I almost died after buying £120 'skinny jab' on Instagram: Mother, 27, reveals ... trends now
A mother has told how she is 'lucky to be alive' after a 'skinny jab' she bought on Instagram left her urinating blood and vomiting.
In a bid to shed a few pounds before a family wedding, Shannon Flannery, of Medway in Kent, found semaglutide injections being flogged online.
The seller marketed the injections as 'celebs' best kept secret'. Semaglutide is the powerful chemical in Ozempic and Wegovy, the game-changing weight loss jabs ushering in a new era in the war on obesity.
The 27-year-old, who weighed 13st (82.6kg), paid £120 for ten-weeks worth of jabs in February.
DIY kits arrived by post with instructions on how to mix the ingredients herself.
In a bid to shed a few pounds before a family wedding, Shannon Flannery, of Medway in Kent, found semaglutide injections being flogged online. The seller marketed the injections as 'celebs' best kept secret'. Semaglutide is the powerful chemical in Ozempic and Wegovy, the game-changing weight loss jabs ushering in a new era in the war on obesity
The 27-year-old, who weighed 13st (82.6kg), paid £120 for ten-weeks worth of jabs in February. DIY kits arrived by post with instructions on how to mix the ingredients herself
Ms Flannery vomited and retched for four days after taking the second jab a week later, however. After spotting blood in her urine she rushed to Medway Maritime Hospital, where she claims medics told her one more 'skinny jab' could have been 'fatal'
After administering the first injection directly into her stomach, the mother-of-two immediately felt nauseous. But her symptoms subsided quickly.
Ms Flannery vomited and retched for four days after taking the second jab a week later, however.
After spotting blood in her urine she rushed to hospital, where she claims medics told her one more 'skinny jab' could have been 'fatal'.
She is now begging others who are considering buying weight loss drugs online not to, saying: 'Don't take the easy way out. It's a lesson learnt.
'You don't know what's in these products. I've never felt so poorly in my life. I feel really, really lucky.'
Semaglutide has been shown to help users lose up to 33lbs (15.3kg) on average over 68 weeks.
The treatments trick the brain into thinking it's full, consequently slashing appetite and stopping users from overeating.
Huge global demand, however, has seen counterfeit versions flood the market.
Health officials have already seized more than 600 potentially fake Ozempic pens across the UK since the start of 2023.
Recalling her near-death ordeal, Ms Flannery said: 'At the time, I thought everybody seems to be using it.'
She messaged the Instagram seller — who she already followed — after seeing a post.
'I followed all the instructions and injected my first jab on February 14th into my tummy,' she added.
'For the rest of the day, I felt okay. I felt a bit sick, I had no appetite that day, I didn't eat.
'But seven days later I took the second jab and then that evening I felt very sick.
'I was vomiting that night and feeling really unwell. I just felt wiped out, I was constantly retching and nothing came out.'
After spotting blood in her urine a day later she grew concerned, but it wasn't until her symptoms refused to subside by the end of the week that her mother urged her to visit A&E.
Rushing to Medway Maritime Hospital, medics also discovered her heart rate was high and blood pressure low.
She was admitted onto the ward for two days, where she was treated for sickness and dehydration.
Ms Flannery said: 'I was so poorly in A&E, I was laid across the chairs. I was
