VANEK SMITH: Ozempic is a weekly shot you give yourself. You know, I'm willing to try anything at this point. VANEK SMITH: Her doctors suggested she tried (ph) Ozempic to help bring down her blood sugar and avoid another stroke.ĬARTER-WILLIAMS: I'd never heard of Ozempic, but sure. And I was just really concerned about if I do continue to keep this weight on, the possibilities of having another stroke are very high. It hurt to move.ĬARTER-WILLIAMS: So I was eating and, you know, gaining weight.

VANEK SMITH: Carter-Williams is a stand-up comedian, writer and producer in LA, and she couldn't work at all after her stroke.

SHANTAQUILETTE DEVELLE CARTER-WILLIAMS: I was a little immobile. She had a stroke at age 39 and lost the use of her left side.

STACEY VANEK SMITH, BYLINE: Five years ago, ShantaQuilette Develle Carter-Williams (ph) had a health crisis. The prescription drug was created by Novo Nordisk to help diabetes patients control their blood sugar, but the side effect of rapid weight loss has made the drug a very hot commodity, and that could be a problem, as NPR's Stacey Vanek Smith reports. Ozempic has been all over the news lately.

I have that effect or affect on someone