Although initially developed for Type 2 diabetes, Ozempic is an injectable medication that has gained popularity for its weight loss benefits. This increase in popularity is leading to a global shortage, with many Type 2 diabetics now struggling to get hold of the medication.
Sunday's episode of 7News Spotlight featured a panel of Australia’s top medical experts, exploring the implications of the highly sought-after drug, for both diabetics and those struggling with weight loss.
These medical experts were joined Ajay Rochester, (former Biggest Loser host & user of Ozempic) in discussing the pros and cons of Ozempic, including whether it should become available to children and added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
One celebrity who fell prey to the lure of Ozempic was Roxy Jacenko. However, her experience taking it almost cost her life.
When Roxy first heard about Ozempic, she was determined to get hold of it, desperate to lose weight gained after battling breast cancer.
After visiting her GP who refused to prescribe the drug, Roxy admits she bought the drug on the black market.
“ It was about $2,500 for the drive there and back, and then it was another $700 for the two pens,” she revealed.
Roxy likens her behaviour, and the excitement she felt acquiring Ozempic, to that of a "junkie". So desperate to see the effects, she took four times the recommended amount in one hit. When her health then took a turn for the worse, Roxy felt as though she was going to die.
“I was driving to work. I was sweating. I was so hot and then I just kept vomiting nonstop" she said.
“ I ended up in hospital... This was the first they had seen of an Ozempic overdose...My whole body was shaking, I couldn’t control my legs. It’s like I had no control of my body" she recalled.
Roxy then shockingly admitted that "Cancer was a walk in the park compared to how bad I felt for those three days".
Roxy no longer takes the drug, but has given up drinking and follows a healthy diet - and when asked, she said she would never consider Ozempic again.
Conversely, former Biggest Loser host Ajay Rochester claims Ozempic has "saved her life" after struggling with her weight for several years.
Rochester said she faced extreme pressure to be thin when hosting The Biggest Loser, which led to unhealthy eating habits.
'The pressure was on to lose those extra kilos. When I was hosting Biggest Loser, the lightest I got was 70 kilos and I did not eat, did not eat,' she explained.
During her interview for 7News Spotlight, Rochester claimed Ozempic changed her life.
"It's not cheating, it's medicine" she claimed.
Should people battling obesity have access to drugs like Ozempic?
Or should they be reserved for their initial intended purpose?
Watch the full 7NEWS Spotlight special on Ozempic on 7plus.
If you found this article interesting, you might like to hear Yvie Jones' thoughts on, and experience with "fat-shaming" in the medical field.
