Woman 'losing organ' alleges weight loss drug is to blame after losing 42lbs
Kit Roberts
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
A woman has blamed Mounjaro for her 'excruciating pain' as she faces gallbladder removal surgery after using the weight loss drug.
In an article for The Telegraph, Catherine Hales from the UK opened up about how she had struggled with her weight for a long time, and seeing the levels of publicity that these weight loss medications had, thought she would give Mounjaro a try.
When she had her first dose, things seemed to be going well - she lost around 9lbs and had no side effects, so her doctor approved her to increase her dose.
But this time things were very different.
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"This time, the side effects hit with brutal force," she said. "If I ate too much (half a 12in pizza, for instance) I would throw up within about 20 minutes. Soon, the vomiting was accompanied by pain in my upper abdomen."
Over the next six months, she told how she lost 2st 5lbs, but things got significantly worse when she went on holiday.
Describing her symptoms, she wrote that she spent the 'whole night spent lying on the cool tiles of the bathroom floor, wretching and clutching my upper abdomen'.
After a hospital visit when she got home, Catherine recalled that nobody had told her to stop the jab, and that they had encouraged her to continue with it.
After further assessments, Catherine was diagnosed with gallstones, where a buildup in the gallbladder can cause severe pain. She also became convinced that her skin was becoming discoloured, before things came to a terrifying head.
In one episode, Catherine described 'agony like I’d never experienced, so all-consuming that it left me reeling and terrified that something life-threatening was happening to me'.
After more assessments, it was confirmed that her gallstones had caused 'acute pancreatitis and markedly abnormal liver blood tests'.
Catherine was booked in for surgery to remove her gallbladder, and she decided to end her medication.
She wrote: "I was more than 3st lighter and done with being unwell. The attacks had ruined holidays, interfered with work.
"On the bad days, I feel so guilty for choosing to go on this medication in the first place. I’ve put stress on people I love, taken up NHS resources and I really, really scared myself – all for the sake of a lazy shortcut to fast weight loss. On the better days, I know it’s not that simple."
In a statement provided to UNILAD, Mounjaro's manufacturer Eli Lilly said: "Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority and we actively monitor, evaluate, and report safety information for all our medicines to the MHRA.
"The Mounjaro (tirzepatide) Patient Information Leaflet warns that gallstones is a common side effect of tirzepatide when used for weight management (may affect up to 1 in 10 people), and that cholecystitis (infection of the gallbladder), and gallstones when used for type 2 diabetes, are uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)."
The statement added: "Anyone experiencing side effects when taking any Lilly medicine should consult their doctor or other healthcare professional, and should ensure that they are getting genuine Lilly medicine."