Aussie mum’s Ozempic nightmare during weight loss trial: ‘I was so scared’

Maybe you haven’t tried it, but almost everyone would have heard about the wonderful “weight loss drug” Ozempic, which is skyrocketing in popularity all over the world and particularly among the Hollywood elite.

Manufactured to treat type 2 diabetes, semaglutide which is sold under the brand names Ozempic and Rybelsus can also be prescribed to fight obesity and is in fact in such demand right now there is a huge shortage across the country due to of an “unexpected increase in consumer demand”.

While some swear by it and claim to have dropped some serious pounds since taking Ozempic, which is administered via a weekly injection, many have shared their unexpected horror stories since starting the drug. An Australian mother, based in Perth, told Yahoo News Australia how she suffered such severe loss of appetite that she was “unable to eat for days”, leaving her “very scared” and “sick at the sight of food”. .

Australian mum’s ‘terrible’ symptoms after taking Ozempic for just weeks

Rashmi Watel, 43, said she had struggled with yo-yo dieting for much of her adult life and could never quite get her weight back on track, despite exploring numerous avenues to try and slim down.

In a last-ditch effort, Watel said she decided to try Ozempic, which her doctor suggested as a potential solution to her weight problems. However, the side effects of the drug took “several months to overcome.” “I was struggling with weight loss at the time,” Watel told Yahoo. “I’ve gained and lost weight so many times since my 20s.

“Then, on the recommendation of my gynecologist, she gave me the script and I started Ozempic. At first, when I tried it, there were no side effects, I didn’t really experience anything.”

But gradually after “a few weeks” on the drug, Watel explained, he began to notice that he was experiencing severe mood swings. “I got angry for no reason,” he said. Then, the mother recalled, things took another turn.

Highlighting an incident she will “never forget,” Watel described feeling so down that she couldn’t eat for days on end, and at one point last year, during her daughters’ school performance, barely was able to remain present. through “all perspiration.”

‘Horrible’ side effects left mum ‘scared, in pain’

He said the family had dinner plans that were forced to cancel as his condition deteriorated and in the days that followed, he barely ate.

“I couldn’t even look at the food, I was so full,” Watel said. “There was so much sweating and stomach pain and just this terrible feeling inside me. I don’t know how I sat through his performance.

“I was scared, really scared. I didn’t know what was going on.”

To her relief, the symptoms went away, and Watel said that despite her fears, she noticed she was losing weight, so she was reluctant to stop taking the medication. That was until she discovered there was a shortage and was forced to stop, which she said ended up being a blessing in disguise.

Now the mother is warning others to think twice before jumping on the Ozempic bandwagon, urging people to carefully consider how it could affect them. She has also vowed to continue her natural weight loss journey.

Semaglutide, the antidiabetic drug used in Ozempic, works by tricking the body into thinking it is full. It also slows down the metabolism by increasing the time it takes for food to leave the body.

The nutritionist intervenes

According to Dr. Emma Beckett, Adjunct Professor at UNSW and FOODiQ Global, Watel’s experience is not unique to her and many others have experienced similar and “scary” side effects.

“This is not unusual and not surprising based on appetite suppression,” Beckett told Yahoo News Australia. “I’ve had people also describe feeling disgusted by the food and not being interested in eating anymore.

“This can be challenging, because it can also discourage eating basic health-promoting foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy, and some people end up with a very bland diet. That’s why medication it is not a solution alone and nutritional support is needed.”

Beckett explained that drugs being “designed for one thing” and “then becoming common and useful for something else” is not unusual. “Viagra (used for erectile dysfunction) was originally for angina, Rogaine (for baldness) was designed to lower high blood pressure, and Tamoxifen (used for breast cancer) was designed to treat infertility,” he said.

“But using a medication for diabetes, a medical condition that often requires medication, is a completely different thing than using medication for weight that may not need medication and may not need to be a focus when instead we could look at health. For weight and general health there is a much larger and more complex set of tools.”

It’s healthier to focus on health, not weight, Beckett added. “Why not aim to get stronger, fitter or nourish yourself better? Your body, weight, life and choices are unique, what works for you may not work for others and what works for to others it may not work for you,” he said.

Husband’s request after wife’s death while using Ozempic

Last year, Yahoo News reported on a 56-year-old Australian mother who died while taking Ozempic, which her husband believes was a factor in her death.

Roy Webster said his wife Trish simply wanted to lose a few pounds for their daughter’s upcoming wedding, but she died five months after she started taking the drug. The 56-year-old mother lost a total of 16 kilograms by taking Ozempic, which she saw advertised on television.

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