I almost died on the way to my son's wedding after using fat jabs to look good – think long and hard before taking them
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A MUM almost died on the way to her son's wedding after using weight loss jabs to look "thin" in wedding snaps.
Ali Eastburn began using GLP-1 drugs in April this year and collapsed in July while travelling by plane to the nuptials - after her appendix burst.
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Ali Eastburn, 58, pictured with her husband Ken, 63
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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The mum collapsed on a flight just days before her son's wedding after her appendix burst
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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She began taking weight loss jabs months earlier in order to look slim in wedding snaps
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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Ali didn't know if she'd survive the ordeal and make it to the wedding
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
The mum was hoping to shift 20lbs so she could feel confident in photos as her 29-year-old son Chase Holland got married.
Before starting taking the jabs, the 58-year-old weighed 13 stone and had struggled to slim down naturally after going through the menopause.
So when a "trusted" doctor suggested she try Ozempic, she began taking a low dose of the prescribed drug.
The family of drugs known as GLP-1 RAs were originally developed to treat diabetes, but have been rolled out for weight loss as they were found to suppress patients' appetite.
It is worth noting that Ozempic is licensed as a diabetes drug, whereas Wegovy - which uses the same active ingredient semaglutide - is prescribed for weight loss.
Ali, from Nashville, Tennessee, US, said: "I was trying to get thin for my son's wedding and I knew I had to do something drastic.
"I was desperate to look better. I didn't want to hate the wedding photos for the rest of my life."
At first the mum-of-three claims the medication was a "miracle".
She began to lose weight every week and only experienced heartburn as a side effect.
But when her weight loss plateaued in July, the realtor upped her dosage to hit her target weight for the wedding on July 19.
I went on fat jabs but the hair loss was unbelievable so I quit - I'd rather be chubby with hair than skinny and bald
It was then that 5ft 4in Ali began to experience heartburn, nausea and "violent" diarrhoea and was rushed to the ER twice.
On the flight to Chase's wedding in Orange County, California, on July 15, Ali's appendix ruptured and she was rushed in for emergency surgery when she landed.
A shocking image shows the mum collapsed on the floor clutching an ice pack to her stomach.
After emergency surgery, Ali was able to attend her son's wedding, but claims she was in pain the whole day.
Now recovered, Ali is urging people to "think long and hard" before resorting to skinny jabs as a quick-fix weight loss solution.
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Ali at the airport before being rushed into emergency surgery to have her appendix removed
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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Ali also suffered from severe heartburn and nausea before developing appendicitis
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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Ali sharing a hug and cry with her son Chase at his wedding
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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She was in pain the whole day
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Ali said: "I would say think long and hard before taking a GLP-1 because it could have killed me.
"If you care about your family or people that you love, think about them having to live life without you and think about all you might miss out on.
"Being thin is not worth losing your life or your health.
"I'd been struggling with my weight for years. I was post-menopause and my whole metabolism just changed and I had tried everything to lose weight.
"When I went to see my health care provider, she said I'd benefit from a GLP-1 and I trusted her.
"At first, it seemed like a miracle as the weight was just falling off.
"[By July 1], I had lost 15lbs and I felt better and I finally felt there was hope.
"But when my weight loss plateaued, my health care provider upped my dose so I could get to my goal of losing 20lbs.
When my son saw me sitting in the front row, he came over and hugged me for the longest time and we both had a good cry. While I was in the hospital that week, we didn't know I was going to be at the wedding, much less live to tell anyone about it
Ali Eastburn
"The first week I upped my dose to the highest level I'd been on, the nausea was uncontrollable and I had no desire to eat or drink anything.
"The heartburn was at an all-new level and it became painful around the clock.
"Eleven days before the wedding I finally went wedding dress shopping and I felt nauseous and sick the entire day.
"I was dry heaving and I was fighting the urge to throw up all day. I then had violent diarrhoea for four days.
"[On July 15], when we landed at the airport, an ambulance took me straight to the hospital and I was diagnosed with a ruptured appendix.
