Uncovering the Connection Between Ozempic and Divorce
Family Law Attorneys Analyze Ozempic’s Impact on Marriage and Divorce in NJ
Ozempic is part of a class of prescription drugs called semiglutides, or GLP-1 drugs. These drugs work by helping the pancreas secrete the right amounts of insulin, making them a very helpful medication for individuals suffering from diabetes. However, it was quickly discovered that Ozempic was also an excellent rapid weight-loss medication. The medication is now so commonly used for rapid weight loss that changes that occur to the face after taking it have become known as “Ozempic face.” Additionally, many who use it for weight loss, as well as those married to them, do not even realize that it was originally intended to help diabetics control their blood sugar. While these drugs mention physical side effects, such as dizziness, headaches, or nausea, they do not mention other more unusual side effects that married individuals in particular may experience. Below, we unpack the surprising connection between well loss drugs like Ozempic and marital breakdown that ultimately leads to divorce for couples in New Jersey.
Weight Loss Medication Reshaping Marriages – The Ozempic Effect
Many people have discovered the rapid, and much easier, weight loss that comes with taking prescription drugs such as Ozempic. The drug helps control blood sugar and hunger hormones, allowing those who want to lose weight to better control their eating habits so they can quickly drop the weight they want to shed. However, recent studies have shown an interesting connection between the weight loss drug and both marriage and divorce. In these studies, they found that individuals who were single while taking Ozempic were twice as likely to get married after doing so. Interestingly, married individuals were twice as likely to get divorced after taking the drug.
Unlike so many other medications, from cholesterol drugs to antidepressants, which rarely have this kind of effect on people’s romantic relationships, Ozempic seems to have a strong impact on them. What makes this particular side effect even more interesting is that it seems to be the weight loss itself that results from the medication’s use, not the number of pounds a person loses, that affects their relationship. In other words, it’s the use of Ozempic itself, rather than whether the individual loses 10 pounds or 100 pounds, that impacts the relationship.
Potential Side Effects of Ozempic That Can Strain Relationships and Contribute to Divorce
At first glance, it may seem odd to think that losing weight, or specifically losing weight due to a medication, would strain a relationship and contribute to divorce. After all, most people agree that their love for their partner is not based solely on their appearance but on several other factors, many of which are not visible. However, physical and personality changes, lifestyle changes, and financial strain due to the medication’s expense may all contribute to relationship tension and, ultimately, divorce.
Physical Changes
While most people agree love is about more than just someone’s physical appearance, attraction is still a factor in most relationships. Rapid weight loss can significantly alter someone’s appearance, which may cause their partner to feel less attracted to them. Alternatively, this altered appearance, combined with higher self-esteem, may cause the person’s partner to feel insecure and jealous, concerned that the person who lost weight may no longer be as attracted to or in love with them. Whether it is a loss of attraction or an increase in insecurity or jealousy, these feelings can create tension and frustration for both partners.
Personality Changes
Some Ozempic users have reported mood swings, irritability, or decreased libido. These side effects can create or increase conflict in a romantic relationship. Alternatively, some users find that as the weight falls off, their libido increases, which can also lead to conflict if their partner’s libido is not at the same level. Increased self-esteem as a result of the weight loss can also cause some users to be more outgoing and eager to interact with people beyond their spouse and children, which can also trigger conflict.
Lifestyle Shifts
When an individual experiences significant weight loss, they may find it leads to a renewed interest in social activities, a change in priorities (for example, preferring to go to the gym rather than watch television), or other lifestyle shifts that can cause a disconnect between spouses. This can be especially true if both spouses were previously overweight and only one lost weight. This can leave the spouse who did not lose weight feeling left behind, left out, or living a very different life than their spouse. Even if this doesn’t cause conflict between the spouses, the sometimes dramatic differences in their lifestyles may cause them to drift far enough apart that they ultimately divorce because they feel they have nothing in common anymore.
Financial Strain
Without insurance, Ozempic costs approximately $1,000 to $1,200 per month. Insurance and other prescription-savings programs can reduce this cost, but even in those circumstances, the medication is still quite expensive. While losing weight may be critical to the individual’s health, the financial strain of paying for Ozempic or similar drugs each month can strain the couple’s marriage. This can be particularly true if someone else in the family also needs expensive medications or if the couple both wanted to lose weight by taking Ozempic but had to choose only one spouse to do it because of the expense.
How Ozempic-Related Issues Might Be Addressed in Divorce Proceedings
It might seem like weight loss, with or without medication, would not have any impact on divorce proceedings. However, when Ozempic or similar medications are behind the weight loss, it can create new or different issues that can affect specific aspects of divorce proceedings.
Division of Assets
Typically, medication is not considered when dividing assets during a divorce. However, Ozempic, when taken for weight loss, is not necessarily considered medically required. The monthly expense, particularly when the medication is not covered by insurance, puts a significant dent in a couple’s marital funds – potentially costing the couple $12,000 to $14,400 in a year. Therefore, unless the spouse who used Ozempic can show that they used separate funds to pay for it, a court may consider that cost during property division and award the other spouse more assets to allow for that expense.
Spousal Support
Many factors are considered when determining whether spousal support is awarded and, if so, how much and for how long. Weight loss due to Ozempic use could create a significant change in that individual’s health or earning capacity. This means that a spouse who might have received spousal support prior to their weight loss because they could not work or struggled to work might not receive it after because the court believes that their weight loss will make it easier for them to find work or continue to work. At the same time, a spouse who lost weight using Ozempic may be ordered to pay spousal support for the same reasons. Alternatively, spousal support may have been ordered regardless of the weight loss but will now increase or decrease as a result.
Child Custody
Ozempic use itself is unlikely to directly impact child custody. However, related changes in the parent’s lifestyle or behavior could factor into child custody decisions. For example, a parent who lost weight using Ozempic, who now actively plays with the children, attends school functions, and is encouraging healthy lifestyle habits, may be more likely to receive custody than their spouse who does not play an active role in the children’s lives. On the other hand, if a parent lost weight using Ozempic and is now ignoring the children in favor of their own social life, this could result in their 
spouse gaining custody instead.
Legal and Emotional Steps When Ozempic Impacts Your Marriage
There are many reasons individuals might consider divorce. Ozempic may play only a small role, or it may play a much bigger role. One spouse may consider Ozempic to be no big deal, while the other thinks it has destroyed the marriage. Regardless of the reasons someone is considering divorce, we strongly recommend consulting with a New Jersey divorce attorney to learn more about your legal options.
Face the Challenges of Your Ozempic-Related Divorce with Help from a New Jersey Family Law Attorney
When someone makes the decision to use Ozempic to lose weight, they may only see the positive possibilities: a new shape, new energy, and better health. By the time they realize that these changes may have a negative impact on their marriage, it may be too late. Whether it was you or your spouse who took Ozempic or you or your spouse who wants the divorce, having experienced legal representation in an Ozempic-related divorce in New Jersey is crucial. Our seasoned New Jersey divorce attorneys at Montanari Law Group can provide guidance on how Ozempic-related issues might affect the divorce process, such as property division or spousal support. We can also help negotiate a fair settlement that considers all the changes brought on by the use of Ozempic. In highly contentious divorces, our family law team can litigate your case in court, protecting your rights when it comes to matters like child custody or spousal support.
If you or your spouse have taken Ozempic and are now facing divorce in Bergen County, Passaic County, Essex County, Hudson County, and throughout Northern New Jersey, contact our firm at (973) 233-4396 to discuss the details of your case and find out how Ozempic use may affect your divorce and what we can do to help.
