Man thought he had trapped gas before nearly dying after weight loss jab mistake
A dad who lost nearly a third of his body weight on Mounjaro was left feeling like he was in his 'nineties', unable to 'walk or move properly', after his gallbladder rotted and he had to have it removed.
Edd Langmead started his weight loss journey in May 2025 after struggling with his weight all his life, regularly scoffing sweet treats and tipping the scales at 20st 7lbs (around 280lbs) at his heaviest.
The 44-year-old, who suffered weight-related back pain, went to his doctor and claims he was told there was a waiting list of more than 12 months for weight-loss medication.
Desperate for a 'quick fix', the musician decided to buy Mounjaro from an online pharmacy and claims he saw 'instant' results.
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Due to a rise in costs, Edd tried a cheaper weight loss jab, but says it wasn't as effective, so switched back to Mounjaro.
The dad-of-two claims he didn't have any bad side effects and lost 80lbs in under a year, shrinking down to 14st 5lbs (201lbs) and eliminating his back pain.
But on March 9, 2026, Edd started experiencing pain that he believed was trapped wind, which over-the-counter meds didn't shift.
Three days later, Edd was left 'doubled over' in pain on the floor and his partner rang for an ambulance that blue-lighted him to hospital.
There, doctors ran tests and discovered he had gangrenous cholecystitis, a life-threatening condition where gallbladder tissue dies and booked him in for surgery on March 13.
The infection, which also spread into his stomach and lungs, is believed to be linked to his rapid weight loss.
'I couldn't sit or lie down without being in pain'
Edd, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, UK, said: "I've struggled with weight all my life. I went to my doctor to get on it [weight loss injections] and they said that the waiting list is more than 12 months.
"Everyone wants a quick fix, don't they? I did. I'd been suffering with back pain for the past three years, getting out of bed actually hurt, and within the first two months my back pain had gone."
He continued: "I didn't have any bad side effects. It was up until that week, that's the first bit of pain [I had]. I've dealt with trapped wind quite a lot and I know what it feels like.
"I got all these things from over the counter trying to relieve it, but it didn't do anything. I couldn't sit or lie down without being in pain and it just kept getting worse and worse.
"My partner was meant to be going to work and I was doubled up in pain on the floor and could barely talk, so she rang an ambulance."
'All I could think of was leaving my kids without a dad'
After running tests, hospital staff rushed him into emergency surgery to have his gallbladder removed, where he stayed for four days before returning home with an IV antibiotic drip for 10 days.
Edd said: "When I came out of the operation, a couple of the surgeons were saying how lucky I was. All I could think of was leaving my kids without a dad.
"I've gone from being the healthiest I've ever felt since I was a teenager to now, I feel like I'm in my nineties. I've got pipes hanging out of me, I can't walk or move properly, I can't lie down.
"If I had not gone in or if I had been in a different situation where I couldn't get to a hospital then I might not be here so that's the scary thing."
After his experience, Edd quit the jabs and is now urging anyone wanting to use them to get them via their doctor so they can be monitored.
Edd said: "Once I found out it'd all gone wrong and was related to weight loss, it put doubt in me [and] that maybe I should've just waited for the NHS.
"The online companies don't show you those risks. There is a sadness that it happened like that for me because I'm sure that had I done it differently, it wouldn't have been that way.
"Make sure you go get regular blood tests. It's not worth the risk."
A spokesman for Lilly, who manufacture Mounjaro, 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 cholecystitis (infection of the gallbladder) is an uncommon side effect (may affect up to 1 in 100 people).
"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."
Topics: Weight loss, Mounjaro, UK News, Life
Niamh Shackleton