Exclusive | I used to be a happy drunk Ozempic made me a sad one, and the hangovers are horrendous

Welcome to The Thin Line, The New York Post’s series about the darker side of GLP-1 drugs.Though GLP-1 agonists sold under brand names like Ozempic have helped millions of people lose weight, manage diabetes and improve other health conditions, they are not without risks.

Check back for more stories about the lesser-known downsides of these wildly popular medications.Trey Luker-Stewart was ready for a change.“For the longest time, I was using eating as an activity,” the 29-year-old Texan told The Post.“We don’t have mountains or an ocean here in Dallas.

We just love to shop, eat and drink.”So two years ago, he decided to break the cycle.Like millions of Americans, Luker-Stewart went on a GLP-1 weight-loss drug — and quickly watched 60 pounds melt away.But the slimmer waistline came with a curveball he didn’t see coming.

“I was always a super happy drunk, but once I got on Ozempic, I wasn’t,” he admitted.“I became a lot more emotional.”Suddenly, the carefree nights he spent sipping drinks at the neighborhood watering hole with friends started to feel anything but relaxing.“Something that was once a fun thing to do now made me anxious and upset,” Luker-Stewart said.

“I start overthinking everything and my feelings get hurt easier.”The next morning is even worse.“Before, I could wake up after drinking at 7 a.m.and go to the gym and be productive,” Luker-Stewart said.

“But once I started taking a GLP-1, I was down for the count ‘til lunchtime.”And that was after just one or two drinks.For Luker-Stewart, a real estate agent who also owns a bar, Ozempic — and later tirzepatide, the active ingredient in drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound — hasn’t just affected his nightlife; it’s taken a bite out of business, too.“In Dallas overall, we’ve seen a 35% drop in alcohol sales across the board, and I think a lot of that has to do with GLP-1s,” he said.“I know I’m not the only one that feels this way when they go o...