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What are the side effects of Albiglutide Injection?

Updated Sep 7, 20262 min readAnswer
On this pageShort answer Living with albiglutide: what to watch for Common questions Related questions Sources
Short answer

**The most common side effects of albiglutide (Tanzeum), a once-weekly GLP-1 injection for type 2 diabetes, are injection site reactions and stomach symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.**

Injection site reactions were reported often with albiglutide and usually look like redness, a rash, or itching where you gave the dose. Nausea and diarrhea tend to be mildest if you eat smaller meals, go easy on fatty and greasy food, and stop eating once you feel full. Low blood sugar becomes a real concern when albiglutide is paired with insulin or a sulfonylurea, so the dose of those medicines may need to come down. Less common but serious reactions include pancreatitis and allergic reactions, and the label carries a warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents. Albiglutide was pulled from the US market in 2018 for commercial reasons rather than safety, so most people now use a different weekly GLP-1 medicine.

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Living with albiglutide: what to watch for

1Rotate your sites:Use a different spot on your abdomen, thigh, or upper arm each week so irritated skin has time to settle.
2Eat smaller and blander:Smaller meals, less fatty food, and stopping when you feel full cut down nausea during the first month.
3Watch for low blood sugar:If you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea, check your readings more often and ask about lowering those doses.
4Know the urgent signs:Severe stomach pain going through to your back, repeated vomiting, or swelling of the face, lips, or throat needs same-day care.
5Flag thyroid symptoms:Report a lump in your neck, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing to your clinician instead of waiting for your next visit.
6Ask about a replacement:Albiglutide is no longer sold in the US, so bring your current prescription list to a clinician and discuss another option.

Common questions

What are the side effects of Albiglutide Injection?

Albiglutide is a once-weekly GLP-1 injection. The most common side effects are injection site reactions such as redness, rash, or itching, plus nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and cough or cold symptoms. These usually settle over the first few weeks. Low blood sugar is uncommon on its own but becomes likely when albiglutide is combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea. Call a clinician for severe stomach pain that spreads to your back, ongoing vomiting, a neck lump, trouble swallowing, hoarseness, or signs of an allergic reaction. Albiglutide was withdrawn from the US market in 2018 for business reasons, so ask which alternative fits you.

About this page. Written and maintained by the Pymander Health team. Last updated September 7, 2026.

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