AT her heaviest – riddled with life-threatening health issues – Hannah Tynan would often get mistaken for being pregnant.
“It was awful and I was so unhappy, but I tried to hide it with humour,” the 32-year-old mum from Milford Haven, near Swansea in Wales, said.
But after trying the popular fat jab Mounjaro – which she has since credited for saving her life – the weight fell off, and she went from 18st 12lbs to 9st 13lbs, in just 13 months.
“I feel amazing and having people say how great I look is wild,” she said.
“Some people don’t recognise me and I feel so confident.”
But her journey from a size 20 to a size 8 wasn’t always easy. Hannah, who works as a tissue viability assistant, was plagued with “horror” side effects.
“I had extreme nausea and I felt full all of the time, like I’d eaten four dinners,” she explained.
Despite often feeling “lightheaded and car sick” the mum said starting the medication was “so worth it”.
“I feel incredibly good. My looks, my health, and my overall life have improved,” she said.
This is because Hannah believes the jabs have “saved” her life.
Before starting medication, she was always “breathless” and “tired”.
“I had a multitude of health issues like high cholesterol and my heart rate was through the roof,” she said.
Every day, Hannah was eating at least 3,500 calories – the recommended intake for a woman of her age is around 2,000.
“My diet was absolutely wild,” she said.
“I’d have a takeaway and two litres of Red Bull every day.
“Work was so busy so I only had time to snack on biscuits and chocolate – and I never exercised.
“For dinner, it would be a takeaway and a big bottle of Coca-Cola.”
But as she piled on the weight, mostly around her stomach, strongers started to assume she was expecting.
“I was a heavy weight carrier in my tummy, so when I was at work, people would assume I was pregnant,” Hannah said.
“I really suffered with body dysmorphia.”
Physical health was ‘so dire’
The mum had battled with her weight since childhood, trying everything from Slimming World to fasting and celebrity diets, having gained and lost seven stone, twice in her life.
“I gained a lot of weight pre-pregnancy and struggled hugely,” she explained
“After giving birth, I gained it all back and hit over 18 stone,” she added.
“It was a mixture of relationship comfort and work.”
“My physical health was so dire,” she added.
“I was struggling to walk, work and even be a mum.
“I was worried I wouldn’t be around for my son.”
Not just about looking better
The jab, she says, has completely transformed her life – and even made her a better mum to son Roman, six.
“I feel incredibly good. My looks, my health, and my overall life have improved,” she said.
“I can do more [as] I’m healthier and fitter.
“It’s changed me as a parent. I get a lot of compliments.”
“Of course, there are some awful horror stories, but I feel like it saved my life,” she added.
“It’s also absolutely not an easy option.”
The jabs have helped Hannah, giving her the breathing room she needed to overhaul her diet for long-term weight loss.
“I eat healthy breakfasts and meals with occasional treats,” she said.
But for the mum, it’s not just about looking better.
“The main thing is that I feel amazing and will be around for my son,” she explained.
How fat jabs work – and how to get maximum results safely
WEIGHT loss jabs were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes – and Ozempic is still prescribed for that.
Wegovy and Mounjaro, which are now available on the NHS, along with Saxenda, are licensed for weight management in obese adults (BMI over 30) or those who are overweight (BMI over 27) with related conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
They work by mimicking hormones like GLP-1, which help regulate appetite, slow digestion and make you feel fuller for longer – often leading to dramatic weight loss.
The health benefits can be huge, since obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.
But not everyone sees the same results. One common mistake is expecting it to work instantly.
For example, taking it right before a takeaway, special occasion, or big night out in the hope it will stop you from overindulging.
Jason Murphy, head of pharmacy and weight loss expert at Chemist4U, says: “Taking the jab right before a takeaway or party won’t automatically stop you from indulging.
“Weight loss injections need time to build up in your system. They don’t blunt your appetite immediately after injection.
“It usually takes a few days to start feeling a difference, and several weeks for the full effects to settle in.”
Inject your dose mid-week if you plan for a heavier weekend.
Another common error is injecting in the same spot each time.
“People often default to injecting in the same spot over and over, but this can cause local irritation or even small lumps of fat under the skin (lipohypertrophy), Dr Crystal Wyllie, GP at Asda Online Doctor, explains.
“This can affect how well the medication is absorbed and make it less effective.”
She recommends rotating injection sites between the abdomen, thigh, and upper arm, and even picking different spots within those zones.
And never stop using them suddenly as this can lead to rapid weight gain, Mital Thakrar, a pharmacist from Well Pharmacy, warns.
“There’s a tendency to ditch weight-loss treatments as soon as you reach your desired weight,” he says. “But that’s not our advice.”
A recent University of Oxford study found people typically return to their original weight within 10 months of stopping treatment, especially if lifestyle changes weren’t firmly established.
“Without the appetite suppression, hunger and cravings return quickly,” Mr Thakrar explains.
This includes healthier eating, which means cutting out junk food and alcohol while increasing protein and fibre, as well as exercising regularly.
“Building habits like these during treatment is key for sustaining results,” he says.
“Many patients see improvements in blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.”
But stopping too soon can reverse these gains if weight creeps back.
Finally, if you’re not seeing results, you might be missing the oldest rule in the book – drinking enough water.
“Dehydration is a common, yet indirect, side effect of weight loss injections,” Dr Wyllie says.
The drugs dull appetite, and in doing so, they can also blunt thirst signals. Yet hydration is crucial for the body to function properly.
“Aim for two to three litres per day, sipping regularly, not just when thirsty,” Dr Wyllie explains.
“Hydration supports metabolism, digestion, and can reduce side effects like headaches, nausea and constipation.”
