Weight loss injection pen is not a "miracle drug"

NDO - Believing in online advertisements about weight loss injection pens that do not require dieting or exercise, many women face unpredictable health risks.

Dizzy, nauseous, tired from buying weight loss injection pen by myself

Struggling to lose weight, reaching 85kg, Ms. T. (37 years old) spent more than 30 million VND to order 8 weight loss injection pens from a sales account on social networks. The seller gave very detailed advice, only need to inject once a week, no dieting, no fasting, no need to exercise. One injection pen can be used for a month or a week. "Using all 8 pens in 5 months will lose 15 kg", Ms. T. was confirmed by the seller.

As the seller said, she lost nearly 2kg after using the first injection pen. But after the third injection pen, her health started to have problems with nausea, headaches, dizziness, and her body was always in a state of fatigue and nausea.

Fearing side effects, she stopped the injections, her weight increased rapidly again, but her health was poor, her skin was pale, she always sweated, she was tired, she urinated little, her mind was always in a state of dizziness, she wanted to faint and had to be admitted to Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for examination.

Here, the doctors noted that her heart rate was fast and irregular, possibly due to medication and an inappropriate diet causing hypoglycemia and rapid pulse. The quality and nature of the medicine contained in the syringe she used were not fully verified, and could cause health hazards such as hypoglycemia and arrhythmia.

Like Ms. T., Ms. M. (42 years old) only bought 2 hand-carried injection pens for 5 million VND. After only 2 injection sessions, she continuously felt nauseous, had headaches, and felt tired. Test results at the hospital showed that she had abnormal liver enzymes.

Dr. Lam Van Hoang, Director of Tam Anh Weight Loss Center, said that there are many types of weight loss drugs on the market, of unknown origin and quality, even some that have been banned or restricted by the World Health Organization because they contain dangerous ingredients. These drugs will affect liver and kidney function, and can lead to complications such as increased liver enzymes, hepatitis, nausea, diarrhea, dermatitis, kidney failure, etc.

The Ministry of Health has only licensed one type of injection pen containing GLP-1 agonist to treat overweight and obese people.

But now, on social networks, weight loss injection pens are being sold widely and openly with all kinds of compliments such as one injection can help you lose 3-4 kg, lose weight all over your body, no fatigue, loss of appetite, or loss of energy. The dosage is also completely based on the seller's words, with a common dosage increase schedule applied to everyone along with the assertion that "side effects are negligible".

These pens have a compact design, some have blue or white packaging, are introduced as hand-carried goods, it is very difficult to determine the origin or quality.

Dangers from weight loss injection pens of unknown origin

Dr. Lam Van Hoang said that the weight loss injection pen has a drug effect on the brain, causing loss of appetite, increased feeling of fullness, and slow stomach emptying, making the user eat less and have the effect of losing weight.

GLP-1 agonists, when used long-term and improperly, or not monitored and dose adjusted appropriately for health conditions by specialists, can cause problems such as acute pancreatitis, gallstones, thyroid-related diseases or cardiovascular and digestive complications. This makes the arbitrary use of drugs not only unsafe but also seriously affects health in the long term. Therefore, even licensed drugs must be used as prescribed by a doctor.

Using weight loss drugs without permission can cause other dangers. For example, the drug contains ingredients used to treat diabetes, but if people who do not have diabetes use it without permission, it can lead to prolonged hypoglycemia. In severe cases, it can cause complications such as liver failure, acute kidney failure, and even multiple organ failure, which is life-threatening.

"Obesity is a chronic disease, like high blood pressure, diabetes... that needs to be monitored and treated according to a regimen, not a normal form of health," said Dr. Hoang.

Therefore, women should not buy products on social networks, of unknown origin and quality, because it will be extremely dangerous for health. These products can be fake, poor quality, contain unsafe ingredients, causing the risk of allergies, anaphylactic shock and many other complications. Self-injection without medical knowledge can also lead to infections and dangerous side effects for the body.

Experts say that treating obesity is not a matter of a day or two, but a process that requires enough time to lose weight sustainably and effectively, avoiding weight gain. Patients need to see a doctor, perform paraclinical tests, and come up with a treatment solution that combines nutrition, exercise, medication, management of underlying diseases, and reduces the risk of complications.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/but-tiem-giam-can-khong-phai-la-than-duoc-post862626.html