Olympic swimmer Libby Trickett reveals she is taking GLP-1 jabs and admits she felt 'shame' over starting the medication

Libby Trickett has shared how she felt 'shame' over admitting that she was taking a popular medication commonly used for weight loss. 

The Olympic swimmer, 41, was prescribed GLP-1 injections to help her recover from a recent heart attack. 

While she is not using the medication to drop pounds, she nonetheless was reluctant to make her battle public due to the stigma attached to the jabs, which include Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. 

'I didn't know if I would speak about this in public because the space for nuance in these conversations is almost nonexistent on these platforms and everyone is going to have their own view,' Libby explained in a social media post. 

'But not mentioning it felt like a shame response to me, and I've been open about the medication that I take for my anxiety and depression. 

'I'm certainly not ashamed of any of the medication that I take to make sure I'm the healthiest version of myself.'

The athlete says that she is aware there are 'biases' around the use of GLP-1 injections. 

She suggested people, 'be open to the idea that other people's experiences are different to ours and therefore can lead to different perspectives.'

'Also, I want to say that there is no reason that is more "right" to take these medications,' she continued. 

'Only what is right for you and is between you and your prescribing doctor. 

'Because ultimately, we are all just doing our best with what we have.'

In some studies, GLP-1 medications have been shown to lower the risk of heart attacks by as much as 20 per cent. 

In April, the four-time Olympic gold winner dropped the bombshell news that she suffered a heart attack last year, shortly after giving birth to her fifth child. 

'Turns out in June last year – I would have been about two months postpartum after Archie – I actually had what turns out to be a type of heart attack,' Trickett said in a video posted on Instagram.

'It's a specific type of heart attack, it's called a spontaneous coronary artery dissection, so a SCAD.'

She continued: 'It's not caused by kind of the normal things that cause heart attacks, like build-up of plaque and things like that, but basically a tear that happens in the artery wall in the heart.

'It almost exclusively happens to women under the age of 50, it commonly happens in pregnant women or women who have recently given birth.'

Trickett added that there is a chance of the problem recurring and she will probably be on medication for the rest of her life as a result.

The after-effects will also result in big lifestyle changes.

'I can do moderate cardio exercise but I can't lift heavy weights,' she said.

'There's question marks about [going on] rollercoasters and all different types of things.

'I can't have ADHD medication, which is probably the thing that I'm saddest about. So it's been a lot.' 

Libby is a decorated athlete, having won gold medals in swimming at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.