A 30-year-old woman recently revealed a shocking side effect of Ozempic that has left everyone worried. Taking to Instagram, Avery shared that after taking the popular weight loss drug for a year, she was diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis, which causes the excessive loss of bone density. Her news has sparked a debate against the abuse of weight-loss drugs and their long-term effect on one's health.

Avery admitted to using Ozempic as part of her struggle with an eating disorder and getting the medication without a doctor's prescription. She said she deeply regrets using it and advised others to watch out. "I am in kind of a shock right now because I never thought this," she posted through her tearful message. "Ozempic can cause bone loss of density, and I never thought that this was going to happen to me because I was only taking it for a year. I have osteoporosis and osteopenia. Ozempic is very easy to get nowadays, and people all over are getting their hands on it. But don't do it. I messed up. Please learn from my mistake."

Weight Loss Drugs Linked To Low Bone Density

Clinical research has associated the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Ozempic, with bone density loss. A JAMA Network Open Study confirmed that patients taking liraglutide had lower bone density than those who did not. The participants—aged 18 to 65—were randomly split into four groups for one year: one that exercised and received a placebo, one that received just a placebo, a group that received Novo Nordisk's weight loss drug liraglutide and another group that received liraglutide and exercised. Liraglutide, like Semaglutide (Ozempic) is a GLP-1 angonist but less dense.

A trial of 195 adults with obesity found that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, a class of drugs used to treat diabetes, resulted in reduced hip and spine bone mineral density when used without exercise compared to a placebo or exercise alone, researchers said.

Does Ozempic Have Side Effects?

As reiterated by doctors and health care experts, Ozempic is a drug that is tasked to help diabetic patients manage their blood sugar levels and weight. However, recent research has shown its effectiveness in mitigating various addictions like alcohol and drugs by inhibiting hormones. But what people ignore are its side effects, which include:

Nausea is a frequent side effect, especially when starting Ozempic or increasing the dose, and vomiting may occur along with nausea.

Diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort also show up in people using Ozempic, but they generally resolve as your body adjusts.

Ozempic can reduce appetite but may also lead to unintended weight loss or reduced food intake, causing discomfort for some people.

There are certain less common, but serious side effects also, like Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas.

This drug may also cause severe kidney issues, particularly if dehydration occurs from side effects like vomiting or diarrhoea.

Veteran radio and TV broadcaster James Whale has revealed a sobering update about his terminal illness, saying he may not live to see Christmas. The 73-year-old, who was diagnosed with stage-four kidney cancer five years ago, said during a recent TalkTV broadcast that he is “at the end” of his cancer journey and can no longer undergo treatment.

With his long-time co-host Ash Gould by his side, Whale expressed gratitude for his career and audience, reflecting on nearly 25 years of broadcasting. “I'm hoping to go on for another few weeks, few months,” he said. “But as soon as I can't do the show anymore, I won't.”

His health has worsened in recent months, particularly after a severe flu landed him in intensive care over Christmas. His wife had shared at the time that he had managed to recover and return home. Yet, despite these setbacks, Whale’s trademark humour and spirit remain intact. “On the medication I am on, I'm all over the place,” he joked, even while acknowledging that “there is no treatment I can have anymore.”

Whale, who underwent kidney removal after his initial diagnosis in 2000 and experienced a cancer recurrence in 2020 that spread to his lungs, spine, and brain, has been remarkably open about his illness. Speaking to PA last year, he said: “I’ve been terminally ill now for nearly four years… I might make the end of this year, I might not.”

Despite the prognosis, Whale remains hopeful. “One in two of us is going to go on this journey until they find a cure,” he said. “But you have to make the most of it.”

Understanding Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer begins when cells in the kidneys — two bean-shaped organs located behind the abdominal organs — start to grow uncontrollably. The most common type in adults is renal cell carcinoma. Other less common forms include transitional cell cancer and Wilms tumor, which typically affects children.

Symptoms

Kidney cancer often goes unnoticed in its early stages. However, symptoms may eventually include:

• Blood in the urine
• Persistent back or side pain
• Fatigue
• Appetite loss
• Unexplained weight loss

Risk Factors

• Age (risk increases with age)
• Smoking
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Family history or genetic conditions like von Hippel-Lindau disease

Causes

While the exact causes remain unclear, kidney cancer occurs when DNA mutations instruct kidney cells to multiply rapidly and avoid cell death, forming tumors that may spread to other parts of the body.

Prevention Tips

Though not always preventable, risk can be reduced by:

• Quitting smoking
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Controlling blood pressure
• Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables
• Exercising regularly
• Limiting alcohol intake

In a significant advancement for women's health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first at-home cervical cancer testing kit. Teal Health, a San Francisco-based medical device company, announced that its Teal Wand, designed for home use, can now be used by women to collect vaginal samples and send them to a lab for testing. The innovation allows women to screen for the human papillomavirus (HPV) — the primary cause of cervical cancer — without visiting a clinic or doctor’s office.

Currently, Pap smears and HPV tests are performed at medical facilities. However, Teal Health’s home-based test offers a discreet and potentially more accessible option for many, especially those who delay screening due to time, stigma, or discomfort. While the kit requires a prescription, users can obtain one through the company's online providers. The product will initially launch in California before rolling out in other states.

