Trulicity Constipation: How Common, How Long It Lasts
The Trulicity label names constipation as a reported side effect but gives no trial rate for it.
- In the label
- Listed, no rate given
- Label term
- constipation
Trulicity: a quick overview
Its half-life is about 5 days: after 5 d, half is gone, while about 3% remains after five half-lives (25 d).
This comes from the FDA label (DailyMed).
What the Trulicity label lists instead
No constipation rate appears in the Trulicity label. The label provides rates for the five side effects it lists most often.
| Side effect | Placebo | Trulicity 0.75 mg | Trulicity 1.5 mg | More than placebo, 1.5 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 5.3% | 12.4% | 21.1% | +15.8 points |
| Vomiting | 2.3% | 6% | 12.7% | +10.4 points |
| Diarrhea | 6.7% | 8.9% | 12.6% | +5.9 points |
| Abdominal Pain | 4.9% | 6.5% | 9.4% | +4.5 points |
| Decreased Appetite | 1.6% | 4.9% | 8.6% | +7 points |
Source: Trulicity label (DailyMed).
Other GLP-1s and Trulicity: A Constipation Comparison
Each label describes its own trials, which used different groups of people. Use these figures as a rough guide.
Pill forms Rybelsus and Foundayo are also included in the table.
| Medicine | Highest rate in the label | Dose group | Placebo | People in the trials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Foundayo | 27% | 9 mg | 9% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Wegovy | 24% | 2.4 mg | 11% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Saxenda | 19.4% | all doses | 8.5% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Zepbound | 17% | 5 mg | 5% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
| Byetta | 10% | all doses | 2% | Adults with type 2 diabetes (with insulin glargine) |
 Mounjaro | 7% | 15 mg | 1% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Rybelsus | 6% | 7 mg | 2% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Ozempic | 5% | 0.5 mg | 1.5% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Victoza | 5% | 1.2 mg | 1% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
| Trulicity | Listed, no rate given | – | – | – |
Sources: Ozempic label (DailyMed), Wegovy label (DailyMed), Rybelsus label (DailyMed), Mounjaro label (DailyMed), Zepbound label (DailyMed), Foundayo label (DailyMed), Saxenda label (DailyMed), Victoza label (DailyMed), Byetta label (DailyMed).
This comes from the FDA label (DailyMed).
What may explain it?
Your stomach empties more slowly because of these medicines. Constipation can occur when food remains longer, most of all after big or fatty meals.
Source: health.clevelandclinic.org
Trulicity label details
Constipation appears in the label with these exact words:
“placebo -treated patients (frequencies listed, respectively, as: placebo; 0.75 mg; 1.5 mg): constipation (0.7%, 3.9%, 3.7%), flatulence (1.4%, 1.4%, 3.4%), abdominal distension (0.7%, 2.9%, 2.3%),”
This comes from the FDA label (DailyMed).
What helps, step by step
- Drink water during the day to keep your stools soft.
- Take a short walk. Moving helps the gut move.
- Place your feet on a small stool while sitting on the toilet.
- Ask about a stool softener or laxative from the drugstore.
- Select smaller meals and stop eating when you feel full. The stomach empties more slowly because of these medicines.
- Eat slowly. Your brain needs time to know when you are full.
- Tell your prescriber if it does not ease. They may slow the pace of dose increases or suggest another GLP-1.
Check any drugstore product with the interactions checker for GLP-1 before taking it.
Source: health.clevelandclinic.org