Doctors have issued an urgent warning over the 'golden dose' hack for Mounjaro as it could be fatal.
According to a recent medical survey, around 12 percent of adults in the US use glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) drugs, which are designed to treat people with Type-2 diabetes.
Mounjaro is one of the many brands that work to lower blood sugar levels to treat diabetic people - but it has also been approved to treat obesity for its propensity in aiding weight loss.
However, reports suggest a rising number of Mounjaro users may be abusing the tool by squeezing extra doses out of the injector pens to get more bang for their buck, which medics are warning could be dangerous.
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One injector pen comes pre-filled with a fixed dose that users take once a week, typically lasting for a period of four weeks.
Yet patients say a small amount of the drug remains in the pen at the end of the end of the round, with some reportedly promoting a new 'hack' to recover the liquid remnants.
Taking to social media, dozens have reportedly suggested a syringe and needle can draw out the dregs to create an additional 'golden dose,' as per The Daily Mail.
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In the US, Mounjaro typically costs between $1,000 to $1,200 per month, according to Health System Tracker, so it's clear to see why some customers are keen to lap up every last drop.
Given the pens cost a pretty penny, it is estimated users could save as much as $3,210 a year by concocting an extra fifth jab from each prescribed pen.
One user on Reddit wrote: "After the fourth dose [of Mounjaro], there is enough for a fifth. Over five months, you save yourself the cost of a pen. You extract the liquid [with a needle], shake off any excess to get air bubbles out, then inject."
But drug specialists and doctors warn the trend poses some serious and potentially deadly risks.
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Speaking to the news outlet, Professor Penny Ward, a pharmaceutical expert at King's College London, said: "People are reading these tips on online forums and being tempted to use them to save money.
"But they're risking serious side effects from overdosing by doing this — as well as the potential to develop a life-threatening infection. It's not a good idea at all."
The professor revealed the practice can be life-threatening 'for several reasons,' from infections to abscesses and overdosing.
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She said: "These injections contain a slight overfill to ensure the full recommended dose is delivered each time. But by drawing this out with a separate syringe and using it as a so-called fifth dose, you're exposing yourself to serious risk of infection."
This is because the pens are 'sterile' when dispensed, but aren't once they've been used.
"That means using leftover liquid to inject into the skin could introduce harmful bacteria," Ward continued. "This can lead to an abscess — a painful build-up of pus — and if left untreated, potentially progress to sepsis, a life-threatening condition where the body's organs begin to shut down."
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As for overdosing, she explained patients will struggle to 'measure the correct amount' when creating their own syringe, meaning they could take more than intended and suffer gastrointestinal problems, like diarrhoea and vomiting, to 'more serious complications' like pancreatitis.
The NHS states acute pancreatitis can see people suffer intense pain in their abdomen, a high temperature and/or vomiting that requires hospital treatment.
"It can be terribly tempting, particularly if you're paying for the drug privately, to try and save money," Professor Ward continued. "But it's just not worth the risks."
UNILAD has contacted Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro, for comment.
Topics: Social Media, Health, US News, Fitness
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