A 56-year-old Australian woman who used Ozempic has died, and her husband thinks the trendy weight loss drug is to blame.
Trish Webster died earlier this year after using Ozempic and other weight loss injections to lose a few pounds before her daughter’s wedding, “60 Minutes Australia” reported. She saw an advertisement for it on television and went to her physician for a prescription.
During her journey, Webster lost about 35 pounds. However, she did experience consistent side effects that worsened on Jan. 16, which reportedly is the day she passed away.
“She had a little bit of brown stuff coming out of her mouth and I realized she wasn’t breathing, and started doing CPR,” her husband Roy told the outlet. “It was just pouring out and I turned her onto the side because she couldn’t breathe.”
Webster’s cause of death was determined to be gastrointestinal illness, and Roy is pushing for a coronial inquest.
Ozempic — initially used to help lower blood sugar for people with Type 2 diabetes — and other weight loss drugs have gained popularity in recent years, especially among celebrities. Experts say it tricks the user’s brain into thinking the stomach is full, ultimately slowing down the digestion process.
Powerhouses like comedian Tracy Morgan and television analyst Charles Barkley have been open about their usage. Other celebrities have spoken out against using it.
During an interview with E! News in July, actress Raven Symoné expressed her feelings about it.
“I have pre-diabetes and diabetes in my family. If I’m not careful with my intake with types of foods, I am more susceptible to getting diabetes,” Symoné told the outlet, as Black people are more likely to die from the disease than their white counterparts.
“So, I think it’s very important we understand certain medications are made for certain people — and to not take that away just for glamazon purposes,” she said. “Do what you gotta do. Just make sure you save the medication for the people who actually need it.”
An Oct. 5 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that people who use popular weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy may face a higher risk of experiencing severe gastrointestinal issues.
“Although rare, the incidence of these adverse events can happen. I’ve seen it happen,” said Mohit Sodhi, a medical student at the University of British Columbia Faculty who authored the study. “People should know what they’re getting into.”
People have reported side effects of Ozempic and similar drugs, such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, according to NBC News. For instance, in the United States, a Louisiana woman sued Novo Nordisk, a pharmaceutical company that makes the drug, arguing that it didn’t note the possible side effects and triggered gastroparesis or stomach paralysis. Another company was also listed as a defendant in the suit. The companies refuted her claims, and both filed motions to dismiss her lawsuit.
For Roy, the risks are too dangerous: “If I knew that could happen, she wouldn’t have been taking it,” he told “60 Minutes.”
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