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At the beginning of this year, the weight loss drug Ozempic (and its fellows, Mounjaro and Wegovy) exploded onto the scene, with hysterical thinkpieces proclaiming that “life after food” was upon us. There was finally a weight loss drug that worked. Except that there were shortages of this drug, almost instantly, because people who didn’t need it for medical purposes–mostly rich people who can afford the out of pocket cost–were using them to shed a few pounds. Kyle Richards has denied using Ozempic several times. But one Bravolebrity who’s cool with Ozempic is Heather Dubrow from The Real Housewives of Orange County. She spoke to someone from TMZ who asked her about Jeff Lewis calling Kyle Richards a “lesbian on Ozempic” on Watch What Happens Live (which is obviously offensive). Heather answered the question in more general terms. She said that she’s in favor of whatever people do to feel good about themselves, but that people are being “shamed” for using Ozempic. She compared Ozempic to heart medication in order to make the point that both are private medical info. And she said that Ozempic will soon be like Botox, a common thing people use to look better.
Heather Dubrow thinks that the controversial drug Ozempic will be as commonly used as Botox one day.
“I want to say something about Ozempic. There’s a lot of Ozempic shaming going on, and I don’t like it,” the “Real Housewives of Orange County” star told paparazzi in New York City over the weekend in a video obtained by TMZ.
“Whatever someone has to do to make themselves feel good about themselves, I’m all for [it]. But this is also someone’s private medical information.”
She then rhetorically asked “why are people asking who’s on Ozempic” since it’s the same as asking “what kind of heart medication they’re on.”
Continuing on her tangent, Dubrow declared that, one day, Ozempic will be as commonly used as the once-taboo Botox.
“When Botox first came out it was [gestures shockingly and gasps] ‘Oh, are they doing Botox? Is Botox a thing?’”
Dubrow, who has been married to plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow since 1999, recalled telling InStyle magazine during a past interview that she used to keep Botox in her refrigerator back when the cosmetic drug was still frowned upon.
“Because to me it was no big deal. And now, look at Botox,” she said, adding that people can now easily access the anti-aging drug.
I more or less agree with her in principle. Botox is much less stigmatized now than it used to be. But Heather doesn’t acknowledge that people using Ozempic off-label for weight loss are contributing to a drug shortage, and the comparison to Botox is kind of.. layered. Botox was first developed as a medication to fix eye muscle disorders in the 1970s before it became a cosmetic product. It has other (off label but well-established) uses for health problems from TMJ to migraines to excessive sweating. But it’s also FDA-approved as a cosmetic injection and has been for many years, and it’s relatively easy to access. Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are not approved for purely cosmetic uses, and I’m frustrated that they continue to be so accessible to wealthy people who just want to lose a few pounds. Meanwhile the people who take it for diabetes or other chronic health conditions are having a hard time getting the medication. And for what it’s worth, what Jeff Lewis said about Kyle Richards was gross and shameful. But people in larger bodies are the target of way more body shaming at a societal level than already-slender celebs using Ozempic for cosmetic purposes.
Thanks, Carina. Well said.
I thought she was Christina carpenter in the top pic.
Ozempic has done truly brutal side effects – even for people taking it for real medical purposes. Celina Spooky boo talked all about her experience as a diabetic taking it. She went through it.
It still blows my mind that people are losing massive amounts of weight on Ozempic, because I’ve been on it since April and have lost less than 10 lbs. I’m actually on it for diabetes though, not specifically for weight loss, although I was hoping (expecting!) that would be a side effect.
