Introducing Hot Shots, a series that examines how Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs have transformed the way we think about our bodies, weight loss, and wellness.

In marriage and in partnership, you’re supposed to share things. Among them: taxes, household chores, gossip, cars, and your respective iPhone passwords. But what if you no longer share the same feelings—particularly towards the warm bread basket at your favorite restaurant? What if your feelings towards food starts to differ?

With the rise of Ozempic and other GLP-1 weight loss medications, more and more couples are having to live with the new reality of having different appetites (namely, one person may have one, and the other doesn’t). For the partners of people who are taking GLP-1s, there are a whole host of unexpected ups and downs that have come with these injections—some of them are unexpected benefits or big-time bummers, and others are just things they have had to learn to live with. To get more intel, ELLE talked to 11 husbands, wives, boyfriends, and girlfriends and drilled down deep—into what changes have arrived.

“His sex drive and mine both took off.”

    “Prior to taking this medicine, my husband was reluctant to take his shirt off even in front of me. I never minded that he was a little chunky and it honestly didn’t bother me. However, it did bother him immensely—not just in the bedroom, but in every aspect of his life. He’s lost 65 pounds and it created a confidence within him that has been remarkable to see. My husband has been more vibrant than ever. He was walking around Cabo with no shirt, as I think he wanted everyone else to notice. He certainly turned my head! And he’s more eager to be naked in front of me. Before, he would hide behind clothing and would literally say to me, ‘Don’t look at me, I’m fat.’ Our sex life has also improved because he feels sexier too; his sex drive and mine both took off.”—Lindsay, 35, nurse practitioner, Chicago

    “I never know what it’s going to be: constipation or diarrhea.”

      “The GI side effects have been the biggest bummer. My girlfriend had a sensitive stomach and some dietary restrictions to start with, and the ups and downs that this shot brings with it have just added to the complications. That basically means that I never know what it’s going to be: Constipation? Diarrhea?

      It can sort of put a damper on intimacy at times, to be honest, when she finds herself suddenly not feeling well after dinner. At those times, I’d just as rather she not be on this medicine at all. The other thing that I’ve had to adjust to is the fact that she eats much less—so I will find myself with two-thirds of a dish that we ordered, just staring at me and I might end up polishing it off. So unless I want to constantly be eating too much, I have to be even more careful that I don’t end up eating her portions.”—Curtis, real estate agent, 47, New York

      “The drugs seemed to have rewired his brain. He used to be a bit of a slob.”

        “There is one interesting change that I’ve noted: The drugs seemed to have rewired his brain in the best of ways. While he used to be a bit of a slob, particularly when it came to cleaning the kitchen after cooking, he’s now obsessive about cleaning as he cooks (and loads the dishwasher immediately afterwards). In general, he’s been keeping the apartment a lot neater as well. This is a ‘side effect’ I can get behind! He’s also more active and it’s definitely helped build his confidence. I’ve seen his eyes light up when people compliment him or say he looks thinner. And oh, he’s definitely attempted some intimate positions that his excess weight prohibited in the past. And he has no qualms about getting undressed in front of me. But that wasn’t much of an issue, even when he was heavier.”—Michele, content marketer, 50, New York

        “She’s almost always uncomfortable after eating.”

          “Nausea is a daily issue, no matter what or when she eats. When we are thinking of going out to eat, she plans her eating for the day around it to make sure she minimizes the risk. Some additional triggers seem to be richer foods that are higher in fats, like anything with a cream sauce or cheese, things that can be very filling like high fiber foods, and anything that can cause stomach bloating. Looking back on evenings out, she is almost always uncomfortable afterward, no matter how well she plans.”—Rich, 35, IT manager, Michigan

          “There have been some entirely ‘lost days’ because of side effects.”

          “When she started the meds, there was intense nausea, stomach cramping, and vomiting—so there have been some entirely lost days because of those side effects. On those days, I’d step in and help more with making family meals, cleaning around the house, and if our son needed to go somewhere, I would adjust my work schedule to make sure he got to his appointments.

            The vomiting was usually earlier in the day, and eating just about anything would trigger it. Then it would subside to nausea throughout the day, and if she eats something heavier that could trigger [it] again. On those days, she’d usually spend a little more time in bed or on the sofa. By the evenings she would be feeling more normal, and start preparing for the next day.”—Rich, 35, IT manager, Michigan

            “We’ve completely stopped going on food adventures.”

