I was one of the first to take the Wegovy pill – I shed a stone in weeks and the side effects weren’t what I expected

A woman who was among the first in the UK to try the Wegovy pill claims it’s the only weight-loss remedy that’s shifted stubborn pounds – after trying a myriad of diet and exercise plans over several years.

Despite recent reports that the slimming tablets could trigger a range of concerning  complications – from depression to serious kidney damage – Lauren Carrigher, 35, from Essex, said she’s experienced no side effects whatsoever.

The social media influencer has shed nearly a stone in six weeks, dropping from 15 and a half stone to a slimmer 14st 7lbs.

The mother is on track to reach her goal weight of 12st in just a few months, and is shocked that treatment has been so effective. 

‘For the first time in a long time, I’m seeing the weight come off,’ said Ms Carrigher, who added that no amount of dieting and exercise regimes have successfully tackled her ‘stubborn’ extra pounds.

‘The biggest thing I noticed straight away was that I was getting full much quicker.

‘I got about a quarter of the way through my dinner and I couldn’t eat any more whereas, normally, I would eat the whole plate and then I’d still want something afterwards.’

‘There are always going to be pros and cons, but for me it’s worked brilliantly so far.

‘I’m eating healthy, I’m eating less and I’m seeing the weight come off. I’m really excited to see what happens over the next few weeks.’

Ms Carrigher began to gain weight towards the end of last year, when she began taking hormonal medication to treat the mental health condition, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

The illness, which affects up to five per cent of women of childbearing age, causes mood disturbances as a result of dramatic hormonal swings throughout the monthly cycle. 

‘I started taking the medication in September, and by the Christmas I was two stone heavier,’ she said. 

Although she had considered injectable weight-loss medication such as Mounjaro, Ms Carrigher was put off by a fear of needles and concerns that injections could interfere with the absorption of her medication.

She was also put off by scare stories she’d heard from friends who tried the drugs – known as GLP-1 agonists. 

‘I’ve got friends who were being sick and spending ages in the bathroom after having the injections,’ she said. 

When she heard an oral version was available, she decided to give it a try.

The Wegovy pill has been approved for use in the UK and is now available at pharmacies such as Superdrug, ASDA, and MedExpress – although is not yet available on the NHS.

ASDA pharmacy reported 7,000 orders for it on July 6 – the day it launched.

This month another, similar weight loss pill was launched in private pharmacies; Foundayo (orforglipron) is a daily tablet that works in much the same way, but can be taken at any time of the day and with or without food.

Both pills use the same mechanism to trigger weight loss as the injections, mimicking a hormone in the gut that curbs appetite.

Ms Carrigher signed up via online weight management provider Voy, where she completed a health questionnaire before receiving the medication.

The first batch cost her £99 for a month’s supply. The influencer also opted for some additional £20 vitamins.

She started taking her pills on July 11, and has so far taken one each morning before eating breakfast. 

She said she started to notice a difference in appetite within just three days. 

‘I took a box and a half [six weeks worth] and lost 12 pounds,’ she said. 

‘I’ve had no side effects apart from feeling fuller more quickly.

‘My energy levels have been absolutely fine. Overall I feel really healthy.’

Ms Carrigher plans to keep taking the medication until she reaches 12 stone, so has another stone and a half to go.

She has also noticed a reduction in bloating.

‘I always carry weight around my stomach and my hips. When I put weight on, my stomach sticks out and I feel really bloated. That’s already started to improve.

‘I know everyone reacts differently, but my experience has been really positive.’

Ms Carrigher’s story follows expert warnings that, as the pill contains a far higher dose of medication than the jabs, it could trigger more extreme side effects. 

‘The pill may be easier to take [than jabs], but it does come with its own set of issues,’ Dr Madusha Peiris, a neurogastroenterologist at Queen Mary University of London, told the Mail on Sunday.

‘With jabs, you get a steady release of the drug over seven days. With the pill, however, the drug is released relatively quickly once it dissolves in the stomach.’

Dr Peiris believes this could help explain why some patients experience particularly severe nausea on the pill. 

GLP-1 drugs slow the rate at which the stomach empties, keeping food there for longer and helping us feel full.

This is part of what makes the drugs so effective for losing weight. But if digestion slows too much, it can leave patients feeling bloated and nauseous – and, in severe cases, cause vomiting.

One Reddit user who switched from jabs to pills claimed ‘the side effects, specifically nausea, have been off the charts’.

‘First month on the starting dose completely fine, but after increasing the dose in the second month, I have had two instances of debilitating nausea and one of them I went to the ER because I thought I was dying,’ they added. ‘I never had side effects on the shot, so I am going back to the shot.’

Another user described the nausea as ‘unbearable’. ‘I was on the lowest-dose pill for a week and the nausea was debilitating. I could barely breathe and certainly couldn’t eat. It was awful,’ they said. ‘I stopped taking it today. I just can’t do it. And I’m still feeling terrible.’

In response to the claims made by Dr Peiris and users of the pills, Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk told The Mail on Sunday: ‘We care deeply about patient safety.

‘Like all medicines, treatments used for chronic conditions can have side effects, and these can vary from person to person. That is why medicines are prescribed by healthcare professionals, who consider the potential benefits and risks for each individual.

‘Consistent with the available evidence, anxiety and mood disorders are not currently listed on the UK label of side effects for the Wegovy pill.’