Man almost died following weight loss jab mistake thinking it was trapped wind
A man who thought he had trapped wind found out it was actually his gallbladder rotting.
Edd Langmead had started taking weight loss jabs in May 2025, having weighed in at 20 stone and seven pounds (130kg) at his largest size.
The 44-year-old went to the doctor and was told he'd have to wait over a year before he could be prescribed a weight loss jab, so he bought Mounjaro from an online pharmacy.
"I went to my doctor to get on it [weight loss injections] and they said that the waiting list is more than twelve months," the musician said.
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"Everyone wants a quick fix don't they? I did. I'd been suffering with back pain for the past three years, getting out of bed actually hurt, and within the first two months my back pain had gone."
He said he had 'instant' results, but switched from Mounjaro to a cheaper option until he realised it wasn't working as well and went back to the initial jab.
In less than a year he'd gone down to 14 stone and five pounds (91kg) and his weight related back pain had gone, but he started feeling unwell on 9 March with what he thought was trapped wind, which pain medication from a pharmacy didn't shift.
Three days later he was 'doubled over' in pain and stuck on the floor while his partner called an ambulance.
Once the Oldham man was at the hospital doctors told him he had the life-threatening condition gangrenous cholecystitis, which is where a gallstone blocks the cystic duct and can result in the death of gallbladder tissue, triggering a serious infection that can spread through the body.
They also found the infection had spread to his stomach and lungs, connecting it to his quick weight loss, and Edd was booked in for surgery as soon as possible.
He'd said up until then he'd not experienced 'any bad side effects', with him staying in hospital for four days while his gallbladder was removed and once he got home he was on an antibiotic IV drip for another 10 days.
Edd said: "When I came out of the operation, a couple of the surgeons were saying how lucky I was.
"All I could think of was leaving my kids without a dad. I've gone from being the healthiest I've ever felt since I was a teenager to now, I feel like I'm in my nineties.
"I've got pipes hanging out of me, I can't walk or move properly, I can't lie down. If I had not gone in or if I had been in a different situation where I couldn't get to a hospital then I might not be here so that's the scary thing."
Now he's encouraged people who want to use weight loss jabs to stick to getting them with a GP so their treatment could be properly monitored, as 'the online companies don't show you those risks'.
Edd is sure he'd not have been in such peril 'had he done it differently' and said anyone on the jabs should get regular blood tests to make sure they're alright.
A spokesman for Lilly, who manufacture Mounjaro, said: "Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority and we actively monitor, evaluate, and report safety information for all our medicines to the MHRA.
"The Mounjaro (tirzepatide) Patient Information Leaflet warns that cholecystitis (infection of the gallbladder) is an uncommon side effect (may affect up to 1 in 100 people).
"Anyone experiencing side effects when taking any Lilly medicine should consult their doctor or other healthcare professional, and should ensure that they are getting genuine Lilly medicine."
Joe Harker