A mother revealed that one of her organs started ‘rotting’ after taking Mounjaro.
Emma McDonald lost eight stone (50.8kg) while taking the weight loss drug, but experienced some unexpected health issues
The 38-year-old put some weight on after giving birth to her daughter, meaning she went from 15st and a size 12 to 21st and a size 24.
The mother was told that her polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms would also be remedied through taking Mounjaro, which included irregular periods.
However, just two months after starting to take the GLP-1 drug in June 2024, she started to experience ‘excruciating’ indigestion pain.
While the Brit put it down to the increased dosage of Mounjaro, this was not the case, as a harrowing trip to the GP revealed the truth.
The mum says she has ‘no regrets’ despite her health complications (SWNS)
Drugs such as Mounjaro or Ozempic are known as GLP-1 agonists, as they make food leave the stomach fuller while tricking your brain into thinking it’s full, meaning you wouldn’t feel hungry and resulting in weight loss.
The NHS even offers Mounjaro on prescription, as it becomes more common among general members of the public after celebrities popularised the weight-loss method.
Emma is one of these on the prescription, though an ultrasound revealed she had a gallstone blocking her bile duct as well as a condition known as cholecystitis, meaning the gallbladder had become inflamed.
The condition can lead to sepsis, gangrene and bowel perforation if left untreated. Cholecystitis is listed on manufacturer Eli Lilly’s official list of potential side effects from taking Mounjaro.
She had a cholecystectomy in October this year, a procedure to remove her gallbladder, after it was discovered that the organ was ‘rotting’ inside her body.
Now, the mum still regularly takes 7.5mg dosages of Mounjaro and has dropped down to 12st 9lbs and a size 12.
The mum recalled putting on a lot of weight after giving birth (SWNS)
The content creator claimed: “I was told my gallbladder had gone rotten and Mounjaro was an exacerbating factor – but overall, I’m much healthier now so I don’t have any regrets.
“Mounjaro was my last resort, I had a massive weight gain after giving birth and my PCOS made it difficult to lose it.”
After feeling ‘stinging’ in her ribs, the Oxford-native said that she’d need a hot shower to let the pain pass.
She’d often snack following the birth of her daughter, resulting in a weight gain as she recalled: “When my work clothes stopped fitting, that was my wake-up call.
“I started Mounjaro in June 2024 – within the year I lost 8st.”
She had been on the jab for five weeks when her periods came back and she started to lose weight.
Speaking of when they discovered the ‘rotting’ gallbladder, she said: “By this point, I was about 19st,
“I cracked on with the recovery period – it was painful and I had four holes in my stomach.
“I’m transitioning back into eating more food now – I’ve been finding meat really hard to digest since the operation.”
Emma is still on regular doses on Mounjaro, months after her operation (SWNS)
Emma now wants to raise awareness of gallbladder issues in women, who are two to three times more likely to suffer from cholecystitis compared to men, say the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Birth control, giving birth, and substantial weight loss are factors which play a part, as the Brit explained: “I can’t stress enough how much women are at risk of it.
“It was a perfect storm of having PCOS, a massive weight gain after giving birth and using Mounjaro.
“But I don’t have any regrets – Mounjaro has helped me take control of my life.”
An Eli Lilly spokesperson told LADbible: “Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority. We take any reports regarding patient safety extremely seriously and actively monitor, evaluate, and report safety information for all our medicines.
“The Mounjaro (tirzepatide) Patient Information Leaflet warns that gallstones is a common side effect when used for weight management, and an uncommon side effect when used for type 2 diabetes.
“We encourage patients to consult their doctor or other healthcare professional regarding any side effects they may be experiencing and to ensure that they are getting genuine Lilly medicine.”
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