A mum who nearly died after mixing Wegovy with alcohol - and says she'd "rather be overweight" than risk using weight loss jabs again. Tammy Downing, 44, says she. nearly died twice after turning to weight loss jobs to lose weight.

She managed to lose four stone on Mounjaro before switching to the cheaper alternative when prices for weight loss injections spiked last October.

But two weeks after Tammy started a weekly 1.7mg dose of Wegovy, she was rushed to hospital and needed CPR twice after a catastrophic seizure which saw her brother in law having to step in and resuscitate her.

The pharmacy dispenser, says she was later told by medics her brush with death was likely caused by the GLP-1 drug mixed with alcohol.

Tammy, who has a son Joseph, 15 and daughter, Millie, aged nine, went back on Mounjaro but had to have her gallbladder removed after it caused "excruciating" stomach pains. She now says she would "rather be overweight" than risk using weight loss jabs again.

In a warning to GLP-1 users, Tammy, Stourbridge, Dudley, said: "Just stay away. Don't use them at all. It's not worth risking your life or losing an organ over it.

"I know these jabs work for some people but there are so many people saying they've had pancreatitis and gallbladder issues. I don't want people to make the same mistake I did."

While there is no strict advice against mixing Wegovy with alcohol, experts recommend moderation as it can make side effects worse.

Tammy was rushed to hospital and needed CPR twice after a catastrophic seizure (Image: Anita Maric / SWNS)

Tammy turned to weight loss injections to help her slim down(Image: Tammy Downing / SWNS)

Superdrug’s online doctor, when asked ‘can you combine alcohol with taking Wegovy’ advises: “Yes, you can drink alcohol in moderation while taking Wegovy, as there is no direct Wegovy alcohol interaction, but it is not recommended, as it can slow your weight loss progress.

“Combining the two can also make side effects worse, especially at the start of treatment when your body is still getting used to semaglutide.”

While Asda quote Dr Crystal Wyllie, an online doctor, who says: "While it’s generally considered safe to drink in moderation while taking weight loss medication like Wegovy, doctors advise staying within the standard guidance of no more than 14 units per week, spread across several days. For some people, alcohol can also increase the chance of unpleasant side effects, including stomach upsets.”

Tammy started Mounjaro in April 2025 as a "last resort" after she had reached 16 stone despite teaching two Zumba classes a week and trying Slimming World and calorie-counting without success. She had heard about the positive effects of the drug through her job in a pharmacy.

Tammy says she would rather be overweight than risk using weight loss injections(Image: Tammy Downing / SWNS)

Two weeks after she started a weekly 1.7mg dose of Wegovy, she was rushed to hospital (Image: Tammy Downing / SWNS)

The jab initially worked well as she dropped down to 12 stone while experiencing only minor side effects like nausea and sulphur burps.

But when pressure from Donald Trump prompted a sharp rise in the drug's cost last October, Tammy followed many other slimmers in switching to Wegovy.

Just a couple of weeks into the change, she had a massive seizure while at home enjoying a "couple of Bourbon Ginger Beers" with her partner Nicole Mestre, 47, and family. After her breathing stopped and she had to be resuscitated by her brother-in-law, she was rushed to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.

"I'd only had a couple of shots of bourbon and I had a seizure about half an hour later," Tammy said.

"During that, I stopped breathing and my brother in law had to perform CPR on me for five minutes.

"I was blue-lighted to hospital and needed CPR again because I stopped breathing again while the paramedics were checking me in.I don't remember it at all. Only thing I remember is waking up in hospital with a tube down my throat."

She added: "I felt absolutely terrible when I woke up. I was very, very confused as to why I was in hospital. I couldn't even tell you who the prime minister was or the day of the week.

"My partner was right next to me in absolute tears. She now has PSTD over it. My children were in the house (when it happened) as well, so it was traumatic for them."

Tammy is now staying away from weight loss jabs(Image: Tammy Downing / SWNS)

Tammy lost four stone after taking Mounjaro(Image: Tammy Downing / SWNS)

Despite ECG, EEG and MRI scans, doctors were unable to find a cause for the scare. Since Tammy had never had a seizure before, they concluded that it was probably caused by mixing Wegovy and alcohol. Still keen to lose weight, Tammy resumed Mounjaro but was soon hit with fresh health issues.

She said: "Even though what I had just been through was terrifying, I was that desperate to lose weight that I went back on Mounjaro.Now I regret it because not only did I nearly die twice but I've also lost a gallbladder because of it.

"I was really ill over Christmas and I was back in hospital on Christmas Day because of excruciating stomach pains.

"They thought it was appendicitis but after an ultrasound scan and another MRI scan, they found out it was my gallbladder."

Tammy had the surgery to remove her gallbladder within a week - and medics later told her the illness was likely a Mounjaro side effect.

She has now stopped taking the jabs completely and plans to focus on "eating sensibly" and exercising. So far, she has maintained the weight loss from the period she was on Mounjaro and sits at just over 12 stone.

"I'm still trying to lose as much as I can but I'm definitely not using the jabs", she continued. I'd rather be overweight than use those jabs again."

So-called fat jabs control blood sugar levels among diabetic patients and also can support weight loss(Image: Getty)

A spokesman for Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk said: "Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Novo Nordisk. Like all medications, side effects can occur and vary from patient to patient.

"The known risks and benefits of GLP1 medicines are described in the Summary of Product Characteristics.

"We recommend that patients take these medications only for their approved indications and under the strict supervision of a healthcare professional, who can also advise on potential side effects.

"We continuously collect safety data on our marketed GLP-1 medicines and work closely with the authorities to ensure patient safety.

"The benefit-risk profile of our GLP-1 medicines remains positive, and we welcome any new research that will improve our understanding of treatments for people living with chronic diseases."

A spokeswoman for Mounjaro manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company said: "Patient safety is Lilly's top priority and we actively monitor, evaluate, and report safety information for all our medicines to the MHRA.

"The Mounjaro (tirzepatide) Patient Information Leaflet warns that stomach (abdominal) pain is a very common side effect (may affect more than one in 10 people) and cholecystitis (infection of the gallbladder) is an uncommon side effect (may affect up to one in 100 people).

"Anyone experiencing side effects when taking any Lilly medicine should consult their doctor or other healthcare professional, and should ensure that they are getting genuine Lilly medicine."