I’ve been on it for a year to help manage my PCOS, I lost 40 lbs in the first 9 months but haven’t lost anything in the past 3 months even working with a dietician. I don’t know how people are losing 70+lbs and getting super skinny on it, I’m certainly not! It has definitely helped me and helped my PCOS symptoms but it’s not the magic pill that people think it is
If you don’t mind me asking but how were you able to take it for PCOS? I’m going to schedule an appointment with my doctor about my health. I strongly suspect PCOS, thyroid issues and anemia are the causes for a lot of my issues but I had no idea medication can be jsed to help manage PCOS and help with weight
I’ve been on it for a few weeks, also for diabetes, and any weight I’ve lost has almost certainly come from how sick it makes me. Everyone said it’ll smooth out after a few weeks, but so far it hasn’t. I can’t imagine going through this if I were healthy.
Congrats to the drug makers. They’ve hit the jackpot (again).
More studies should be done on its effectiveness and any side effects associated with using it for weight loss. Once that’s done, and if it’s deemed safe, have at it. But just remember, so many weight-loss drugs and dietary supplements have wreaked havoc on people’s bodies and lives. Remember ephedra? Laxatives? All that BS that ruined people’s lives or caused their deaths. Be careful. It’s a weight-loss jungle out there.
That’s the part that seems to be missing from all these discussions. Remember when people used to take loads of speed to lose weight? There’s always a shiny new thing until there isn’t, what remains to be seen is the damage in the meantime.
Don’t you need to stay on it too to keep the weight off (if that’s why you’re taking it)?
Yes-These “weight loss drugs” aka diabetes aids are life long. So If you stop the weight will return. Just went down the rabbit whole with my doctor. I asked if I could just get a jump start on my weight loss journey and she stated that once you start you can’t stop if you want to see lasting results. They also do not come fast, typically speaking. Those who are straight up melting weight are most likely not eating, at all.
As someone who is at an age where I’m dealing with the effects of years of cavalierly overworking my joints, I do wonder what the long-term effects of these drugs will be, because, as you said, the short-term side effects see pretty brutal. What seems to work at 30 may do severe damage in the long run. Be kind to your bodies, folks!
I can assure you that, in this case, the drugmakers didn’t expect abuse like this from an injectable, especially considering the degree of GI side effects, or that physicians/weight loss companies would be so very irresponsible. I fully expect those working on GLP and similar classes that are oral formulations are taking notice of this and will probably have to put risk mitigation plans in place (just like they do for substances thatch be addictive). People who are are not type 2 diabetics or obese that use these drugs are putting themselves at risk and the physicians who prescribe outside the labeling should be held fully accountable for any significant/long-term adverse drug reaction due to use of the drug.
No, it won’t. It’s meant to control blood sugar. They’re not going to make a diabetes med OTC. I agree people shouldn’t be shamed for using these kinds of tools to help them get to healthier weights, but I don’t think it’s a great idea to treat it like a vanity exercise. Obesity causes a number of problems, some of which can kill you.
I thought the issue beyond a manufacturing shortage was that this drug has serious side effects so it doesn’t make medical sense to use it unless you are treating a condition that has its own set of significant risks – like diabetes?
Bingo.
It can be life changing for those who it’s medically intended for. But even a strong percentage of those patients have issues with the side effects- esp the mental health aspects.
Celina Spooky Boo did a whole video on it on YouTube that was very well done and really helped me understand the risks and side effects.
There was an article the other day about how these weight loss drugs may be a problem for people who later need surgery with anesthesia. It’s an issue with how quickly food leaves the system and people might have to go off the drug for 3 weeks before it’s safe to have anesthesia without the danger of aspirating.
Her husband is a plastic surgeon who also is a bravolebrity. She and he probably discussed the talking points. In the future He and she will be making money off of it through his practice. Why would she shame another channel that butters her bread?
Touche!
I’m entitled, medically, to access it and am tempted but the side effects scare me. Seeing all these people on insta dropping weight like crazy, don’t know why I’m so conservative about it. Sigh. My Dr would put me on it but she says she’s unhappy about the side effects.
I’ve been on Mounjaro for only a month, so my experience is limited. I’ve lost 20 pounds but it has sometimes been very rough. I went through a patch with nausea that lasted 3 days and was absolutely miserable. I certainly hope that the nausea doesn’t return. I’m hopeful about the future, but we’ll see.
