North Texas woman shares how popular weight loss drugs may not be right for everyone after hospitalization

A North Texas woman says she would have asked more questions before she started the drugs.

When dance instructor Emily Davis learned she was near pre-diabetic last year, she says she went along with a doctor’s advice to start semaglutide shots.

"There wasn't any education on this drug or the side effects. It was basically a prescription and sent me on my way," said Davis.

She admits she didn't ask many questions but became concerned as soon as she began to feel side effects.

"The vomiting, the irregular bowel movements. The next thing I know, my menstrual cycle is very erratic. UTIs are coming on," said Davis.

"I noticed I was starting to feel a severe sadness, a severe depression, just very gloomy, kind of a doomsday feeling, just trying to drag my feet around to get to work," she added.

Davis lost 20 pounds in two months but after four months of starting the medication, she says her health deteriorated quickly.

Davis, who has a health history that includes kidney disease, says she ended up hospitalized.

"It was at that point they told me, 'You're in septic shock,' and, 'If you had not come in today, you would have not been alive tomorrow,'" said Davis.

Her negative experience with compounded weight loss drugs isn't isolated.

As of Feb. 28, 2025, according to its site, the FDA has received more than 455 reports of adverse events with compounded semaglutide and more than 320 reports of adverse events with compounded tirzepatide.

The administration states that it is not always possible to determine if the adverse event directly resulted from use of the drug or if other factors may have contributed to these adverse events.

Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, with manufacturers of weight loss drugs claiming they don't undergo the same safety and quality reviews, however the FDA says many of the adverse events reported for compounded products appear to be consistent with adverse events related to the FDA-approved versions of these products.

"There are things we don't know about the drugs, and there's caution," said OB-GYN Dr. Teresa Baker, chairwoman of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Amarillo, a comprehensive component of TTUHSC and Texas Tech Physicians.

She tells her patients it’s important to thoroughly talk through their medical history and any other drugs they might be taking before starting a weight loss medication.

"The other thing people don't know is it really does change gastric absorption of other medications," said Dr. Baker. "If you're on, let's say, a blood thinner or a cardiac medicine, you may not be absorbing the medicine. So my biggest message is to please be honest with your doctor if you're taking them, even if they are not through FDA sources, because your doctor needs to know and help you evaluate the safety of that."

Davis said her regret is not knowing the questions to ask.

"I just warn people that if you're going to take it, please speak up and please let them know everything about your health and your life, because it has a big impact and it affects us all differently," said Davis.

The FDA encourages people to report adverse events or quality problems with these or any medications to FDA’s  program.