Ozempygmalion
First rule of medical school, don’t treat your own family members… so much for that. I’ve been on a 20-year mission to cure my husband’s irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)…aka Jew stomach. No matter that both my father and his father are gastroenterologists. No one has come close to cracking the secret of controlling his overzealous gut. This issue began when he was an infant, long before a well-meaning doctor could diagnosis him with anxiety-driven IBS. Anyway, he may be the only New Yorker not plagued by anxiety. He has a very Zen view of life; he lives to make me happy and thanks his blessings for each new day. I have tried him on all the following treatments: Alosetron (only approved for ladies), Rifxamin, probiotics, Lactaid pills with each meal, Creon for possible pancreatic enzyme insufficiency… all to no avail.
Finally, out of desperation, I suggested that we try Ozempic. Theoretically, Ozempic can help IBS-D in two ways: 1) it decreases the gut inflammation that may contribute to his symptoms and 2) it causes a mild gastroparesis or slowing down the passage of food through the gut. Early clinical trials have reported reduced bloating and more regular bowel habits in patients with IBS.* I figured I had nothing to lose. But I also had a selfish reason for wanting to try him on Ozempic. The most common question I get asked by patients debating starting treatment is “would you start your own family member?”. I desperately wanted to be able to say “Yes, and I’m planning to treat indefinitely!”.
We made many joint observations from this little experiment: First, my extremely stoic and manly husband was incapable of self-injecting (I must say, I do enjoy “playing doctor” with him once a week). Second, he only experienced a day or two of queasiness. Third, his portion sizes halved overnight even on the lowest dose. This allowed him to spend much less time eating. Fourth, his IBS improved considerably within two weeks—although definitely not 100%. The hunt for an IBS cure continues…
I made an independent observation as well. My beloved husband’s “dad bod” slowly morphed back into the 6-packed object of desire I married nearly 20 years ago. In Greek mythology, Pygmalion was a sculptor who fell madly in love with an ivory statue he created. Pygmalion believed the statue, which he named Galatea, embodied the perfect woman. After he cared for her as if she were real, she came to life, thus reinforcing Pygmalion’s view that she was the perfect woman. Is encouraging Ozempic use in our partners a 21st century version of Pygmalion? Are we sculpting an idealized version of our lovers for our own benefit? Perhaps… but neither my husband nor I have any desire to return to his pre-Ozempic days.
* Camilleri, M. (2022). Could GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Be Effective in Treating IBS? A Hypothetical Role in IBS Management. Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 34(3), e14072. A hypothetical analysis that explores the potential role of GLP-1 receptor agonists in IBS management, based on their effects on gut motility and the gut-brain axis, offering a conceptual framework for future research on Semaglutide in IBS.
