Sydney, Australia

Trish Webster, a 56-year-old Australian woman, embarked on a weight loss journey with hopes of fitting into her dream dress for her daughter's wedding.

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However, her story took a devastating turn as she succumbed to a severe stomach illness, raising concerns about the safety of Ozempic, a medication primarily used to treat Type 2 diabetes and weight loss.

Ozempic works by replicating the action of GLP-1, a natural hormone that retards food digestion and prolongs the sensation of fullness.

While this medication has yielded weight loss benefits for some, it also has inherent risks.

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When it excessively retards stomach function or leads to intestinal blockages, it results in a condition called "ileus."

The US Food and Drug Administration had received 18 reports of ileus linked to Ozempic use as of late September.

Also read | Patients more likely to shed weight if advice offered in ‘optimistic’ tone: Study

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The weight loss regimen

Trish Webster's weight loss journey involved not only Ozempic but also Saxenda, another prescription injection.

Over a period of five months, she managed to shed approximately 15 kgs, achieving her goal weight.

However, this transformation was accompanied by adverse effects as the medications reportedly took a toll on her health.

She died just months before her daughter's wedding. Trish Webster's husband, Roy Webster, discovered her in an unconscious state, with a disturbing brown liquid oozing out of her mouth.

Despite his frantic efforts to revive her, she died, the cause being attributed to acute gastrointestinal illness.

Though an indisputable link between Trish Webster's demise and her use of Ozempic and Saxenda remains unestablished, her husband, Roy, firmly places blame on these drugs for the tragic outcome, reported the New York Post. 

Also read | 6 Weight Loss Benefits of Coconut Flour

Pharmaceutical companies' defence 

Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, maintains that reports of ileus only emerged after the drug was already in circulation, suggesting a lack of prior awareness of the risk.

Allegations assert that their weight loss medications may lead to severe gastrointestinal issues, including gastroparesis or "stomach paralysis."

In a regulatory response, the US Food and Drug Administration updated the Ozempic label in September to acknowledge complaints of intestinal blockages in certain people who had used the medication. 

(With inputs from agencies)