Macy Gray Took Ozempic Before TV Appearance Because She's 'Kind of Vain' — but It Left Her 'Really Constipated'
"I can’t go to the bathroom, and I was up all night,” the singer said
Noam Galai/Getty
Macy GrayAfter turning to Ozempic for weight loss, Macy Gray admitted that she’s been struggling with some of the side effects.
During an episode of MTV's The Surreal Life, the R&B singer, 56, was speaking to Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Kim Zolciak and Olympic ice skater Johnny Weir about her experience taking Ozempic, an FDA-approved prescription medication for people with type 2 diabetes.
It's one of the brand names for semaglutide (also known as Wegovy) which works in the brain to impact satiety, and which has become a popular medication for weight loss as well.
“Oh boy, my stomach hurts. I’ve just been really constipated,” Gray said. “’I took Ozempic. I can’t go to the bathroom, and I was up all night.”
“Ozempic does that,” Zolciak replied. “You have to be really careful, you know.”
Gray added in a confessional, “Quietly, I’m kind of a vain person. I’ve gained a lot of weight over the past couple years, and this is right about the time when everybody starts talking about this Ozempic.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“So, I thought, okay, I’m not taking [the weight] off the right way, let me see if I can get one of these Ozempic,” she said on the show. “I was actually trying to take it off [the weight] before the show because I didn’t want to be super fat on TV, but here we are.”
Ozempic, which is an injectable medication, has common side effects that can include nausea and diarrhea, and sometimes vomiting or constipation.
Other stars have been vocal about side effects from the drug, including Sharon Osbourne, Terry Dubrow, Stephen Fry, Tracy Tutor and ??Maria Bello.
While on The Surreal Life, Gray also discussed her substance use and eating habits. During a recent episode, the celebrity cast participated in a group breathing exercise — but the the musician said she wasn’t interested.
"I just don’t do the hippie s---. Like, I live in L.A. — that’s hippie kingdom. If I’m healing, that’s not how I do it."
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
After a producer asked for Gray's preferred method of finding peace, she said with a laugh, "Like, cocaine. And a couple — a couple shots."
The Grammy-winning "I Try" singer added, "Get those edibles down my throat, and I’m good, girl! Then order me a pizza, I’m straight! I don’t need all that s---. I’m good."
In the past, Gray has been open about her experiences with both substance abuse and mental health, telling PEOPLE in 2021 the latter topic "is very neglected, and not just in this country, but I think globally."
"Your mother's always telling you, 'Be strong and you'll get through it. Don't cry,'" she said at the time. "But it's very debilitating and it's expensive [to your mental health]. So that's where I really want to help out as much as I can, especially with kids."
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
