4 Stars’ Ozempic Horror Stories

From emergency room visits to dangerous weight loss, celebrities are speaking out about severe complications from the popular diabetes drug being used for weight loss. Here are four stars who experienced frightening side effects from Ozempic and its generic equivalent, semaglutide.

Lisandra Silva: “I Felt Like I Was Dying”

Cuban actress Lisandra Silva, 37, revealed a terrifying experience that led to hospitalization after trying Ozempic. “Do you know who recommended it to me: A doctor, and I tell you I put it on once to try it, because they talked about it so much and I ended up in the hospital,” she shared in a Nov. 1 Instagram post. The mother of two, who shares son Noah and daughter Leiah with ex Raúl Peralta, described a dangerous drop in blood sugar that forced her to “call the children’s daddy when I felt like I was passing out & my kids were asleep next to me.”

Following her hospitalization, Silva has completely transformed her approach to health. “My OZEMPIC IS: Ayurveda Diet, Meditation, Exercise in Nature! Discipline, Determination, Mental Toughness, and Clear Goals! Health of the mind, body and heart!” she declared, adding, “Please listen to my advice! There is nothing like a healthy lifestyle! DON’T MAKE IT UP!” Her followers have rallied behind this natural approach, with one commenting, “Love how you take care of your body,” and another noting, “The best way to have good and most of all lasting results, consistency and awareness both in diet and exercise!!!”

Lottie Moss: Hospitalized After Seizure

Kate Moss‘s sister Lottie, 26, said in September that she suffered severe complications after taking Ozempic for just two weeks “a few months ago.” She obtained the drug through a friend, bypassing proper medical screening. “It was kind of below board… It was from a doctor, but it wasn’t like you go into a doctor’s office, and he prescribes it for you, he takes your blood pressure and takes tests, which is what you need when you go on something like Ozempic,” Moss explained on her podcast Dream On with Lottie Moss.

The consequences were immediate and severe. “When I tell you it was the worst decision I ever made, so if this is a warning to anyone: Please, if you’re thinking of doing it, do not take it, it’s so not worth it,” she warned. “I would rather die any day than take that again. It made me feel so nauseous.” Her weight plummeted dangerously fast: “I think I started at about [132 pounds], and I went down to [125 pounds] with the first dose, then I went down to like [119 pounds]. It was crazy. I think my lowest was [116 pounds]. In terms of a few weeks, that’s not a healthy weight loss.”

The situation culminated in an emergency room visit after she experienced a seizure due to dehydration. Moss revealed she had been taking a dosage meant for people weighing over 220 pounds, despite being only around 110 pounds. “The amount that I was taking was actually meant for people who are [220 pounds] and over, and I’m in the [110] range. So, it’s these small things that I wish I’d known before taking it.”

Macy Gray: Breathing Difficulties in Colombia

Singer Macy Gray’s Ozempic experience was captured on MTV’s The Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets, where the 56-year-old’s health visibly deteriorated on camera. Her ordeal began with severe constipation and stomach pain. “Oh, boy my stomach hurts,” she told castmates Kim Zolciak and Johnny Weir on the July 23 episode of the show, per Prevention. “I took Ozempic. I can’t go to the bathroom, and I was up all night.” Zolciak immediately warned, “Ozempic does that. You have to be really careful, you know.”

Gray’s condition deteriorated while filming in Colombia, leading to breathing difficulties. “This sucks because I’m here all the way in Colombia and I really just want to give it my all, but I just feel awful and I just want it to go away,” she told cameras. “This is not going well. I can’t even walk very much without losing my breath.” After consulting with a set medic about her pancreas, she was rushed to the emergency room.

The Grammy winner later explained her decision to try the drug: “I’m kind of a vain person. I’ve gained a lot of weight over the past couple years, and this is right about the time when everybody starts talking about this Ozempic. So, I thought, okay, I’m not taking [the weight] off the right way, let me see if I can get one of these.” While Gray has since appeared in more recent episodes, suggesting recovery, her current status with the medication remains unclear.

Jennifer Fessler: Impacted Bowel Emergency

Real Housewives of New Jersey star Jennifer Fessler detailed her year-long experience with semaglutide on the Dec. 4 episode of her podcast Two Jersey Js. Despite losing 22 pounds, she faced a serious medical emergency. “I’m not afraid of Ozempic and I will tell you I have had an experience that was not good, and I’m pretty positive it was about the semaglutide. I had to go to the hospital for an impacted bowel,” she revealed, adding, “I’m still not nervous about it.”

The reality star admitted to ignoring warning signs while maintaining poor dietary choices. “I was drinking no water, eating no vegetables,” she explained. “‘Cause something that happens, a new experience for me, is being able to eat what I want even when it’s not the most healthy choices and still lose weight.” She continued taking the drug while “losing weight on pizza and bagels and ice cream,” going without bowel movements for “at least a week and a half” before seeking medical attention.

Despite the hospitalization, Fessler continues using the medication, stating she hasn’t “had a problem since.” Her experience highlights the ongoing debate about the drug’s safety and proper usage, even as other celebrities, including Sharon Osbourne and Tracy Morgan, have also spoken about their experiences with the medication.

Understanding the Risks

Ozempic, FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes treatment, works in the brain to reduce hunger. Its active ingredient, semaglutide, is approved for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy. The drug has a half-life of about a week, meaning improper dosing can lead to overdose symptoms including low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), lightheadedness, dizziness, chills, sweating, headache, and weakness.

Dr. Florence Comite of the Comite Center for Precision Medicine & Health explained to Prevention that while constipation and digestive issues are common side effects, more serious complications like fatigue and pancreatitis can occur. These celebrity experiences illustrate the importance of proper medical supervision when using diabetes medication for weight loss.