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Ozempic and Wegovy, two drugs commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity in patients, are growing popular for their ability to promote extreme weight loss. But medical experts are warning people about the bad side effects that can occur if used improperly.
Taken once a week by injection in the thigh, stomach or arm, Ozempic and Wegovy help to impact satiety, which means it will keep you feeling full, even after a small meal.
The prescription medication is often used to help diabetes patients and those with clinical obesity manage their weight, but now, both drugs are trending across social media and in Hollywood for their powerful weight loss properties. Many of the people using them do not have diabetes or obesity.
Stars like Chelsea Handler and even billionaire Elon Musk have confessed to using the drugs for weight loss, but experts are cautioning people to tread lightly with the medication due to adverse side effects.
Extreme weight gain can occur in users who stop taking the medication
A new study recently published by the Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics found that “rebound weight gain” occurred in users who stopped taking the medication. According to the data, most people who take Ozempic or Wegovy tend to see dramatic weight gain within a year of stopping their injections.
“We’re seeing a lot of patients have this rebound weight gain, and it can really be devastating,” Dr. Karla Robinson, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based family physician, told NPR.
Yolanda Hamilton, an avid user of Wegovy told NPR that she was using the drug to lower her high blood pressure and high blood sugar. She was also overweight. Hamilton said the medication helped her curve her sugar cravings and gave her a boost of energy. As a result, she was able to lose a whopping 60 pounds.
Here’s the bad part.
When she switched to a new job, her new insurance did not cover the hefty cost of the medication. Hamilton had to pay $1,400 per month just to purchase Wegovy. Eventually she couldn’t afford to keep up with the expensive payments. Within a matter of months of stopping her weekly injections, she gained back 20 pounds.
“I’m very frustrated about the weight coming back on in so little time. I crave sweets… I’m losing my energy,” she said. “If I gain more weight, I will be on more medications.”
Some people claim they have seen their face age and sag after excessive use of Ozempic and similar drugs
Some people who have used both drugs have reported signs of aging after prolonged use, a common side effect that has been dubbed “Ozempic Face.”
In an interview with the New York Times, Jennifer Berger said she saw her face start to age aggressively after taking Mounjaro, a medication like Ozempic and Wegovy, that can be used to help people with type 2 diabetes regulate blood sugar.
“I remember looking in the mirror, and it was almost like I didn’t even recognize myself,” she said. “My body looked great, but my face looked exhausted and old.”
It’s pretty common for sagging to occur during weight loss, and the facial area is no different, according to Dr. Oren Tepper, a New York-based plastic surgeon.
“When it comes to facial aging, fat is typically more friend than foe,” he told the New York Times. “Weight loss may turn back your biological age, but it tends to turn your facial clock forward.”
All in all, folks need to exercise caution and educate themselves before diving into this rising trend. Ania Jastreboff, M.D., PhD., an obesity medicine physician scientist at Yale University told PEOPLE that those using the medication must continue taking it regularly to maintain weight loss.
“If you have a patient who has high blood pressure, they have hypertension, and you start them on an antihypertensive medication, and their blood pressure improves, what would happen if you stopped that medication? Well, their blood pressure would go back up — and we’re not surprised. It’s the same with anti-obesity medications,” she explained.
Have you tried the Ozempic and Wegovy weight loss craze? What are your thoughts? Tell us down in the comments section.
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