I’ve dropped 5st and 5 dress sizes on Mounjaro but it was one surprising side effect that really transformed my life

RACHEL Cooper never imagined that a simple weight loss jab could change her life in ways beyond just shedding pounds.

At 35, the customer service agent from South Wales had struggled with both obesity and addiction to alcohol and cocaine for most of her adult life.

But after starting the weight loss jab Mounjaro in March last year, she not only dropped five stone and five dress sizes, she also experienced a life-changing side effect she hadn’t anticipated.

“I was always bigger than my friends and other family members of the same age,”; Rachel remembered.

“When I was eight, I really started to put on a noticeable amount of weight, and I continued to battle this weight throughout my life.”;

Growing up, Rachel's weight made her feel like an outsider in her family.

“I just couldn’t keep up with my sisters or my cousins, and I was constantly reminded that I wasn’t like them,”; she reflected.

“That was tough, and I never really knew how to deal with it.”;

Rachel’s weight struggles continued into adulthood, with a cycle of diets and temporary weight loss followed by regains.

“I tried Slimming World in my teens, and I did lose weight, but I could never keep it off,”; she said.

“I always ended up binging again, especially when I felt overwhelmed.”;

She tried various other diets, but none seemed to provide the lasting change she desperately sought.

The lockdown years worsened Rachel’s situation. With little to do, she gained four stone in a short period.

“Lockdown was where my alcohol and cocaine use really worsened,”; she admitted.

“I was furloughed from work and had no routine, so I was drinking a lot more heavily. I was also using cocaine, and it was like I couldn’t stop myself.”;

At her lowest point, Rachel was consuming two to three bottles of vodka and using two bags of cocaine on weekends.

“I was in financial ruin, and I felt like I was completely spiralling.

“At one point, I had a washing line around my neck because I genuinely didn’t think I could turn my life around,”; she shared.

In a moment of clarity, Rachel decided to try Mounjaro.

“I had seen other people have success with it, so I decided to give it a try,”; she explained.

At first, she wasn’t expecting it to do much more than help her lose weight.

‘I FELT LIKE A NEW PERSON'

But after starting the injections, something really surprising happened.

“Not only did I start losing weight, but I also stopped craving alcohol and cocaine.”;

“The biggest revelation for me was the relief from the constant ‘food noise’ I thought would plague me forever,”; Rachel said.

“I was always thinking about food – when I could eat next, what I was going to eat, how much I could eat.

“But now, that’s gone. It’s like my mind is quieter, and I don’t need to escape my emotions anymore.”;

Since March 2024, Rachel had lost five stone 10 lbs and dropped from a size 24 to a size 14.

“I felt like a new person,”; she said.

“I felt the youngest I’d felt in years, and I turned 36 in April, so it was the best gift I could give to myself.

“I was a better mum, I was more patient, and I liked myself now.

“I wasn’t ashamed of my journey because I knew it inspired others.”;

Her transformation hadn’t just been physical. Rachel’s mental health improved dramatically.

“I was incredibly embarrassed and ashamed that I had gained so much weight during lockdown, and I had to face people when the restrictions were lifted,”; she recalled.

“It made me very agoraphobic and knocked my confidence massively. I felt like no one took me seriously, and everyone was talking about how much of a mess I looked. That hurt.”;

BETTER MUM

Now, her confidence was soaring.

“My family were incredibly proud of me,”; Rachel revealed.

“One of my biggest achievements was going on ITV live to talk about my journey, which is something I'd never have been able to do before.”;

Rachel’s self-esteem skyrocketed, and she felt healthier, more confident, and more engaged with her family.

“I was a better mum, I was more patient, and I loved being around my kids now.

“I wasn’t just existing in my own world of addiction and self-loathing anymore,”; she said.

‘IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY'

Rachel’s journey inspired others.

She ran a support group called Cooper’s Troopers, which helped others battling addiction and weight struggles to communicate in a safe space without fear of judgement.

“Things take time, but if you can afford to spend £20 to £30 a week on take-away food or alcohol, you can afford to invest in weight loss medication,”; Rachel advised.

For Rachel, the Mounjaro injections didn’t just offer weight loss – they offered a second chance at life.

“I didn’t care if I had to stay on it for the rest of my life – it was worth every penny for the new life I was living now,”; she said.