HEALTHRosie O’Donnell Admits She ‘Must Have Cancer’ After Losing 12 Lbs on Mounjaro: ‘I Called My Doctor Crying’
Rosie O’Donnell opened up about her dramatic weight loss and experience with Mounjaro.
Aug. 11 2026, Published 3:54 p.m. ET
Rosie O'Donnell recalled fearing something was seriously wrong after losing 12 pounds within a few weeks of starting Mounjaro.
"Cut to two weeks later, I get on the scale. I call my doctor crying. I must have cancer," O'Donnell said while speaking on Amy Poehler's "Good Hang" podcast.
The comedian had been prescribed the medication three years ago to help manage her type 2 diabetes, which she was diagnosed with in 2022. However, O'Donnell admitted her doctors had not explained that the drug could also cause significant weight loss.
She ultimately lost about 65 pounds after taking Mounjaro and revealed she had "never felt better and it's sad to me that it took me till I was 64 to get here."
Rosie O'Donnell Was Shocked By Her Rapid Weight Loss
Rosie O’Donnell discussed her unexpected 12-pound weight loss after starting Mounjaro.
O'Donnell recalled her doctors introducing her to Mounjaro before the medication became widely discussed.
"So they said, "You have diabetes. Can you take a shot?" I said, "I think so. I don't know. I've never done a shot. Is it insulin?[I knew about that] because of my uncles and stuff. And they said, "No, it's this new drug and it really helps with your blood sugar." Never mentioned weight loss," O'Donnell expressed.
Rosie O’Donnell revealed she called her doctor crying after her rapid weight loss.
After taking her first dose, O'Donnell went to Nobu to celebrate her son’s engagement. She said she quickly realized she could barely eat.
"I think to myself, I'm so overwhelmed emotionally by missing my mom and wishing she could have seen and known him and that he got engaged and a brand new start in his life. And I was full of emotion and so I thought that's what it was," O'Donnell revealed.
O'Donnell later explained that she had been stunned by the number on the scale after realizing how rapidly she had lost weight.
She said, "I've lost 12 pounds and I haven't done anything. It's been three weeks since I started that medicine."
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Rosie O’Donnell Praised Mounjaro’s Impact
Rosie O’Donnell spoke about how Mounjaro had helped her manage her weight and diabetes.
O'Donnell also explained that the unexpected weight loss had been particularly alarming because she had previously struggled with it.
She said, "I had never lost weight for no reason."
"Even when I tried to lose weight, it was hard for me to lose weight," she continued.
O’Donnell became an outspoken supporter of the medication, particularly making the treatment more accessible.
"This drug is going to help so many people if they could only stop being greedy b******* and give it to the people who need it at a price that is affordable for everyone," she shared.
She also highlighted the broader impact of medical advances: "It's a sin to have science come so far to help cure obesity."
Rosie O’Donnell Took a Careful Approach to Weight Loss
Rosie O’Donnell gradually increased her Mounjaro dosage to manage her weight loss and minimize side effects.
Over the following three years, O’Donnell said she had gradually increased her Mounjaro dosage rather than rushing through the process. The approach had helped her manage the pace of her weight loss and avoid feeling overwhelmed by side effects.
Per Daily Mail, O’Donnell underwent a $90,000 lower deep-plane facelift in January, which addressed sagging skin around her neck and lower face following her weight loss.
O’Donnell relocated to Ireland the previous year and recently wrapped her one-woman show in New York. She is also set to guest host a week of episodes of Jimmy Kimmel Live later in August.
