A MUM who battled obesity from a young age has shared how she was eating her way toward an early grave, until she made the brave decision to put herself first.
After making a £2,000 splurge, she finally shifted the weight, giving her a new lease on life.
Tina Bashford, 41, had a large appetite from childhood, facing obesity even before she reached her teens.
After having daughters – Sophie, 23, and Jessica, 21 – in her late teens and early
twenties, Tina tried every diet and weight loss strategy.
But the stay-at-home mum would always be tempted by “comfort eating” a takeaway or chocolate in the evening.
After having third daughter, Aniyah, three, in 2022, she reached 23st 7lbs and a size 26 and suffered with arthritis in her right knee.
Tina says she would regularly go to the doctors and would be told she needed to lose weight.
Wake up call
In June 2024, she was diagnosed as pre-diabetic too, and was told to consider weight loss surgery abroad – as Tina began to realise she was eating her way to “an early grave”.
Tina decided to give weight loss jabs a go and ordered her first dose of Mounjaro, and in her first month of taking it, she lost 1st 2lbs as it “stopped the food noise”.
As the numbers on the scale dropped Tina changed her diet and began exercising more to maintain healthy habits.
After 16 months and £2k on the injections, Tina has a slender 12st 6lbs frame and is a size 12-14, having reversed her pre-diabetes diagnosis and says she “feels 21 again”.
Tina, from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, said: “I had a difficult childhood and I tried to fill a hole in my life with food, as a comfort mechanism.
When I found out I was pre-diabetic, I knew I was heading to an early grave.
“When the doctors said they couldn’t do any more for my arthritis, it gave me a kick up the backside.
“I told my mum, Alison Harrington, 63, if Mounjaro could help me lose a stone, I’d be ecstatic – and now I’m over 10st down.
“Now I can run around with my daughter, go on bike rides, fly without using a seat belt extender and go on theme park rides.
“I have so much energy and I feel 21 again.”
How do fat jabs work
About half a million Brits use weight loss drugs – and the number is expected to double in the next year.
Mounjaro works by suppressing your appetite, making people feel fuller for longer.
They do this by 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.
The injections are licensed for patients with type 2 diabetes and to assist those who are clinically obese (with a Body Mass Index of 30 or over).
One jab is administered each week but the duration is dependent on someone’s weight.
How to take Mounjaro safely
IF you’re thinking of starting Mounjaro, here’s everything you need to be aware of to ensure you use it safely.
Consult your doctor first
- Discuss your medical history with a GP, especially if you have: thyroid issues, pancreatitis history, gastrointestinal disorders and kidney or liver issues.
Start a low dose and increase slowly
- Starting dose is usually 2.5 mg once weekly, injected under the skin.
- Typical progression: 2.5 mg → 5 mg → 7.5 mg → up to 15 mg weekly (in 2.5 mg increments every four weeks, as tolerated).
Administer it properly
- Inject once a week, same day each week, with or without food.
- Inject subcutaneously in stomach, thigh, or upper arm and rotate injection sites weekly.
Watch for side effects
- Common side effects include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, decreased appetite and fatigue.
- Seek medical help if you experience any of the following serious side effects: signs of pancreatitis (severe stomach pain), allergic reactions and kidney problems (low urine output, swelling).
