Dad who thought he had trapped wind almost died after fat jab mistake

A dad who thought he had trapped wind after using weight loss jabs was told the pain was his gallbladder rotting - and it needed to be removed. Edd Langmead started his weight loss journey in May 2025 after struggling with his weight all his life, tipping the scales at 20st 7lbs at his heaviest. The 44-year-old, who suffered weight-related back pain, went to his GP and says he was told there was a waiting list of more than 12 months for weight-loss medication. Desperate for a 'quick fix', the musician decided to buy Mounjaro from an online pharmacy and says he saw 'instant' results. Due to a rise in costs, Edd tried a cheaper weight loss jab but says it wasn't as effective so switched back to Mounjaro. The dad-of-two says he didn't have any bad side effects and lost 5st 13lb in under a year, shrinking down to 14st 5lbs and eliminating his back pain. But on March 9 this year, Edd started experiencing pain that he believed was trapped wind, and tried over-the-counter meds. Three days later Edd was left 'doubled over' in pain on the floor and his partner rang for an ambulance that blue-lighted him to hospital. Doctors discovered he had gangrenous cholecystitis, a life-threatening condition where gallbladder tissue dies, and booked him in for surgery on March 13. The infection, which also spread into his stomach and lungs, is believed to be linked to his rapid weight loss. Lilly, which manufactures Mounjaro, said patient safety is their 'top priority'. Edd, from Oldham, said: "I've struggled with weight all my life. "I went to my doctor to get on it [weight loss injections] and they said that the waiting list is more than twelve months. Everyone wants a quick fix don't they? I did. "I'd been suffering with back pain for the past three years, getting out of bed actually hurt, and within the first two months my back pain had gone. I didn't have any bad side effects. It was up until that week, that's the first bit of pain [I had]. I've dealt with trapped wind quite a lot and I know what it feels like. I got all these things from over the counter trying to relieve it but it didn't do anything. "I couldn't sit or lie down without being in pain and it just kept getting worse and worse. My partner was meant to be going to work and I was doubled up in pain on the floor and could barely talk so she rang an ambulance." After running tests, hospital staff rushed him into emergency surgery to have his gallbladder removed, where he stayed for four days before returning home with an IV antibiotic drip for 10 days. Edd said: "When I came out of the operation, a couple of the surgeons were saying how lucky I was. "All I could think of was leaving my kids without a dad. I've gone from being the healthiest I've ever felt since I was a teenager to now, I feel like I'm in my nineties. I've got pipes hanging out of me, I can't walk or move properly, I can't lie down. "If I had not gone in or if I had been in a different situation where I couldn't get to a hospital then I might not be here so that's the scary thing." After his experience, Edd quit the jabs and is now urging anyone wanting to use them to get them via their GP so they can be monitored. Edd said: "Once I found out it'd all gone wrong and was related to weight loss it put doubt in me [and] that maybe I should've just waited for the NHS . The online companies don't show you those risks. There is a sadness that it happened like that for me because I'm sure that had I done it differently it wouldn't have been that way. "Make sure you go get regular blood tests. It's not worth the risk." A spokesman for Lilly, which manufactures Mounjaro, 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 cholecystitis (infection of the gallbladder) is an uncommon side effect (may affect up to 1 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." Acute cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder. It usually happens when a gallstone blocks the cystic duct. Without treatment, acute cholecystitis can sometimes lead to potentially life-threatening conditions including the death of gallbladder tissue (gangrenous cholecystitis), which can cause a serious infection that could spread throughout the body.