'I took weight-loss jabs and had side effects that almost killed me'
'I took weight-loss jabs and had side effects that almost killed me'
Aimee, 34, was told she had a hole in her oesophagus and her liver was failing
Aimee was hospiatlised with liver failure (Kennedy News and Media)
A woman's bid to shed a few pounds using a weight-loss jab went horribly wrong when her hair fell out in clumps and she nearly lost her liver. Aimee Chapman began using the GLP-1-class weight loss injections in March last year after stumbling upon a post on social media. The 34-year-old hoped the fat jabs would help her lose weight and 'be taken more seriously' by doctors if she were slimmer. The family of drugs known as GLP-1 RAs, originally developed to treat diabetes, are now often being used for weight loss as they were found to suppress a patient's appetite. Aimee paid around £200 for a month's worth of jabs that she purchased from an online pharmacy - meaning it was completely legal and regulated. She lost four stone when she first began using the injectables, dropping from 14 stone to just 10 stone in four months. However, in June last year, Aimee began feeling more and more unwell - experiencing low energy levels, chest pains, diminished appetite and constant vomiting. After deciding to have her symptoms investigated in hospital, doctors discovered that Aimee had developed a hole in her oesophagus caused by vomiting 'more than 60 times'.
Aimee's hair started to fall out in clumps (Kennedy News and Media)
Aimee's liver then began showing signs of failure, with doctors even considering an organ transplant if her symptoms failed to improve. Luckily, Aimee was able to return home after 11 days in hospital - but soon began to notice her hair was coming out in clumps, a sign of vitamin deficiency that she believes is linked to the weight-loss jab. Aimee, who doesn't work due to her disability, is now calling on others who are considering using the injectables to do their research and consult a doctor. Aimee, who lives in Southampton, Hampshire, said: "I'd never even thought about it until I saw a post on social media saying you can just buy [weight-loss jabs]. "I noticed that as my weight changed, I was taken less seriously by doctors. My thinking was if I could weigh less, I would at least get taken a bit more seriously. It wasn't about getting thinner or looking better for me. That hadn't even crossed my mind.
The hair loss was linked to malnutrition (Kennedy News and Media)
"[After a few months of using the jabs] I started noticing I didn't have a lot of energy, I couldn't really do much. I was only eating a couple of times a week. 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. I collapsed a couple of times. My husband came home and found me passed out on the hallway one night. I was in a bit of denial about it being linked to the jab because I was fine up until now. I just thought I was poorly and it was some sort of virus." But when Aimee began experiencing chest pains, she went to Winchester Hospital's A&E where doctors discovered a hole in her oesophagus that was leaking air around her heart and lung. Aimee was then admitted to the intensive care unit when her blood pressure and potassium levels began to plummet.
Aimee lost so much hair she had to shave her head (Kennedy News and Media)
Aimee was later rushed to Southampton General Hospital's ICU when doctors noticed her liver function was deteriorating, prompting them to consider an organ transplant. Aimee said: "They were trying all sorts of things to get my liver levels back to normal. It was failing. "They had said it was down to the weight-loss jab but they didn't know why or how to fix it. There was so little out there medical-wise, doctors didn't know how to fix it. I was terrified. It all happened so quickly and I hadn't realised how serious it was until I was transferred and it sunk in that it was worse than I thought it was. "After coming out of ICU, the nurse told me this has happened because of these jabs and I can never take one ever again even if I had type-2 diabetes. I don't think they know whether this was a general side-effect or whether this was a rare case. I was really surprised about how much of my body it affected.
Aimee with her husband Christopher (Kennedy News and Media)
Article continues below
"I was told the hole in the oesophagus can kill people and I may have needed a new liver. They said I could've died." Luckily, Aimee's health began to improve and she was discharged from hospital. But, the decline in her health and a consequential vitamin B-12 deficiency led to Aimee's hair falling out in September last year. Aimee said: "It kept happening and the handfuls kept getting bigger. I would be so sad. My hair was just above my bum when I went into hospital. My husband just said why don't you just cut it off? My hair was such a massive part of my identity and to cut it off just felt really traumatic. But I said to myself it was just hair, it'll grow back. "This feels like another result of the injections. I'm not going to tell people what they can and can't take but I do believe more research needs to be done into these jabs. 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."
