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When should you stop Ozempic before surgery?

GLP Guidebook teamUpdated Oct 14, 20266 sourcesWritten from published sources
What we checked6 sources, each one opened and linked to the sentence it supportsLast checked Oct 14, 2026 · Next review due Oct 14, 2027 · How we write
The short answer

Most people don’t need to stop Ozempic (semaglutide) before surgery, according to 2024 guidance from 5 medical societies, including the American Society of Anesthesiologists. People at higher risk may follow a liquid diet for 24 hours first. If the team decides to hold it, the suggestion is to skip the weekly dose in the week before.

Before you go further
  • Don’t stop, skip or change Ozempic on your own before a procedure. Your surgical, anesthesia and prescribing teams decide with you.
  • This describes published US guidance and the US label. It isn’t a plan for your operation.

What does the US guidance say?

Five medical societies, including the American Society of Anesthesiologists, said in October 2024 that most patients should keep taking GLP‑1 medicines before elective surgery.1,2

The guidance asks your surgical, anesthesia and prescribing teams to decide with you. They weigh why you take the medicine against your own risk.1 These raise the risk that food stays in the stomach:1

  • the first weeks, while the dose is still going up
  • a higher dose
  • weekly rather than daily medicines
  • stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, pain, indigestion or constipation
  • other conditions that slow the stomach, such as gastroparesis or Parkinson’s disease

If the team decides to hold it, the guidance suggests skipping a weekly medicine such as Ozempic for the week before surgery. A daily one is skipped on the day itself.1

Why does Ozempic matter for anesthesia?

Ozempic slows how fast the stomach empties, and food left in the stomach can be breathed into the lungs under anesthesia or deep sedation.3

Breathing stomach contents into the lungs is called pulmonary aspiration. The US Ozempic label reports rare cases in people on GLP‑1 medicines who had followed fasting instructions.3 It says there isn’t enough data to know whether a longer fast or a pause would help.3 It tells you to inform your team before any planned procedure.3 The Wegovy and Mounjaro labels carry the same advice.4,5

What about a colonoscopy or upper endoscopy?

The same guidance covers gastrointestinal endoscopy as well as surgery. When the stomach may be slow, it suggests a liquid diet for at least 24 hours beforehand, as is already done before a colonoscopy.1

On the day, the team may check your stomach with a quick ultrasound if there is concern. If food may be there, they discuss with you whether to change how you are put to sleep or to postpone.1 If you have stomach symptoms that day, the anesthesiologists say to wait until they pass before elective surgery.2

If you take Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, stopping it can push blood sugar up. The guidance says that risk has to be balanced too.1 Our side effects guide covers the other risks.

Get help now: call 911 or go to the ER for severe stomach pain that won’t go away, repeated vomiting, or trouble breathing. For a possible overdose, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.3,6

Read the full picture

Related questions

When should I call 911 on a GLP-1?How do I report a side effect to the FDA?Can I fly with my GLP-1 pen?How much is Ozempic without insurance?
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Sources

  1. Kindel TL, et al. Multi-society clinical practice guidance for the safe use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the perioperative period (American Gastroenterological Association, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, American Society of Anesthesiologists, International Society of Perioperative Care of Patients with Obesity, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons). Surg Endosc 2025;39:180-183. doi:10.1007/s00464-024-11263-2. PMID 39370500. Published Oct 29, 2024. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. American Society of Anesthesiologists. “New multi-society clinical practice guidance released” (most patients should continue GLP-1s before elective surgery). News release, Oct 29, 2024. asahq.org
  3. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) injection, US prescribing information, revised 05/2026, section 5.10: pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation. US label. novo-pi.com
  4. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets, US prescribing information, revised 06/2026: patients should inform providers before any planned surgery or procedure. US label. novo-pi.com
  5. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) US prescribing information, revised 08/2026, section 5.9: pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation. US label. lilly.com (PDF)
  6. Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center). Poison help line 1-800-222-1222. poison.org

Last checked Oct 14, 2026 · Next review due Oct 14, 2027 · Report an error

How this answer was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above, all checked on Oct 14, 2026. It’s general information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor, pharmacist or other licensed prescriber before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. In an emergency, call 911. How we write