Do I Take My GLP-1 Shot When I’m Sick?

Getting sick often brings uncertainty—especially if you’re using a GLP-1 medication. A common and important question is: do I take my GLP-1 shot when I’m sick?
The answer depends on the severity of your illness, your ability to eat and drink, and whether you’re experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms.

Below is a clear, medically grounded way to think about it.

When It’s Usually Okay to Continue Your GLP-1

If you have a mild illness, such as:

• A common cold

• Mild sinus congestion

• Low-grade fatigue or body aches

and you are able to eat and drink normally, it is generally safe to continue your GLP-1 injection as scheduled.

In these situations, your body can typically tolerate the medication without added risk, especially if hydration and nutrition remain adequate.

When You Should Hold Your GLP-1 Shot

Patients should generally hold their GLP-1 receptor agonist injection if they are acutely ill and experiencing any of the following:

• Poor oral intake or inability to eat

• Ongoing nausea or vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Signs of dehydration

• Fever with reduced fluid intake

GLP-1 medications delay gastric emptying and can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. During acute illness—especially when food and fluid intake are reduced—these effects can worsen and slow recovery.

Because dehydration may occur more easily in this setting, continuing your GLP-1 can increase the risk of complications, which can be harmful to your kidneys, particularly in patients with chronic kidney disease or other conditions affected by dehydration.

In these cases, pausing your GLP-1 for a week is often the safest and most supportive choice for your body.

Gastrointestinal Illness, Flu, or Severe Symptoms

If you develop a stomach virus, flu, or any illness with significant GI symptoms, it is best to skip your GLP-1 dose until you are fully recovered.

You should wait until:

• Nausea and vomiting have resolved

• You are drinking fluids comfortably

• Your appetite has returned to baseline

Only then should you restart your medication—often with guidance from your provider.

Restarting After Missed Doses

If you miss one dose, you can usually resume your regular schedule once you’re feeling better.

However, if two or more consecutive doses are missed, it is often recommended to:

• Restart at a lower dose

• Gradually titrate back up

This approach helps reduce the risk of renewed GI side effects, especially for patients who:

• Had prior nausea or GI intolerance

• Experienced a prolonged illness

• Have medical conditions that could worsen with GI symptoms

A similar precaution is used before surgery—GLP-1 medications are typically stopped 1–2 weeks before procedures requiring general anesthesia due to slower digestion. That same logic applies during significant acute illness.

When to Stop and Seek Medical Care

You should stop your GLP-1 medication and seek medical evaluation at an urgent care or emergency room immediately if you experience:

• Severe and persistent vomiting

• Severe and persistent diarrhea

• Significant abdominal pain

• Signs of pancreatitis (right upper abdomen pain that’s worse with eating)

• Worsening dehydration

• Inability to keep fluids down

These symptoms are not expected and should be addressed promptly.

The Flow Wellness Approach

At Flow Wellness, every patient works with a dedicated personal provider who understands their health history, goals, and response to treatment. When illness arises, your provider uses clinical judgment and individualized guidance to recommend the safest and most effective plan for you.

GLP-1 therapy is meant to support your health—not add stress when your body is already working to recover. If you’re sick and unsure whether to take your GLP-1 shot, your Flow Wellness provider can advise whether to pause, adjust, or restart your medication, helping protect both your recovery and your long-term progress.

So, if you’re wondering whether you should take your GLP-1 shot when you’re sick, the honest answer is: it depends—and your provider is there to help guide that decision.

• Continue your GLP-1 if your illness is mild and you’re eating and drinking normally

• Hold your dose if you have poor oral intake, dehydration, or significant GI symptoms

• Restart thoughtfully, often at a lower dose, if you’ve missed multiple injections—ideally with provider guidance

Listening to your body, staying in communication with your provider, and adjusting when needed are key parts of safe, sustainable GLP-1 care.