Stephen Fry blasts Ozempic: British star, 66, says the drug made him ‘throw up five times per day’ – as sales of the medication soar in Spain

BELOVED British star, Stephen Fry, has blasted Ozempic, a weight loss drug popular in Spain, saying it made him ‘throw up five times per day’. 

READ MORE: Can I buy Ozempic in Spain and how much is it? All you need to know as demand for the slimming drug surges

The drug, normally prescribed for diabetes and obesity, is used by many as a ‘last ditch’ attempt to prevent weight gain. 

It is the second most profitable drug in the world, earning its producers, Novo Nordisk, almost €15 million every year. 

In Spain, the medication is just as popular with 31,000 units sold between January and September 2023 in Andalucia alone. 

According to distributors, demand was some 40% higher than existing stock, leading to huge waiting lists. 

The so-called ‘miracle’ drug costs €128 a month, but this hasn’t stopped the drug selling out. 

Now, Stephen Fry has become the latest celebrity to criticise Ozempic, saying it made him ‘violently sick’. 

The Blackadder actor was an ‘early adopter’ of the drug, praised by celebrities like Sharon Osbourne, Elon Musk and the Kardashians. 

The 66-year-old said that at first the results were ‘astonishing’. 

READ MORE: Spain investigates side-effects of weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Saxenda

Speaking on the River Cafe Table 4 podcast, he said: “The first week or so, I was thinking, ‘This is astonishing. Not only do I not want to eat, I don’t want any alcohol of any kind. This is going to be brilliant.”

But the positive effects didn’t last, as Fry became ‘sicker and sicker’. 

Eventually, he was forced to stop taking the drug as he was throwing up five times a day. 

“I started feeling sick, and I started getting sicker and sicker and sicker,” he said. 

“I was literally throwing up four, five times a day and I thought, ‘I can’t do this.’ So that’s it. The new variant, Tirzepatide Mounjaro, it’s called, makes it even worse apparently.”

Fry said he found out about the drug while he was in America and asked his doctor about it. 

At the time he weighed over 290 pounds, according to The Mirror, but just five months later he had lost five and a half stone thanks to Ozempic. 

It comes as celebrities like Sharon Osbourne praise the drug. 

The Celebrity Big Brother contestant, 71, said though she has ‘no regrets’ about taking the medication, she now feels ‘too gaunt’ and cannot gain weight. 

Her daughter, Kelly Osbourne, recently provoked public outrage after saying any critics of Ozempic just ‘couldn’t afford it’. 

READ MORE: Is being a bit overweight GOOD for you? British study suggests a few extra pounds can help ‘protect’ the health of elderly people

Recent studies showed the drug causes on average 6-15% weight loss in adults. 

It is currently available in Spain under prescription.

However, experts warn the drug should not be used as a slimming treatment due to very serious side effects. 

These include nausea, fevers, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. 

The main ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide, which imitates appetite regulating hormones to give a sense of fullness. 

It also lowers blood sugar and could reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the Spanish Medicine Institute (AEMPS). 

It is used to treat type two diabetes when ‘diet and exercise are not enough’ and is administered using a weekly injection.