Kit Roberts
The family of a British woman who died after taking a black market 'skinny jab' have warned of the dangers of unregulated treatments.
Karen McGonigal, 53, was illegally administered a dose of semaglutide in May and tragically died days after being rushed to hospital.
Karen, from Salford in Greater Manchester, had struggled with her mental health and self-esteem after the end of a long-term relationship, with her family saying that she was 'desperate' to lose weight.
Now, Karen's 'heartbroken' loved ones have spoken out, becoming the first UK family to warn about the risks that unregulated weight loss treatments can pose.
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In a touching interview, her daughters, Abbie and Ffion McGonigal, paid tribute to their mom and opened up on the struggles that Karen had which had led to her considering weight loss treatment.
They told ITV News: “She had the biggest heart and would do anything for anybody. If she was your friend - you were lucky.”
Abbie and Ffion added that their mom was 'kind and loving' and that she had 'lived for her kids and grandkids'.
Abbie said: “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.”
Anxious about her weight and self-esteem, Karen initially visited her GP to discuss the possibility of getting weight loss injections.
But after having tests, it was determined that she was not eligible for this treatment on the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
Karen reportedly discovered that a local beauty salon had been offering weight loss injections, with texts obtained by ITV News revealing they were charging £20 per jab.
Though they are available privately, weight loss injections can only be administered legally and safely when a patient has a prescription from a doctor or pharmacist.
Karen's daughter Ffion claimed that the salon - which her mom reportedly visited a number of times - had not taken any proper precautions before administering the jab, even claiming the beautician had 'stopped doing someone's nails' to take her into the back.
“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.”
Around four days after her final injection, Karen became ill, in 'agony' with intense stomach pains and having difficulty breathing. Ffion described seeing her mom's face turn 'purple'.
“She got blue-lighted to the hospital. By the time I saw her again, she wasn’t awake,” she said.
After spending two days in intensive care, Karen’s life support was turned off.
The mom's death meant that she never got to meet her fifth grandchild after Ffion, 25, found out she was expecting for the first time.
The sisters urged people not to take the 'cheap' option.
Abbie said: “The outcome is devastating. It's heartbreaking and it's really, really not worth it.”
Karen's family has since been told that she was not administered tirzepatide, known by the brand name Mounjaro, but was injected with semaglutide - another drug which requires a different dosage.
ITV News reports that Greater Manchester Police have arrested one person on suspicion of manslaughter and another on suspicion of supplying a controlled substance.
An 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].