HEALTH Women's Health September 20, 2025 0 Comments

RHONJ’s Dolores Catania Battles Brutal Wegovy Nausea – The Shocking Moment She Nearly Threw in the Towel!

Ever felt like your own body’s throwing you curveballs just when you thought you’d got a handle on things? Dolores Catania from Real Housewives of New Jersey sure has been there—and at 50, she’d danced with every diet fad under the sun, from Weight Watchers to Atkins, only to find lasting change as elusive as a mirage. Menopause, that sneaky saboteur, was making her feel like she was battling herself. But then—enter Ozempic. This wasn’t just another fleeting fix; it turned out to be a genuine game changer in her health journey. Curious how a reality TV star tackled the tricky terrain of midlife weight loss, the ups and downs of GLP-1 medications, and a surprising pharmacy hero—ginger chews? Stick around, because Dolores’ story is full of unexpected twists, honest struggles, and the kind of insights that might just inspire your own path to wellness. LEARN MORE

If you’ve ever felt like your body was working against you during menopause, Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dolores Catania, 54, knows exactly how you feel. At 50, she’d tried everything—Weight Watchers, Phentermine, Atkins and NutriSystem—but like so many women navigating menopause and midlife, nothing seemed to stick. “All worked for a little but not long term,” she shared with Woman’s World. That is, until she discovered Ozempic, which she told Hello! has been “a life changer.” Here we reveal the RHONJ’s journey with GLP-1s, the side effects that almost made her quit and the drugstore fix that turned things around.

Catania took Ozempic before switching to Wegovy

In June 2019, after seeing friends find success with Ozempic, she decided to give the medication a try. At the time, she was 5’3” and 155 pounds.

“It was my age,” Catania said. “Being middle aged and also being aware that menopause takes such a strain on your body, weight is so much harder to get off at that time and it’s so much easier to gain weight. It was because the older you get, the more conscious you become of your health. It was more for health reasons than it was for aesthetic reasons.”

When Catania began taking Ozempic, she was paying $800 a month. Within a few weeks the financial strain pushed her to switch to Wegovy, which was covered by her insurance provider.

“Wegovy and Ozempic contain the exact same medication, which is semaglutide,” says Jennifer Brown, MD, a dual board-certified physician in family medicine and obesity medicine. “The difference is the dosing structure. Ozempic is used to treat type 2 diabetes and has a max dose of 2 mg weekly. Wegovy, approved to treat obesity, cardiovascular disease and MAFLD (fatty liver disease), has a max dose of 2.4 mg weekly. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 drug that works by slowing gastric emptying, reducing food cravings and optimizing glucose control.”

Wegovy side effects almost made her quit

Soon after using Wegovy, Catania noticed she no longer craved sugar, which was a game changer for her weight loss journey. But like many women starting GLP-1 medications, she also began experiencing significant nausea and occasional vomiting—a challenge that nearly derailed the reality star’s progress.

“There were times I was so nauseous that I didn’t think I could continue this, but I did not want to stop,” Catania told Woman’s World. “The results were amazing. There was a time in my life where I could not break 155 pounds. And now I’m looking at the scale, and I’m going down to 145 then 140 pounds.”

Desperate to ease the nausea but determined not to give up on the GLP-1, Catania searched her local pharmacy for an affordable, natural solution. “I love ginger,” Catania said. “Ginger, as we know, is something for an upset stomach that we would use growing up. What did your mom give you if you were sick, you had ginger ale, right? So when I found Advanced Herbals® Ginger Chews, from the makers of Dramamine®, that was a game changer. It helped me to stay on the GLP 1s and handle the nausea.”

Can ginger really help with GLP-1 nausea?

While not everyone will experience nausea as a side effect when taking a GLP-1, experts say it happens.

“Nausea is the most common side effect of GLP 1 medications. It’s primarily due to the slowing down of the stomach,” says Diala Alatassi, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Obesity Medicine physician at TeleSlim Clinic. “The food will be sitting in the stomach for a longer period of time than usual. This can cause a little nausea. Other common causes of the nausea are consuming fatty meals, big portions of food and sometimes not eating or dehydration.”

That’s where ginger may help. “It’s important to note that ginger has not been studied and/ or prescribed as first-line therapy for nausea,” says Rani Aravamudhan, MD, Senior Medical Director at Nomi Health. “[But] there is enough empirical evidence that ginger works to ease nausea and in its natural form.”

Dr. Aravamudhan says there’s also a history of ginger being used for health issues impacting the stomach.

“Ginger has been used as an ancient remedy for a variety of GI symptoms in many cultures,” says Dr. Aravamudhan. “My south Indian grandmother had us chew on a piece of fresh, raw ginger root when we complained of a tummy ache or had indigestion. Other Asian cultures also have used ginger similarly for its effects in various forms (by itself or mixed with other components) for abdominal pain, morning sickness during pregnancy [and] motion sickness.”

As for how ginger works with GLP-1 nausea? “Ginger contains compounds that help speed up gastric emptying,” says Dr. Brown. “GLP-1s work by slowing down gastric emptying, but when the rate is too slow, nausea results. Ginger also blocks hormones that can trigger the vomiting reflex.”

More ways to ease GLP-1 nausea

“Aside from ginger chews, ginger tea and everything containing ginger can help minimize nausea,” says Dr. Alatassi. “Also understanding the mechanism behind the nausea and treating it as so. For example, eating whole foods, plant-based [and] minimally-processed foods in small portions instead of big large meals spaced out. Also focusing on drinking enough fluids to maintain proper hydration.”

Catania says GLP-1s are not a magic fix

Catania decided to give a new GLP-1, Mounjaro, a try when it came out in 2022, and she still takes it currently. With the help of GLP-1s, she now weighs 133 pounds. Beyond weight loss, she also reversed her high cholesterol and high blood pressure and no longer struggles with insulin resistance. Over time her nausea lessened, though she still turns to ginger chews if it returns.

While using GLP-1s played a major role in Catania’s health journey, she emphasized that medication alone is not the answer. “Although we like to call GLP-1s the magic pill these days, it is not,” says Catania. “You have to work out. There’s also a big factor of muscle loss with taking GLP-1s from losing so much weight so fast and not wanting to eat as much. I’ve always been very much into health, wellness and fitness. I struggled with weight for other reasons such as inflammation, lack of water and insulin resistance in my body.”

Catania’s exercise and nutrition routine

So what does her routine look like today? “I avoid a high-sugar diet,” says Catania. “I’m on a high-protein diet, and I try to minimize carbs and minimize dairy.”

As for exercise, Catania describes herself as always active. “I have a trainer I work with three to four times a week, and I try to do cardio every day, even if it’s 30 minutes walking the dog or on the treadmill.”

Catania wants women to know that losing weight is a lifestyle and that nutrition, hormonal health and being intentional about caring for your body through life transitions such as menopause are key. “Losing weight is never about a diet,” says Catania. “And staying healthy is never about a diet. It’s an actual lifestyle. We really have to be careful about what we put into our bodies, because it has lasting effects.”

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.