I’ve been on Ozempic for diabetes for about 6 months now. We just upped my dosage from 1 to 2 mg. At first, I had some nausea the day after the weekly injection, but that faded after about a month. I’ve lost a little weight but I’m not shedding pounds like crazy, but that might be because I have other co-morbidities. It’s helped my A1C a LOT.
Ozempic was a game changer for me. I’m a diabetic who struggled to get my A1C down below 7 even with exercise and working with a nutritionist. Yes I lost weight on Ozempic, part of that was because when I first started taking it, I was so nauseous it was a struggle to eat.
After 10 months of therapy I am down a significant amount but most importantly my A1C was 5.3 on my last appointment. That’s why I’m on it.
My doctor’s office released a statement stating there is a crackdown on Ozempic, Wegovy, etc and they will not be writing scripts for these drugs UNLESS you meet other criteria besides weight loss. Good for them.
Aren’t a number of individuals experiencing very serious side effects from this drug? I can see how it would be a game changer for people using it for its original intended purpose.
I’m on it, and my insurance would not cover it. I had all the requirements (high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure) but was not overweight enough to qualify. I was working out with a trainer 4 days a week, eating healthy and still gaining weight with PCOS as well as my other markers going up. I am fortunate to be able to pay out of pocket and after 5 months I’ve lost 20 pounds (I’m not skinny by any stretch but I’m no longer overweight), but more importantly my cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure have all normalized. My IBS is even better.
The dark side: I do feel nauseous sometimes. I eat normal amounts of food but I used to really enjoy cooking and I just don’t anymore. I’m not sure if that’s a rut from working a ton and having a picky 7yo who won’t eat anything even remotely exciting, or of its the lack of “food noise” that makes me uninspired. I did feel very low energy for a while, but I’m taking vitamins now and feel much better.
My husband has been on Mounjaro since January 2023 for DM and has lost 75 pounds, lowered his A1C below 6, corrected his blood pressure and cholesterol and has been able to stop taking 3 different oral medications. He has also radically improved his diet. That’s a moderate pace for weight loss, given his size (6’4″ and started at well over 300#). He sometimes has to drive over 2 hours to get his Rx because of shortages though, which sucks. Priority needs to go to DM patients.
I agree the shortages are an issue. I have this habit that if a drug isn’t needed immediately (like a pain killer or antibiotic) I fill it, then don’t start it for a week or two. This helps give me a buffer of on hand medications in case of things like shortages. I’m glad I did. I refilled my Ozempic in January and immediately got a message from the pharmacy that they wouldn’t have it in stock for a week!
The issue with all weight loss drugs, and diets, is that as soon as you stop the body will automatically start trying to build up fat layers so that the next time the body is poorly or there is a famine it has enough reserves to cope. The best way to put on weight seems to be to go on a crash diet!
I’ve learn this recently reading a really interesting book called “Ravenous” by Henry Dimbleby and Jemima Lewis. It is about food system in the UK from farm to folk, however there are a few interesting chapters that discusses eating habits, dieting and how our bodies metabolism change.
It covers some amazing studies that show lack of calories or a fast decrease in body weight triggers the body to drop its metabolism and when calories start to become available it will replace fat lost and a little bit more. One of the studies concerns a group of 35 pacifists during WWII. They volunteered to undergo starvation trials at the University of Minnesota so that when countries were liberated they knew the best way to help people who had face starvation. The volunteers lost 25% of their weight and their metabolism dropped 40%. When they regained weight they put on an average of 10% extra, with more fat to muscle than they previously had.
The only way to loose weight permanently seems to be very slowly with gentle exercise reducing the chance of triggering the bodies panic response.
For anyone struggling with excess weight, this book will tell you that your body is amazing and that in any environment but our current high calorie one you would be one of the healthier, more capable member of the team. Your body, when calories are decreased, would drop its metabolism quicker and start pumping in chemicals that will increase your hunger to such a level that you would be able to achieve superhuman feats to get more food. Its nothing to do with willpower, which was also debunked, your body has a higher survival instinct.
