‘RHONJ’s’ Jennifer Fessler Said Unknowingly Taking a Weight Loss Drug Had “Many Positives”
Mar. 22 2023, Published 11:47 a.m. ET
When Margaret Josephs’s good friend Jennifer Fessler joined The Real Housewives of New Jersey, the 50-something mother of two became a refreshing addition to the cast. Jen’s robust personality and sharp sense of humor have intrigued fans more about her life beyond being a “friend of” the show.
Jennifer has opened up about her business, F Major Shoes, and her marriage to Jeff Fessler. The new Bravolebrity also revealed details about her weight loss journey. Here’s what Jennifer Fessler said regarding her weight loss.
‘RHONJ’ star Jennifer Fessler’s weight loss came from “a form of Ozempic.”
Jennifer has been vocal about how her body changed after reaching 50. In February 2023, Jennifer admitted to having several plastic surgery procedures before joining RHONJ, including a “deep plane facelift, neck lift surgery, and a nose job.”
“A special thank you to the amazing @drsamrizk for my new face! 😉,” she wrote on Instagram.
Jennifer has also been vocal about going through menopause in her 50s. In March 2023, she told The Daily Mail that she sought medical advice from her doctor regarding her menopause treatment. The Bravo star claims she had no idea how her doctor’s prescription would impact her weight loss.
Jenn said her doctor put her “on a form” of Ozempic, a drug typically prescribed for those with Type 2 Diabetes. She said the doctor didn’t order Ozempic directly, but a “mix of peptides” in the medication her doc prescribed were similar to Ozempic and Wegovy, another medicine for people with diabetes.
“I didn't realize what he gave me,” Jennifer told the outlet. “'It's like a bunch of different things, like estrogen pellets. He gave me a mix of peptides, but I found out it's a form of Ozempic.”
Ozempic can help those who use the drug lose weight, making them feel fuller longer after eating a meal. However, Jennifer said there are other “positives” to the popular injectable shot she didn’t expect after taking it.
“To be honest with you, there are so many positives to it," she said. "I'm now trying to get off it, but what I really love about it is not just the weight, but the drinking thing." No one talks about this, but I get a little turned off by alcohol now, so you lose weight just by not drinking and no hangover food; I'm a drinker, so it's been really good.'’
Ozempic is a highly-controversial weight loss drug with multiple side effects.
Ozempic was initially created to treat diabetes only by regulating patients’ appetites and food intake. The Daily Mail reports that the medicine also “signals to the body to release insulin, which helps move digested sugar from the blood into cells where it can be used for energy.”
However, Ozempic isn’t without its side effects, which reportedly include “nausea, constipation and diarrhea, acid reflux, and fatigue.” Doctors told Daily Mail that other detrimental side effects include “thyroid cancer, pancreatitis, and kidney failure.”
Several ‘Housewives’ stars are reportedly taking Ozempic, Jackie Goldschneider claims.
Aside from physical side effects, many worry about the damage Ozempic could have on users’ mental health and body image.
Jennifer’s RHONJ co-star, Jackie Goldschneider, who has been vocal about her eating disorder battle, told Page Six she’s “horrified” by Ozempic. She also said she worries the drug will result in “a lot of people with eating disorders” due to the “addictive” weight loss they receive. Jackie also claimed many of her Housewives “friends” use Ozempic, which was difficult for her to be around during her recovery.
“It made my recovery harder, from a selfish standpoint, because I wanted to come back into a world where everyone around me was eating and loving food and enjoying life,” Jackie said in February 2023. “I wanted to come back to that, and I didn’t because a lot of people in the Housewives world are on Ozempic, a lot of my friends are in the Housewives world, so it was tough for me to come back, and suddenly no one’s eating when we go out to dinner.”
While Jackie never named which housewife she was referring to, several of her fellow Real Housewives stars, including Beverly Hills’ Kyle Richards and Miami’s Alexia Nepola and Marysol Patton, have been accused of taking it. However, they have all denied using the drug.
