdirect.gov.au
  8. healthdirect. High-fibre foods and diet (last reviewed December 2024). healthdirect.gov.au
  9. Chey SW et al. Exploratory comparative effectiveness trial of green kiwifruit, psyllium, or prunes in US patients with chronic constipation. Am J Gastroenterol 2021;116(6):1304-12. DOI 10.14309/ajg.0000000000001149. PMID 34074830. 79 adults, 4 weeks; not a GLP-1 study. PubMed
  10. healthdirect. Laxatives (last reviewed August 2025). healthdirect.gov.au
  11. healthdirect. Bowel obstruction (last reviewed September 2024). healthdirect.gov.au
  12. healthdirect. Abdominal pain (last reviewed February 2024). healthdirect.gov.au
  13. Healthdirect Australia. How healthdirect can help you (“call triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately”; nurse helpline 1800 022 222). healthdirect.gov.au

Last checked 22 Oct 2026 · Next review due 22 Oct 2027 · Report an error

How this answer was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above, all checked on 22 Oct 2026. The ‘What people report’ section summarises public patient forum posts we read; it is not medical evidence, and we never pass on advice that goes against the label. We don’t publish medicine prices, and we don’t name, rank or link to sellers or telehealth services. It’s general information, not medical advice, and nothing here is an offer to supply any medicine. Talk to a GP, pharmacist or other qualified prescriber before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write