"It was terrifying. Within 15 minutes of leaving the airport I was in a hospital room.
What are the other side effects of weight loss jabs?
Like any medication, weight loss jabs can have side effects.
Common side effects of GLP-1 injections include:
Nausea: This is the most commonly reported side effect, especially when first starting the medication. It often decreases over time as your body adjusts.
Vomiting: Can occur, often in conjunction with nausea.
Diarrhea: Some people experience gastrointestinal upset.
Constipation: Some individuals may also experience constipation.
Stomach pain or discomfort: Some people may experience abdominal pain or discomfort.
Reduced appetite: This is often a desired effect for people using Ozempic for weight loss.
Indigestion: Can cause a feeling of bloating or discomfort after eating.
Serious side effects can also include:
Pancreatitis: In rare cases, Ozempic may increase the risk of inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, which can cause severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Kidney problems: There have been reports of kidney issues, including kidney failure, though this is uncommon.
Thyroid tumors: There's a potential increased risk of thyroid cancer, although this risk is based on animal studies. It is not confirmed in humans, but people with a history of thyroid cancer should avoid Ozempic.
Vision problems: Rapid changes in blood sugar levels may affect vision, and some people have reported blurry vision when taking Ozempic.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): Especially if used with other medications like sulfonylureas or insulin.
"After a quick CT scan, the doctor said my appendix had ruptured and they needed to remove it."
A burst appendix can be life-threatening. It can happen if appendicitis - swelling and infection of the appendix - is not treated quickly.
While there have been reports of people experiencing appendicitis after using weight loss jabs, it is considered to be a rare side effect.
Some patients do experience heartburn while taking the drugs, particularly during the initial stages of treatment or after a dosage increase.
Nausea tends to be a common side effect of GLP-1s.
After having her appendix removed, Ali spent four days in hospital, which saw her miss Chase's rehearsal dinner.
When she was discharged, she says she spent the wedding in pain and unable to walk properly.
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Ali advised others to think twice before trying the jabs
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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'I felt it was all my fault and I did this to myself,' Ali said
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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Ali is pictured here before taking weight loss jabs
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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'I will never jeopardise or endanger myself again with any drugs to lose weight,' Ali said
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
'Too close of a call'
Following the celebrations Ali was hospitalised again due to internal bleeding, which delayed their flight home until July 29.
Ali said: "I was really upset and when I couldn't go to the dress rehearsal I just cried because I felt it was all my fault and I did this to myself.
"I missed all the pre-wedding festivities because I wanted to be thin and it broke my heart.
"On the wedding day we went at the very last minute because I was in so much pain. Sitting on a chair was painful and it was hard to walk.
"When my son saw me sitting in the front row, he came over and hugged me for the longest time and we both had a good cry.
"While I was in the hospital that week, we didn't know I was going to be at the wedding, much less live to tell anyone about it."
Novo Nordisk's response
Ozempic's manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, told Sun Health: "Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Novo Nordisk.
"We continuously collect safety data on our marketed GLP-1 RA medicines and work closely with the authorities to ensure patient safety.
"As part of this work we continue to monitor reports of adverse drug reactions through routine pharmacovigilance.
"We recommend patients take these medications for their approved indications and under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
"Treatment decisions should be made together with a healthcare provider who can evaluate the appropriateness of using a GLP-1 based on assessment of a patient's individual medical profile.
"We recommend that any patient experiencing side effects while taking GLP receptor agonists including Wegovy, Ozempic or Rybelsus report them to their healthcare provider and via the MHRA Yellow Card scheme: https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/."
Before losing weight Ali was a US size 12 and by the wedding had dropped down to a US size 10 and weighed 11 stone 7lbs.
Now recovered, Ali says she'll never touch weight loss drugs again and is going to lose weight naturally by controlling her portion sizes and exercising regularly.
Ali said: "My weight was the last thing on my mind at the wedding.
"It was the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen and to see my son marry the woman of his dreams was such a gift.
"I didn't care about my size anymore as I was just so proud to be there.
