NHS worker who shed six stone on Mounjaro after binge eating struggles forced to work extra shifts to cover price hike

An NHS healthcare assistant who lost six stone using Mounjaro has said the medication has helped curb her “binge” eating but the price increase will force her to work extra shifts.

Carly Stokes, 40, who lives in Colchester, Essex, and stands at 5ft 2in tall, reached her heaviest weight of 14 stone (88.9kg) in 2021 after she said early menopause triggered low moods and emotional eating, and bingeing left her feeling “disgusting”.

The mother-of-two to Penny, nine, and Megan, 15, said she had no self-esteem and would avoid going outside – but when she found out she was pre-diabetic in 2022, she decided to make a change.

Carly tried to eat healthier but ended up “bingeing” on takeaways and chocolate, so in September 2024, inspired by NHS colleagues, she began using Mounjaro – a weight loss injection medication which makes you feel fuller for longer and therefore less hungry.

Over the next year, she said she lost six stone (38.1kg), has reversed her pre-diabetes and is now feeling more confident than ever.

Carly said her jab, which she pays for privately, will increase from £229 a month to £319, but she wants to keep taking it to maintain her weight as she fears she will “go back to (her) old ways” without it.

Carly told PA Real Life: “The price increases aren’t great, especially when you’re on an NHS wage – we’re not rich.

“To cover the costs (because of the increases), I’ll just have to probably do an extra shift to cover that, so it’s not ideal.

“I feel sorry for the people who are halfway into their journey of losing weight and now they’re going to have to pay a lot more money.

“I’ll just have to put some more hours in at work – the jab has just given me the willpower I needed to lose weight and I think if I came off it, I’d end up spending the money on takeaways and chocolate and go back to my old ways and gain a load of weight.”

In 2021, Carly reached her heaviest weight of 14 stone (88.9kg), wearing size 16 to 18 clothes, and had an obese BMI of 35.8 after being diagnosed with early menopause earlier that year.

She said: “I had lots of hot flushes, and your mood can be very low, which meant I emotionally ate and it was just not very nice at all.”

At the time, Carly typically skipped breakfast and ate “relatively healthy” meals during the day, but in the evenings she would feel “depressed and binge” on takeaways and chocolate almost every day.

“I felt disgusting, I couldn’t really look in the mirror and I avoided it,” Carly added.

“I didn’t want to be seen out in public.”

Carly went through phases of “trying to eat better” and resisting binges, but she would always end up letting old habits creep back in.

She also avoided holidays and did not take her children swimming as she was “terrified” of wearing a costume in public.

In 2022, she said she was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, which made her realise she needed to “snap out of it” and change her lifestyle.

“I care for a lot of people with diabetes, and I can see the effects that it has on the body,” she said.

“I felt a bit embarrassed about my weight at work really.

“I tried to lose weight again but nothing really worked.”

In September 2024, Carly decided to try Mounjaro after seeing many of her NHS colleagues lose significant weight using the medication.

Carly chose to buy the jab privately, through Voy, as she had heard it was “very hard to get on the NHS”.

Voy is a weight loss service that prescribes Mounjaro and provides weight loss coaching from doctors, nutritionists and health specialists.

“When I started taking it, it was the strangest thing, I just didn’t want to binge, I just didn’t get that urge,” she said.

“It was like magic.

“I only ate when I was hungry, I just didn’t have food noise anymore.

“I did lose a bit of hair from the weight loss, but I think taking vitamins has helped.”

She said her weight loss was “steady”, at around 2lbs (0.9kg) a week, with her typically eating one “big meal” a day, such as chicken and vegetables, with healthy snacks like fruit and raw vegetables.

But, she has struggled with nausea throughout her weight loss journey – to help with this, Carly began wearing Sea-Band anti-sickness wristbands.

She added: “I injected yesterday and the bands do make you feel better, I get a bit nauseous otherwise.

“I used to get a bit of an icky tummy, you feel a bit sick, and the bands take the edge off.”

Carly has shared her weight loss journey on Instagram, under the handle @our.essex.homelife, where she has gained more than 13,000 followers.

“I share what I’m eating and what it’s been like on Mounjaro and I’ve had people start taking it because of that and seeing how well I’ve got on with it,” Carly added.

The starting dose for Mounjaro is 2.5mg once a week for four weeks, increasing to 5mg once a week, and can go up to 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg, the NHS says.

She is now taking either 10mg or 7mg each month to maintain her weight loss, which has been prescribed by professionals at Voy and in accordance with her weight loss journey.

Carly now weighs eight stone (50.8kg), is no longer pre-diabetic, wears a size eight, and has a healthy BMI of 20.5, and said she feels “more confident” in herself.

“I’m not breathless any more and I’m not hiding away any more,” Carly said.

“I feel content in my own skin.

“I haven’t got any holidays booked yet, but I wouldn’t have a problem with wearing a swimming costume now.”

Carly said her August 10mg dose cost £229, but Mounjaro manufacturer Eli Lilly has announced a price rise of up to 170% in the UK from September.

A spokesperson for Eli Lilly said: “We are working with private providers on commercial arrangements to maintain affordability and expect these to be passed onto patients.

“We also want to work in partnership with the Government to expand NHS access for eligible patients, building on the commitments in the Government’s 10 Year Plan.”

Her next jab, via Voy, will cost £319, according to their website.

Looking ahead, Carly said she will continue treatment, even if it means working an extra shift each month.

She said: “More people should be able to take it without a doubt, it’s incredible.

“I’ve only ever seen good things from the people who I know.

“There’s a lot of hospital admissions with obesity-related illnesses, so I think it could help the NHS if they made it more accessible.

“I feel strongly because of what I do, and I feel it needs to be widely available for people who struggle with eating.”

Dr Earim Chaudry, chief medical officer of Voy, said: “We understand that recent manufacturer price rises have had an impact on many patients.

“At Voy, we’re committed to ensuring our patients have access to the best possible care.

“For patients who are looking for a suitable alternative, Wegovy delivers similar results at a more accessible price point, and our team is ready to discuss a seamless transition to a more cost-effective plan for patients.

“Ultimately, medication is only one part of a successful weight loss journey.

“For lasting results, we believe a holistic approach that includes ongoing professional coaching, bespoke guidance, and comprehensive clinical support is essential.

“In providing this support, patients feel empowered to achieve and maintain their health goals for the long term.”

NHS England was contacted but declined to comment as the story discusses privately bought Mounjaro.

For support, visit: www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk.

For more information about Sea-Band anti-sickness wristbands, visit: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BK1ZR172.