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The Boomerang Effect of Wegovy: A Weight Loss Drug’s Unintended Consequences
Edited by: TJVNews.com
When Eli Diaz started taking the diabetes drug Wegovy for weight loss, she was overjoyed by the initial results. Shedding 22 pounds in just three months seemed like a miracle fix, boosting her confidence and motivating her to reach her pre-baby weight. However, a report in the New York Post indicated that her elation quickly turned to despair when she experienced unexpected side effects and ultimately gained back more weight than she had lost. Diaz’s story is not unique, as many individuals prescribed Wegovy and similar drugs have faced a boomerang effect after discontinuing the medication, the report stated.
Such celebrities as Elon Musk, Sharon Osbourne, and Lauren Manzo, daughter of “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Caroline are among the ones that have explored this weight loss drug, the Post report said.
Diaz, 36, a mom of three who runs a Naples, Florida, construction company with her husband, was desperately trying to get back to her pre-baby weight of 145 pounds, the Post reported.
She went from weighing 244 pounds in February 2022 to 222 pounds by May, taking weekly injections of Wegovy. The Post report indicated that after three months and paying around $3,000 out of pocket for the drug, which was not covered by her insurance, her doctors discovered an unrelated thyroid issue and told her to stop taking the drug.
It was then that the “miracle” drug became her worst nightmare because she put on more weight than she had lost. “I started eating my meals completely again – and more sugary desserts and cookies. I felt more hungry after eating a full meal,” Diaz said, as was reported by the Post.
Semaglutide drugs, including Wegovy and Ozempic, were originally developed to treat diabetes but have gained popularity as weight loss aids. The Post reported that these drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and acts as an appetite suppressant. Clinical trials have shown that weekly injections of semaglutide can reduce body weight by 15%, leading to increased demand and a surge in usage among mainstream consumers and many celebrities.
While Wegovy may provide initial weight loss, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that individuals who discontinue the drug tend to regain two-thirds of the lost weight, according to the report in the Post. Without implementing lifestyle changes such as portion control, a healthy diet, and regular exercise, weight gain becomes nearly inevitable. Merely relying on the drug without addressing the underlying causes of obesity or weight gain is akin to applying a temporary Band-Aid solution.
Eli Diaz’s experience highlights the potential risks associated with taking Wegovy, the Post reported. After three months on the medication, she began experiencing severe side effects, including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and heart palpitations. Wegovy has been associated with serious side effects, including thyroid tumors, underscoring the importance of close monitoring and caution when using the drug.
In Diaz’s case, she had been on the drug for three months when she felt major side effects, the Post reported.
“On my third month, I became very sick. I started feeling tired, nauseous, throwing up. I went to the hospital because I started having heart palpitations,” Diaz told The Post.
While in the hospital doctors discovered she had a hyperactive thyroid – something, she said, had never been an issue prior to taking the diabetes drugs for weight loss. But then her weight skyrocketed up to 254 pounds – 10 pounds heavier than when she started the drug, as was reported by the Post.
One of the most challenging aspects of discontinuing Wegovy is the surge in hunger levels that often surpasses the pre-medication state. Mary Anne Cohen, director at the New York Center for Eating Disorders, explained to the Post that suppressing hunger with medication can lead to a biological backlash, intensifying feelings of hunger once the medication is discontinued. Additionally, emotional issues like depression, anxiety, restrictive dieting, boredom, and trauma can trigger overeating, exacerbating weight regain.
“Once the patient comes off Ozempic, their hunger, which was suppressed by the medication, reasserts itself with a vengeance. This has nothing to do with their lack of willpower, but a genuine biological backlash to having had their hunger suppressed,” Cohen told the Post.
“All the emotional issues that have caused overeating in the first place will once again trigger the eating response: depression, anxiety, restrictive dieting, boredom, sexual conflict, grief or trauma,” she continued.
Eli Diaz’s weight regain after stopping Wegovy caused her to spiral into a deep depression. The Post reported that she felt defeated and contemplated returning to the medication, only to be advised against it due to her thyroid issues. Diaz’s story highlights the emotional toll of weight regain and the desperate search for effective, sustainable solutions. Ultimately, the Post reported that she opted for gastric sleeve surgery, a bariatric procedure that restricts calorie intake and reduces hunger. The surgery has allowed Diaz to lose 40 pounds since March, and she now feels healthier and more like herself.
Also speaking to the Post was Dr. Caroline Messer, an endocrinologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, who works with patients to get to the root cause of their obesity or weight gain.
“Most people – if they have not addressed the underlying cause of the weight gain – will gain the weight back. It’s a Band-Aid,” she said. “If you’re just losing weight and you’re not working out then you will have a slower metabolism and you will experience a boomerang effect when you stop,” Messer added.
