Aimee Chapman, a 34-year-old woman from Southampton, thought she had found an answer to her struggles with chronic pain and weight when she started using the popular weight loss drug Mounjaro.
But what began as a promising journey to shed pounds turned into a frightening health crisis that landed her in intensive care.
Her story is a powerful warning for anyone considering these trendy weight loss injections, especially when bought without medical supervision.
From Hope to Hospital: A Sudden Health Crisis
In March 2024, Aimee, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia—a condition that causes widespread pain—decided to try Mounjaro, hoping that losing weight would help doctors take her symptoms more seriously. Initially, the drug worked well.
Within just four months, she had lost an impressive four stone.
However, things took a dangerous turn. Her energy dropped dramatically, and she began eating only a couple of times a week.
Simple tasks became impossible. “I stopped being able to walk properly,” Aimee recalls.
“I was vomiting constantly—sometimes 50 to 60 times a day—and even started throwing up blood.”
Her condition worsened to the point where she collapsed multiple times. One night, her husband found her unconscious in the hallway.
A Life-Threatening Diagnosis in the Emergency Room
Eventually, Aimee went to the emergency room at Winchester Hospital, where doctors discovered a serious problem: a hole had developed in her oesophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.
This allowed dangerous air to build up around her heart and lungs.
Her blood pressure and potassium levels dropped sharply, forcing doctors to transfer her to the intensive care unit.
At Southampton General Hospital’s ICU, doctors found her liver was failing—a critical situation that led them to consider the possibility of an organ transplant.
“They said the jab caused it but didn’t understand how or why,” Aimee says.
“I was terrified. It all happened so fast, and it wasn’t until I was moved to ICU that I realized how serious it was.
They told me the oesophagus hole could kill people, and that I might need a new liver. They said I could have died.”
Fortunately, after two weeks of intensive treatment, Aimee’s condition stabilized enough for her to leave the hospital.
The Struggle Continues: Hair Loss and Nutritional Deficiency
Just when it seemed like she was recovering, another challenge appeared.
By September, Aimee noticed large clumps of her hair falling out.
Blood tests showed she had a severe vitamin B12 deficiency, which is crucial for delivering oxygen to hair follicles.
Experts warn that rapid weight loss, whether from surgery or medication, often causes nutritional deficiencies.
For Aimee, losing her hair was devastating. “My hair was such a big part of who I am,” she says.
“Cutting it off was traumatic, but I kept telling myself it was just hair and it would grow back.
I’m convinced this was another side effect of the injections.”
A Cautionary Message for Others Considering Weight Loss Drugs
Although Aimee doesn’t want to dictate what others should do, she strongly advises caution and more research into the safety of these drugs.
“I regret taking Mounjaro,” she admits. “If you’re thinking about it, don’t buy it online.
Go through your doctor so you can have blood tests and be monitored properly.”
Similar Cases Highlight Risks of Weight Loss Injections
Aimee’s experience is not isolated. In Kuwait, doctors treated a 24-year-old teacher with severe liver damage after using Mounjaro.
Like Aimee, she suffered extreme vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain, and was admitted to ICU with signs her liver was failing.
Without treatment, a transplant might have been necessary.
Medical professionals identified the drug as the likely cause.
A similar case emerged in Seattle a year earlier, where a 37-year-old patient also developed liver injury linked to the same medication.
Experts think this damage might be due to the rapid fat loss in the liver killing healthy cells.
Understanding How These Drugs Work and Their Side Effects
Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which targets two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, that suppress appetite and slow digestion to promote weight loss.
This dual action makes it more effective than older drugs like Ozempic, which only targets GLP-1.
However, these medications can cause severe vomiting, which in some cases has led to holes in the oesophagus, just like in Aimee’s case.
Both Ozempic and Wegovy contain semaglutide, which works similarly to GLP-1.
What the Manufacturer Says
Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, which makes Mounjaro, emphasizes patient safety and continuous monitoring of their medicines.
In a statement, they said: “Mounjaro was approved after careful evaluation of benefits and risks.
We provide up-to-date information to healthcare professionals worldwide.
Anyone experiencing side effects should consult their doctor immediately.”