A top pharmacist has warned of a ‘worrying’ rise in the number of people suffering gallbladder issues caused by weight loss medication. Deborah Grayson, who is also a nutritional therapist, said ‘more and more’ patients using ‘skinny jabs’ are experiencing side effects such as an inflamed gallbladder and gallstones – as well as a rise in gallstone-related surgeries.
The manufacturers already flag to users that the risk of developing gallbladder issues is one in ten. The warning comes after Mrs Grayson, known as ‘The Godmother of Pharmacology’, took to TikTok to highlight the growing issue.
Grayson said that while drugs are an effective treatment for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, they also disrupt the gallbladder’s function, increasing the risk of developing gallstones and other complications.
The video has had more than 100,000 views, and sparked hundreds of comments. Mrs Grayson said: “Anecdotally, I am seeing a worrying rise in the number of people on weight loss medication experiencing gallbladder issues. Many of the practitioners I’m working with have in the past week or two, revealed how at least one or two of their own clients have needed gallbladder surgery. And another saw their pancreas pack in.
“In their side effect information, weight loss medication manufacturers claim one in 10 users experienced gallbladder issues during their trials.
“Short-term studies carried out at the beginning of a drug’s journey will often change once that medication is being used in a real-world setting. The issue we have now is the sheer volume of people taking it, and the doses they are taking. It seems people are desperate to take the biggest dose possible and use it for longer and with greater frequency to experience the biggest results.
“ I felt compelled to tackle the topic on TikTok in a bid to raise awareness on a platform with the potential to reach thousands of people. It’s important for those considering weight loss drugs to be armed with the most up-to-date information possible with which to make an informed decision.
“I’m not anti weight-loss medication, but I do believe users need to be informed.”
In the video, Mrs Grayson, who is the pharmacist and nutritional therapist in residence for charity Heartburn Cancer UK, said: “ I’m seeing more and more patients taking weight loss injections who then need their gallbladders removed. The injections slow down the flow of bile through the gallbladder and delay emptying by suppressing the release of the hormone that controls it.
“This is one of the key ways in which it works. Unfortunately, this can also mean that in some people, this can make bile more sludgy and even lead to the formation of gallstones. The risk of gallstone development can be as high as one in ten people.”
Mrs Grayson’s warning comes days after Stephanie Hill, 40, from Renfrewshire, in Scotland, revealed she was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery to remove her gallbladder after losing three stone in three months while using weight loss medication.
The medications work by mimicking gut hormones to regulate blood sugar, slow digestion and suppress appetite – key mechanisms that make them effective for weight loss.However, under her TikTok handle@tgopharm, Mrs Grayson, who runs Practice With Confidence, an academy which teaches transformative patient care, as well as Digestion With Confidence, specialising in acid reflux and digestion issues, claims that this same mechanism may also have unintended consequences for the gallbladder.
She went on to cite research suggesting that one in ten users of these medications could develop gallstones, adding that certain groups may be more at risk than others.
She also flagged that certain individuals are more susceptible to gallbladder complications while taking weight loss medication – such as those with thyroid issues or who are going through the menopause where there is a tendency for ‘sludgy bile’. This is where there is too much cholesterol complexed with the bile that can turn into gallstones. She added that this could well be the mechanism responsible for the increased numbers.
Mrs Grayson said on the TikTok video: “We have a greater risk of developing gallstones if we’re female, have thyroid disease, are menopausal or perimenopausal, or have experienced rapid weight loss. So if any of these apply to you, it’s important to look out for the signs that your gallbladder is struggling. This might start with sludgy bile before progressing to stones.
“There are a number of symptoms associated with sludgy bile and gallstones and you don’t have to have all of them. They include severe reflux, burping or trapped wind, chest pain, pain under the rib cage, left-sided shoulder pain, severe abdominal pain lasting for hours, diarrhoea, yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes and pale greasy floaty stools.
“If you have any of these symptoms it’s important to see your GP and get your gallbladder checked.”
Last year, reports emerged linking weight loss injections to pancreatitis and gastroparesis – a condition that slows or stops food from moving from the stomach to the small intestine.For those currently using or considering weight loss medication, Mrs Grayson stressed the importance of monitoring for symptoms and speaking to a healthcare provider about potential risks.
“There are ways to manage the risk, but awareness is key,” she said. She also hinted that she would be discussing practical ways to minimise side effects in future videos, as well as tackling the risks of counterfeit versions of the drug circulating in the market.
Mrs Grayson’s video sparked debate online, with many users sharing their personal experiences. Caroline David wrote: “This is exactly what happened to me! I was fine then I started [weight loss injections] and I had my first symptoms in the first week then I had it twice more which ended in hospital with an infected gallbladder.”
BC added: “Wish I had seen this before I started months ago – just been discharged from my second hospital visit (including several days in intensive care) and I’ve got gallbladder surgery next week!”
Dancing Queen said: “I got gallstones and been on this since May and have lost 3 stone and have had no issues with my gall bladder.”
Mrs Grayson added: “I’ll be talking more about the practicalities of taking Mounjaro and its effects so let me know if you have any questions and I can tackle those over the coming weeks.
“I can also talk about the risks of pancreatitis and gastroparesis as well as talking about the general digestive and other common side effects and how they can be avoided/managed. As well as the ethics etc of the various supply sources/counterfeits.”