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Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Three sisters lose 18 stone between them on the same diet
Three sisters lose 18 stone between them on the same diet They were facing surgery, diabetes and blindness before working together to cut their weight Emma, Katie and Tammy went on a weight-loss journey together Three sisters who have lost more than 18 stone (114.3kg) between them by following an 800-calorie-a-day diet have said it transformed their lives more than they could have imagined. Emma Castle, 48, reached her heaviest weight of 22 stone 6lb (143.1 kg), wearing a size 24, in summer 2023 and realised she needed to make a change after discovering she had high blood pressure and was pre-diabetic. In January 2024, she began the 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan, a step-by-step weight-loss programme that provides one-to-one consultant support and starts with 800 calories a day through meal replacement products and a small evening meal. The NHS recommends 2,000 calories daily for women, with a 600-calorie reduction suggested for weight loss. Emma is now 14 stone 6lb (92.1 kg) and a size 16, making everyday actions easier, such as walking, doing housework, and even sitting on a bus without taking up two seats. She has also become a consultant for the 1:1 Diet. Tammy Fisher, 46, started the same diet at 16 stone 5lb (104.1 kg), wearing a size 20, desperate for change after years of feeling 'hopeless' and even considering gastric surgery, but has since slimmed down to 10 stone 12lb (68 kg) and a size 12. She is now also a consultant. Katie Nutt, 46, who does not work because of health reasons, began the diet in February 2024 and has gone from 17 stone 4lb (110.3 kg) and a size 22 to 12 stone 1lb (76.7 kg) and a size 14 – she has hypertension on the brain and since losing weight her condition has stabilised. Tammy, who, like her sisters, lives in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, told PA Real Life: 'It makes you feel in control of what you're eating. I feel like it just works for us even though some people might think it's not enough calories to start with. I thought surgery was my only option but how wrong I was – I don't need any injection or surgery – I did it myself and it's just unreal.' Emma reached her heaviest weight of 22 stone 6lb in the summer of 2023, after years of overeating and having large bars of chocolate most evenings. But after a visit to her GP revealed she had high blood pressure and was pre-diabetic she slowly began to realise she may need to make some changes. In January 2024 she began following the 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan which is a tailored weight-loss plan that provides one-to-one consultant support for every dieter and became a consultant for the diet too. She said: 'I realised that actually I'm not going to be able to get through life unscathed if I continue as I am.' The diet consists of several steps. Step one involves replacing your everyday food for nutritionally complete meal replacement products. Emma started at step two which includes three 1:1 products daily – such as snack bars or porridge – along with a 200-calorie evening meal made from ingredients such as chicken and vegetables, with no carbohydrates. By May 2024, Emma had lost four stone (25.4 kg), and a check-up confirmed her blood pressure and blood sugar levels were within the normal range. She said: 'It made it all worth it, I felt so much better in myself. It's really quite life changing, losing that amount of weight, and it's just everyday things that you notice are easier, like walking, housework, sitting on a bus and not taking up nearly two seats.' Tammy also began the 1:1 Diet in January 2024, becoming a consultant too, following the same 800-calorie plan. At the time, she weighed 16 stone 5lb (104.1 kg) – the 'biggest' she had 'ever been' – and was 'desperate' to make a change. The sisters supported each other throughout the process. (L to R: Tammy, Emma and Katie) (Collect/PA Real Life) She had been considering gastric surgery, even contacting private hospitals and arranging payment plans, but was inspired by Emma to try the diet instead, avoiding a procedure that could have cost around £10,000. She explained: 'I got to the point where I didn't like what I saw in the mirror at all. I didn't like my clothes … friends would invite me out and I wouldn't go, and I used to cry a lot and think it was all hopeless.' However, after just a few days on the plan, and despite feeling light-headed during the initial 'detox', she suddenly got a 'spring in her step'. Katie began the diet in February 2024, starting at 17 stone 4lb (110.3 kg). Katie, who was on the waiting list for gastric sleeve surgery because of hypertension on the brain, was advised to lose weight to relieve her symptoms such as headaches and neck and back pain. Since following the diet – also consuming 800 calories a day – she has halved her pain medication. There had also been a risk of her going blind, as the condition was causing pressure on her optic nerves, but her eyesight is now stable. Katie said: 'I think my family have noticed a huge difference – I used to look so poorly all the time and my kids used to just think, 'God, mum's in bed again'. Now they see me up sprightly.' Together, the sisters have lost more than 18 stone (114.3 kg), with Emma shedding eight stone (50.8 kg), Tammy five stone 7lb (35.4 kg), and Katie five stone 3lb (33.5 kg). All three sisters, who are 5ft 2in, started in the obese category – Emma had a BMI of 57, Tammy had a BMI of 42, and Katie had a BMI of 44. After losing weight, Emma's BMI is the lowest level of obese at 36, Tammy moved into the overweight category at 28, and Katie reached the borderline between overweight and obese at 30. Emma said: 'I don't actually think my brain is caught up in my body … I keep buying bigger sizes thinking they're the right size.' When the sisters are closer to their goal weights, they will eventually move on to the final steps, with their calories increasing each time. The final step involves eating one 1:1 product a day and eating a healthy diet of around 1,500 calories each day, while keeping active and working towards maintaining weight. The sisters believe their weight-loss journey has brought them closer, supporting each other along the way. 