Normally I enjoy this podcast. But I was so disgusted by the recent ep “Where has all the plus-size clothing gone” that I had to turn it off. The hosts spent most of the time absolutely bashing Ozempic, in ways that prove they know very little about the drug. Switching between either a barely-disguised “told you so” glee and a holier than thou pity, they described the side effects of Ozempic—sagging facial skin, hair loss, nutrient deficiency, stress on the body, etc. These are all just side effects of weight loss of any kind, Ozempic or not. It is entirely possible to lose weight on Ozempic at a healthy rate, speaking as someone who has done just that. I also have not “completely lost my appetite,” as they claim all Ozempic users do. In fact, I enjoy food more than ever, because my food noise is gone, and I can eat a normal quantity and be satisfied without the urge to binge or overeat. If they want to do a show about how Ozempic users need more support from medical professionals—such as nutrition advice and ways to make sure they lose at a healthy rate, that would be fine. I’m the first to say it’s greatly needed. But this was not that episode. Also, they repeatedly called Ozempic a diet, and reveled in explaining that it’s hard to keep the weight off once you go off Ozempic. Ozempic is not a diet, it’s a medication. Some people need to take it for life, others can wean off of it and maintain weight loss. It seems to vary among individuals. But would these two say the same about someone taking antidepressants? Well when you go off it you’ll just be depressed again! That heart medication you take? Did you know you’ll have to take that for life?! Of course they wouldn’t. There is so much misinformation about Ozempic out there, and it saddens and angers me to hear two hosts I like add to it, and therefore contribute to the very real stigma around people who take this drug. If they want to speak about a medication, they need to do a lot more research. But I think it’s better if they stay away from the topic entirely, because they just seem woefully uneducated about it.
