During lockdown, I found myself turning to food for comfort and gradually gained weight until I reached 14 stone 10 lbs. At 5'3", this left me feeling extremely uncomfortable. To put it into perspective, the last time I had been anywhere near that weight was during my pregnancy—at nine months, carrying a 10-pound baby, I weighed 13 stone. But this time, I wasn’t pregnant—I just couldn’t stop eating. I was constantly hungry and felt out of control.
Around the same time, I began experiencing intense itching and developed what I thought were insect bites. With limited access to healthcare during the pandemic, I tried every home remedy I could find—antihistamines, permethrin (thinking it might be scabies), bleach baths—you name it. Nothing worked. Eventually, I managed to see a doctor, and by then my skin was covered in red, itchy nodules and scabs from scratching. I was referred to a dermatologist, who diagnosed me with Nodular Prurigo, a chronic skin condition often linked to underlying systemic issues.
Blood tests revealed something even more serious: I had extremely high glucose levels. Follow-up tests confirmed I had type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and a scan showed fatty deposits in both my liver and pancreas. I was devastated. But that fear became a turning point.
I completely overhauled my lifestyle—cut out carbs, adopted intermittent fasting, and committed to a healthier routine. By my next appointment, I had lost over 5 stone, bringing my weight down to 9 stone. My HbA1c dropped from 80 to 44, moving me into the prediabetic range. Even better, my liver function normalized and the fatty liver resolved. However, my cholesterol remained high, so I was prescribed statins.
Unfortunately, statins made dieting harder. I felt constantly hungry and fell into the trap of thinking the medication would "fix" everything, which led to me regaining much of the weight—I was back up to 13 stone 10 by October. I knew I couldn’t keep yo-yo dieting, so I made the decision to try Mounjaro, to regulate blood sugar and appetite. I also stopped the statins temporarily to see if the injections alone could help manage my cholesterol.
The results have been promising—my weight is dropping again, and I’m about a stone away from my goal. I’ve since resumed the statins alongside Mounjaro and am awaiting updated blood results in June. I’m hopeful.
One unexpected but welcome outcome: my skin cleared up completely. It turns out that the itching and nodules were likely linked to liver dysfunction—itchy skin can be an early sign of liver issues. Once I lost the weight and cut out carbs, the symptoms vanished.
I’ve come to realize that I can be my own worst enemy—diving into things with full force, then losing motivation. I also have ADHD, which makes me crave stimulation—often through food. But Mounjaro has helped curb those cravings, and I finally feel like I have a tool that works with me, not against me.