{"id":8012,"date":"2026-04-19T05:50:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T05:50:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=8012"},"modified":"2026-04-19T05:50:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T05:50:14","slug":"we-lost-stones-on-mounjaro-but-gained-this-life-changing-problem-meet-the-women-who-say-that-their-weight-loss-jabs-have-resulted-in-a-shocking-side-effect-youve-never-heard-before","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=8012","title":{"rendered":"We lost stones on Mounjaro, but gained this life-changing problem. Meet the women who say that their weight-loss jabs have resulted in a shocking side-effect you’ve never heard before…"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

Sharing a bottle of wine over supper, a gin and tonic with friends at the weekend, cocktails on holiday \u2013 for Penny Whitaker, alcohol<\/a> had always been one of life\u2019s small, civilised pleasures.<\/p>\n

The 45-year-old mother of three, who lives in Suffolk, had never given her drinking a second thought. It was moderate, sociable, and woven into the fabric of family life \u2013 something she and her husband enjoyed together and certainly not cause for concern. But over the past year, something has changed \u2013 barely perceptible at first, then impossible to ignore.<\/p>\n

Now even a couple of glasses of white wine can leave her feeling unexpectedly low and emotionally brittle, triggering reactions she barely recognises in herself. And, to her shame, they have begun to spark the most unexpected and intense arguments with her husband.<\/p>\n

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday under a pseudonym, she says: \u2018We\u2019ve always had a very steady, happy relationship. We\u2019re not a couple who argue. But recently \u2013 and I\u2019ve realised it tends to be after I\u2019ve had a drink \u2013 I find myself becoming unexpectedly tearful and overwhelmed.<\/p>\n

\u2018I take things personally. He might make a completely innocuous comment and I\u2019ll react in a way that\u2019s totally disproportionate. I end up saying things I don\u2019t mean \u2013 things that are quite hurtful. The next day, I look back and feel deeply embarrassed. I have to apologise, and, to his credit, he takes it in his stride.<\/p>\n

\u2018He knows it\u2019s not how I normally am \u2013 it\u2019s like a switch flips. But I do worry that, if it carries on, it could start to drive a wedge between us.\u2019<\/p>\n

So what has caused this unexpected shift?<\/p>\n

Penny says it began after she started taking Mounjaro, the weekly weight-loss injection.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Weight-loss <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Weight-loss jab users have reported that their tolerance for alcohol has dramatically reduced, with even small amounts producing a stronger and less predictable effect<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\"Katy <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Katy Shadbolt lost two stone on Mounjaro but is now unable to handle drinking alcohol<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Since beginning the treatment in July 2025 she has lost two stone, returning to the size 10 figure she had on her wedding day.<\/p>\n

But while the physical transformation has been welcome, the effect on her relationship with alcohol has been anything but.<\/p>\n

\u2018Before, a glass of wine would help me relax,\u2019 she says. \u2018Now it seems to do the opposite. I feel low, anxious and far more sensitive than usual. It\u2019s as if alcohol no longer smooths the edges \u2013 it sharpens them.\u2019<\/p>\n

At a recent wedding, after just two glasses of champagne, Penny found herself far more uninhibited than she would have expected \u2013 something she only fully grasped the next day when she saw a video of herself on the dance floor.<\/p>\n

\u2018My son is in the background looking absolutely horrified,\u2019 she says. \u2018I was mortified. It just wasn\u2019t me \u2013 or at least not the version of me I recognise.\u2019<\/p>\n

For Penny, that moment confirmed what she had already begun to suspect. \u2018That was the point I realised something had really changed,\u2019 she adds. \u2018Since then, I\u2019ve stopped drinking wine altogether. I just don\u2019t trust how it affects me any more.\u2019<\/p>\n

And it would seem Penny is far from alone. Other weight-loss jab users, speaking to this newspaper, have reported that their tolerance for alcohol has dramatically reduced, with even small amounts producing a stronger and less predictable effect.<\/p>\n

For many, particularly women who once enjoyed moderate drinking as a way to relax, the shift can feel disorientating.<\/p>\n

Katy Shadbolt, 42, has been taking Mounjaro for four months. But as well as losing two-and-a-half stone, she has also found herself unable to handle even a couple of drinks. The mother of one, who also has three stepchildren, used to keep her fridge stocked with ros\u00e9 wine.<\/p>\n

