Rosie O'Donnell has shared her experience with the weight-loss drug Mounjaro, admitting that she initially contacted her doctor in distress due to rapid weight loss. The comedian, who was prescribed Mounjaro to manage her type 2 diabetes diagnosed in 2022, has lost 65 pounds over the past three years.
O'Donnell, 64, stated that her doctors did not initially inform her about the weight loss side effects of Mounjaro, leading to her shock when she lost 12 pounds in the first three weeks of taking the medication. She recalled this period on Amy Poehler's "Good Hang" podcast, noting that she had never felt better at age 64.
According to O'Donnell, she was introduced to Mounjaro by her doctors before it gained widespread public attention. When they offered her the option of taking a shot for her diabetes, she agreed, likening it to insulin use which she was familiar with from her uncles. Her doctors described it as a new drug that helps with blood sugar levels, without mentioning its impact on weight.
She explained that after her first dose, she attended her son's engagement celebration at a restaurant and found she had no appetite. Initially attributing her lack of hunger to emotional distress over her mother and her son's new chapter, she later stepped on the scale. After three weeks, she had lost 12 pounds without any other changes to her lifestyle, prompting her to call her doctor in fear that she might have cancer.
O'Donnell emphasized that prior to Mounjaro, she had struggled with weight loss despite trying various diets. She now advocates for wider access to the drug, stating, "this drug is going to help so many people if they could only stop being greedy b ards and give it to the people who need it at a price that is affordable for everyone." She called it a "sin" that science has advanced to help combat obesity but that cost remains a barrier.
Over the past three years, O'Donnell has managed her dosage carefully, gradually increasing it to avoid overwhelming side effects and to manage the pace of weight loss. She also underwent a lower deep-plane facelift in January to address sagging skin.
Last year, O'Donnell relocated to Ireland. She recently concluded a one-woman show in New York and is scheduled to guest host episodes of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" later this month.