Woman Dies After Taking Ozempic to Slim Down for Daughter’s Wedding: ‘She Shouldn’t Be Gone’

New York Post ^ | Nov. 6, 2023 | Adriana Diaz

[nickcarraway]

An Australian woman who took Ozempic to shed a few pounds before her daughter’s wedding has died from gastrointestinal illness — now her husband is warning that the medication is “not worth it at all.”

Trish Webster, 56, was prescribed Ozempic to help her squeeze into her dream dress for her daughter’s nuptials.

Ozempic is a medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for people with Type 2 diabetes — it’s become widely used as a weight-loss drug around the world. The drug works by mimicking a natural hormone, GLP-1, which slows down the passage of food through the stomach and intestines, making people feel full longer.

[SueRae]

I stopped after less than 4 weeks. I had mostly nausea and severe indigestion. This stuff slows the motility of food in the stomach and intestinal system. I took tums and pepcid the whole time. Felt from crummy to miserable. Not worth it. It is not healthy to slow down a normal digestive process like that. I expect to hear more about side effects in the near future and ultimately, this will be pulled from the market and the makers sued.

[GaryCrow]

I'm not on Ozempic but rather tirzepatide which is similar but more effective for most. I'm down 105 lbs at 6'1" and 182 lbs now. It's been a lifesaver for me, every vital sign is improved and I feel an incredible amount better. The side effects have been virtually nil except for constipation which I control with miralax and magnesium. Constipation is a well known side effect of these drugs, it's something easily dealt with and this lady should have known that.

I'm not sure why anyone would feel sorry for me for using this to lose weight any more than they'd feel sorry for me for taking high blood pressure medicine, it's helping to fix a problem I couldn't fix without it. If everyone could lose it "the old fashioned way" then 40% of the U.S. wouldn't be obese and 70% overweight. It's like any other medication, it's got some side effects but the benefits usually outweigh the risks. Declaring that no one should have access to a drug because one person died from a side effect that's easily controlled is really stupid. It's up to the individual, "You do you" as they say, I'll spend my money how I want and this has been the best thing I've done for myself in a long time. The toll obesity was taking on my body would have meant I was in for a shortened life, I now have a chance to live a full one with a much improved quality of life. The body positivity movement has convinced us that being fat is healthy, it's not. Obesity kills, if it takes medicine to fix it then that's what I'm going to do and screw anyone who has a problem with that.