Remi Bader shared how Ozempic influenced her struggle with binge eating

Remi Bader shared how Ozempic influenced her struggle with binge eating

TikTok star Remi Bader shares her personal experiences with the much-hyped drug Ozempic. The 27-year-old content creator, model and brand ambassador expressed her frustration that the medication she was prescribed for "current issues" has become "trendy" while appearing as a guest on an episode of Dear Media's Not Skinny But Not Fat Podcast with Amanda Hirsch.

In case you missed the flood of videos about the drug circulating on TikTok lately, here's what you need to know. Ozempic is a prescription medication containing the active ingredient semaglutide. It has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes when used along with diet and exercise.

Ozempic and other similar drugs, including Wegovy (another drug gaining popularity on TikTok for its weight loss benefits), are used to treat type 2 diabetes and clinical obesity, John Morton, FACS, FASMBS, MD, MPH, MHA, a Yale School of Medicine Professor and medical director of bariatric surgery at Yale New Haven Health System, told Shape. These medications keep users full longer and stabilize blood sugar.

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However, videos of people claiming the drug is helpful for weight loss regardless of health issues are all over TikTok — as are rumors about celebrities who have allegedly used Ozempic.

In the most recent podcast episode, Bader explained that her doctor recommended she use Ozempic in 2020, right after it was first approved by the FDA, because she was prediabetic, insulin resistant and was gaining weight. “You said I needed this,” she told Hirsch. “And I had a lot of mixed feelings.”

Although she was hesitant, she tried the medication. It actually helped her lose weight for a while, but it wasn't the best treatment for her. “It made me think that I haven't been hungry for so long, I've lost some weight,” Bader said. "I didn't want to obsess about being in it for the long term. I thought, I bet the second I get out I'll starve again. So I did, and my binging got so much worse. So then somehow Ozempic blamed me."

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Bader eventually gained “double the weight back” after she stopped using Ozempic, she revealed on the podcast. While it didn't work for her as a treatment, she sees the potential value in it for people with legitimate health concerns like diabetes, she added.

“I always recommend that you take medications as intended,” said Dr. Morton previously told Shape. “The medications [Ozempic and Wegovy] are intended primarily for diabetics and/or obese or overweight people.” If someone without these conditions takes a drug like Ozempic, it can cause consequences, including blood sugar levels falling too low and weight gain if you stop taking the drug.

Additionally, Ozempic and Wegovy are currently in short supply, according to the FDA website. It is therefore particularly important that these medications are only used by those who need them for medical reasons.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, NEDA's toll-free, confidential helpline (800-931-2237) is here to help.