What The ‘Hollywood Weight Loss Drug’ Semaglutide Did For Me

You’ve probably heard by now that diets don’t work. But acknowledging the futility of dieting offers little to the person whose doctor tells them to lose weight. When a friend said she was taking semaglutide — what Variety called “Hollywood’s secret new weight loss drug” — I wanted to know about her experience. The injectable prescription drug (brand name Ozempic or Wegovy), which was developed a decade ago to treat diabetes, works by prompting the release of insulin, slowing digestion, and potentially suppressing appetite. It’s being hailed as a breakthrough treatment for obesity, even though some studies show that people regain much of the weight they lose if they stop taking it. — Kat Stoeffel, features director

Q: You were the first person to tell me about Ozempic. How did you find out about it?

A: Very good question! I think I first read about it in Bloomberg in January of this year. I can’t remember if I was looking for it or happened upon it, but my curiosity was certainly piqued.

Q: So, way before it became a Hollywood phenomenon. How does it feel to be on the drug Elon Musk tweeted about?

It’s been harder to fill my prescription since the wave of press coverage, but aside from that, I have really tried not to think about my use of semaglutide in a global sense. It was the right decision for me, given the specific coordinates of my medical history, but I recognize that it’s now a “thing” and I don’t necessarily want to be a part of that “thing.” Honestly, on some level I feel a bit like a failure for using it. I follow all these wonderful women of different shapes and sizes on Instagram who I think look amazing, and I feel ashamed that I couldn’t get the “embrace your body at any size” mantra to stick when I looked in the mirror. I worry that people will read the decisions I’ve made about my own body as suggesting I look at the world in a fatphobic way. Rather than spiral into an anxiety hole, I’ve tried to just focus on my own health. It’s been good for me; I’ll let the doctors decide if that’s the case for everyone else.

Q: Did you ask your doctor about it specifically? Was weight loss something you had talked about before?

A: Yes. I had a regular medication check in with my GP about the other drugs I take, and I brought semaglutide up on a whim at the end of our conversation. I was already on metformin for insulin resistance, which we discovered in 2020 after I gained a vast amount of weight that I couldn’t quite explain. The metformin stopped me gaining further weight, but it didn’t help me lose the weight that I’d already gained. My doctor at One Medical referred me to one of their colleagues who was an expert in this new medication, and after a long waiting time for an appointment, I was on my way!

Q: Had you tried to lose weight before taking this drug?

A: Yes, many times, always unsuccessfully. I gained a lot of weight in my first year of university when I had my first bout of depression and eating was my way of coping. I first started trying to lose weight after that and ended up with an eating disorder that took me several years to kick. I vividly remember when the doctors who treated me for that condition showed me a graph of everyone on their program who was successfully in recovery with their weight gently going up over time. And, of course, my first question was, “but will I be able to lose the weight eventually?” — I’m not sure what exactly “the weight” was, but it was probably “just 10 pounds” less than whatever weight I was at the time — and they said, as gently as possible, “probably not.” So I spent my 20s ostensibly trying to feel OK with the fact that I could never lose weight or change my body, while secretly dieting and — surprise, surprise — failing. Spoiler alert: Diets are a scam. They never work.

Q: Did Ozempic work?

Yes. I’ve lost 2 pounds a week pretty consistently. I’ve tried to be really really consistent with my habits, because I know that’s the only thing that will make it a consistent change.

Q: How often do you take the shots? At home or at the doctor?

Weekly. You keep the pens in the fridge and administer the injections at home.

Q: What does it feel like to be on it? Have you experienced any side effects?

I experienced some nausea when I started and whenever I’ve increased my dose, which is typically every four weeks or so. Mainly I have a smaller appetite and feel fuller for longer, though it has also impacted some tastes. I used to drink a can of Diet Coke every day, but now I can’t stand the taste. I also can’t drink much alcohol without thinking “meh,” which has been a disorienting experience! I love drinking socially, and now after two drinks I tend to feel full and like I don’t want more than that anyway. I miss it!

