TikTok creator and curves model Remi Bader said when she quit Ozempic, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, she “went back to double the weight”.
Ozempic is used to help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. However, in recent months it has become a popular drug for weight loss. The boom in popularity has led to an Ozempic shortage.
On a recent episode of the “Not Skinny Not Fat” podcast, Bader told host Amanda Hirsch that she was on Ozempic before it became “that trendy drug” and shortly after it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. She said she prescribed it because she was pre-diabetic and insulin resistant and was gaining weight.
“They said I needed it. And I had a lot of mixed feelings,” Bader said. “Because then…a few months later I got the bad bulimia and quit it.”
Bader, who is known for her “realistic clothing wears” on TikTok, opened up about her experience with binge eating. She has 2.2 million followers on TikTok and has become known for her advocacy for inclusive fashion.
“I saw a doctor, and they said, ‘It’s 100% because you took Ozempic,'” she said of the impact of stopping the drug on she. “It made me think I hadn’t been hungry for so long that I lost weight. I didn’t want to obsess over staying there long term. I was like, ‘I bet the second I get down I’m gonna starve again.’ I did, and my bulimia got so bad. So I kind of blamed Ozempic.
TikTok videos tagged with #ozempic have racked up over 400 million views, with some users praising its weight loss effects and others opening up about their negative experiences. Side effects from Ozempic include headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, pancreatitis and kidney failure, “TODAY” reported.
Increased demand for drugs and ongoing supply chain issues have prevented people with type 2 diabetes from getting the drugs they need. With limited access to Ozempic, patients had to visit multiple pharmacies, accept lower doses, or even switch medications altogether.
The drug’s maker, Novo Nordisk, previously told “TODAY,” “We do not promote, suggest, or encourage off-label use of our drugs.”
A Bader spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.