"It was hard to stand and do the mother-son dance, but we got through it and I was so grateful.
"I will never jeopardise or endanger myself again with any drugs to lose weight as that was too close of a call."
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Ali said she had no thoughts about her weight on the wedding day - she was just proud to be there
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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Ali said she struggled to lose weight after going through the menopause
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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The latter has been found to trigger up to a 17 per cent drop in body weight. But Eli Lilly was hot on Novo's heels with its own breakthrough product, Mounjaro. The drug went one step further by mimicking two gut hormones – GLP-1 and another, GIP. It was approved in injection form for diabetes in 2022, and a year later for weight loss. The most comprehensive trials revealed those taking the medication typically lose some 21 per cent of their body weight over an 18-month period. 'It's two hormones in one,' says Dr Martin Whyte, associate professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Surrey. 'The GLP-1 essentially gets to live on its receptor for longer in the presence of GIP. So that means it has a more durable action.' Hunting for the 'holy grail' formula In a bid not to be left behind, Novo is now pursuing a similar combination. The company is seeking to combine GLP-1 with another hormone, Amylin, which is not an incretin but a peptide produced in the pancreas (with its own impact on appetite-signalling to the brain). But their new drug in the works – CagriSema, a once-weekly injection – hasn't quite performed as hoped in trials. Novo suggested it was capable of producing 25 per cent average weight loss, but participants lost an average of 23 per cent over the course of a year. It is yet to be approved for weight loss anywhere in the world. 'I wouldn't rush to say it would be better [than Mounjaro], it might be equivalent,' says Whyte. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly seems intent on pulling further ahead still. It is now working on a drug which combines three incretins - GLP-1, GIP and another, Glucagon, which can also break down fat stores. The early results for Retatrutide, a weekly jab, look promising. In trials, participants have registered 17 per cent weight loss within 24 weeks and 24 per cent after 48. Whyte believes it may be available to consumers by this time next year, and compares its impact to that of a gastric bypass. 'The holy grail of weight-loss drugs is to produce a medical gastric bypass [and] get to the point you wouldn't need to do these operations any more,' he says. The race for a pill Beyond refining formulas, the most significant breakthrough to come will perhaps be the introduction of a pill. A weight-loss drug in tablet form would almost certainly have even greater mass appeal than existing offerings. Pills would likely be cheaper for consumers, owing to reduced production costs, and they would cut out the current need for refrigeration and injector pens. That's not to mention the number of needle-shy people who might be persuaded to swallow a tablet instead. Indeed, a Time magazine piece published earlier this year, titled 'The Big Promise: How a New Weight-Loss Pill Could Transform Health', detailed how a tablet could 'expand ... [the] market in significant ways' and allow a successful producer to 'potentially dominate it'. Novo is attempting to win this race within a race – it already has a GLP-1 type 2 diabetes pill on the market called Rybelsus. Although tests show this does not trigger dramatic weight loss, it is still a promising starting point, says Whyte. In a six-month study, people weighing an average of 194lb, and taking 14mg of the drug, lost around 8lb. The pill 'is relatively unique among companies so far,' he says. 'Generally speaking, when you give a hormone in a tablet form it just gets destroyed by the acid in the stomach. So they've been able to do something very clever, wrapping around the actual GLP-1 to prevent that from happening.' The technology of Novo's pill coating, Whyte says, is called SNAC, and works by neutralising the pH of the stomach acid when the tablet enters it, allowing the drug to be absorbed across the stomach lining. He believes Novo will eventually be looking to package CagriSema in tablet form. But 'it's a close race', Whyte adds. Eli Lilly have their own tablet in the making – Orforglipron. Designed to be taken daily, it was found in studies to be around as effective as a weekly Ozempic injection. Pfizer has also been working on a pill, but some prototypes have already been pulled, and a San Diego-based company, Viking Therapeutics, is developing a dual GLP-1 and GIP drug in both injection and pill form. It could be two years before Novo and Eli Lilly's tablets reach the market, Whyte estimates, but pills may ultimately prove a game-changer.
