What the official documents contain
Foundayo™ is a daily tablet of orforglipron, a GLP-1 receptor agonist that the label does not describe as a peptide [1]. Its safety section is built on two placebo-controlled weight trials, Trial 1 and Trial 2, which are registered as ATTAIN-1 and ATTAIN-2 [1]. Hiccups are not mentioned in the main table, in the paragraphs on less common reactions, or in the list of reports seen after approval with other GLP-1 medicines [1].
| Document | Hiccups | Nearest entries |
|---|---|---|
| US Prescribing Information [1] | Not listed | Burping, reflux disease, indigestion and abdominal swelling in Table 1 |
| US Medication Guide [2] | Not listed | Belching, heartburn and indigestion among common side effects |
| European Medicines Agency [3] | No product information yet; committee opinion of 15 October 2026 | Opinion names nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea as most common |
| Health Canada [4] | No product entry found | No Canadian monograph |
The registry cases
ATTAIN-1 and ATTAIN-2 posted only events affecting at least 5% of a group, so rare complaints such as hiccups cannot be seen in their results. Three diabetes trials did list every event. They used trial doses of 3, 12 and 36 mg rather than Foundayo™ strengths, and type 2 diabetes is not a US use of the tablet.
| Trial [source] | Comparison group | Orforglipron 3 mg / 12 mg / 36 mg |
|---|---|---|
| ACHIEVE-1, diet and exercise only, 40 weeks, double blind [5] | Placebo 0 of 138 | 1 of 143 / 0 of 137 / 0 of 141 |
| ACHIEVE-2, on metformin, 40 weeks, open label [6] | Dapagliflozin 0 of 240 | 0 of 240 / 0 of 241 / 2 of 241 |
| ACHIEVE-5, on insulin glargine, 40 weeks, double blind [7] | Placebo 0 of 140 | 1 of 137 / 2 of 132 / 1 of 135 |
What seven cases can and cannot show
- The direction is consistent: every reported case was on orforglipron. With numbers this small, though, a difference of a handful of people could be chance.
- Even in the busiest group, ACHIEVE-5 on 12 mg, hiccups affected about 1.5% of people [7]. Across all three trials, well under 1% of orforglipron users reported them.
- There is no clear link to dose. In ACHIEVE-2 both cases were on 36 mg; in ACHIEVE-1 the only case was on 3 mg [5][6].
- The registry does not say how long the hiccups lasted, how severe they were or whether anyone stopped treatment because of them.
- People with type 2 diabetes in these trials may differ from people taking Foundayo™ for weight, so the figures are an indication, not a Foundayo™ rate.
Possible links, from best supported to speculative
Supported by the label: Foundayo™ commonly causes burping, reflux disease, indigestion and a swollen abdomen, and it slows stomach emptying, most of all after the first dose [1]. Cleveland Clinic lists reflux disease and gastritis among medical causes of persistent hiccups, and eating too much or too fast, swallowing air and fizzy drinks among everyday triggers [9].
Plausible but unmeasured: a hiccup is a spasm of the diaphragm [8], and Cleveland Clinic gives a stretched stomach irritating the diaphragm as the likely reason babies hiccup so often [9]. Whether a stomach that empties slowly on orforglipron does the same in adults has not been studied.
General knowledge: most hiccups have no identifiable cause and stop within minutes [8]. A single bout after starting a new medicine may well be coincidence.
Other things that cause hiccups
MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic describe several groups of causes [8][9]:
- Hot, spicy or very cold food and drink, alcohol, smoking and harmful fumes.
- Recent surgery, including procedures under general anaesthesia, and abdominal surgery.
- Conditions that irritate the nerves to the diaphragm, such as pneumonia, pleurisy or upper abdominal disease.
- Some medicines, including dexamethasone, azithromycin, some chemotherapy and low-dose benzodiazepines.
- Stroke, some tumours, kidney failure and low blood calcium.
What general sources suggest
Neither the label nor the Medication Guide gives advice on hiccups. MedlinePlus says there is no sure way to stop them, and both it and Cleveland Clinic mention common home measures such as holding your breath briefly or sipping cold water [8][9]. Cleveland Clinic notes that the evidence for these is anecdotal [9].
Because burping and reflux are the label’s closest reactions, the triggers Cleveland Clinic names for short bouts, such as eating quickly, large meals and carbonated drinks, are the ones most worth noticing on Foundayo™ [1][9]. For hiccups that persist, a provider may prescribe treatment, including medicines that lower stomach acid; that is a decision for them, not something to start on your own [9].
Points specific to the tablet
Foundayo™ is taken once a day, with or without food, and swallowed whole [1]. The dose rises no sooner than every 30 days; the label’s Table 1 does not show whether burping or reflux peak at each step, so noting the date of any bout of hiccups against your dose is the simplest way to look for a pattern.
The label asks you to tell your healthcare providers before any planned surgery or procedure under anaesthesia or deep sedation, because Foundayo™ slows stomach emptying [1]. Surgery is also a known cause of persistent hiccups, so mention both if hiccups start afterwards [9].
Foundayo™ is a trademark of Eli Lilly and Company. PepLabo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Eli Lilly and Company.
When to get help
| Sign | Who to contact | How fast | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breathing or swallowing becomes difficult, or your lips, tongue, throat or face swell | Stop the tablet and get medical help right away | Emergency | Foundayo™ Medication Guide [2] |
| Severe pain in the stomach area that will not go away, sometimes felt in the back | Stop the tablet and call your provider right away | Emergency | Foundayo™ Medication Guide [2] |
| Hiccups that last longer than two days | Your healthcare provider | Today | Cleveland Clinic [9] |
| Hiccups that keep coming back, or that disturb eating or sleep | Your healthcare provider | At your next appointment | Cleveland Clinic [9] |
| A lump in the neck, hoarseness or trouble swallowing that persists | Your healthcare provider | At your next appointment | Foundayo™ Medication Guide [2] |
