He was determined to shed several stone and had learned about the positive results others battling their weight had experienced when they began taking Mounjaro. However, just months after Antony Hawman, 48, commenced using weight loss injections, he started experiencing serious vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration.

His healthcare provider couldn't clarify or assist with the adverse reactions, forcing him to hunt for solutions on the internet. Antony, who co-founded a business media company and resides in central London, had been raised on nutritious home-cooked meals, but found himself struggling as a teenager during the 90s when the media and popular culture placed enormous emphasis on body image.

"My weight gain happened when I moved to London at 21 years old and found a strong social life," he explains. "Alcohol and junk food found me. It was a slow burn, but then in my 30s, I realised I'd been getting heavier. I would fluctuate, but essentially my weight was increasing over the years.

• Millions of households in England urged to avoid drying clothes on washing line


• Polio: CDC warns people not to travel to 31 countries without taking these precautions

"At my heaviest, I was 123kgs (19.5 stone) and I'm 6ft1ins. I was always told I carried it well, but I didn't want to carry it at all. If I'm going to be honest, it was always a consideration.

"My weight was always a thought. I tried to not think about it, but it would be at the forefront of every decision. Buying new clothes, going on holiday, going to do anything active."

Antony recognised he needed to act to lose the excess weight. He started to sense that his weight was affecting him psychologically as well as physically.

"I decided I wanted to be healthier, which was the main aim," Antony explains. "My issue wasn't just physical, it was mental. I would think about food all the time and I'd use it as a crutch: if I was sad, I'd eat, if I was happy, I'd reward myself with food. When I heard about Mounjaro, I decided to do my research and spent a long time looking into it, looking at how to use supplements and exercise to work alongside it, to maintain a healthier life."

Antony started taking Mounjaro in early July 2024 weighing 123kg, and 12 months on, he'd dropped to 90kg (14.1st). "I used Mounjaro to help with the food noise and also, took up working out, which I now do at least five times per week across various types of exercise," he explains.

"I also changed what I ate, for the most part. I eat protein-packed meals, nutrient-dense meals, but I still eat sweets. Instead of eating the entire family-sized bar of chocolate, I have three or four squares and I'm happy. I also make sure I drink lots of water and take vitamin supplements."

Whilst Mounjaro helped Antony shed weight, the guidance he was given to regularly increase his dosage resulted in him experiencing some unpleasant side effects. "I moved up to 7.5mgs in my third month and had a pretty miserable weekend of chronic stomach pains, diarrhoea and dehydration," says Antony.

"It wasn't until I did my research via some chat rooms on TikTok, where a woman in Texas, believe it or not, told me to go back down to 5mgs, get some electrolytes and a decent probiotic and stick with it as long as it was working and then decide whether to move up."

Antony heeded the guidance, scaled back his dose and started taking Symprove probiotics, which eased the unpleasant side effects by supporting his gut health. He champions the benefits of Mounjaro, whilst cautioning that the information surrounding weight loss injections requires improvement to prevent others enduring awful reactions.

"I think this drug is a lifesaver and only have great things to say, but back in 2024, I definitely felt the messaging was to move up the doses each month and that how it works," Antony explains. "You'd have some side effects and they would pass. I figured out the hard way, that actually, the side effects were pretty grim but if you stick to the lower doses while you are still seeing weight loss and give yourself time to get used to the side effects, the journey was actually fine.

"A friend had mentioned she had gut issues and Symprove had saved her, so I got some and within a week, all of my side effects disappeared. I have taken Symprove religiously every day for the last 18 months and have had zero side effects. The only time I've had 'Mounjaro tummy' was when I'd been on holiday and forgot to take Symprove with me."

Antony has maintained his focus on gut health and hasn't experienced those problems since, whilst also shedding over 40kg (6st), reducing his blood pressure medication and establishing a far healthier, more energetic lifestyle. From wearing XL or XXL clothes in July 2024, Antony now fits into a medium with a 30 or 32 inch waist.

He feels fantastic and is keen to emphasise how crucial it is to look after your gut when embarking on a weight loss medication programme.

"I feel incredible and my only regret is that I didn't know about Mounjaro sooner," Antony says. "I am super active, I don't think about my body negatively, I have way more energy.

"I was on hypertension drugs for hereditary hypertension and have been able to come down to the lowest level of medication from previously being on a cocktail of high doses, which truly is the best outcome. As long as you do your research and understand how to nourish your body and take some form of exercise, Mounjaro is an incredible tool, but it's just that, a tool. The best part is I have completely changed my mindset on food. I feel in control instead of it controlling me."