Woman sheds 4 stone(25 kilos) in 4 months on Mounjaro, then suffers liver failure—how the drug works and its risks
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Chapman had purchased Mounjaro from a major online pharmacy in March 2024, hoping that losing weight would help her be 'taken more seriously' by doctors after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder.
At first, the results were everything she hoped for. But just a few months in, her health began to unravel.
"I couldn't really do much. I was only eating a couple of times a week," she said. "I stopped being able to walk.
I would take a couple of steps and have to stop. Then I couldn't stop being sick. I was throwing up all the time and started throwing up blood. I was sick between 50 and 60 times."
Chapman collapsed multiple times. "My husband came home and found me passed out on the hallway one night," she said. Initially, she believed it was a virus. 'I was in a bit of denial about it being linked to the jab because I was fine up until now.'
It wasn't until she experienced severe chest pains that she went to Winchester Hospital A&E.
There, doctors discovered a hole in her oesophagus—allowing air to leak around her heart and lungs. As her blood pressure and potassium levels dropped, she was transferred to intensive care at Southampton General Hospital, where doctors found her liver was 'failing.' A transplant was considered.
"They had said it was down to the weight-loss jab but they didn't know why or how to fix it," she said. "I was terrified. It all happened so quickly… I was told the hole in the oesophagus can kill people and I may have needed a new liver.
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They said I could've died."
Though her condition was stabilized within two weeks, her ordeal continued. By September, she began losing large clumps of hair—eventually diagnosed as a vitamin B12 deficiency. 'It kept happening and the handfuls kept getting bigger. I would be so sad,' she said. 'My hair was such a massive part of my identity and to cut it off just felt really traumatic.'
While she doesn't want to 'tell people what they can and can't take,' Chapman says, 'I regret ever taking them.
I'd say to other people thinking about trying them, don't do it online, go through your doctor who can give you blood tests and check how you're doing.'
What exactly is Mounjara?
According to Drugs.com, Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a once-weekly injection primarily prescribed to manage type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels. In addition to its intended purpose, the medication is also known to promote weight loss. It is meant to be used alongside a healthy diet and regular exercise.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Mounjaro on May 13, 2022, and got a
at the end of 2023 for weight loss in adults. Currently, there is no generic version available. Tirzepatide is sold under two brand names—Mounjaro and Zepbound—both manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company. While they contain the same active ingredient, they are approved for different medical uses.
How does Mounjaro work?
According to the National Library of Medicine, mounjaro (tirzepatide) works through a unique dual-action approach by targeting two key gut hormone receptors. Here's how it helps manage blood sugar and promote weight loss:
Activates Two Hormone Receptors
Slows Down Stomach Emptying
Controls Appetite
Increases Satiety
Influences Brain Reward Pathways
What are the known side effects?
Like many medications in its class, Mounjaro is associated with a range of side effects, most of which involve the gastrointestinal (GI) system. According to Eli Lilly and Co. and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (
), the most commonly reported side effects include:
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Constipation
Abdominal pain or discomfort
Decreased appetite
Indigestion or heartburn
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