Mounjaro patient who lost 21kg hid past bulimia to obtain drug and fears relapse on stopping

A 39-year-old woman who lost 21kg while taking the GLP‑1 drug Mounjaro has told reporters she lied about a long history of bulimia on a private pharmacy application to obtain the medication and now fears that stopping it will prompt a relapse.

Lauren Malone, a mother of two from the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, said she began suffering from bulimia at age 11 and has been in recovery for six years. She said she completed an online application for weight‑loss injections that asked whether she had ever been diagnosed with an eating disorder and, believing disclosure would lead to refusal, answered "No." "I felt guilty about lying but also sure they wouldn't prescribe it, if I was honest. Otherwise why ask the question?" she said. Malone also declined an option on the form to allow the provider to contact her general practitioner, saying she did not want her medical records accessed.

Malone said Mounjaro produced rapid weight loss, taking her from a size 18 to a size 10 in about six months. She said the change has left her fearful that ceasing the treatment could trigger the eating disorder that has affected her life since childhood. Her husband, identified as Luke in an interview, said he was anxious about her decision to conceal her medical history to obtain the drug.

The account echoes concerns raised earlier this year by UK charities that support people with eating disorders. Those groups warned that some individuals seeking GLP‑1 drugs have misrepresented their body mass index or other information on private provider forms in order to access treatments commonly described in media coverage as "fat jabs." Charities and clinicians have urged stronger screening and monitoring procedures for people with current or past eating disorders who are prescribed these medicines.

GLP‑1 receptor agonists such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and similar agents have been prescribed for weight management and type 2 diabetes and have drawn intense public and clinical interest for their effects on appetite and body weight. In Britain and elsewhere, the rapid growth in demand has coincided with an expansion of online and private services offering access to the drugs, often via questionnaires that rely on patient‑reported information.

Advocates and specialist clinicians have argued that patients with histories of eating disorders need careful assessment before starting GLP‑1 therapies and ongoing monitoring if treatment is started. They say that a failure to identify past or present disordered eating can lead to harms, including psychological distress and potential relapse. Private providers typically include questions about eating disorder history and whether they may contact a patient's primary care doctor, but practices vary.

Regulators and professional bodies in some countries have issued guidance stressing the importance of assessing mental health and eating‑disorder risk when prescribing weight‑loss medications. Critics of the current private provision model say self‑reported forms and limited follow‑up can create gaps in safeguarding, while supporters note that such services can improve access for patients who may otherwise face long waits for specialist care.

Malone's account highlights the tensions faced by people with histories of eating disorders who seek treatments that reduce appetite and body weight. She said the weight loss has had physical benefits but expressed persistent concern about managing her recovery if she stops the medication. Her case adds to a broader debate in the United Kingdom about how to balance access to effective therapies with the need for robust screening and support for vulnerable patients.

Health officials, clinicians and advocacy groups continue to discuss appropriate safeguards, including clearer assessment protocols, routine checks of medical records when consent is given, and stronger links between private providers and primary care. Those measures are intended to ensure that people with current or past eating disorders receive the specialist input needed to weigh potential benefits and risks when considering GLP‑1 treatments.