What medication did Amy Schumer take to lose weight? A Closer Look at Her Journey

October 9, 2025 •

3 min read

In 2023, comedian Amy Schumer sparked a public conversation about weight loss drugs when she called out other celebrities for not being honest about their usage. Staying true to her own candid nature, she has publicly detailed her personal experience, including what medication did Amy Schumer take to lose weight and why she had to switch treatments.

Quick Summary

Amy Schumer initially took Ozempic and Wegovy but experienced debilitating side effects, causing her to stop. She later found success using Mounjaro, another GLP-1 drug, which also helped with perimenopause symptoms.

Key Points

Initial Medication (Ozempic): Amy Schumer initially took Ozempic (semaglutide) but stopped due to severe side effects, including intense nausea and vomiting.
Second Attempt (Wegovy): She also tried Wegovy (semaglutide) years ago but had a similar negative reaction, finding it unmanageable.
Successful Medication (Mounjaro): Schumer later switched to Mounjaro (tirzepatide), which she has had a "really good experience" with, noting improved energy and fewer side effects.
Perimenopause Connection: Mounjaro, combined with hormone therapy, helped alleviate her perimenopause symptoms in addition to aiding weight loss.
Genetic Factor for Nausea: Schumer believes her difficult experience with semaglutide drugs may be linked to a genetic predisposition (GDF15 gene) that makes her prone to nausea.
Transparency in Hollywood: She has publicly called on other celebrities to be more honest about their use of weight loss medications, a message she reinforces through her own story.

Amy Schumer's Candid Weight Loss Journey

For years, weight loss discussions, especially among celebrities, have been shrouded in secrecy and often attributed to unrealistic methods like "eating smaller portions". Amy Schumer has become a vocal exception, using her platform to bring transparency to the topic of weight loss medications. Her personal journey involved navigating the powerful but side-effect-prone world of GLP-1 agonists, ultimately finding a medication that worked for her body.

The First Attempt: Ozempic and Debilitating Side Effects

Amy Schumer first publicly spoke about her experience with Ozempic (semaglutide) during a 2023 appearance on Watch What Happens Live. She later revealed on the Howard Stern Show that she tried the medication, lost 30 pounds quickly, but experienced intense nausea and vomiting that left her feeling "bedridden".

Ozempic is FDA-approved primarily for type 2 diabetes but is often used off-label for weight loss. It works by mimicking GLP-1, a hormone that regulates blood sugar and appetite. While many tolerate it, some, like Schumer, face significant gastrointestinal side effects. Her reaction was so severe she stopped, deciding rapid weight loss wasn't worth the profound discomfort. She speculated a specific gene (GDF15) might make her sensitive to nausea.

The Second Try: Wegovy, a Similar Outcome

In a March 2025 Instagram video, Schumer shared that her negative experience with GLP-1s also included Wegovy (also semaglutide) years prior. She recalled similar adverse reactions, stating she was "puking" and couldn't handle it. Wegovy is a higher-dose semaglutide formulation FDA-approved specifically for weight management. Her repeated difficulty with semaglutide products showed this medication class wasn't a good fit for her.

Finding Success: Switching to Mounjaro

After her difficult experiences, Schumer continued seeking a health solution. She consulted with a telehealth service and was prescribed Mounjaro (tirzepatide). Tirzepatide is a dual agonist, mimicking both GLP-1 and GIP hormones, unlike semaglutide which only mimics GLP-1.

Schumer reported a much better outcome with Mounjaro, describing it as a "really good experience" with fewer side effects. In addition to weight loss, Mounjaro, combined with hormone therapy for perimenopause, improved other symptoms like her skin, hair, and energy levels. Her journey highlights that different GLP-1 medications can have varied effects on individuals and that a tailored approach under medical guidance is crucial.

Comparing GLP-1 Medications for Weight Loss


Feature	Ozempic (Semaglutide)	Wegovy (Semaglutide)	Mounjaro (Tirzepatide)
Mechanism of Action	GLP-1 receptor agonist	GLP-1 receptor agonist	Dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist
Primary FDA Approval	Type 2 Diabetes	Chronic Weight Management	Type 2 Diabetes (Zepbound is for weight)
Amy Schumer's Experience	Lost 30 lbs but suffered debilitating nausea and vomiting, quit due to side effects.	Experienced severe vomiting and couldn't handle the side effects; quit.	Reported a "really good experience" with fewer side effects.
Other Noted Benefits	Primarily blood sugar control and weight loss.	Primarily weight loss.	Improved perimenopause symptoms for Schumer, beyond weight loss.
Key Side Effects	Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation.	Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation.	Nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite.

The Importance of Individualized Treatment

Schumer's story is a valuable lesson in modern weight loss and pharmacology, highlighting the complexity beyond simple methods. Her transparency about trying different options and experiencing varying effects underscores the importance of a tailored approach.

The variability in responses emphasizes the critical role of medical supervision. Healthcare providers can consider an individual's full health profile, including genetic factors like the GDF15 gene, to determine the best treatment. It reinforces that each patient's experience is unique and overall well-being is the ultimate goal, not just weight loss. Her story also shows how telehealth services can offer accessible care for complex health issues.

Conclusion

Amy Schumer's openness about her weight loss treatment offers valuable public insight. Her experience demonstrates significant individual differences in reactions to medications, even within the same class like GLP-1 agonists. By sharing her struggles with Ozempic and Wegovy and success with Mounjaro, she promotes an honest dialogue about celebrity weight loss and modern pharmacology. Her journey is a compelling example of the importance of an individualized treatment plan under medical guidance, focusing on holistic well-being.

Learn more about GLP-1 medications and their effects on health from QuickMD.

Frequently Asked Questions

Amy Schumer has taken several weight loss medications. Initially, she tried Ozempic and Wegovy, but she quit both due to severe side effects. She later found success using Mounjaro, which she now takes and has had a positive experience with.

Yes, Amy Schumer had a very bad experience with Ozempic. She lost 30 pounds quickly but was left bedridden with extreme nausea and vomiting. The side effects were so severe that she determined the treatment was not livable for her.

Schumer stopped taking Ozempic because the side effects were unbearable. She experienced severe nausea and was often bedridden, unable to perform daily activities. She felt the negative health impacts outweighed the benefit of rapid weight loss.

Mounjaro is an injectable medication with the active ingredient tirzepatide. Unlike Ozempic, which mimics one hormone (GLP-1), Mounjaro mimics two (GLP-1 and GIP). For Schumer, it has resulted in a much better experience with fewer side effects.

Schumer found Mounjaro to be more tolerable, with fewer side effects compared to Ozempic. In addition to aiding her weight loss, she noted that Mounjaro, combined with hormone therapy, also helped alleviate her perimenopause symptoms.

Yes, Amy Schumer tried Wegovy years ago, but like Ozempic, she found the side effects difficult to handle and had to stop using it. Both Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide.

No, but she is known for being particularly transparent. In 2023, she criticized other celebrities for misleading the public about their weight loss methods, encouraging honesty about using drugs like Ozempic.