The ad for Wegovy depicts a procession of joyous, ordinary-looking townspeople jubilantly marching en masse down Main Street in your average small town somewhere in some fictitious slice of middle Americana. Everyone is smiling or laughing or chatting up their neighbors. As the ad continues, others exit the small stores and shops along the street as they merge into the ecstatic human parade. Among these are a hairdresser, an artist, a record store customer, and a car mechanic. What they all have in common is that they have lost weight with Wegovy. The man exiting the record shop declares that he has dropped 35 pounds and knows of someone else who is down 46 pounds. The ad encourages you to “discover the power of Wegovi”.

It is just about this time in the ad that you notice some small text scrolling across the bottom of your screen. First there is a warning about possible serious allergic reactions that might dampen this happy parade. Among these reactions are swelling of the face, lips, tongue and throat, as well as problem breathing or swallowing, severe rash or itching, fainting, dizziness, and rapid heartbeat.

But that’s not all. As the marchers continue to rejoice their weight loss, the text subtly informs you that people who have stopped taking Wegovy generally regained the weight they had lost. All the more reason to stick with the program, one would think. Another little chink in the enthusiasm for the drug comes from the disclaimer that it is still unknown whether it can be taken by children under the age of twelve. One can only speculate what would happen to a six year old child weighing 57 pounds if it were to lose 60 pounds!

Wait. There’s more. You are advised to contact your health provider if you feel symptoms such as stomach pain, fever, or yellowing of the eyes or skin. Also, if you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breastfeeding, this is definitely not a good time to try Wegovy.

Nevertheless, if you want to lose some poundage, you have to accept a few risks, right? What else could still possibly go wrong?

Lots. The people marching and celebrating down Main Street are probably unaware of the side effects scrolling across the screen. Among the common ones are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, headache, tiredness, bloating, belching, stomach flu, heartburn, and low blood sugar in those with type 2 diabetes. Not drinking enough fluids may increase your chances of dehydration which could lead to kidney problems.

The reading all these symptoms and side effects in itself is enough to make you shed a few pounds. Just as you are about to filter out the scrolling text and concentrate on the visuals of all the happy town folk, the voice over of the ad grabs your attention and gives you another shake. You may develop thoughts of suicide or depression, the announcer warns, and you may also develop pancreatitis as well as gall bladder problems. A final tag line tries to cheer you up with the encouraging words that individual results may vary.

Nobody asked me, but these ads come across like those old, good time musicals with happy endings for everyone. Beneath the surface, however, another story is told. These drugs may give you beautiful skin, but you may have to pay for it with your life. Or, in other words, you may have your life restored, if it doesn’t kill you first. Individual results may vary.