Man on Ozempic Says Food Tastes Different: 'It Suddenly Looks Repulsive'

Despite Ozempic's widespread success helping people lose weight, one married couple shared the secret struggles behind the husband's drug-controlled 30-pound weight loss, including a loss of interest in food.

Gary Mattingly's stomach is turned by restaurant meals that would have once appealed delicious to him.

"I also noticed a change in the taste of some foods," Mattingly said. "There are times when I order something from a restaurant and hardly eat it because it suddenly looks repulsive. I have managed to deal with most of the side effects as I use it more and more."

Mattingly's wife, Stephanie King Mattingly, watched her 69-year-old husband start taking Ozempic six months ago. As nearly promised by the drug, he quickly lost 30 pounds in the quick span of just a few months.

Gary said he started taking it to replace Humalog and Lantus insulin at the advice of his doctor. While Gary says he did not switch because of its weight-loss effects, he admits it "feels good" to drop those pounds.

But, according to Stephanie, the downsides are overwhelming for the Simpsonville, South Carolina, couple.

"I hate it and I hate what it does to him," she told Newsweek. "The price he pays for using Ozempic is just too high in my opinion."

Gary typically takes a .25 mil dose every Monday. All Tuesday, he reports feeling "worn out." Headaches and diarrhea are par for the course, and loss of appetite is expected.

Stephanie says she dreads every time Gary takes a new dose.

"When he says, 'It's my Ozempic night,' I cringe," she said. "That means the next day and for three additional days out of each week, he is lethargic and can hardly get out of bed."

Just how worth it the controversial drug depends on who you ask in the Mattingly family.

Stephanie believes Gary won't admit the real reason he's using Ozempic is for weight loss, but he's averse to stopping the medication despite all the side effects.

Gary originally became concerned about his weight gain when heart disease medication Lipitor destroyed his leg muscles and landed him in a wheelchair two years ago, she said.

He had spent 30 years as a TV news anchor, and his appearance is important to him, Stephanie added.

Gary said his largest concerns about Ozempic have nothing to do with the side effects, however. In fact, a major concern is actually that he's gradually noting an uptick in price under his Medicare coverage.

When he first got the prescription, the medication was $100 a month. But the last time he got a refill it set him back $245.

"The insurance agent tells me I hit the so-called donut hole for this and some other medications," Gary said. "It's unfortunate that a very useful drug is pricing itself away from Medicare recipients."

As the price continues to surge, and costs thousands of dollars for those without insurance or a prescription, Gary said the future looks unclear.

"If the price keeps skyrocketing, I may be forced to seek alternative medication," he said.

His side effects though? He sees them as a standard part of agreeing to take any medication.

"Let's face it, most of the drugs on the marketplace come with some risks and side effects," Gary said. "So, I think it's important for consumers to weigh their options and decide with medical advice whether Ozempic is effective and can one afford it even with insurance."

Stephanie, on the other hand, would prefer not to see him suffer.

"During his 'Ozempic Days,' I look for ways to avoid witnessing his suffering," she said.

Competitor Drug Steals Ozempic's Spotlight

While both have been mentioned in mainstream media and touted by doctors as effective diabetes treatment medications, there are slight differences between Ozempic and its competitor drug Mounjaro.

Both the ingredients and effects are slightly different. A new study found weight loss was up to three times more effective in Mounjaro's main ingredient than that in Ozempic and Wegovy, based on data from more than 18,000 U.S. adults who were obese or overweight and started using the drugs between May 2022 and September 2023.

Specifically, those taking Mounjaro were three times more likely to lose 15 percent of their body weight and more than 2 1/2 half times more likely to lose 10 percent of their body weight than those on the Ozempic or Wegovy.

Mounjaro contains the active ingredient tirzepatide and has been approved by the FDA to treat Type 2 diabetes. Injected once weekly to help control blood sugar, many Americans have turned to the drug solely for weight loss.

Doctors say tirzepatide affects two brain receptors that produce the GIP and GLP-1 hormones that the body creates after we eat. If you activate these receptors, you can decrease your appetite and food intake and also manage insulin production.

Semaglutide, the ingredient in Ozempic on the other hand, only targets one hormone, however.

Many Different Experiences

While Gary's experiences may prove the undeniable possible side effects to taking Ozempic and Mounjaro, many are not against the drug.

'Never Felt Hungry'

Gina Hardin, a 56-year-old living in Los Angeles, tried both Mounjaro and Ozempic – the Mounjaro was at discount and Hardin said she felt "miraculous."

"I was able to lose weight for the first time in a number of years," Hardin told Newsweek. "And I never felt hungry at all to the point where I thought I should've felt hungrier."

Hardin said she lost weight so quickly it was "bizarre" up until the end of 2022. That's when she switched to Ozempic, which she believes doesn't work as well.

"I think when the new weight-loss version of [Mounjaro] comes out people are going to be switching to that and anyone who's interested in it is going to lose weight quickly," Hardin said.

Today, Hardin still would like to lose around 20 pounds to get to her ideal weight and relieve some pressure on her knees.

"I've gone through menopause, and I still feel pretty good, but I can't get the weight off and taking these drugs changed everything. I think there's a risk, but you have to weigh the risk with the health hazards of being overweight, and that's tied to so many things."

As America has become more overweight, the way we talk about size is shifting, Hardin said. However, she still thinks Americans will desire medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro for weight loss due to health risks.

"At any size, I'm worthy of love, I'm a good person and I'm happy, but what I'm not as healthy as I could be," Hardin said. "It's a bottom-line fact if you're not at your proper weight or within your proper weight range you have all sorts of risk."

Currently, around 4 out of 10 Americans are obese. The World Health Organization estimates that 4 million people die each year as a result of obesity, putting drugs like Mounjaro and Ozempic in high demand for those trying to control their weight.

"It doesn't hurt that when you're thinner you feel better, your knees hurt less, your clothes fit better, you have more energy," Hardin said.

If Hardin was still able to manage it, she said she would be on one of the drugs now.

"The shame that people feel is ridiculous," Hardin said. "The denial is stupid. I hope it's not dangerous in the long run. I truly do."