An Irish man explained his struggles with an Ozempic- like drug and the issues he encountered after taking it for years.
While weight loss drugs aren’t anything new, they have shot to mass popularity in recent years as many celebrities announced their own journey on Ozempic or similar drugs.
This is despite the fact that Ozempic is intended to be used as a prescription medication for those suffering with Type 2 diabetes.
76-year-old John Kane from Killiney, Dublin, remarked at his own experience with a drug similar to Ozempic and highlighted the impact it had on his body when he attempted to come off of it.
Kane explained the reason he decided to start taking a weight loss drug in the first place was tied to him starting to have mobility issues similar to that of his mom.
Speaking to Irish Independent, he said: “I remember sitting on the couch and I dropped something and I went ‘yeah I’ll leave that’.
He added this moment reminded him of his mother who wasn’t moving much in her final years.
As part of the Strive clinical trial at St Vincent’s Hospital, Kane started taking liraglutide, a medication not unlike semaglutide that is commonly known as Ozempic or Wegovy.
What is Liraglutide?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is a drug that decreases a person’s appetite.
If a healthcare provider recommended this drug they are also likely to suggest changes to diet and exercise as well.
This medication is for injections under the skin of your upper leg, stomach area, or upper arm and can come with a whole host of side effects.
What are the side effects of Liraglutide?
Some of the most severe side effects include:
- Allergic reactions or angioedema—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, arms, or legs, trouble swallowing or breathing
- Gallbladder problems—severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fever
- Pancreatitis—severe stomach pain that spreads to your back or gets worse after eating or when touched, fever, nausea, vomiting
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, worsening mood, feelings of depression
What happened when John stopped taking Liraglutide?
While there are many side effects that could have impacted John, what he experienced was an inability to keep the weight off when he stopped taking it.
He said: “I had really put a lot of effort into the last two years, and was determined not to put back on the weight. But whether I liked it or not, even watching my food, the weight just started to creep back up. Half the weight I’d lost, I put back on over six months.
“If you come off this and you’re putting up the weight, mentally you hit the rocks. It was really affecting me. I’m not one to be depressed, but it really bit into me. At the end of the six months, my wife said, ‘Jesus, go back on it’. So financially, we were like, ‘let’s just bite the bullet’."
Why did John start taking Ozempic?
In hopes of staving off the weight, Kane opted for a switch.
He explained: “If you’re on this and it’s working, and you give up, the shit’s going to hit the fan. No one has the will to overcome the genetic stuff [condition of obesity]. They then brought out semaglutide, which was about €140 and more manageable [financially].”
If you are considering getting on any weight-loss drug, it is worth speaking to your health care professional first.