Featured Image Credit: ITV News
Topics: Mounjaro, Mental Health, UK News, Health
Liv Bridge
The chilling messages a beautician sent about cheap weight loss jabs have been revealed in the wake of a mom who died after taking the black market injection to lose weight.
Karen McGonigal, from Greater Manchester, UK, tragically died in hospital, just days after receiving an illegally administered dose of semaglutide.
The 53-year-old mom and grandmother had reportedly struggled with her mental health and had become 'desperate' to lose weight.
“She didn’t feel happy in herself, she didn’t want to go out anywhere. I think she just wanted her old self back - she wanted to lose weight to get her confidence back,” her grief-stricken daughter Abbie McGonigal told ITV News.
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She revealed her mom had actually sought weight loss injections from her doctor, but the medication was not available to her on the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
Karen was then reportedly told by friends that the drugs were available to purchase from a local beauty salon.
Now, the outlet has revealed the harrowing messages sent by a beautician, offering to administer the dose for just £20 (around $26) at a time.
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The initial message sent by an unknown person read: "Hi hun my mum's been speaking to her friend and they have recommended you for the weight loss injection, I was just wondering if I could have he information on it please and possibly book my mum in."
It is believed the beautician responded: "Hiya yes I offer the Semaglutide and the Mounjaro, I'd be happy to book her for a chat and see if it's something she wants to do."
A follow-up text read: "I charge £20 per injection."
Although there are private alternatives, GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro are only legally dispensed through an approved prescription from a healthcare professional.
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"Aw perfect yes can you book her in please," the text exchanged continued. "Also would she be able to have her injection on that day or would it be a different day? Just so I can send her with the money for it."
The messages confirmed Karen could have the jab on the same day - and was booked in as soon as the next day.
Meanwhile, Karen's heartbroken family have been informed the mom was not injected with tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the brand name Mounjaro, and instead is believed to have been given semaglutide, which is a different weight loss drug that has a different treatment plan and dosage.
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Abbie and her sister Ffion further claimed the salon they believe their mom visited several times had not taken proper health and safety precautions prior to injecting Karen.
They even said the beautician has 'stopped doing someone's nails' to take her into the back for the jab.
"No preparation, no cleaning, nothing,” Ffion said. “She’d give it to my mom, my mom would pay her, and she’d be out in three minutes."
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It wasn't until four days later that the family noticed something was amiss, noting how Karen suddenly appeared 'purple' and in 'agony' with severe stomach pains while struggling to breathe.
Ffion said by the time she was transported to hospital, she 'wasn't awake'. After two days in intensive care, Karen's life support was turned off.
Her death also meant she never got to meet her fifth grandchild after Ffion, 25, found out she was expecting a baby for the first time.
The sisters have since been speaking out with dire warnings on the risks unregulated weight loss treatments pose, warning others to resist the 'cheaper' black market alternatives.
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Abbie said: “The outcome is devastating. It's heartbreaking and it's really, really not worth it.”
“I think the people who are actually injecting people with this stuff - more needs to be done to them," she continued. "These people are getting away with destroying people’s lives."
ITV News reports local cops have since arrested one person on suspicion of manslaughter and another on suspicion of supplying a controlled substance.
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The investigation is ongoing.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].