'Every celebration used to revolve around food,' said Emma. 'But now we spend that money on experiences, like holidays together and we've found new ways to reward ourselves. It's a whole new mindset.' Since losing the weight, their lives have changed beyond their 'wildest imaginations' – Tammy and Katie are no longer considering surgery and they all feel healthier, with more energy, and have more confidence than ever. Looking ahead, the sisters believe the diet will be 'part of (their) lives for the rest of (their) lives', and Emma and Tammy are excited to continue their journeys by helping others as consultants. Article continues below For more information about the 1:1 Diet visit: If you are living with obesity, your GP can offer you advice about improving your lifestyle and losing and managing your weight safely. For more information, visit: If you were affected by this content or are struggling with an eating disorder, support is available at
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Wales Online
'I took weight-loss jabs and had side effects that almost killed me'
'I took weight-loss jabs and had side effects that almost killed me' Aimee, 34, was told she had a hole in her oesophagus and her liver was failing Aimee was hospiatlised with liver failure (Kennedy News and Media) A woman's bid to shed a few pounds using a weight-loss jab went horribly wrong when her hair fell out in clumps and she nearly lost her liver. Aimee Chapman began using the GLP-1-class weight loss injections in March last year after stumbling upon a post on social media. The 34-year-old hoped the fat jabs would help her lose weight and 'be taken more seriously' by doctors if she were slimmer. The family of drugs known as GLP-1 RAs, originally developed to treat diabetes, are now often being used for weight loss as they were found to suppress a patient's appetite. Aimee paid around £200 for a month's worth of jabs that she purchased from an online pharmacy - meaning it was completely legal and regulated. She lost four stone when she first began using the injectables, dropping from 14 stone to just 10 stone in four months. However, in June last year, Aimee began feeling more and more unwell - experiencing low energy levels, chest pains, diminished appetite and constant vomiting. After deciding to have her symptoms investigated in hospital, doctors discovered that Aimee had developed a hole in her oesophagus caused by vomiting 'more than 60 times'. Aimee's hair started to fall out in clumps (Kennedy News and Media) Aimee's liver then began showing signs of failure, with doctors even considering an organ transplant if her symptoms failed to improve. Luckily, Aimee was able to return home after 11 days in hospital - but soon began to notice her hair was coming out in clumps, a sign of vitamin deficiency that she believes is linked to the weight-loss jab. Aimee, who doesn't work due to her disability, is now calling on others who are considering using the injectables to do their research and consult a doctor. Aimee, who lives in Southampton, Hampshire, said: "I'd never even thought about it until I saw a post on social media saying you can just buy [weight-loss jabs]. "I noticed that as my weight changed, I was taken less seriously by doctors. My thinking was if I could weigh less, I would at least get taken a bit more seriously. It wasn't about getting thinner or looking better for me. That hadn't even crossed my mind. The hair loss was linked to malnutrition (Kennedy News and Media) "[After a few months of using the jabs] I started noticing I didn't have a lot of energy, I couldn't really do much. I was only eating a couple of times a week. 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. I collapsed a couple of times. My husband came home and found me passed out on the hallway one night. I was in a bit of denial about it being linked to the jab because I was fine up until now. I just thought I was poorly and it was some sort of virus." But when Aimee began experiencing chest pains, she went to Winchester Hospital's A&E where doctors discovered a hole in her oesophagus that was leaking air around her heart and lung. Aimee was then admitted to the intensive care unit when her blood pressure and potassium levels began to plummet. Aimee lost so much hair she had to shave her head (Kennedy News and Media) Aimee was later rushed to Southampton General Hospital's ICU when doctors noticed her liver function was deteriorating, prompting them to consider an organ transplant. Aimee said: "They were trying all sorts of things to get my liver levels back to normal. It was failing. "They had said it was down to the weight-loss jab but they didn't know why or how to fix it. There was so little out there medical-wise, doctors didn't know how to fix it. I was terrified. It all happened so quickly and I hadn't realised how serious it was until I was transferred and it sunk in that it was worse than I thought it was. "After coming out of ICU, the nurse told me this has happened because of these jabs and I can never take one ever again even if I had type-2 diabetes. I don't think they know whether this was a general side-effect or whether this was a rare case. I was really surprised about how much of my body it affected. Aimee with her husband Christopher (Kennedy News and Media) Article continues below "I was told the hole in the oesophagus can kill people and I may have needed a new liver. They said I could've died." Luckily, Aimee's health began to improve and she was discharged from hospital. But, the decline in her health and a consequential vitamin B-12 deficiency led to Aimee's hair falling out in September last year. Aimee said: "It kept happening and the handfuls kept getting bigger. I would be so sad. My hair was just above my bum when I went into hospital. My husband just said why don't you just cut it off? My hair was such a massive part of my identity and to cut it off just felt really traumatic. But I said to myself it was just hair, it'll grow back. "This feels like another result of the injections. I'm not going to tell people what they can and can't take but I do believe more research needs to be done into these jabs. 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."
