Life after Ozempic: ‘Half the weight I'd lost, I put back on over six months'
John Kane always had an easy solution to being overweight: buy bigger suits. And then, came one fateful afternoon. 'I remember sitting on the couch, and I dropped something and I went, 'yeah, I'll leave that',' the 76-year-old from Killiney, Co Dublin recalls. It reminded him of his mother, who had mobility issues in her final years. 'She too would drop something, and would often just have to leave it there.'
Up until that point, nine years ago, Kane's climb to just under 19 stone had been slow yet inexorable. 'I used to have a very active life and played sports in my 30s, but then I had started to entertain people [for work], so I used to have lunch with somebody, then take someone else out at night,' says Kane, who worked in sales and marketing. 'I didn't think about it too much but then someone said to me, 'you can't come on this walk with us. You just won't be quick enough'. Socially, you start to lose out.'
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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Fridge-raiding Kim Jong-un ‘sparing no expense' to get hands on Ozempic – but he'll test on guinea pig civilians first
KIM Jong-un is "sparing no effort or expense" to get his hands on weight-loss drugs after piling the pounds back on, insiders have revealed. It comes as sources told how the North Korean tyrant's obesity-related health problems has forced a shift in his role as Supreme Leader. Advertisement 7 Kim, pictured on July 12, appears to have piled the pounds back on Credit: AFP 7 Kim notably lost a lot of weight in 2021 Credit: EPA 7 Kim and daughter Ju-ae, both centre, visiting the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area on June 24 Credit: AFP Wary Kim has now ordered his close confidants to find new medicines abroad to help him trim back, such as Ozempic or a similar drug. Insiders say fridge-raider Kim - who is known to have a legendary appetite - will likely bulk-buy a weight-loss drug before testing it on citizens with a similar figure. One senior North Korea observer said: "If the past is any guide, it is probable that they'd make a bulk purchase. "Because it's a new drug and a new drug to Kim, they might select North Korean citizens with a similar body type and medical history as Kim so they try the drug first for any side effects. Advertisement More on North Korea "Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, once had some of his aides injected with opiates. "That way, if he became dependent or addicted, they'd all have to detox together." Plump Kim, who stands at just 5ft 6ins, tipped the scales at a whopping 22 stone at his largest before shedding the pounds. Eye-opening images revealed a drastic weight loss in 2021 - but the Supreme Leader has again ballooned to up to over 20 stone. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking Exclusive Exclusive Kim's health has long raised eyebrows - and his love for cigarettes, drinking and imported cheese is a far cry from a healthy diet. North Korea's 'Benidorm' to FINALLY open next week as tyrant Kim Jong-Un cuts ribbon - and Brits have signed up to visit He is suspected to suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as gout - joint pain linked to a rich diet. Both Kim's father and grandfather died from heart issues, making the dictator likely fearful of the same fate. Michael Madden, founder of NK Leadership Watch, told The Sun: "When we see him in state media reporting, he is often sitting down. Advertisement "He doesn't walk any great distances, and he uses the car more often to travel short distances at public engagements. "This also raises the question - what has caused the weight gain? "Is it a combination of compulsive stress eating, a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity? Is it a side effect of medication? "If Kim is on medications, do they treat a chronic medical condition that might result in weight gain or metabolism issues? Advertisement "Then again, do Kim's doctors tell him the truth about his health or conceal a more serious problem?" South Korean spies this month claimed Kim is on the hunt for new weight-loss medicines such as Ozempic from Western countries. And his inner circle will be doing everything they can to get their hands on what their Dear Leader demands. 