I love your post, ABRITDEBBIE. Thank you for the “Ravenous” recommendation.
I first discovered it through my local library as an audio book. Its definitely worth looking there first of all. It has a lot of data and information, but I found it easier listening to it first, then reading the book. It really changed how I thought about my body and food. It also made me look at what is actually in my local supermarket.
I’m also going to give you a little content warning. The rest of documented cases in the chapters of weight loose and gain were not through volunteers. They don’t go into detail but it could be upsetting.
This is not exactly accurate for people who struggle with insulin resistance and take a GLP medication.
For me, first on Ozempic and now on Mounjaro, helping my body to use its own insulin to regulate my blood sugar is a game changer. My body had some ability to do so, which is why I am not T1D, but it was very limited which has landed me in T2D. My blood work over several years indicates that my insulin levels are not on line with whatever nutrition and exercise protocols I was following.
Getting my insulin regulation to function properly has resulted in a lower A1C, lower inflammation markers such as cholesterol levels, and and a bunch of other positive side effects including reduced inflammation (i have ankles! And knuckles!) and, yes, a lot of weight loss I started at 306 and am now at 275, so much more to go but I’m making progress!
When I get to where I am internally healthy, I hope my weight reflects the hard work I have put in not just while on GLPs but for decades that didn’t work because my body just wouldn’t cooperate. But if it doesn’t, I will still be far better off than I’d I hadn’t taken them in the first place, even if that includes taking a maintenance dose as needed
@Natalie_K exactly medication should be used correctly and also prescribed to the patient with information so they can consent to using it. I’m so glad there is medication that you can use to help your body use insulin. From my perspective you were offered a medication to help your body to use your own insulin with the side effect of possible weight loss. Its successfully doing what you hoped and you are not worried about loosing some weight. What upsets me is when people are offered the identical medication to loose weight but aren’t told that although it might help them loose weight whilst they take it, as soon as they stop it, it is highly likely that their body will try replace the fat it lost as soon as possible. They then feel rubbish about themselves that they are putting on weight again, struggling with horrendous cravings and think they don’t have any self control. This is cruel.
So I work with the older population of our society and we are now seeing Botox being used for incontinence. You get your bladder botoxed every 6-8 weeks. Some of my clients have used it and has improved their sleep (not getting up every hour) and has really restored their confidence.
Regarding the weight loss aspect. I have been struggling (two babies-gained and haven’t lost 60 pounds). I did a sleep study, functional nutritionist , hard core elimination diet, interment fasting, moving my body 30 plus minutes daily and nothing. So I am trying out metformin-I have no shame in the fact that my body needs help to function coupled with a strong desire to fit into clothes that I am too cheap to replace. I also think sometimes a little help can have cascading affects.
Interesting fact from two different doctors-Your body (the brain) typically takes 2 weeks to normalize a weight, but YEARS to decrease that weight-as it see’s loosing that weight as a crisis.
I believe it. I’ve been seeing an ENT for snoring (I’ve had a sleep study, I do not have apnea) and she said my snoring might be lessened if I lost weight, and suggested Ozempic. I almost fell off the chair. I’m overweight, on the bubble of 30 BMI and she said it would be covered. I refused outright.
I find it so stupid that people use Ozempic to lose 10 kilos. That people are deliberately willing to put drugs in their system just to lose some weight. Idiotic.
It should NOT be as easy to get as Botox, because it’s a genuinely powerful drug, and that means it’s potentially very harmful.
I know someone taking it for genuine medical reasons, and while it’s doing what it’s supposed to in that regard, she’s really not been enjoying spending months feeling nauseated.
(She said it takes about three weeks for her to adjust and stop feeling sick to her stomach, and then they up her dosage again, since they’re still tapering her up to what’s supposed to be her maintenance dose for the rest of her life.)