\n

IT’S A FACT<\/h3>\n
\n

Mounjaro users are less likely to engage in impulsive behaviour, like nail-biting and excessive shopping, according to research.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

However, she admits: \u2018I just can\u2019t handle it any more. It feels like I suddenly don\u2019t know my limits \u2013 even one drink can really hit me.<\/p>\n

\u2018On more than one occasion, while hosting a dinner party, I\u2019ve had to make my excuses and go to bed. Once, my husband had to guide me upstairs, as I was so out of it. And as for having a glass of wine with lunch \u2013 forget it.\u2019<\/p>\n

Katy, who runs the Mannings Farm Weddings And Glamping venue in north Essex, adds: \u2018I am someone who loves being social. I always have a glass of champagne with guests when they arrive, but that\u2019s impossible now \u2013 I\u2019ll immediately find myself slurring and nodding off.<\/p>\n

\u2018And it all happened so quickly \u2013 it\u2019s been quite confusing.\u2019<\/p>\n

About 2.5 million people in the UK are thought to be using weight-loss injections such as Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy \u2013 part of a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, they work by mimicking hormones that regulate appetite, helping people feel fuller for longer and, in many cases, lose significant amounts of weight.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"In <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

In the UK, around 2.5 million people are thought to be using weight-loss injections such as Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\"On <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

On her change in tolerance since starting weight-loss jabs, Katy said ‘it all happened so quickly \u2013 it\u2019s been quite confusing’<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Clinical trials suggest obese patients can lose up to 15 to 20 per cent of their body weight, which has fuelled huge demand.<\/p>\n

The NHS has already begun rolling out the drugs through specialist weight management services, with plans to expand eligibility over the coming years.<\/p>\n

In a significant shift, last month health officials also confirmed the injections will be offered to some patients with established heart disease who are overweight \u2013 not just those who meet the threshold for obesity \u2013 after studies showed they can cut the risk of serious cardiovascular events.<\/p>\n

There is also growing evidence that the drugs may dampen other compulsive behaviours. Early research suggests they can curb cravings for alcohol, smoking and even gambling.<\/p>\n

While a reduced desire to drink has been widely noted, the extent to which alcohol tolerance itself may change \u2013 sometimes dramatically \u2013 has received far less attention. So what is going on?<\/p>\n

Dr Maurice O\u2019Farrell, a GP specialising in weight management, says many of his patients report a noticeably different response to alcohol after starting GLP-1 medication \u2013 often finding they become tipsy quicker, feel less in control, or experience a more unpleasant after-effect.<\/p>\n

These drugs work in part by slowing the rate at which the stomach empties \u2013 a process known as gastric emptying. As a result, food and drink remain in the stomach for longer than usual before passing into the small intestine, where alcohol is primarily absorbed into the bloodstream. This shift means that users don\u2019t feel as hungry \u2013 leading to weight loss.<\/p>\n

\n

IT’S A FACT<\/h3>\n
\n

Nearly a fifth of Britons admit to binge-drinking on a weekly basis, defined as consuming more than eight units in a session.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

But it can also alter not just how quickly alcohol takes effect, but how it is processed by the body \u2013 changing both the intensity and the quality of the experience.<\/p>\n

\u2018The way alcohol is absorbed plays a big role in how it affects you,\u2019 says Dr O\u2019Farrell. \u2018These medications slow digestion, so the alcohol stays in the digestive system for longer. People are also eating less, often without realising, which means they may effectively be drinking on an empty stomach \u2013 so it can hit harder and more quickly. So when patients drink, it doesn\u2019t match what they\u2019re used to.\u2019<\/p>\n

Some users also report that alcohol feels different \u2013 less enjoyable, more sedating or emotionally destabilising \u2013 though the exact reasons for this are still being explored.<\/p>\n

Researchers have suggested that, in addition to changes in digestion, GLP-1 drugs may influence brain pathways linked to reward and impulse control \u2013 potentially reducing the pleasurable \u2018hit\u2019 associated with alcohol.<\/p>\n

A smaller meal, or drinking on a relatively empty stomach, can further amplify the effect, leading to a quicker onset of intoxication and a narrower window between feeling relaxed and feeling unwell.<\/p>\n

In practical terms, this means someone who was previously able to drink moderately without issue may now find the same amount produces a stronger or less predictable response \u2013 particularly if they are also eating less overall.<\/p>\n