7 Advertisement 7 Kim shakes hands with Russian culture minister Olga Lyubimova on June 29 Credit: EPA 7 Kim pictured on February 8, 2021, left, and June 15, 2021, right Credit: AP Mr Madden added: "When it comes to the leader's medical treatments, the regime spares no effort or expense to import the best available medicine, medical devices etc, from foreign countries, usually from Central Europe . "If things get pretty dire, the North Koreans will retain foreign physicians and other specialists. Advertisement "The way this happens is through the Personal Secretariat, which is Kim's executive office as leader and runs his households and domestic life. "The Personal Secretariat has what they call a 'network of correspondents'. "These are elite North Koreans working either in small work teams or as individuals at North Korean embassies or other foreign missions. "They perform a number of discreet tasks on behalf of Kim and some core elites - collecting or interpreting information, making purchases, conducting off the record interactions." Advertisement Top insiders noted "significant process changes in the regime" as Kim's daughter Kim has yet to anoint an official successor - though his daughter, believed to be 12 or 13, is touted as a strong possibility. When it comes to the leader's medical treatments, the regime spares no effort or expense to import the best available medicine, medical devices etc, from foreign countries, usually from Central Europe Michael Madden One source said: "Restrictions on or disappearing of senior officials from public events is a sign of political transition or regime collapse; in North Korea , it's the former. "The biggest things here are his inaccessibility at public events and the evolving public presence of Ju-ae. Advertisement "Kim used to be fairly easy to interact with at public events, now they hang back and don't engage as freely as before. "Ju-ae's role and profile have expanded. In the last month, she has started wearing new, more mature clothing. She's starting to resemble her mum. "Ju-ae is also interacting with foreign and DPRK leadership figures more readily." Rumours have also swirled Kim's Gucci-loving daughter Ju-ae is on route to one day take the reins after she was seen accompanying her father at Advertisement She is regularly presented in carefully controlled state media as his "beloved" and "precious" child - fuelling rumours about her role in the regime in the future . Kim's wife Ri Sol ju, brother Kim Jong-chul, his top generals - premier Kim Tok-hun, general Choe Ryong-hae and marshal Pak Jong-chon could also be in the running. A source added: "We are definitely seeing the outliers for succession. "The 10th Party Congress in 2031 will likely be Ju-ae's major debut as a North Korean elite." Advertisement 7 Kim and his daughter inspect an air force demonstration on November 30, 2023 Credit: AP Kim's legendary appetite INTELLIGENCE services and insiders have previously claimed Kim Jong-un is a prolific binge eater, drinker and smoker. The Kim family's ex-sushi chef Kenji Fujimoto has claimed the dictator once boasted he had consumed '10 bottles of Bordeaux" during a meal. Kim is also reportedly absolutely crackers about Emmental cheese after developing a taste for it while studying in Switzerland as a teen. Cheese and wine are not the only treats Kim enjoys however, with only the best being good enough for the North Korean leader as his people starve and live in poverty. Kim's staff reportedly brought along a host of high calorie and luxurious foods for their leader during his summit with US President Donald Trump in Vietnam in March 2019. A team of personal chefs was also brought along to help tend to Kim - with the cook at Hanoi's luxury Metropole saying they tasted dishes for an hour to make sure they were perfect for their leader. Cavier and lobster are both also reportedly part of Kim's palate, even though both are banned from being imported into North Korea by the United Nations. Kim is also a fan of the delicacy shark fin soup, according to Mr Fujimoto. Booze-loving Kim also reportedly likes to drink at least two bottles of Cristal Champagne per sitting, the chef said. Bottles of the ritzy plonk can cost up to £7,500 - meaning Kim could drink away £15,000 during every meal. Hundreds of thousands of bottle of cognac and vodka are also reportedly regularly imported to the Pyongyang, believed to be bound for Kim and the North Korea elite. Kim is also reported to have pushed from a Kim allegedly hated being called fat - being dubbed Kim Fatty III in Chinese media. North Korea officials reportedly made a state request to China to get them to drop the nickname. Other insulting names used by Kim's nearest ally include Kim Fat Fatty and Kim Abundant III. Donald Trump even called Kim "short and fat" on Twitter as the two traded barbs before their string of high profile summits in 2018. North Korea experts have previously claimed Kim's weight is actually a well-cultivated ploy to make him look like his revered grandfather Kim Il-sung. His grandad is also claimed to have been a gourmand, having cows fed beer and had them massaged to make the meat more tender. Kim's dad Kim Jong-il also died of a heart attack in 2011. And while people may crack jokes about Kim's weight battle, around 40% of North Korea's population is undernourished.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Wicklow weight loss consultant on why Ozempic can't replace ‘power of group support'
