Woman suffered potentially fatal illness 'caused by taking Mounjaro for weight loss'
A woman has spoken out about a serious health condition, which she claims was caused after taking GLP-1 medication Mounjaro for a matter of months.
Alisha Trafford from Hull, East Yorkshire, said that she believed Mounjaro was 'magical' after losing three-and-a-half stone in just three months.
The 25-year-old started using the drug in February 2025 to help lose weight and to deal with her Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) symptoms, which, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is a condition that happens when there's an hormonal imbalance in the reproductive system.
"My weight has always been an issue since I was a teenager," she said. "I've tried different things to lose weight but it's never really been as successful as Mounjaro was."
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The Brit spent £135 on ordering the medication from an online pharmacy. However, by the end of May, she started to feel intense abdominal pain and vomiting, resulting in her being taken to the hospital.
"I'd been struggling with some abdominal pain for a while, but I didn't really think much of it; I dismissed it. Then one day the pain got really, really intense," she said.
Describing the pain as feeling 'quite similar to what I imagine a heart attack would feel like', Alisha was diagnosed with pancreatitis.
The healthcare assistant was in and out of the hospital for the next few months, though her condition would eventually progress, and she would be diagnosed with pancreatic necrosis.
According to the NHS, this is a condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed over a short period, sometimes occurring when those with severe acute pancreatitis develop complications that cause the pancreas to lose its blood supply.
As a result, some tissue of the organ can die, causing the pancreas to become affected, potentially causing sepsis and organ failure, which can sometimes lead to death.
Alisha said: "The only thing they could put it down to was Mounjaro. I couldn't lift my head or speak because of how poorly all I was, all I could really do was sleep."
She went on to say that her consultant was shocked she could speak at all, adding: "I don't think I was realise how poorly I actually was until I went to see the consultant.
"He said he'd never seen so many admissions for pancreatitis so closely together like this and he was surprised how stable I was.
"He said the only reason I wasn't in a medically induced coma was because of my age, if I'd been any older then it would have been a different story."
On 6 December, she was hospitalised again for pancreatitis, and says that she is 'at risk of that for the rest of my life', adding: "My life has completely been put on hold."
Alisha said that she wasn't aware of these potential side effects, claiming she wouldn't have touched the medication in the first place if she'd known.
"It's heartbreaking because I saw taking Mounjaro as a way my life was going to change for the better," she said. "I was pretty much independent, I was healthy, I was getting on with my life, making plans for my future, now I'm just at risk constantly.
"If I knew this was what my life was going to be like then I never would have taken it."
Alisha advised others to 'just be careful', adding: "Don't ignore any pain and something doesn't feel right, get it checked. Don't ignore it, it's not worth ignoring if something doesn't feel right, get it seen to."
A spokesperson for Eli Lilly said: "Patient safety is Lilly's top priority. We take reports regarding patient safety seriously and actively monitor, evaluate, and report safety information for all our medicines.
"The Mounjaro (tirzepatide) Patient Information Leaflet warns thatan inflamed pancreas (acute pancreatitis) is an uncommon side effect (which may affect up to 1 in 100 people).
"It also advises patients to talk to their doctor or other healthcare professional before using Mounjaro if they have ever had pancreatitis.
"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."
LADbible has reached out to Eli Lilly for further comment.
Joshua Nair