Unfortunately, a woman who was using Ozempic to shed pounds before her daughter’s wedding passed away due to gastrointestinal complications.
Trish Webster, a 56-year-old woman from Australia, had been prescribed Ozempic in order to fit into her desired wedding dress for her daughter’s marriage ceremony.
Ozempic, originally approved by the US FDA for individuals with Type 2 diabetes, has been widely utilized as a weight loss aid internationally.
This medication functions by replicating a natural hormone called GLP-1, which delays the digestion process and prolongs the feeling of fullness.
According to recent reports, the FDA has received 18 cases of intestinal obstruction, known as ileus, in individuals using Ozempic.
Webster took Ozempic alongside the prescription injection Saxenda, shedding about 35 pounds in a period of five months.
Despite the rapid weight loss, these medications reportedly had negative effects on her health.
On the 16th of January, 2023, just a few months before her daughter’s wedding, Trish’s husband discovered her unconscious with a brown liquid flowing out of her mouth.
Tragically, she passed away that night due to acute gastrointestinal illness.
Her husband expressed regret, stating, “If I had known this could happen, she wouldn’t have taken it. I never imagined it could be fatal.”
Although the direct link between Webster’s death and her use of Ozempic and Saxenda has not been officially established, her husband holds these drugs accountable.
According to him, “She shouldn’t be gone. It’s just not worth it, not at all.”
In a statement to “60 Minutes Australia,” the manufacturer of Ozempic, Novo Nordisk, acknowledged reports of ileus, suggesting that the issue was only recognized after the drug’s release.
Lawsuits have been filed against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly and Company in the US, alleging that their popular weight-loss medications can lead to severe gastrointestinal problems and even death.
A law firm has received hundreds of similar complaints from clients across different states, relating to injuries supposedly caused by various weight-loss drugs.
The FDA updated the label for Ozempic in September to include the complaints of blocked intestines in some users.
Aside from gastrointestinal issues, other side effects including gastroparesis have been reported in individuals using Ozempic.
Experts caution that these medications have not been studied long enough to understand their long-term impacts and are possibly being misused as a shortcut to weight loss.