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This article discusses mental health issues. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Bunnie XO, wife of country music artist Jelly Roll, recently revealed her troubling experience with a weight-loss medication that she claims pushed her into a severe depression.
On a recent episode of her podcast titled “Dumb Blonde,” Bunnie, whose given name is Alyssa DeFord, discussed her use of the drug retatrutide, developed by Eli Lilly. This medication is presently undergoing late-stage clinical trials and has yet to receive approval from the FDA.
Bunnie, aged 45, shared that she obtained this medication from a reputable wellness center in Nashville. She initially started feeling ill within the first week after beginning the medication. By the second week, she noticed a reduction in both her weight and her overall sense of well-being. However, when she increased her dosage in the fourth week, she encountered debilitating mental numbness.
“I felt as if I had been plunged into the worst suicidal depression I’ve faced since 2020,” Bunnie recounted. “It frightened me to the core. I seriously doubted I would survive the next two weeks. I found myself praying fervently just to make it through each day.”
She described the numbing experience further, saying she felt devoid of emotion and couldn’t enjoy even her favorite music.
“You could see how dull my eyes had become,” she reflected. “I drove in silence, completely overwhelmed. Everything felt either too much or not enough; I lost all sense of joy and felt like I had nothing to live for. It was an incredibly dark time for me.”
On reflecting after 20 days without the drug, Bunnie commented that her sense of joy was finally returning. She described her experience with the medication as akin to fighting a battle.
“What I went through isn’t necessarily what others will experience,” she advised her audience. “There are numerous individuals who take retatrutide without any negative side effects and report positive outcomes. However, my situation was different.”
The pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly confirmed to Fox News Digital that retatrutide is an investigational drug only legally available for participants in their clinical trials.
The company’s spokesperson emphasized the importance of avoiding self-medication with retatrutide outside of a clinical trial context, warning about the potential dangers posed by counterfeit products.
Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst for Fox News, urged caution in regard to taking retatrutide due to its lack of FDA approval, which calls for strict adherence to clinical trial protocols.
“This drug is new and categorized as a triple agonist targeting GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors,” Siegel explained. “Preliminary studies have suggested a potential association between this drug and depression, similar to the GLP-1 class of medications, which have shown increased psychiatric risks in some cases. Hence, there is reason for concern regarding its mental health impact.”
The medication has earned the moniker “GLP-3” due to its action on three crucial hormones, which experts believe may enhance weight-loss results.
Eli Lilly recently released findings from the phase 3 trial named TRIUMPH-4, focusing on the weight-loss effects of retatrutide along with various health conditions.
Participants in this trial, who battled obesity and knee arthritis, reported an impressive average weight loss of 71.8 pounds — an overall reduction of 28.7% over 68 weeks for those taking a 12 mg dose of retatrutide.
The company advocates for the potential of retatrutide as a viable option for patients requiring significant weight reduction and grappling with certain complications, including knee osteoarthritis. With seven additional phase 3 trials scheduled for completion in 2026, experts believe that FDA approval could be on the horizon by 2027.
This drug may also play a role in the treatment of other health issues such as type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and reducing cardiovascular risks, according to various experts.
Dr. Siegel noted that like other medications in the GLP-1 family, retatrutide may produce side effects, which could include gastrointestinal issues and other rare complications like pancreatitis, gallstones, and heart rhythm disturbances.
Dr. Philip Rabito, an endocrinology and weight-loss specialist based in New York City, indicated that this new generation of weight-loss drugs aims to achieve results comparable to bariatric surgery—but without significant risks.
“The novel glucagon-agonist component raises unique long-term safety concerns. It is crucial that patients are monitored closely by healthcare professionals experienced with this medication class, taking a cautious and incremental approach,” he stated.
The potential relationship between mental health issues and weight-loss medications likely stems from their effects on the brain’s reward systems, Dr. Siegel explained.
He stated, “Neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine influence mood and appetite and can have varying effects on emotional well-being. The outcomes can be quite unpredictable.”
Dr. Peter Balazs, specializing in hormones and weight loss in the New York area, highlighted the necessity of thorough clinical evaluations for any patients presenting substantial depressive features accompanied by suicidal ideation.
“A complete understanding of the patient’s medical history, psychiatric background, weight changes, current medications, and psychosocial stressors is vital,” he emphasized. “Attributing major depressive episodes to a single cause without this broader context is problematic.”
Dr. Balazs recommended anyone experiencing serious symptoms seek immediate professional assistance.
“We remain in the process of discovering the psychiatric effects of various medications, including those already available,” he added.
Given Bunnie’s age, she is likely facing perimenopause, characterized by notable hormonal fluctuations, particularly estrogen. Dr. Balazs remarked, “Estrogen has established neuroprotective and mood-stabilizing impacts, and its decline can render individuals more susceptible to stress and mood disorders, potentially incentivizing depressive episodes.”
Additionally, obesity can introduce hormonal changes and inflammation that disrupt normal brain function, impacting emotional stability, according to Dr. Balazs.
Finally, he reiterated that vigilance is key in monitoring those on these medications.
“Until comprehensive protocols are adopted, patients outside of clinical trials should avoid self-administering these drugs. Changes in dosage can drastically alter their experiences with the medication,” he cautioned.
