Secret diary of a yo-yo dieter on a weight loss drug trial…part 2

Anna-Louise Dearden | Last update: 20th September 2025

National health crisis?

I constantly hear that using weight loss medications is cheating, that it’s the easy way out or that they’re dangerous! It feels that the media are just desperately looking for a way to identify an issue instead of looking at them as prevention to what is becoming an epidemic.

A staggering 64% of adults are overweight or living with obesity and it is the biggest public health challenge facing England. 

You might have the opinion… “well it’s self inflicted – just take control of what you put in your mouth or move more,” but we know this isn’t working. We have to view obesity as a chronic disease and manage it the best way we can.

As I have said before, I am healthy other than being obese, but for how long?

When will I become a drain on the NHS? 

Although I felt that the first two weeks on the trial were relatively easy and it was going to be a breeze, after the second two weeks – I certainly didn’t  feel the same! In the last clinic, I had experienced a little bit of constipation, but to be honest, I don’t really have regular bowel habits, and never have.

I was advised to take a laxative if I needed it, and the nutritionist advised increased fluids (I am not very good at drinking, and have to constantly remind myself to do it). Constipation is a common side effect of GLPs so I thought little of it.

Going to the pub

My husband and I usually go to the pub on a Friday, it’s our post work weekend chill out, but we hadn’t been for a few weeks, so it was the first time drinking since being on the medication. I didn’t feel as expected after hearing other people’s stories.

I thought I wouldn’t want a drink or I’d feel unable to drink large quantities, but I actually managed pretty well. I am a cider drinker so I tend to have pints. I would say that I drank a little slower and felt fuller than I usually would, but I still enjoyed my couple of drinks. One thing I noticed though, I didn’t really want to eat, which is not a good thing when drinking booze.

I expected a spike in my blood sugar but that didn’t come, and shows how GLPs react to managing blood sugars by increasing insulin production. As a result, no post alcohol munchies! 

I woke up the next day wondering if I would have side effects from drinking alcohol alongside the medication, but nothing. I went about my day and realised that my stomach was really bloated, and was feeling very painful too.

I realised that I hadn’t had a bowel movement for four days and it was quite obviously becoming a problem.

I found I was struggling to eat, even more so than before, so I wasn’t sure if it was the drug effect that I had had previously or something more. I decided that laxatives were required, and took some that night. The next day was horrendous.

Bunged up

I had severe cramps, was just getting fuller and more bloated and couldn’t eat properly at all.

I still didn’t have a bowel movement despite trying more fluids, getting on the treadmill and more laxatives.

I was beginning to be concerned that my bowel was going to become impacted, but I did eventually go to the toilet and it wasn’t pretty!

The feeling stayed with me on and off until I went for my next clinic visit. On examination, I was literally full of s@&t (some might say no change there then, ha ha) and given a prescription for regular laxatives. I had lost more weight but not a huge amount which was understandable as I was so full. 

I was at just under a stone weight loss in four weeks, but it certainly hasn’t been easy and it definitely doesn’t feel like cheating.

Staying on the trial

This was exactly one of the reasons that I chose to do a trial, as I have access to medical care which does not rely on my GP (can you imagine trying to get an appointment for constipation) and one of the concerns for working with a faceless company.

I still feel happy to continue but slightly less euphoric than my last visit. Let’s see what the next two weeks bring!

If you relate to the Secret Diary of a Yo-Yo Dieter and have suffered from constipation, we’ve got some tips for when you’re all bunged up!