Antony Hawman, a 48-year-old business media co-founder from central London, lost more than five stone after taking the weight-loss drug Mounjaro, but experienced serious side effects including vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration that forced him to seek advice online.
At his heaviest, Hawman weighed 123kg (19.5 stone). He started taking Mounjaro in July 2024 and within 12 months dropped to 90kg (14.1 stone). However, when he increased his dose to 7.5mg in the third month, he suffered chronic stomach pains and dehydration.
“It wasn’t until I did my research via some chat rooms on TikTok, where a woman in Texas told me to go back down to 5mg, get some electrolytes and a decent probiotic and stick with it as long as it was working,” Hawman said.
He scaled back his dose and began taking Symprove probiotics, which eased the side effects. Hawman now exercises five times a week and eats a balanced diet but still allows himself small treats.
“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,” he added. “I figured out the hard way that the side effects were pretty grim but if you stick to the lower doses while you are still seeing weight loss, the journey was actually fine.”
Hawman emphasized the need for better guidance on managing side effects with weight-loss injections, as his healthcare provider could not help initially.
