Doctors Dissolve Rare Stomach Food Mass Using 1.5 Liters of Diet Cola in Massachusetts Patient

A 63-year-old woman from Massachusetts developed a rare and painful side effect known as a gastric bezoar, a solid mass of undigested food in the stomach, after using GLP-1 receptor agonist medications like Ozempic for diabetes and weight loss. She arrived at the emergency room with severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and loss of appetite after a month of worsening symptoms, including burning upper abdominal pain radiating to her back. Imaging revealed an enlarged stomach filled with semi-solid material, and endoscopy confirmed the presence of a gastric bezoar.

The bezoar formation was linked to the medication’s effect of significantly slowing gastric emptying, causing food to accumulate and harden in the stomach. After discontinuing the GLP-1 therapy, doctors opted for a non-invasive treatment supported by medical literature: drinking diet cola. The acidity and carbonation of the cola are believed to help dissolve the bezoar. Due to the patient’s diabetes and aversion to carbonated drinks, she was given 1.5 liters of diet cola instead of the usual 3 liters.

Within two days, the patient reported significant relief, and a follow-up endoscopy confirmed the bezoar had dissolved. Gastric bezoars are rare, occurring in less than 0.5% of upper gastrointestinal endoscopies, typically caused by high intake of indigestible fibers but also linked to medications that slow stomach motility. The doctors highlighted that cola treatment is a cost-effective, low-risk alternative to surgical or endoscopic removal of bezoars. After hospital discharge, the patient’s condition improved, her appetite returned, and she experienced no recurrence of symptoms.