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Surgery patients on blockbuster weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could be at risk of choking to death, a study warns. Researchers in California looked at nearly 1 million Americans who had an endoscopy, which examines the upper digestive tract. They found that patients who underwent the procedure - which involves inserting a tube with a camera on the end down the throat while the patient is sedated- were 33 percent more likely to suffer aspiration pneumonia. This causes food, liquids, or saliva to get sucked into the airway, which could lead to choking and kills nearly 60,000 Americans a...

A new weight-loss pill made by Novo Nordisk — the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy — helps patients shed weight twice as fast as the blockbuster injections, the company recently announced. The pill, called Amycretin, works similarly to the popular weight loss injections mimicking a natural hormone, GLP-1, which slows down the passage of food through the stomach, making people feel full for longer. However, this drug also stimulates a hormone called amylin, which also reduces hunger and slows stomach emptying. The combination of therapies seems to make it more effective.

The Ozempic Pushers Some fat patients say doctors are pressuring them to take the miracle drug instead of listening to their immediate health concerns.

Claudia Oshry has been dealing with extreme hunger ever since going off Ozempic, which helped her lose over 70 pounds. “I’ve been off Ozempic since November and I’m so hungry all the motherf—king time,” she said on TikTok Tuesday in response to a fan speculating that she was off the drug. “I’m always looking for good treats, ’cause I’m still trying to lose weight, but on my own. And I’m always looking for snacks and things to fill me up.” Oshry, who started taking the celeb-loved weight-loss drug in September 2022, went on to list some of her current go-to...

A woman who will suffer diarrhea for the rest of her life after using Ozempic is among dozens of patients who are suing the maker of the blockbuster weight loss drug over claims it left them with crippling stomach paralysis, a DailyMail.com investigation reveals. Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, is facing lawsuits from patients across America who say they experienced extreme side effects which they were allegedly not warned about. Thousands more patients have also come forward to claim they suffered adverse reactions to the drugs and attorneys say many more could join the growing legal campaign....

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - The newest class of weight loss drugs is being called the “Breakthrough of the year.” That’s because their benefits go beyond weight loss itself, according to the health publication, “Science.” The added health benefits and positive results led Dr. Hayley DeGraaff of Advanced Life Clinic in Huntsville to say these drugs actually live up to the hype and could help fight Alabama’s obesity crisis. Alabama has the third highest adult obesity rate in the country. The class of weight loss drugs described as the “Breakthrough of the Year,” by “Science,” are glucagon-like peptide-1 or GLP-1 drugs;...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released an advisory Thursday warning customers not to use counterfeit Ozempic shots found in the drug supply chain. The administration said it is investigating occurrences of fake semaglutide — the drug found in weight-loss medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy — and said it has already seized thousands of units of the counterfeit product. The agency advised wholesalers, retail pharmacies, health care practitioners and patients to check the products they receive and to not distribute, sell or use products labeled with NAR0074 and serial number 430834149057, as some counterfeit products may still be available.

A study suggests a class of medications used to treat type 2 diabetes may also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). "Our results clearly demonstrate that GLP-1 RAs are significantly more effective than popular anti-diabetic drugs, such as Metformin or insulin, at preventing the development of CRC," said Nathan Berger. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 RAs, are medications to treat type 2 diabetes. Usually given by injection, they can lower blood-sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity and help manage weight. They've also been shown to reduce the rates of major cardiovascular ailments. Importantly the protective effect of GLP-1 RAs...

The Senate health committee will hold a hearing next week on the diabetes epidemic in the U.S., committee chairman Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said. Sanders, who earlier this year interrogated drug manufacturers about the high cost of insulin, told The Hill the hearing will focus broadly on the underlying causes of the rise in diabetes, especially in children. “Focusing on why we are seeing a huge increase, and have seen a huge increase over the last 30 years, in the number of diabetics in this country, and the relationship to that explosion … with what our kids are eating,” Sanders...

“Having said that, I noticed there was constipation, I didn’t do anything about it. I wasn’t taking Miralax, that you take every morning, or any kind of stool softener,” she said. “I hadn’t gone in a week, then it was a week and a half.”