            “I cook dinner most nights, and it’s pretty utilitarian these days. She doesn’t get terribly excited about the idea of dinner anymore, and desserts are off the menu. Dessert or a treat used to be an easy way to cheer her up or lift her spirits. She’s much less enthusiastic about going out and trying restaurants. It’s not that she doesn’t care, but she doesn’t care that much. We primarily socialize by getting dinner with friends, and that’s still the case, but her enthusiasm about the restaurant part of that is close to zero. I don’t think she even checks the menu beforehand and preplans what she’s going to order anymore. We’ve completely stopped going on food adventures where we pick a restaurant serving something fun and making a weekend day around that. At home, I’m more mindful about what I cook for dinner. She’s not a ‘volume eater’ anymore, so I try to make food that’s nutritionally dense but not too heavy. I’ve managed to lose close to 20 pounds since she’s been on the meds.”—Eddie, retired firefighter, 49, New York

            “The anxiety she experienced during shortages was…beyond.”

              “When my partner was on a GLP-1, there were shortages for a period of time…and to say that the process of getting the meds renewed was stressful is an understatement. The anxiety she experienced during the shortages was…beyond. She was truly freaking out about not being able to get her next dose because if you stop taking the meds, it kind of restarts your body’s acclimation process to the medicine—and her side effects were really bad, at first. She spent hours on the phone with doctors, pharmacies, and calling around—even considering driving to another state at one point. Each week, before she did her shot, there was a lot of anxiety that she’d spent at least the first day flat out with nausea, and so she’d need me to be home to care for our small son. One time, she actually called me home from evening band practice because she was taking the shot and was worried it might leave her unable to watch him.”—Shelby, 30, finance, Chicago

              “Leftovers sometimes go bad before getting eaten.”

                “Some of my husband’s former favorite home-cooked meals have completely fallen off of the appealing list (brisket topping the list). Leftovers sometimes go bad before getting eaten. But we still love to eat out. We sometimes order less, but generally just eat less of what is ordered and bring home leftovers. He’s been lucky with side effects—the flip side of what many people experience. He has Crohn’s disease and the Ozempic has almost completely relieved him of all of those awful symptoms.”—Abby, 49, lawyer, Florida

                “I wish she’d add other good health habits, but now that she’s losing weight this way, she doesn’t feel compelled to.”

                  “In the 8-10 months my wife has lost over 35 pounds, and that is pretty great for her. She feels happy about this. But if I am honest, I still have trouble with the fact that this has required virtually no change in eating or fitness habits on her part. In fact, I would argue that it works against improved diet and exercise by doing a lot of the work that we’d usually have to put in to see results. I wish she’d add other good health habits to the mix, but now that she’s losing weight this way, she doesn’t feel compelled to. We’ve talked about it a lot but at this point it’s usually in my best interest to stay off the subject.”—Karl, 40, Artist, Virginia

                  “I’m blown away by the impact on her body image.”

                  “My wife is giddy every time she gets dressed now. She loves shopping again. This is going to sound crazy, but she wants to go out more. It’s not to necessarily show off her body, but more that her body image isn’t a de-motivating factor any longer. She didn’t like the way she looked before and it dampened the enthusiasm for going out. That’s changed. I’m blown away by the impact on her body image. She is almost to the point of disbelief at how her body has changed. That feeling seeps into all aspects of our lives.”—Aaron, 41, Brooklyn

                  “We’ve actually been less intimate as her body transforms.”

                  “She was very confident about her sexuality when she was heavier and while none of her sexy lingerie fits her anymore, she hasn’t made a point of replacing it. We’ve actually been less intimate as her body transforms. It’s almost like the fact that she’s actively trying to change her body, has caused her to feel less confident about it.”—Eddie, retired firefighter, 49, New York

                  “She doesn’t want red wine; we used to drink a few bottles a week.”

                  “Perhaps it was just me, I was not expecting the absolute loss of appetite. Twenty-four hours after a dose, there is no appetite. I have to remind her to eat. It can be alarming. There’s also been a change in her taste—she no longer wants anything sweet. She changed from daily mochas to lattes. She doesn’t want red wine; we used to drink a few bottles a week. The absolute weirdest difference is she never liked chicken, especially cold chicken; now she likes leftover chicken right out of the fridge.”—Aaron, 41, Brooklyn

                  “I don’t think either of us expected how low her appetite would be.”

                  “We used to love getting breakfast sandwiches together once a week or so, but now she never wants them anymore. Her appetite is dramatically less, and she doesn’t crave a lot of the things she used to. When we do get takeout, she can stretch one dish over like three days. I don’t think either of us expected how low her appetite would be, even on the lowest doses of the medication. Our takeout bill is definitely down.”—Debby, 34, New Jersey

                  “She has a lot less body pain.”

                  “Prior to Wegovy and her losing 40 pounds, she used to have frequent aches and pains in her hips, back, and legs. She has a lot less body pain than before—that has pretty much all gone away with the weight loss. I don’t hear her complaining about all that stuff, and there’s less of a need for PT and massages that she used to get.”—Morris, 44, New York