A MUM who’s shed 9st on Mounjaro has revealed she would never have started fat jabs if she knew about the price hikes.
Heather Stringer got her first dose of the weight loss medication in April 2024 when she tipped the scales at 22st.
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The 41-year-old, from Kincardine, Fife, knew something needed to change after feeling too out of breath to talk to her eight-year-old daughter while walking up a hill on their way home.
Since then, she has gone from a size 22 to a 12, weighing just 12st 10lb and says she “feels amazing”.
But the mum-of-two has hit out at “greedy” manufacturers over the imminent price hike for Mounjaro.
In an interview with The Courier, she said: “I am absolutely gutted about the price hike.
“If someone had said to me ‘here is this medication but bear in mind, that in 16 months time, it is going to jump up in price [and] this will make it unaffordable for you to continue taking it’.
“I don’t know if I would have started had I known that was going to happen.”
More than a million Brits are estimated to be buying the blockbuster weight loss injection privately, like Heather, rather than through the NHS.
And it’s the private customers who are going to see the price hike as Lilly has agreed a secret, cheaper deal with the NHS.
From September 1 – the minimum 2.5mg dose of Mounjaro would cost pharmacies £133, up from £92.
Meanwhile, a 10mg dose was set to rise from £107 to £255 and the maximum 15mg from £122 to £330.
Ultimately, it will be down to the buyer – pharmacies – to decide how much to charge patients.
Lilly said it originally priced Mounjaro “significantly below the European average to prevent delays in NHS availability”.
But it insisted prices must now rise “to ensure fair global contributions to the cost of innovation”.
For Heather, it means she may not be able to afford her maintenance dose to stay at her current weight.
And she fears the cost increase could lead to desperate people turning to the black market for cheaper, unsafe, sources of the medication.
She said: “I want to stay on Mounjaro on a maintenance basis but I will need to see what the price is going to be.
“I might have to move down to a lower dose, which is more affordable or switch to weight-loss medication Wegovy instead.
“This price hike is just pure greed by the manufacturer.
“It will drive more people to the black market as they try to source it cheaper.
“But they won’t know what they are getting and it could see more people ending up really unwell.”
Speaking to STV News, she added: “I think our governments need to step, I think the NHS needs to step in.
“Someone needs to do some negotiating with this price to make sure it’s still affordable for this country because the benefits to this country and the benefits to the NHS are huge.”
We told earlier how pharmacies are having to “ration” Mounjaro and “turn patients away”, as orders for the “King Kong of weight loss jabs” were frozen ahead of the massive price hike.
Manufacturer Eli Lilly this week imposed a nationwide freeze on new orders for the slimming injection, as it prepares to raise prices by 170 per cent.
Deliveries of the jabs to pharmacies have been paused, after patients attempted to stockpile the jabs before they become more expensive on September 1.
What are the 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.