An Australian mom who wanted to slim down in time for her daughter's wedding has died after taking anti-diabetic drugs known for inducing dramatic weight loss. Trish Webster started taking Ozempic—the trade name of an injectable medication called semaglutide developed to treat type 2 diabetes—after struggling to lose weight through traditional means, her husband Roy Webster told "60 Minutes Australia." The 56-year-old, who did not have diabetes, saw a TV ad for Ozempic and obtained a prescription from her doctor in 2022 after learning that significant weight loss was one of the drug's side effects. "Her daughter was getting married,...

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...

— An obesity medicine specialist shares his insights on the new social media crazeWelcome to Culture Clinic, MedPage Today's collaboration with Northwell Health to offer a healthcare professional's take on the latest viral medical topics. Social media is chock full of posts promising the next best weight-loss method. One of the latest trends is berberine, a bitter-tasting quaternary ammonia compoundopens in a new tab or window found in many botanical products, including goldenseal, barberry, and Oregon grape. Indeed, many on social media are calling berberine supplements "nature's Ozempic," in a comparison to the highly popular prescription drug semaglutide (also known...

As Ozempic and similar weight loss drugs become more popular, Americans might start buying less food, particularly high-calorie snacks and fast food. Why it matters: That could radically reshape the food industry, and investors and food industry executives are starting to pay attention. Ozempic is approved by the FDA to treat diabetes but is also prescribed for off-label use by doctors for obesity. Driving the news: Earlier this week, Walmart's U.S. CEO told Bloomberg that customers taking Ozempic buy less food. (Walmart mined its own pharmacy and grocery data to pinpoint customer buying patterns, per Bloomberg.) "We definitely do see...

CBS reports “ Popular drugs used to suppress appetites such as Ozempic and Wegovy might be causing an economic impact at some large retailers who say that people are buying less food at the grocery store, impacting their bottom line.” Video at link

Treating newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients with semaglutide (trade names Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus) may drastically reduce or even eliminate their need for injected insulin. Those are the remarkable findings of a small study. "Our findings from this admittedly small study are, nevertheless, so promising for newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients that we are now absolutely focused on pursuing a larger study for a longer period of time," says Paresh Dandona, MD, Ph.D. A total of 10 patients were studied, all of whom had been diagnosed in the past three to six months with type 1 diabetes. The...

Amelia had been intent on losing weight most of her life — but this concern had never caused the 35-year-old to consider ending her life. Last summer, the Canadian woman was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and prescribed the wildly popular “miracle” drug Ozempic (semaglutide) by her doctor, who presented the drug as an easy way for Amelia to shed a few pounds and manage her blood sugar. Amelia, who asked that her last name be withheld for privacy reasons, avoided filling the prescription for three months since she “didn’t want to focus on the number on the scale.” However,...

The following is an excerpt from The Vaccine Reaction. New weight loss drug Ozempic has taken the world’s obesity epidemic by storm, but like most weight loss drugs that precede it over the past century, shedding extra pounds may not be the only outcome for consumers: Last month, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), a European Union (E.U.) agency that oversees and evaluates pharmaceutical medications, issued a safety signal, citing concerns about a possible link to thyroid cancer in people using glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, including semaglutide, which are sold under brand names like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. In April,...

The ever-expanding popularity of weight loss injectables has NYC moms clamoring to get their shots — even if it means resorting to “shady” and “unethical” measures. Ozempic and Wegovy, brand name semaglutides initially designed for people with Type 2 diabetes, have surged in demand due to their controversial effectiveness as weight loss drugs. And despite the FDA’s warning against using off-brand semaglutide compounds due to their potential “adverse effects,” a shortage of brand-name drugs and their hefty $1,300-a-month price tag is motivating people to seek cheaper, more accessible options. One 40-year-old fashion executive and mom of three who lives on...

This celebrity-hyped injectable could cause cancer, blurred vision, pancreatitis and gallstones — so is it really worth shooting your shot? Ozempic has become the hottest prescription on the market, beloved by the A-List and touted as a quick fix for shedding unwanted pounds. But the medication, initially designed for people with Type 2 diabetes, can have serious side effects, with doctors now reportedly witnessing a spike in ER admissions among users. However, that sensation can cause an array of health problems that are becoming more pervasive as Ozempic and Wegovy continue to surge in popularity.