In season four of the Hulu reality show Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, cast member Layla Taylor opens up about her use of prescription drug tirzepatide, a GLP-1 indicated for weight loss and type 2 diabetes.
She shares that she weighed 99 lbs at a height of 5’10” and that her frame now causes her knees to hurt when she lies down because she doesn’t “have any fat on [her] body to cushion it.“
Her now-ex boyfriend and friends like fellow cast member Jessi Draper show support and assistance — Jessi even helps Layla find a treatment center for guidance as she works through GLP-1 abuse.
Layla opens up to viewers about a history of disordered eating, and that she was prescribed the weight loss medication by a plastic surgeon in Utah.
Layla is far from the only celebrity to discuss use of GLP-1 drugs. Like all medications, there can be success when used as advised by a licensed medical professional. There may also be adverse reactions and side effects, even when taken as indicated.
Actress Mayim Bialik of The Big Bang Theory shared that she suffered side effects so severe that “to say I had an adverse reaction would be somewhat of an understatement.” She experienced explosive diarrhea, sulfuric burps, full-body aches, and a litany of others side effects.
Others celebrities, like Tracy Morgan and Whoopi Goldberg, have shared their success and satisfaction with the medication’s weight loss effects.
What are GLP-1s
A GLP-1, or glucagon-like pepetide-1 agonist, tells the pancreas to secret the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar and creates a feeling of fullness. This management of blood sugar helps to control type 2 diabetes, a condition where the body does not make enough insulin or use it correctly.
A doctor may find a GLP-1 medication appropriate when other lifestyle changes to achieve weight loss or manage blood sugar have not worked. Additionally, patients on a GLP-1 should have regular check ins with their doctor to monitor results and side effects.
GLP-1s are usually given as an injection, but there are two oral medications that are FDA-approved.
For those using the drug for weight loss, they may find that there is a plateau at which point continued weight less could be difficult: at four to six months, weight loss typically slows with weight loss stopping about a year to eighteen months into the treatment (per Stanford Report).
This doesn’t necessarily mean the medication has stopped working, but it could mean an adjustment to the treatment plan could be made by a physician. And research has found that in order to sustain the results of GLP-1s, it would require long-term use of the medications.
The popularity of the drugs has increased demand, with many looking to online options to get prescriptions. Ideally, these programs would provide continued management of care with providers via telehealth appointments.
Unfortunately, that may not be the case.
A secret shopper study done by Yale University found that patient-reported questionnaires were often used to determine indication and prescribe GLP-1s instead of a direct evaluation by a provider.
This could mean that there may be further regulation needed to allow for the prescription of these weight loss medications in evaluations over telehealth.
The Price of Skinny
With the popularity of GLP-1s, particularly among celebrities, there is rising speculation of who is using the medication as a weight loss tool. Many online commentators point out “Ozempic face” – a gaunt appearance to the face caused by quick weight loss – on celebrities who may or may not be taking the prescription medication.
The frenzy around GLP-1s reinforces long-standing vigilance around weight and thinness. While the medications can be a powerful tool when used as indicated, their widespread popularity points to a contrast with years of body positivity and uplifting of more curvaceous body types.
The visibility and accessibility of GLP-1s greatly benefits those looking for an answer to managing difficult, chronic health conditions. But it could also create a renewed pressure to have a particular body type.
Could there be an expectation to be thin when weight loss is an injection away? Where does body positivity stand when its loudest proponents decided to lose weight, either with the use of medication or otherwise?
With long-term complications including pancreatitis, vision problems, or gallbladder disease; GLP-1 use calls for careful consideration by prospective users and their medical providers. The commercials, online speculation, and celebrity use come secondary to the guidance of a licensed professional.
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be used to replace the guidance of a licensed medical provider.
Alexis Taylor | Writer 
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