Q: Did your doctor warn you about any risks/concerns about the drug?

Yes. Mainly she said that this drug would help me lose weight, but it wouldn’t help me keep it off. She was adamant that I would need to see a nutritionist, therapist, and exercise for 150 minutes a week. I signed up for Wellory, a nutritionist booking platform, and worked with a brilliant nutritionist for the first few months. I think my diet was already pretty good, but I realized I wasn’t eating enough fiber. Otherwise, I started using the gym in my building four times a week walking uphill.

Q: How much does Ozempic cost you? Did you have to jump through any hoops to get it covered by your insurance?

I have insulin resistance, am categorized as prediabetes, and have a family history of diabetes. Because of this, my insurance covers the medication. I pay $25 for a prescription.

This drug just makes me feel like I’m working on a level playing field. I know if I eat the right things, and exercise, my body will evolve in the way I want it to. That didn’t used to be the case.

Q: Some reports say users will have to take it for the rest of their lives. How long do you need to take it?

My doctor says I can stay on it for as long as I’m comfortable. Some people stop losing weight once they reach around 20% loss of body weight, though my doctor said others keep going. I’m not sure where I’m going to net out. We did blood work again this week after four months or so, and my cholesterol was improved, among other things. I will likely need to treat my prediabetes for the rest of my life anyway, so it’s just a question of whether this drug will continue to be the best treatment for that.

Q: I’m curious if your doctors ever shared their perspective on dieting. Right now, the idea of health at every size — or that people can focus on living healthily independent of its effects on one’s weight — is gaining traction in popular media, as a way of destigmatizing fatness. But, in my experience, doctors are still pretty focused on BMI.

I really like my doctor because she didn’t attach any judgment to wanting to lose weight. She didn’t say, “Well, yes, you should lose it” or “You’re fine as you are.” I liked that because I hate when people tell me how to feel about my own body. She just said, “Losing it is really, really hard in a way that nobody admits.” She also said that she feels incredibly energized by this drug and its ability to help people feel better in their own bodies, if that involves losing weight. In terms of goals, we don’t have a specific number in mind. Instead we’re focused on measuring my insulin, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

Q: Has the experience changed your relationship to food?

Yes and no. I still like eating, I just can’t eat as much. More than anything, I think this drug just makes me feel like I’m working on a level playing field. I know if I eat the right things, and exercise, my body will evolve in the way I want it to. That didn’t used to be the case. I would have uncontrollable cravings because of my wonky blood sugar, gain weight, get depressed, overeat, and then gain more weight. It was a vicious cycle. Because of that I had a very frank conversation with my therapist before going on the drug. I didn’t want to do it unless I felt in a good place mentally, and now I don’t know if it’s a combination of my mood being better, or the drug itself, but I find it effortless to adhere to a nutritious diet. For that, I’m very grateful.

Q: I read that one of the ways Ozempic works is by suppressing appetite. Do you ever see a potential to abuse this?

I suppose it could, but when I did CBT for an eating disorder I was put on a three meals and two snacks daily eating plan and I’ve never given that up. It’s still what I follow, though the meals and snacks are all smaller.

Q: I’m curious what it’s been like to lose weight on Ozempic, and if it’s felt different than maybe other times in your life when your weight has changed.

It’s definitely different because there’s no sense of restriction. For me that restriction was indelibly linked to self-loathing, so to be liberated from that cycle is a welcome change. I mentioned my generally better mood early. Perhaps that’s just being 15 years into managing depression and now deep in my 30s, but it has been interesting to navigate through the pounds and look at the numbers differently than before. I’ll reach a certain weight and think, “I remember when I was this weight four years ago and I thought I couldn’t leave the house,” and now I think I look excellent. I had a target weight of what I thought I would need to hit to feel good, but actually I’ve started to feel good at least 30-40 pounds above that. It’s interesting to wonder if feeling good is more about feeling in control than the actual number itself, or perhaps I’ve just taken on more of the health at any size than I thought.