Mum dies after taking popular weight loss drug

An Aussie mum who wanted to slim down before a wedding has tragically died after taking a popular weight loss drug.

Australian mum Trish died back in January after starting weight loss drugs.

A heartbroken husband has issued a horrifying warning after his wife tragically died just months into her weight loss journey.

Roy Webster explained this his wife Trish was keen to lose a few kilograms before their daughter’s upcoming wedding but grew frustrated when traditional methods did not work.

Despite going on diets and visiting the gym, the scale would not budge – so she decided to start taking popular weight loss drugs that she had seen on television.

The 56-year-old mum managed to lose a total of 16 kilograms after starting on the injectable drugs Ozempic and Saxenda.

Both were originally designed to treat diabetes, but are now being widely used around the world to help aid in weight loss.

Mr Webster was left devastated by his wife's death. Picture: 60 Minutes

Roy said that while his wife was losing weight, she was also frequently ill – often suffering from diarrhoea and nausea.

Despite these side effects, Trish stayed on the drugs and was determined to slim down and wear the dress of her dreams for her daughter’s big day.

But in January this year, things took a horrifying turn.

“She had a little bit of brown stuff coming out of her mouth, and I realised she wasn’t breathing,” he told Nine’s 60 Minutes.

“I started doing CPR. It was just pouring out and I turned her to the side, trying to get it out. She couldn’t breathe.”

Tragically, Trish passed away that night on January 16, 2023.

Her death certificate states the cause was an acute gastrointestinal illness.

While the coroner’s conclusion does not draw any direct link to the weight loss medication, Roy believes that the drugs contributed to her death.

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The Aussie mum had started taking the drugs to help lose weight. Picture: 60 Minutes

Trish saw the drugs on television. Picture: 60 Minutes

“I never thought you could die from it,” he said, holding back tears.

“If I knew that could happen, she wouldn’t have been taking it. I couldn’t save her, that’s the hard part.”

He explained that while she did not have diabetes, her doctor thought it would be a good option to help aid in her weight loss.

While she had some negative side effects, Roy said that she was “focused on that dress” and was committed to her weight loss goal.

“She saw it on TV. She got the prescription from a doctor, and the doctor thought it was a good idea for weight loss,” he explained.

“She just kept mentioning that dress she wanted to wear, so she went to the drastic measures of doing what she was doing. It was just one big nightmare from there.”

Endocrinologist Dr Kathryn Williams said that there was evidence that the active ingredients in drugs like Ozempic can cause digestive complications.

Trish lost 16kg over a few months. Picture: 60 Minutes

She experienced some side effects. Picture: 60 Minutes

“When we prescribe them, we warn people,” she told the show.

“So if I say to someone, ‘Yes, it might be that you do vomit once or twice, but if you are having recurrent vomiting, you need to let me know and you need to stop the medication’.”

Ozempic has exploded in popularity after being spruiked by the likes of Elon Musk and Amy Schumer for its weight loss effects.

The drug is a diabetes medication and can have side effects such as nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Due to its popularity, there has been a global shortage of the highly sought-after drug, with Australia’s medicine regulator advising earlier this year that the it “should not be given to new patients”.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration said that it had been recently advised by Novo Nordisk, the company which makes Ozempic and Saxenda, that supplies were expected to be limited for this year and 2024.

Two recent deaths in the US have prompted the Food and Drug Administration to change the product information for Ozempic and similar weight loss drugs.

Side effects have caught the attention of the TGA, with the regulator investigating local cases and encouraging people to report their concerns about weight loss injections.

The devastated husband added that he wants a coronial inquest to examine his wife’s death and hopes his warning will save others before it’s too late.

“She shouldn’t be gone, you know,” he said.

“It’s just not worth it, it’s not worth it at all.”

The company Novo Nordisk make both Ozempic and Saxenda. Picture: Sergei Gapon / AFP

Novo Nordisk’s Response
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk, the makers of Ozempic and Saxenda, told news.com.au that they stand behind the safety of their product.

“At Novo Nordisk, patient safety is a top priority,” they said.

“We work closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the TGA and other regulatory bodies around the world to continuously monitor the safety profile of our medicines.

“On 22 September 2023, FDA approved a label update for Ozempic® (semaglutide) that added the term ‘ileus’ to the Postmarketing Experience section of the product labelling.

“Ileus is a gastrointestinal reaction that was reported in the post-marketing setting with Ozempic® and with other glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.

“The Australian Product Information for Ozempic® contains information about Gastrointestinal Effects.

“Novo Nordisk stands behind the safety and efficacy of Ozempic® and all of our medicines when used consistent with the product labelling and the approved indications.

“For Ozempic®, the most commonly reported side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach (abdominal) pain, and constipation.”

The company added that stomach issues are a well-known side effect of the drug and that they were always monitoring the safety of their products.

“Gastrointestinal side effects are well-known side effects of the GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) class. The majority are of mild to moderate severity and of short duration.

“Ileus is a gastrointestinal reaction that was reported in the post-marketing setting with Ozempic® and with other GLP-1s,” they said.

“GLP-1s have been used to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D) for more than 15 years, and for treatment of obesity for 8 years, including Novo Nordisk GLP-1 products such as Ozempic®.

“Ozempic® has been extensively examined in robust clinical development programs, large real world evidence studies and has cumulatively over 9.5 million patient years of exposure.

“We recommend patients take these medications for their approved indications and under the supervision of a healthcare professional. We are continuously monitoring the safety profile of our products and collaborate closely with authorities to ensure patient safety, including adequate information on gastrointestinal side effects in the product information.”