I lost 10 lbs in a month on Ozempic, I quit taking it over ‘scary’ side effects but started again when my mom died at 53
HERALDED by some as a hero weight loss product, but feared by others over possible long-term issues, Ozempic is arguably one of the most controversial medications available today.
A 34-year-old woman who stopped taking it over "scary" side effects has revealed how she made the difficult decision to return to the so-called "skinny jab," after weighing up her options.
Mila Clarke, from Houston, Texas, shed 10 pounds within a month of being prescribed the drug - as part of her treatment for Type 1 diabetes.
She then went viral on YouTube when she took to her channel The Hangry Woman, to reveal she stopped using Ozempic just months after she started.
She was prescribed the medication when her diabetes diagnosis was corrected at 30, after four years of thinking she had Type 2.
“I took the normal treatment path which is readjusting diet to lower carbs and exercising,” Mila told The U.S. Sun.
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“Then my doctor wanted to put me on oral medications as well, just to lower my blood glucose.
"Over time, the oral medications just weren't working for me and I was having all these side effects.
“I was feeling really sick and tired, but my blood sugars weren't improving at all.
"My A1C, which is the three-month average of your blood sugars, was getting worse.
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“I ended up seeing a primary care doctor who referred me to an endocrinologist.
"The endocrinologist said 'it's a little bit weird for you to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at your age.'
“He tested me for the antibodies for Type 1 diabetes and did a peptide test.
"I was positive for antibodies and I had low insulin production, so I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.”
Mila raised concerns to her doctor about the possibility of gaining weight while on insulin.
She was advised to try the once-weekly shot Ozempic to improve her insulin sensitivity and weight loss.
“He went through the process with me, told me 'you have to still keep track of your diet, still exercise,'” Mila said.
“It's not a magic shot, but it is going to help in some of these areas that you're concerned about.
“My mom was going through a lot of issues with her heart at the time.
“I was telling my endocrinologist about it and he said 'Ozempic can also provide some protection in that area since you do have a family risk of heart disease.'"
A recent study published by found the risk of adverse cardiovascular events dropped by about 20% in volunteers who took semaglutide injections - the drug in Wegovy and Ozempic.
“Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the U.S.," said Low Wang, a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
"If we can prevent adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes, and help people lead longer, healthier lives, that’s a major finding."
Mila started the jabs in 2020 and says she had "pretty good results at first."
“I dropped 10 pounds in a month, which had never, ever happened to me, and my blood sugars were noticeably better," she said.
“I noticed it was impacting my appetite. I could drink a glass of water at mealtime and be full.
"That was a little bit scary for me.”
Mila's dose gradually increased as her body got used to Ozempic but she started to get “terrifying” side effects when it reached 0.5 milligrams.
“I started to develop heart palpitations,” she said. “I was having tachycardia, rapid heartbeats, trouble breathing a little bit.”
Despite her doctor reassuring her that the symptoms were not likely to cause a heart attack, Mila decided to quit taking Ozempic.
But when she lost her mother to a heart attack aged just 53, she resumed taking the shots after a six-month break.
"She was just sunshine," Mila said speaking about her mom.
"She was one of the most energetic and active people I've ever known.
"She was ultimately very private about her health and didn't want to burden any of us with how she was feeling.
"Her passing was a shock to all of us - especially given her age, and her energy. We miss her very much."
Mila now takes the medication alongside a mealtime insulin and a long-acting insulin, to balance her blood sugars.
She also takes a preventative cholesterol medicine called atorvastatin.
“I went back to my endocrinologist and said 'I know it sounds crazy, but I think I want to get back on Ozempic as I want that protection,'” she said.
“I just don't want to take other oral medications.
“I would rather do the once-weekly injection just because it's easier for my quality of life and easier to keep track of.
“I just want something I don't have to think about that much, but that's going to give me the most health benefits overall.”
Mila didn’t experience any negative side effects when she began taking Ozempic again.
The recipe developer and diabetes advocate said the speed at which she was losing weight became slower, but was still steady.
