A mum who turned to weight-loss jabs to shed pounds has described the 'brutal' aftermath, including an anorexia diagnosis and severe health complications. Hayleigh Davis, 37, from Tidworth, Wiltshire, lost eight stone in a year but now warns others about the dangers of misusing these injections.
The Start of the Journey
Hayleigh, who stands 5ft tall, weighed 14st 2lbs and wore a size 20 when she first tried slimming jabs in November 2024. Within a month, she lost over a stone and dropped a dress size, with her appetite vanishing almost completely. As the weight continued to drop, she became obsessed and began increasing her dosage, sometimes injecting herself two or three times weekly instead of the recommended once. The official advice strongly warns against this and urges people to seek medical advice before using weight-loss jabs.
Hayleigh said: 'I was overweight and the hate comments I received on my weight were wearing me down. People would comment on my social media saying I looked chubby and it really got to me. My diet before was a bit hit and miss.' She added: 'I had a very active lifestyle and I'd been on so many diets but nothing, truly nothing, helped. So I decided to try weight loss jabs. When I started the injections, I didn't think I'd lose all that much. It felt like another fad and something to try.'
Warning Signs Ignored
Hayleigh soon noticed a warning sign. She explained: 'The weight kept falling and then when it started to stay the same I would take another jab, often jabbing two or three times in a week. That was my first warning sign that I didn't pick up on. The scales and my clothes were visibly showing I'd lost weight but in my head and eyes I was still big.' She added: 'I thought I was in full control to begin with. It's when you stop seeing what other people see, the jabs call to you, they are your best friend and if I didn't take them I would automatically hate myself and be paranoid that I've put weight on. I had my friends send me photos of them on their scales so I could keep getting them and I gave my friends the money to purchase them for me.'
Brutal Diagnosis
After her family pointed out that her bones were protruding, Hayleigh sought help. She received an anorexia diagnosis in November 2025 and now says her relationship with food is dominated by fear. The mortuary technician said: 'When I was diagnosed, I didn't believe I had it, I still don't. When I was diagnosed, I was told to stop the jabs immediately. I was in a very poor way physically, I collapsed, fainted and was sick. Mentally, I'm confused as people say I'm slim but that's not what I see. It's hard and it's brutal.'
Health Complications
Hayleigh has also endured extreme hair loss, painful gallbladder flare-ups, and recurrent urinary tract infections so serious they have affected her kidneys. She is now under the care of an eating disorder clinic, slowly recovering and rebuilding her relationship with food. Part of her recovery involves challenging her own perception of herself.
Warning to Others
Hayleigh is now speaking out to warn others about the potential risks of misusing weight-loss injections. She added: 'I'm learning not to be scared of food, also looking at my clothes size to tell myself that this time last year I would have been like 'wow that's small'. It's about changing my mindset. I want people to do their research. Yes they work, yes you will lose weight but check in with your GP and once you reach your goal weight, stop.'
