A mother from Warrington, Cheshire, has issued a stark warning after collapsing and vomiting blood following the use of a weight loss injection she bought from an online pharmacy. Gill Riley, 43, began using the unlicensed weight loss jab in September, believing it contained the same active ingredient as popular slimming drugs like Ozempic. However, her experience quickly turned into a health nightmare.
Initially, the retail worker was thrilled with the results, dropping from 12st 3lbs to 10st 5lbs in just three months. But by December, she began to feel unwell, attributing her symptoms to the flu. What followed was a terrifying health crisis.
“I started feeling worse and worse,” Gill recalled. “I couldn’t eat Christmas dinner and thought I had the flu.” Her condition worsened rapidly—on Boxing Day, she woke up with chest pain, coughing up blood and mucus. As she walked to the bathroom, she felt faint and collapsed on the floor.
“I was coughing up blood and mucus, and it kept coming out of my mouth. I was in and out of consciousness and couldn’t breathe properly,” she said. Fortunately, her 11-year-old son found her and called for an ambulance. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered severe malnourishment and pneumonia, which she believes was caused by the jab weakening her immune system. Her electrolyte levels were dangerously low, resembling those of a severely malnourished person.
The doctors warned that she might have suffered permanent kidney damage. Reflecting on her ordeal, Gill now says, “I feel stupid for risking my life to be skinny.”
Gill had purchased the injections from a friend who bought them from an online pharmacy for £90. She had been looking to return to her pre-pregnancy weight of 10-and-a-half stone. “My weight had fluctuated over the years, and I just wanted to get back to my normal size,” she said.
But her initial excitement about the results soon turned to regret as her health deteriorated. “I couldn’t even enjoy my Christmas dinner. I thought it was just the flu, but it quickly became so much worse. I honestly thought I was going to die,” she explained, adding that the experience has made her reflect on the risks she took.
Her case highlights a growing problem with weight-loss injections bought through illegitimate sources. Doctors are warning about the increasing number of patients seeking emergency treatment after obtaining these drugs by lying about their weight to online chemists. The safety of these injections, which mimic hormones that control appetite and digestion, is often compromised when purchased outside of legitimate medical channels.
The weight loss jab she used likely contained semaglutide or tirzepatide, the active ingredients in Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, which have been hailed as groundbreaking treatments for obesity. While these drugs have proven to reduce obesity-related health risks, including heart attacks and strokes, they also come with a range of side effects, including nausea, digestive issues, bone pain, and a potential increased risk of thyroid cancer.
The UK has seen an increase in hospitalizations related to these injections, with nearly 400 patients requiring emergency care since their introduction. Doctors urge people to avoid seeking these medications from unregulated sources, as the consequences can be severe, as Gill’s story tragically illustrates.
Gill Riley has vowed never to use weight loss injections again, encouraging others to think carefully before turning to potentially dangerous shortcuts in the pursuit of a slimmer body. Her message serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of obtaining weight loss drugs without proper medical supervision. “It’s not worth it,” she said. “Mums need to think twice before risking their lives to look a certain way. I could have left my kids behind.”
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