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
My five year old boy was called FAT by school – he plays tons of football and goes swimming… it's got to be a joke
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FURIOUS mum has slammed the NHS for branding her five-year-old boy overweight despite him regularly playing football and swimming. Laura Atherton had given permission for slim son Jack Atherton to take part in the National Child Measurement Programme at his primary school last month. 9 Laura Atherton with her five-year-old son Jack Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 9 Jack was branded overweight Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 9 He goes swimming and plays football regularly Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 9 The letter in question branding him 'overweight' Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media However, the 34-year-old laughed when she received a results letter from Halton Borough Council, Cheshire, last Wednesday declaring Jack as "overweight". The mum-of-two insists her "sporty" son plays football once a week and has been going swimming since he was two months old. Angry Laura says Jack "isn't chubby at all" and blames the 'outdated' BMI (Body Mass Index) system for not understanding how kids grow at different rates. Jack is 3ft 5in and weighs 3.5st, which puts him in the 97th percentile for his age and in the "overweight" bracket (91 and above). Tech complaints manager Laura posted an explainer video to TikTok, including a picture of her "'regular" son with viewers left gobsmacked. Laura, from Widnes, Cheshire, said: "I laughed when I saw it and said 'it's got to be a joke'. "Once it settled I thought classifying him as that was really bad. It's barbaric and horrendous. "He's very active and he's always been active. He's been swimming since he was a couple of months old. "He still goes swimming every week on a Saturday and he goes to football every Monday. "He's a normal-build five-year-old and he's wearing age 4-5 clothes. I've got washboard abs & weigh 13 stone at 5ft10 but I'm 'obese' by BMI standards "It angers me because what more can we be doing? I don't think he's overweight and everyone we know is outraged." She added: "People might think I've got rose-tinted glasses on and 'maybe he's a bit chubby but she doesn't see it' but he isn't chubby at all. There's nothing to him. "If I fed him less he'd be hungry. He's a growing lad and that's obviously not something I'm going to do. "From the checks online, I think if he was 3-4cm taller then he'd be in the healthy weight bracket, which is mental because they all grow at different rates at that age. "When Jack came home last night and asked for a biscuit I wondered if he should, but why was I thinking that? It's impacted me as well, it's ridiculous. "I don't want him to be overweight and that's a choice we make every day through his meals and making sure we get fruit and veg down him. "Jack doesn't know about it and he won't know about it either, he doesn't need to." 9 Jack with his mum Laura Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 9 He was described as 'sporty' by his mum Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 9 Sam's dad also gave his thoughts on the matter Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media Laura, who also lives with hubby Sam, 36, and their other son George, one, insists Jack's weight hasn't been brought up by medical professionals before. The National Child Measurement Programme measures the height and weight of children in reception class (aged 4-5) and year six (aged 10-11) to assess overweight and obesity levels in primary school children. The programme uses BMI for the programme, which is a measure of whether you're a healthy weight for your height, and includes a QR code on the results letter to advise parents. Laura believes such tests should be done at clinics rather than schools but doesn't feel BMI is fit for purpose anyway. 'DANGEROUS & OUTDATED' Laura said: "I'm not a doctor but I don't think BMI is fit for purpose. I think it's dangerous and outdated. "Some parents are really impressionable and if they didn't feel as strongly as I did then their kids might be going on a diet unnecessarily. "If you're a child and you're told you're overweight then that could have a real detrimental impact on their confidence and their relationship with food. "I think it's a terrible idea [to weigh kids in school]. The next check is when they go into high school and that's such an impressionable age and they'll be talking about it. "I agree with it in the correct environment for children that need help so I think these checks need to be through the doctors and school isn't the right setting." Laura's TikTok video, captioned 'I'm fuming', has been viewed almost half a million times with many comments in support of her. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'The National Childhood Measurement Programme (NCMP) is vital to inform action to improve the health of all children and promote a healthier weight. 'We recognise that weight and growth can be very sensitive for some children, and their wellbeing is our priority. The privacy and dignity of children must be safeguarded at all times, and no child is forced to take part. 'School nursing teams and NCMP delivery staff measure children in a sensitive way, in private and away from other children, with weight and height information shared only with the parent or carer in a feedback letter. 'This government is shifting focus from sickness to prevention under our 10 Year Health Plan to meet our ambition of raising the healthiest generation of children ever.' 9 Jack with his happy family Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
