Do you know what you’re really injecting into your body?

A warning about drugs from compounded pharmacies

I had a rude awakening last week. I ended up in the hospital Emergency Room after my acupuncturist suggested (strongly), that I stop by my doctor’s office and have my heart rate checked because it was elevated. The doctor’s office called an ambulance as my heart rate was high enough to indicate some kind of cardiac event and I was having related symptoms. They gave me fluids through an IV in the ambulance and my heart rate slowly returned to normal over the course of two or three hours in the emergency room. Being in most ER’s in this country is tantamount to being in HELL. But that’s another story.

What my doctors confirmed that one of the side effects of taking a semaglutide medication to lose weight can be an elevated heart, but the fact that I was taking a compounded version of the medication was probably the culprit and could have been life threatening. The medication worked for me like it has thousands of others – I’ve lost over 30 pounds and I’m back to what I weighed in high school. The cons are that medications like Ozempic and Wegovey can cause side effects like constipation and surprisingly, increased heart rate … which my doctor at the ER confirmed. But the compounded version is even scarier, because the compounding pharmacy adds whatever it wants to the mix, and in some cases, those other additives can be dangerous. Even life threatening.

Several months ago, I was surprised when my Kaiser Permanente doctor suggested I go on a semaglutide drug to reduce my weight … to help with ongoing back issues. I was surprised because most of the Kaiser physicians refused to even consider prescribing semaglutides saying that the organization overall prohibited the use of these drugs. A decade ago, I underwent weight loss surgery, lost about 60 pounds, and reached my goal of 130 pounds. Over the last 10 years, I’ve gained back about 30 of those pounds. I’ve had issues with weight since I was 10 years old. I have been on every diet known to women and have used amphetamines, as well as any other drug that promised me the nirvana of becoming thinner.

I was excited to finally find (what I thought was) safe way to lose the 30 pounds and get back to my goal weight. The doctor mentioned that I would have to go to a compounding pharmacy in Idaho (only a 40-minute drive) to obtain the drug. My excitement about losing weight outweighed my usual skepticism which was alerted but I ignored it. After all, it seemed like everyone in the country was losing weight on these drugs, including reportedly, Oprah Winfrey.

What I’ve learned since my visit to the ER last week is that there have been 10 deaths and 100 hospitalizations in the U.S. linked to the use of off-brand, compounded semaglutide. This according to the drug’s manufacturer Novo Nordisk – the largest company in the world specializing in diabetes treatments. Novo Nordisk’s products include Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus, and it is the only company in the United States with FDA-approved medicines containing semaglutide. No generic or other FDA-approved medicines containing semaglutide exist.

The use of semaglutides, originally used to treat type 2 diabetes, have increased in popularity exponentially with a rise of more than 700 percent between 2019 and 2023, according to thebmj.com, who cited a study which also revealed that users were disproportionally female. Big surprise, right? This increase in popularity allowed compounding pharmacies to produce compounded medication does not go through rigorous FDA review for safety, quality, or efficacy, but is allowed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act when a drug is in shortage. These compounded varieties have been used by weight loss centers and med spas across the country.

The report comes after the company called on the FDA to prohibit compounding of semaglutide in October 2024, citing significant safety concerns around use of off-brand products. As of November 30, 2024, the FDA has received:

• more than 392 reports of adverse events with compounded semaglutide.

• more than 215 reports of adverse events with compounded tirzepatide.

Source: US Food and Drug Administration

What alarmed me the most about all this is that I did not know the difference in a medication from a regular pharmacy and medications from a compounding pharmacy.

In addition to not taking compounded drugs, I caution people to consider the side effects as with any medication. I’m bad at doing this myself. I usually find out one or more of the side effects when I start having some kind of health issue. Don’t be like me. Look at the side effects when you start taking a drug rather than after you’re already on it. Just an FYI.

I’m going in for a stress test this week just to confirm that I don’t have heart issues going on.

If you’re considering going on a semaglutide, please know that the compounded versions of these products can be dangerous, even life-threatening since they are not regulated. And if you’re already on them, see your doctor for regular visits to assess whether you’re experiencing any of these side effects.

Note: A full page ad in the New York Times over the weekend cautioned: Some compounded semaglutide vials have been found to contain dangerous impurities, banned substances, or incorrect doses. Bottom line: if the label doesn’t say Wegovy (semaglutide), or Ozempic (semaglutide) it’s not FDA approved and you have no idea what’s inside. FDA declares the shortage is over, ask your health care professional about the real Wegovey and Ozempic. Get the facts online.