CHERYL Fergison says she can’t lose weight on fat jabs – but is suffering BRUTAL side effects.
The former EastEnders star says she’s “leaking from both ends” and has even had clumps of her hair fallout since taking Mounjaro.
Cheryl Fergison says the weight loss jabs don’t agree with her[/caption]
She played Heather Trott in EastEnders[/caption]
Cheryl, 60, told the Secure the Insecure podcast with Johnny Seifert: “It doesn’t really agree with me so I think I’m going to probably come off of it.
“I’m getting terrible side effects. There is fluids coming out from both ends a lot of the time.
“I’m sick and have diarrhea with it. I can pull my hair out in clumps.
“I’m not sure I’m even losing enough weight with it.”
Cheryl lost almost three stone when she was first taking the weight loss injections.
However, the actress – who now works in a Chinese restaurant – had a stroke earlier this year which is said to have impacted her progress.
“I was put on because I’m a diabetic and clinically obese,” Cheryl added.
“I wanted to feel healthier. I certainly want to get fitter and since the stroke, I’ve realised how much I need to be fit.”
Cheryl – whose character Heather Trott was killed off from the BBC soap in 2012 – said the brightside of struggling to lose weight means she’s still available to play characters who are overweight.
“I’m a bit rebellious,” she added.
“I keep thinking, how about you jab everybody else and then give the fat roles to me.
“The world takes all sorts, so if you haven’t got enough fat people left to play parts, I’m still around.”
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 patient.info, 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.