Why Cervical Cancer Screening Matters

Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable, yet it remains a major global health threat. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is the fourth most common cancer among women, with approximately 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths reported in 2022. An overwhelming 94% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where access to vaccination, screening, and treatment is limited.

Persistent infection with high-risk HPV strains — especially types 16 and 18 — is the cause of 95% of cervical cancer cases. While the virus is very common and typically cleared by the immune system, in some women it can persist and cause abnormal cell changes in the cervix. If left untreated, these can progress to cancer over a period of 15–20 years, or faster in women with weakened immune systems, such as those living with untreated HIV.

Prevention is Powerful

Cervical cancer is largely preventable through two major tools: HPV vaccination and regular screening.

HPV Vaccines: There are six WHO-approved HPV vaccines that protect against the most dangerous strains. These are recommended for girls aged 9–14, ideally before they become sexually active. Vaccinating boys is also encouraged in some countries to reduce the spread of HPV in the general population.

Screening: The WHO recommends women be screened at least twice in their lifetime — once at age 35 and again at 45, using high-performance HPV testing. For women living with HIV, the first screen should be at age 25 and repeated every three years.

Self-collection of HPV samples — now backed by the FDA for home use — has been shown to be as reliable as samples collected by healthcare providers. This approach could help reach under-screened women and increase early detection rates.

Signs, Treatment, and Global Goals

Cervical cancer is curable when detected early. Warning signs include unusual vaginal bleeding, persistent pelvic pain, or abnormal discharge. Treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and palliative care in advanced stages.

WHO has set ambitious global targets for the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030:

• 90% of girls vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by age 15
• 70% of women screened with a high-quality test by ages 35 and 45
• 90% of women diagnosed with cervical disease receiving treatment

If achieved, these goals could avert 74 million new cases and 62 million deaths by 2120. The FDA’s approval of at-home HPV testing is a step forward in that direction, making cervical cancer screening more accessible, private, and potentially life-saving.

The growing crossover of artificial intelligence and healthcare, a man claims that OpenAI’s ChatGPT may have saved his life—just in time. After initially brushing off his symptoms as minor, the AI chatbot’s firm directive to “Go to the hospital. NOW” became a wake-up call he couldn’t ignore. Had he waited just 30 more minutes, doctors reportedly told him he might have lost a vital organ.

Now, his story is sparking a global conversation about the real-time potential of AI to augment healthcare decisions in everyday life.

Flavio Adamo, a tech-savvy user from X (formerly Twitter), shared his harrowing health scare on April 18. He had gone to bed the night before with mild, unexplained discomfort. The sensation wasn’t excruciating, and like many of us, he assumed a night’s rest would be enough to shake it off.

But by morning, the pain had worsened. Unsure of whether it was serious or not, Adamo turned to ChatGPT, the AI chatbot from OpenAI, for a second opinion more out of curiosity than concern.

What followed wasn’t the vague, generic advice many expect from a chatbot. Instead, it was an immediate and striking warning:

“Go to the hospital. NOW.”

The unusually strong tone took him by surprise. “ChatGPT had never reacted this strongly before,” Adamo wrote. At first, he was skeptical. Could a piece of software really interpret his symptoms with any level of medical accuracy?

But as the pain intensified, Adamo decided to heed the AI’s advice.

30-Minute Window That Made All the Difference

When he arrived at the hospital, doctors moved quickly. Though Adamo has chosen to keep the exact medical condition private, he revealed that his situation was dire.

“Won’t go into details,” he posted, “but doctors said if I had arrived 30 minutes later, I would've lost an organ.”

While we may never know the specific diagnosis—appendicitis, kidney torsion, a ruptured cyst, or other organ-threatening emergencies all fall within the spectrum of conditions where time is the most critical factor. A delay of just half an hour can mark the difference between organ preservation and irreversible loss.

The key here wasn’t that ChatGPT diagnosed him—but that it recognized a pattern of symptoms severe enough to warrant urgent medical attention.

AI in Health

AI’s role in healthcare is rapidly evolving. While ChatGPT is not a replacement for licensed medical professionals, its capacity to analyze large sets of data and offer well-informed responses can provide valuable first-level guidance especially for individuals unsure whether their symptoms merit a hospital trip.

According to health data experts, AI systems trained on large medical databases can recognize potentially alarming symptom clusters more efficiently than unstructured internet searches or unverified forums.

When Technology and Diagnostic Timing Intersect?

Adamo’s story isn’t just a feel-good anecdote about tech. It’s a timely reminder of how technology can offer life-saving nudges in moments of uncertainty. His post has since gone viral, capturing public imagination and fueling discussions on platforms like Reddit and LinkedIn.

Even Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, weighed in on the story with a simple but powerful response, “Really happy to hear!”

While ChatGPT remains a tool meant for educational and informational use, stories like Adamo’s point to its growing utility when time is of the essence. It also reflects the need for responsible use: recognizing that while AI can offer guidance, it’s not a substitute for licensed, in-person medical care.

Adamo’s experience has broader implications. In a world where healthcare access is inconsistent and medical anxiety often leads people to delay treatment, AI-driven tools can act as intermediaries, prompting users to take that critical first step toward care.

Health experts emphasize, however, that while AI can support patient awareness, it’s essential that users follow up with licensed professionals. The danger lies not in the technology, but in overreliance without follow-through. Stories like this are encouraging but they should lead to more responsible tech use, not blind faith.