A YOUNG woman has revealed that she lost five and a half stone after using fat jabs for nine months.
Bethany Diana, 27, slimmed down from a size 18 to a size 10 after using Mounjaro, but experts and NHS medics warn about the dangers of taking such medications without a prescription.
The brunette beauty who is from the UK, confirmed that she has the same swollen leg condition as Shaughna Phillips – Lipedema – but now her pins look great after losing weight.
According to the NHS, Lipedema is ‘an abnormal build-up of fat in your legs and sometimes arms which can be painful and affect daily life’.
It is a common but under-recognised disorder and may cause pain, tenderness, swelling, and easy bruising.
Love Island star Shaughna Phillips, 30, has been candid about her journey with the medical condition, and even spent an eye-watering £25,000 on liposuction on her legs after describing them as ‘abnormally large’.
But rather than splashing the cash and going under the knife to control the size of her legs, Bethany decided to inject herself with Mounjaro, which is regarded by some as the King Kong of weight loss jabs.
Sun GP Dr Zoe Williams claimed that Mounjaro, which could soon be rolled out on the NHS, can save the lives of people with “life-threatening levels of obesity”.
But despite this, the NHS warned: “Never take an anti-obesity medicine if it has not been prescribed to you.
“These types of medicines may not be safe for you and can cause serious side effects.”
About half a million Brits use weight loss drugs – and the number is expected to double in the next year.
Mounjaro works by suppressing your appetite, making people feel fuller for longer.
The injections are licensed for patients with type 2 diabetes and to assist those who are clinically obese (with a Body Mass Index of 30 or over).
One jab is administered each week but the duration is dependent on someone’s weight.
The drugs can be lawfully supplied when prescribed by a practitioner – such as a doctor, nurse or a pharmacist-independent prescriber.
But increasingly, people have been buying them through online pharmacies with insufficient checks.
Only recently, figures from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency revealed fat jabs had been linked to 82 deaths across the UK.
And the family of a man from Burton upon Trent, Staffs, who died after taking Mounjaro, are now calling for a probe into the jab’s “potential to kill”.
Despite the dangers, this woman eagerly praised the effects of the fat jabs on her body.
In a short clip which was captioned ‘9 months on.. the difference to my legs is insane’, Bethany shared her jaw-dropping Mounjaro glow-up transformation, leaving many totally stunned.
After spending her “whole adult life wanting nothing but to be skinny”, and fed up of feeling “insecure”, Bethany took the plunge and started Mounjaro.
At the start of the short clip, we saw the brunette prior to her weight loss.
It made me really, really insecure. I decided to do something about that and change the way I looked
Bethany Diana
She topped the scales at 15 stone 12 lbs, but after less than a year, slimmed down to 10 stone 5 lbs.
Alongside the video, Bethany explained: “This was me nine months ago – I have a condition called Lipedema, which affects your arms and your legs and as you can see in this video, it made me really, really insecure.
“I decided to do something about that and change the way I looked.
“I went on a weight loss journey and this is my legs now.”
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients’ sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics.
Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients’ mental health.
Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
Wearing a pair of shorts and a crop top, the content creator proudly showed off her new physique, as she acknowledged: “I still do have Lipedema, it’s something you can’t ever get rid of, unless you have liposuction, but this is my legs, a before and after.”
Bethany later claimed that it took her six months to see any results on her legs and alongside using Mounjaro, was also calorie counting.
She suffered with “minimal” side effects and revealed that she “only started exercising after the majority of the weight had gone”.
Social media users react
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @bethanydianax, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 204,800 views, 2,012 likes and 113 comments in just three days.
Social media users were gobsmacked by Bethany’s weight loss and many eagerly flocked to the comments to share their thoughts.
You’ve done so well! Well done
TikTok user
One person said: “You look stunning before and after! I too have Lipedema, how did you find your legs after taking Mounjaro? Is there excess skin? I can’t decide whether to give it a go.”
In response, Bethany wrote back and shared: “There is some excess skin around my thighs, but nothing I’m concerned about.”
Another added: “You look amazing.”
A third commented: “You’ve done so well! Well done.”
Meanwhile, someone else penned: “Praying this happens for me. My legs are hugeee.”
What are the other side effects of weight loss jabs?
Like any medication, weight loss jabs can have side effects.
Common side effects of injections such as Ozempic include:
Nausea: This is the most commonly reported side effect, especially when first starting the medication. It often decreases over time as your body adjusts.
Vomiting: Can occur, often in conjunction with nausea.
Diarrhea: Some people experience gastrointestinal upset.
Constipation: Some individuals may also experience constipation.
Stomach pain or discomfort: Some people may experience abdominal pain or discomfort.
Reduced appetite: This is often a desired effect for people using Ozempic for weight loss.
Indigestion: Can cause a feeling of bloating or discomfort after eating.
Serious side effects can also include:
Pancreatitis: In rare cases, Ozempic may increase the risk of inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, which can cause severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Kidney problems: There have been reports of kidney issues, including kidney failure, though this is uncommon.
Thyroid tumors: There’s a potential increased risk of thyroid cancer, although this risk is based on animal studies. It is not confirmed in humans, but people with a history of thyroid cancer should avoid Ozempic.
Vision problems: Rapid changes in blood sugar levels may affect vision, and some people have reported blurry vision when taking Ozempic.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): Especially if used with other medications like sulfonylureas or insulin.
At the same time, one user questioned: “Did you find it more painful to inject due to the fat nodules?”
To this, Bethany replied and confirmed: “Yes in my legs it was painful. I inject in my stomach because of that.
“I also found my legs bruised easier.”
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