The shocking potential side effects of your GLP-1 weight loss medication
As Americans embrace blockbuster weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy in record numbers, providers are warning of a troubling ripple effect: patients sliding back into restrictive eating disorders — and others developing them for the first time.
“I think there should be a button that you have to click saying ‘I am consciously making a choice that could really harm my health,’”, a licensed clinical psychologist, told The Post. “Like on cigarette boxes, it says, ‘This could cause cancer.’ OK, well, this could cause an eating disorder.”— who may or may not be on GLP1s — and whether they’re stick-thinness may fuel a return to early-2000s weight stigma or the “heroin chic” look of the ’90s.Nearly 12% of Americans say they have used a GLP-1 for weight loss, although experts say the true number is likely higher.GLP-1s work by mimicking one or two hormones the body naturally produces to curb appetite, slow digestion and regulate blood sugar.The medications have been widely praised for helping people who are overweight or obese slim down quickly, as well as for, a clinical psychologist at NYU Langone, said the very benefits these drugs are celebrated for can also become “a slippery slope for some people.”The real horrors of the 'scromiting' weed disorder plaguing ERs — from dramatic weight loss to 'nonstop puking' Getting less than 7 hours of sleep a night is shortening your life, study finds — here are 5 tricks to snooze faster “A lot of people with restrictive eating disorders — what they’re looking for is to not be hungry,” she explained. “So I think the idea is like, ‘Oh my gosh, wouldn’t it be nice to not have that food noise, because I’m trying to not eat at all, or really very minimally?’ That could be very dangerous.” While prescriptions typically require patients to meet specific criteria — like a BMI of 30 or higher — Gallagher and Ross-Nash said they’ve treated people with eating disorders who managed to skirt the rules and get their hands on GLP-1s. “I had a patient who was like, ‘Yeah, I lied about my weight so I could get it prescribed,’” Gallagher noted. “I think it makes it easier to restrict.” Even when patients obtain the drugs legitimately, GLP-1s can still trigger relapses in people with a history of disordered eating.Instagram shows more eating disorder-linked posts to vulnerable teens: disturbing report “I’ve seen people relapse into their history of bulimia just from food poisoning because vomiting is triggering,” Ross-Nash said.“So not only are we restricting because we don’t feel good, but then we’re also purging the food that is in our system because we’re nauseous,” Ross-Nash said. That transition can also be triggering for people with a history of eating disorders and even for those without. “When my clients’ weight is restored, they have a whole team celebrating them,” Ross-Nash explained. “When clients on GLP-1s’ weight is restored or they gain the weight back … they’re going to be perceived as a failure.” “Like, you lost all this weight and then it’s their fault, when, in reality, it’s the medication,” she continued. “And they genuinely learned no skills to support themselves in finding success.”That perception can fuel a fixation on body shape and weight — a hallmark of disordered eating that treatment often works to shift away from, Gallagher explained. “The biggest challenge with an eating disorder is how much it just takes over your brain and your mental capacity,” she said. “It can be really like a prison of your own mind.”Even people who qualify for a GLP-1 and lose weight in a healthy way can face negative mental fallout once they’ve reached their desired physique. “I have a patient right now who has lost a significant amount of weight on a GLP-1 and it was probably amazing for her health,” Gallagher said. “But now I do think we’re heading into the territory where we have a bit of a“I think a lot of people are afraid to gain any weight back, or they want to keep losing to keep getting the good attention,” Gallagher said. “That’s how a lot of eating disorders develop.” The prescribing information for drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, which contain semaglutide, instructs doctors to ask patients about any history of mental health issues before prescribing the medication., which manufactures the drugs, told The Post. “Semaglutide’s efficacy and safety have been extensively demonstrated in people with obesity/overweight with robust evidence for improving health outcomes.” To further support patients, both Ross-Nash and Gallagher recommend taking GLP-1s in consultation with a mental health professional, not just a primary care provider — regardless of prior eating disorder history. “Weight loss medication can affect anyone, so I don’t think it just has to be limited to individuals with an eating disorder history,” Ross-Nash said. “Talk about it with your friends. Talk about it with your support team. Talk about it with a therapist,” she continued. “And know you are so much more than your appearance and your weight.”Fired Michigan coach Sherrone Moore was ‘suicidal’ after cops were called to executive assistant's apartmentThis bag brand’s a hit with royals and Hollywood royalty alike — and right now, it’s 20% offThe sordid drama behind Michigan coach's firing, companies using AI to overcharge you for…everything Nearly 12% of Americans say they have used a GLP-1 for weight loss, although experts say the true number is likely higher.
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