Having become a Slimming World member in 2008 and lost five stone after struggling with weight since her late teens, Tracey Delaney, who now runs groups in Baltinglass and Tullow, says that she and her members are 'living proof that lasting weight loss can be achieved without drugs'. Citing weight loss injections like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro as having 'undoubtedly changed the weight management landscape', Tracey said she understands the temptation to try something new that promises instant results when you're desperate to lose weight, but believes that drugs will 'never replace weight-loss methods based on lifestyle changes, like Slimming World'. 'The truth is, there's no magic bullet – losing weight and maintaining that weight loss requires change,' Tracey said. 'Weight loss drugs need to go hand-in-hand with making changes to your diet, activity and mindset. They're not a replacement for those changes. 'A recent University of Oxford study (at the European Congress on Obesity 2025) found exactly this. It showed that people who stop taking weight loss drugs typically regain the weight they lost within a year, with full weight regain expected in under two years, if they don't maintain a healthy lifestyle afterwards.' Highlighting how Slimming World's approach is focused on helping its members make lasting changes, Tracey explained that their eating plan encourages members to eat nutritious food every day, so they can lose weight without deprivation, while an activity programme helps members increase how much and how often they move, 'at their personal pace'. 'In our groups, members get behaviour change support, which helps them to understand themselves more deeply as a slimmer and change the way they think about food, activity and their weight,' Tracey said. 'We're committed to offering support to everyone, including providing wraparound care for members who are taking weight loss drugs alongside attending Slimming World. 'Many people join our groups after trying to lose weight beforehand, often alone and unsuccessfully. They understand they need support because it isn't easy, and it's even harder on your own. Whether you're using weight loss medication or have had surgery, lasting change needs real support. 'My members form strong friendships in group, and there's nothing quite like the motivation and accountability that comes from losing weight with others who understand the challenges. Being part of a group helps you to stay on track and committed until the changes you're making become everyday habits.' Despite more weight loss drugs now being available, a recent poll of a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults revealed that 69pc of adults would still be unlikely to take weight loss drugs, with 25pc of those saying they don't want to change the way they eat, drink and socialise, 21pc worried they wouldn't be getting the nutrition they need for good health and 20pc said they love their food too much. Meanwhile, a survey of members of Slimming World's 13,000 community weight loss groups and online programme conducted in March this year found that 89pc "love losing weight while getting all the nutrients they need'. Over three-quarters (77pc) of the members questioned now make healthy, nutritious, filling meals that the whole family enjoys, and 76pc felt proud that they're passing on healthy habits to their families, with 56pc reporting being surprised at how quickly they've lost weight since joining Slimming World. Reflecting on the survey and her own weight loss journey at Slimming World, Tracey said that she often hears from new members how amazed they are that they can lose weight 'without feeling like they're missing out', adding that, 'in fact, in the recent survey of our members, 85pc told us they were surprised they could lose weight while still eating the foods that they loved'. 'I'm delighted with my weight loss. It's something I never dreamed I'd be able to achieve. While I wouldn't ever judge someone for going down the route of weight loss injections, I'm personally glad I didn't choose that option because I feel confident that I've learned how to make changes I can keep up forever, so I'll never go back to the old me. 'I've changed the way I think about food, and the expertise shared at group has helped me to see where and why my previous attempts at losing weight didn't work. 'Now I know my triggers, I can spot when something might have the potential to send me off track and put a plan in place to protect my weight loss. I'm so grateful to Slimming World.'
