
Oprah Winfrey was hospitalized with stomach problems months after she admitted to using weight-loss drugs such as the controversial Ozempic. The talk show queen’s long-term best friend Gayle King said her friend’s symptoms included severe dehydration requiring an IV drip and “stuff coming out of both ends.” King apologized for her potential indiscretion and added, “I won’t get too graphic.”
Ms. King made the frank remarks during a discussion with novelist David Wroblewski while acting as a stand-in for Winfrey in her book club.
Last December, Oprah confessed she had decided to join numerous other celebrities and try the powerful new medications. Winfrey made the admission after previously insisting that she relied on “willpower” to control her weight, which she has struggled with throughout her adult life. The star has spoken of her weight issues with fans and reporters for years, and critics say that her admission could change the way the world looks at weight control medications and boost their reputation on the mainstream market.
Dr. Aria Vazirnia from the Advanced Lipedema Treatment Program at The Roxbury Institute said Oprah’s tacit endorsement of drugs such as Ozempic will de-stigmatize them and those who use them. She said the medications are powerful and should not be toyed with, but with the right help and the proper medical supervision, they can, and do, help countless desperate patients.
Music legend Sharon Osborne also admitted using Ozempic last year but confessed it made her nauseous for weeks. Speaking to Bill Maher on his podcast, Osborne said she was ultimately seduced by the promise of losing weight quickly and easily, but for the first few weeks, she was extremely ill. “You just throw up all the time,” she declared, before adding that these symptoms disappear after a couple of weeks.
Ozempic is intended for diabetes treatment and works by reducing blood sugar and helping the pancreas produce insulin. Osborne reported losing 30 pounds.