Warning: This article contains discussion of weight and weight loss which some readers may find distressing.
Lottie Moss has issued a huge warning to others after her experience with weight loss drug Ozempic, saying it was the ‘worst decision’ she’s ever made.
Lottie, the sister of model Kate Moss, discussed her use of the medication in an episode of her Dream On with Lottie Moss podcast.
Advert
She admitted she’d taken it for two weeks ‘a few months ago’ after feeling unhappy about her weight, having found out that a friend could source some for her.
Ozempic, which is the brand name for the drug semaglutide, was designed to treat type 2 diabetes, but is also used for weight loss thanks to its ability to reduce appetite.
The 26-year-old recalled: "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."
Advert
She acknowledged that the drug was ‘not really meant for weight loss of people that aren't of a very large size’, continuing: "When I was taking it, the amount that I was taking was actually meant for people who are [220lbs] and over, and I'm in the [110lb] range.
“So, it's these small things that I wish I'd known before taking it."
Having found herself throwing up repeatedly, Lottie claimed she went from weighing 132lbs to 125lbs with her ‘first dose’, and then down to 119lbs.
“It was crazy,” she said.
Advert
“I think my lowest was [116lbs]. In terms of a few weeks, that's not a healthy weight loss, and that's not a healthy drop."
Lottie recalled being in bed for days and ‘just wanting to come off it’, explaining: “Because it's not like you can stop taking it, it's not like a pill or something that you don't take when you wake up in the morning, it's in your system, and it's there."
At one point, she felt so ‘sick’ after being unable to keep and water or food down, and had to be rushed to hospital - which was where she found out she'd essentially overdosed on the drug.
“We go and see one of the nurses and she’s like, ‘How much of a dose are you taking?’ I was like, however much, and she said, ‘Oh my god, that’s so not what you’re meant to be taking,’” she went on, saying she suffered a seizure from teh hydration, as her whole body also tensed up.
Advert
“[It] was honestly one of the scariest things that has ever happened to me in my life,” she added.
In a plea to others, Lottie urged people not to make the same mistake.
"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 taking it, do not take it, it's so not worth it," she told listeners.
Advert
"I would rather die any day than take that again. It made me feel so nauseous."
In a statement to Tyla, a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer behind Ozempic, said: "We understand and empathise with the health challenges this patient has faced.
"While we cannot comment on this particular incident, the safety and wellbeing of patients taking our medicines is our top priority. We strongly recommend that all patients stay in close contact with their healthcare professional for proper diagnosis, ongoing guidance, and careful monitoring.
"It is important to note that Ozempic® (semaglutide injection) is a prescription-only medicine, meaning that it must be prescribed by a healthcare professional under strict supervision.
"Patients must make any decisions about treatment together with their healthcare professional so that their doctor can assess whether it is appropriate to prescribe the medicine or not, based on their assessment of the patient’s individual medical profile. Accessing prescription-only medicines without a valid prescription or without the care of a healthcare professional can pose a direct danger to health.
"We are working closely with the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to continuously monitor the safety profile of our medicines. Novo Nordisk has reported this case to its safety team who will follow up in line with procedures for safety reporting."
Jess Hardiman