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I lost 8st in a YEAR on Mounjaro – I had to have an organ removed but I still went back on the jabs as soon as I could
A WOMAN has revealed how shedding a whopping 8st completely transformed her life but also landed her in a major surgery. The weight loss warrior, Em, has been documenting her transformation on her TikTok, 2 A woman lost 8st in a year on Mounjaro Credit: TikTok/ @emsjourney 2 She had to have major surgery but still went back on the jabs Credit: TikTok/ @emsjourney Despite the drama that followed, Em is still a massive fan of Mounjaro and says it's completely changed her life. Within months of starting, the weight was dropping off, her periods came back, and her PCOS, something she'd battled for years, finally started to settle down. But just as things were looking up, her journey took a painful turn. Only two months in, she was hit with a searing pain under her ribs that had her doubled over and rushing to A&E. Read more on fat jabs Doctors ran tests and found a Her kidneys were struggling, inflammation was through the roof, and surgery quickly became the only option. By October, doctors told her she'd need her And while that sounds scary enough on its own, she was also midway through a course of GLP-1 medication. Most read in Fabulous But her consultant gave her the green light to stay on She said: 'Because I was still such a high weight, it made more sense to stay on it and make myself safer for surgery.' I lost 6st with fat jabs but ended up with 'Ozempic face' – I got youthful look back with six make-up tricks Post-op, she was back on the meds just two weeks later and didn't look back. She's since reached a peak dose of 15mg, and now she's tapering down, currently on 10mg. The results are impressive. Em has lost a jaw-dropping 8st in just 12 months. Her While the gallstone drama was a shock, she says Experts say there's a very real link between GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Mounjaro and gallbladder problems, especially gallstones and inflammation of the gallbladder. In fact, so many patients report it that the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency lists gallbladder issues as a known side effect of drugs like Mounjaro. Rapid weight loss, especially more than 1.5kg (3.3lbs) a week, increases your risk of developing gallstones. That's because your liver pumps out Combine that with the fact that GLP-1s slow down digestion, including how often the gallbladder empties, and you've got a recipe for trouble. So while these meds can deliver dramatic results, they're not without risks. Doctors often recommend regular scans or blood tests, and say anyone experiencing sharp pain in the upper right side of their tummy, nausea, or fever should get checked out urgently. Still, Em has no regrets. She says the gallbladder scare was a small price to pay for getting her life back. Fat jabs hitting shelves soon The so-called 'fat jab' revolution is officially under way and it could change the way Brits tackle weight loss for good. For the first time ever, family doctors across England are now dishing out the powerful new weight-loss injection Mounjaro, as part of a major NHS shake-up to fight obesity. The drug, which contains the active ingredient tirzepatide, is being dubbed the strongest slimming jab yet and more than three million people could be eligible to get it on prescription. It's a landmark move in the war on waistlines, with obesity levels in England more than doubling since the 90s. Until now, similar injections like Ozempic and Wegovy were mainly reserved for type 2 diabetics or available through pricey private clinics. But from now on, GPs will be encouraged to prescribe them to those at greatest risk — a move health bosses hope will slash sick days, boost the economy, and help cut rates of cancer, heart disease and dementia. Not everyone qualifies, though. Only those with the highest health risks are likely to get the green light. 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 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. Top priority will go to patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more or 37.5 for people from certain ethnic backgrounds and who have at least four obesity-linked health conditions. That includes things like high blood pressure, cholesterol, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea and heart disease. Doctors are also expected to check whether patients have first tried to lose weight through diet and exercise before offering the jab. Despite the huge hype, not all GPs will be able to hand them out and even if you qualify, you might be told to wait or referred to a specialist clinic instead. Experts are warning that while the jabs can be a game-changer, they're not a magic fix. Side effects can range from mild nausea to more serious complications, and not everyone will tolerate them well. And with demand through the roof, many Brits are turning to the private route. Of course, always remember that too-good-to-be-true prices, quick-check applications and zero aftercare are all major warning signs. Experts say if you are thinking about going private, do your homework and don't gamble with your health for a quick fix.