She also stopped having glucose spikes, despite eating the foods that she enjoys such as pizza or pasta.
“Sometimes if I'm at dinner with friends, I have a cocktail or water and only eat two bites of food. They're like ‘Girl, what's wrong?’” she said.
“It's been weird having to explain to people I'm okay.
“This is just like a side effect of the medicine, I get fuller faster and so I might have to take my food to go instead of enjoying it.”
Mila admitted that she was unsure she would’ve been able to lose as much weight without taking Ozempic.
“Since my early to mid-20s, as long as I can remember, I've always tried to lose weight,” she said.
“I would run half marathons and workout for two hours a day.
“I ate nothing but salads because I thought ‘Oh, that's the way that I'm going to be able to lose weight’ but that never worked.
“Physically I felt good and fit but externally you would look at me and think ‘does she actually exercise?’
“It was always very hard for me to lose weight, especially with having such awful insulin resistance and undiagnosed diabetes for so long.
“When I started taking Ozempic, I noticed I could go on a 20-minute walk a day instead of working out for two hours a day.
“The results opened my eyes to thinking ‘Wow this is actually working really well.’ It's working in a way that's taking a lot of the burden off of me.
“People ask me all the time ‘Would you take this forever?’
“Honestly I would because it’s just so good, and I am not experiencing any negative side effects this time around.
“I would be willing to be on it forever since it's covered by my insurance.
"So it's only about $25 a pen and I haven't had trouble with access to it either.”
What is Ozempic?
Semaglutide is a medication prescribed under brand names including Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy.
It was initially used as a treatment for diabetes but researchers discovered it can also be effective for weight management in adults who are obese or overweight.
Wegovy is currently the only FDA-approved brand for weight loss as it was developed to contain a high dose of Semaglutide, specifically for the treatment of obesity.
Semaglutide mimics the GLP-1 hormone, released in the gut in response to eating, according to .
The hormone prompts the body to make more insulin, which reduces blood sugar or glucose.
People who have diabetes commonly have high blood sugar levels and are at risk of developing nerve damage, kidney damage, as well as eye disease.
The GLP-1 hormone also interacts with the part of the brain that suppresses appetite, making it effective for weight loss.
Celebrities including Sharon Osbourne, Tracy Morgan, and Elon Musk have led the trend of using once-weekly Semaglutide injections to lose weight.
Common side effects include nausea, dizziness, constipation, and diarrhea.
But more serious, albeit rare, concerns include kidney failure, worsening vision, the development of thyroid tumors and even suicidal thoughts.
Two-thirds of users in a recent study regained their weight within a year of stopping the medication.
According to , Ozempic is likely to be impacted by intermittent supply shortages globally running into 2025, as supply is currently not meeting demand.
Mila said she understands that obesity is a disease, and therefore people may want to take Ozempic for weight loss.
However, she warns that is not for vanity weight loss to shrink into a dress.
She was outraged when the popularity of using it to shift a few pounds recently sparked a shortage for people with diabetes.
“That's the part that gets to me, the perception that it is a magic shot and that you don't have to put in any effort,” she said.
“You still have to work pretty hard and still put in the work to make it work for you. It's not meant to be used for vanity weight loss.
“You have to work really hard for that not to change your relationship with food.
“You can fall into that trap of, I'm not eating and I'm losing weight so this must be the good thing and this is helping me get to my goal.
“That perspective is kind of scary.
“You can look perfectly fine in your clothes and maybe it makes you feel better, but it takes away the medication from the people who are struggling with their health.
“It’s also dangerous because once you stop taking it, if you're not doing the lifestyle changes as well you're just going to go back to where you were before.
“Taking Ozempic has made my health a lot better and it has made for a lower risk of diabetes complications because my blood sugars are now in range.
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“I'm not as worried about things like heart attack and stroke or eyesight changes and diabetic retinopathy.
“I feel overall a lot better. I feel like I can live a healthier longer life with type 1 diabetes than I initially thought that I ever could so I think overall it's been positive for me.”
