NICOLE Wright was left fearing for her life after a desperate attempt weight loss attempt caused her to throw up blood.
“I thought I was going to die,” the 31-year-old recalled. “It was getting worse and worse and the pain was worse than childbirth.”
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The stay-at-home mum from North Ayrshire, in Scotland, had used a salon-bought ‘skinny jab’ to slim down for her family holiday to Turkey with her two daughters.
“I started taking them to curb my appetite,” she explained.
“It was only to lose a few pounds and I wasn’t planning on being on it long term to get really skinny.”
The family of drugs, known as GLP-1 RAs, originally developed to treat diabetes, are now often used for weight loss as they were found to suppress patients’ appetite.
Within two days of using the drug, Nicole’s appetite had disappeared.
By the third day, she started to be sick, and by the fourth, she was unable to eat or even keep water down.
“As the days went on I was getting worse and worse and I ended up in A&E as I was so dehydrated,” she said.
“I told them what I had taken and they gave me one bag of fluids and anti-sickness and sent me home.”
Within a few days, Nicole was back in the hospital for more fluids and anti-sickness medication.
After the pain did not subside, an ambulance was called to Nicole’s home which rushed her to hospital once more.
“I was still vomiting, my whole body was shaking and I had the worst stomach pains,” she recalls.
“My stomach was burning and I was in so much pain. I couldn’t even take a sip of water.
“At this point I started to throw up blood, loads of fresh, red blood and it was really scary.
“I thought I was going to die. It was getting worse and worse and the pain was worse than childbirth.
“I was rolling about my bed screaming in pain.”
During her overnight stay in hospital on September 8, Nicole was visited by Ayrshire Police where she claims the weight loss medication was seized for testing.
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‘I would never take them again’
The former hairdresser and makeup artist now suspects the injection was counterfeit.
Nicole said: “I feel embarrassed and ashamed that I risked my health.
“The lesson I’m going to teach my daughters is that you’re beautiful no matter how you are and there is nothing worth risking your health for.
“I would never take them again.
“I think if anyone is thinking of getting them go through a doctor or pharmacy and not through a salon as you don’t know what you are taking.
“Don’t trust anyone as you don’t know what is in them.”
Since taking unwell, Nicole claims she phoned the salon to tell them how ill she had been after using the weight loss medication she purchased from their business.
She says Ayrshire Police also visited the premises but their investigation into her hospitalisation has now been concluded.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A thorough investigation was carried out and all enquiries have concluded.
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“No further police action will be taken at this time.
“If anyone has any further information, they should contact Police Scotland on 101.”
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How can you be sure that you are buying your jabs from a reputable place?
IN a world with soaring obesity rates, fat jabs have arrived and taken the world of the rich and beautiful by storm.
The injections have allegedly helped celebrities like Elon Musk, Sharon Osbourne and even Prime Minister Boris Johnson shed the pounds.
And now, unemployed Brits could be given free weight-loss jabs under plans being drawn up by Wes Streeting.
The health secretary wants to use drugs – including Wegovy and Mounjaro – to kickstart a major back-to-work drive.
But there is a dark side to these “miracle jabs”.
The curiosity to try the quick fix has even driven some to turn to the black market for skinny jabs, which can leave people seriously unwell.
UK health chiefs are investigating 20 deaths that have been reported as being potentially linked to the injections.
Ian Budd, pharmacist for Chemist4U and MyBMI, says: “There’s no way to know what you’re putting into your body.
“If someone is offering you weight-loss medications with no questions asked, that’s a huge red flag and you should avoid them at all costs.”
He says a legitimate prescriber will have their credentials listed in registers provided by the General Medical Council or General Pharmaceutical Council and pharmacies should be registered with the GPhC.
