From Diets to Fat Jabs: Why I'm Now More Frustrated with My Appearance Than Ever
Published on November 21, 2025 at 08:58 AM
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A WOMAN who turned to “skinny jabs” to achieve her dream body has revealed how she’s been left with “clumps” of hair loss and an “apron tummy” but doesn’t regret it.
Charmaine Hines had always struggled with her weight.
At her heaviest, mum-of-three Charmaine weighed 16st 9lbsCredit: Jam Press/@mj_mum_of_3
After several failed diets, she bit the bullet as a “last resort” solution, forking out £72 a month for Mounjaro through MedExpressCredit: Jam Press/@mj_mum_of_3
But Instead of achieving her dream body, Charmaine’s been left even more upset with how she looksCredit: Jam Press/@mj_mum_of_3
At her heaviest, she weighed 16st 9lbs.
The 35-year-old had tried , Slim Fast, and the Special K diet, yet still “hated” what was staring back at her in the mirror.
In January 2025, the mum-of-three bit the bullet as a “last resort” solution, forking out £72 a month for through MedExpress.
Instead of achieving her dream body, Charmaine’s been left even more upset with how she looks now due to .
But says she doesn’t regret taking them in the slightest.
“I’ve worked so hard to get to this point and the excess skin – that looks like I’m wearing an apron – is a reminder of the body I once hated,” the mortgage administrator, from Powys, told NeedToKnow.
“It’s been really tough.
“And the hair loss has been so stressful.
“When I was washing my hair, it was falling out in clumps.
“I went to the doctors for blood tests, and they came back normal.
“But I’ve had to cut my hair really short, so there is less weight.
“I also take and biotin daily in the hopes that the thickness will improve with time.
“Even still, taking Mounjaro has been, by far, the best thing I’ve ever done.
“I don’t regret it one bit.”
Charmaine, who was “hiding” behind black baggy clothes, struggled to find energy to go to the gym, especially after taking care of three young kids, aged three, nine and 12 [not named for privacy reasons].
She said: “I’d wake up every morning , like I’d not been to sleep.
“I was out of breath just walking up the stairs.
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.
“It affected my confidence with my husband, as I was embarrassed about what other people thought seeing us together, as he’s slim.
“I’d always get undressed in the dark so he couldn’t see me.
“And once, my son came home from school and said that a girl asked if I was pregnant, when I wasn’t.
“When I did fall pregnant, people always asked how many, as I was so big.”
She attributes her weight gain to a lack of knowledge surrounding nutrition and exercise, as well as to ease emotions.
Before, she’d eat high-fat and , such as fry-ups and greasy .
After hearing about Mounjaro through the news and friends’ posts, she decided to give it a go.
Charmaine said that when did fall pregnant, people always asked how many, as she ”was so big”Credit: Jam Press/@mj_mum_of_3
Charmaine did worry about the potential side effects, though she was pleasantly surprised when the weight began “falling off”.
She said: “In my first week, I lost just under a stone.
“I wondered at this point why I hadn’t done it sooner.
“Now, I’m on my final pen as I’m close to my goal weight.
“People do think it’s the ‘easy’ option and that weight loss is as simple as getting off your bum and eating less.
“But that isn’t the case for so many of us, including myself.
“Food addictions and emotional eating are crippling, and the pen allows you to remove the food noise without the internal voice trying to sabotage you.
“It’s not magic; you’ve still got to work with it.”
Now, she weighs 9st 11lb, though she hopes to get down to 9st.
Overall, it cost £720 – and at the expense of beauty.
She added, “I’ve had to stop the unnecessary luxuries, such as getting my nails and eyelashes done, to afford it.
“And I absolutely dream of having a tummy tuck, though it’s not something I can afford right now.
“I feel there needs to be more support for coming off the pen, as people lose weight very quickly.
“The mind – and body – doesn’t have a chance to catch up.
“It can be very scary, too.
“But I’ve gained confidence, something I always struggled with, and feel good in my own skin.
“I’m positive about my health and future.
“It’s not the fairy tale ending I had in my head when I first started.
“I don’t have my perfect body, but I finally feel like me again.”
Despite not having her ”perfect body”, the mum-of-three is finally feeling like herself againCredit: Jam Press/@mj_mum_of_3 
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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