Taken together, these effects can fundamentally alter a person\u2019s relationship with drinking \u2013 not necessarily by removing the desire, but by making the experience itself less predictable, and often less rewarding.<\/p>\n

Another jab user mourning her previously easy relationship with drink is Rebecca Morris.<\/p>\n

The 47-year-old mother of two says the injections have dramatically altered how her body handles alcohol, leaving her unable to drink in the way she once did, even when she wants to.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Researchers <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Researchers have suggested that GLP-1 drugs may influence brain pathways linked to reward and impulse control<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

She says: \u2018I haven\u2019t lost the desire \u2013 that\u2019s what\u2019s so strange. I still think, \u201cI\u2019ll have a glass of wine while I\u2019m cooking,\u201d because that\u2019s always been part of my routine. But now, after just one or two glasses, I feel completely different. I become tipsy very quickly, and then suddenly quite emotional. It catches me off guard every time.\u2019<\/p>\n

Since starting Mounjaro in August last year she has lost two stone, but says the impact on her social life has been harder to adjust to than the diet itself.<\/p>\n

\u2018I miss being able to enjoy a drink and know where I am with it,\u2019 she adds. \u2018Now there\u2019s no margin for error \u2013 I can go from perfectly fine to feeling quite drunk very quickly. It\u2019s not relaxing any more \u2013 it\u2019s unpredictable.\u2019<\/p>\n

The change was brought into focus during a trip to Venice for a friend\u2019s wedding anniversary.<\/p>\n

\u2018We were having lunch in St Mark\u2019s Square \u2013 it was one of those perfect moments, with the sun setting over the canals,\u2019 she says. \u2018But after just a glass of sauvignon blanc, I suddenly felt overwhelmed and unsteady.<\/p>\n

\u2018I had to go back to our hotel early, which was mortifying. Everyone else carried on, and I just couldn\u2019t.\u2019<\/p>\n

Experiences such as that have forced her to rethink her relationship with alcohol.<\/p>\n

\u2018I haven\u2019t consciously decided to give it up,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s more I don\u2019t trust how it will affect me. I feel like Mounjaro has stolen one of my pleasures in life. I can\u2019t relax the way I used to and I just feel like there\u2019s something missing.<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes, I might be a size 12 instead of a size 18 \u2013 but I keep asking myself, was it worth it?\u2019<\/p>\n

\n

HOW RISKS OF THE JABS KEEP STACKING UP<\/h3>\n
\n

Weight-loss jabs may trigger far more side effects than first thought.<\/p>\n

An analysis of more than 400,000 online forum posts has flagged potential links between GLP-1 drugs such a Wegovy and Mounjaro and symptoms such as irregular periods and fever-like chills.<\/p>\n

Researchers say as these issues are reported by users, it points to possible gaps between clinical data and real-world experiences.<\/p>\n

Scientists from Penn Engineering, part of the University of Pennsylvania, trawled posts to identify problems linked to the widely used injections, which are prescribed for both weight loss and diabetes.<\/p>\n

Sharath Chandra Guntuku, the study\u2019s senior author and a professor in computer and information science, said: \u2018Some of the side effects we found, like nausea, are well known, and that shows the method is picking up a real signal. The under-reported symptoms are leads that came from patients themselves, unprompted, and clinicians could potentially pay attention to them.\u2019<\/p>\n

The most common side effects of the jabs are nausea and stomach problems. But growing evidence suggests that they can also inflame the pancreas, known as pancreatitis \u2013 a potentially life-threatening condition.<\/p>\n

Weight-loss jabs have also been linked to a rare vision-loss condition. Last year, pop star Robbie Williams revealed that he believed the jabs had damaged his vision, causing blurriness.<\/p>\n

And experts are still debating whether the jabs impact mental health.<\/p>\n

In Australia, users are warned that the jabs may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts. However, research published last month found that the drugs also appear to ease anxiety and depression symptoms by around 40 per cent.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sharing a bottle of wine over supper, a gin and tonic with friends at the weekend, cocktails on holiday \u2013 for Penny Whitaker, alcohol had always been one of life\u2019s small, civilised pleasures. The 45-year-old mother of three, who lives in Suffolk, had never given her drinking a second thought. It was moderate, sociable, and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[520],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8012","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hot"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8012"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8012\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8013"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}