Avery has opened up about her use of Ozempic, and the negative impact that it has had on her health, including allegedly developing a bone-thinning disease.
Avery, whose real name is Anna Iannitelli, shared her experience in two emotional videos posted to Instagram, warning about the potential dangers of using the drug without medical supervision.
Admitting in a separate video that she was “dropped” by her record label “for being too fat,” Avery stated: “I thought I needed Ozempic to be beautiful and successful.”
Medical tests have since confirmed she has osteoporosis - a serious condition that weakens bones and increases the risk of fractures - after “losing too much weight” while on the drug.
Addressing her 250,000 followers, Avery pleaded with them to avoid making the same mistake.
“I know some of you might not relate or some of you might think I’m being annoying or overdramatic, but I’m really sharing this to say please don’t take this drug if you don’t need it,” she said. “Please use me as an example. I just want to be an example of why you need to be careful.”
In another message, she reiterated her warning: “Please please please be careful with Ozempic if you are not someone that needs to take it (it is only meant to treat diabetes and obesity).”
She acknowledged responsibility for her actions, revealing she had obtained the medication without a doctor’s prescription. “I made a mistake. I take responsibility for my actions. Please learn from mine.”
Avery added that she would be starting a treatment plan, though she admitted the condition “is not always reversible.”
The growing misuse of weight-loss injections has prompted regulatory action.
In December, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) warned businesses and influencers against promoting prescription-only weight-loss medications online, following an investigation that exposed social media influencers advertising the jabs illegally.
Ozempic is a weekly injection designed to help lower blood sugar levels by aiding insulin production in the pancreas. It was approved in the U.S. in 2017 for adults with type 2 diabetes.
While Ozempic is not officially approved for weight loss, a similar drug, Wegovy, which contains a higher dose of semaglutide, is authorized for that purpose.
A Mail on Sunday investigation recently revealed that nearly 400 people in the UK had been hospitalized due to complications related to these drugs.
Many cases involved severe dehydration from gastrointestinal side effects, while others suffered serious conditions such as pancreatitis, bowel obstruction, and even seizures.
Medical professionals have also reported treating increasing numbers of slim individuals who falsely claim to be overweight in order to obtain the medication.