Kelly says as soon as she stopped she started to pile the weight back on
A woman who lost over four stone by taking Mounjaro said she will now have to stay on the weight loss medication for life – after piling the pounds back on after trying to live without it. Kelly Parish had been thrilled with her results after using the drug, but had hoped she could stop relying on it to maintain her size 12 figure.
The 32-year-old weaned herself off of the drug, but suffered with “insane” food noise and her old eating habits rapidly returned – leading to a 9lb weight gain within weeks. Now, she is facing the £200-a-month fee for life to ensure she doesn’t fall back into her old ways.
“It took about 20 days or so to be out of my system, and during that time I was struggling,” said Kelly, a talent executive from Sunderland. “I had it in my head to count calories so I wouldn’t overeat, but the food noise was insane. “I was able to eat exactly as I had before Mounjaro.
“I was trying to my best to eat well and weigh myself, but I was caving in and eating 12-inch pizzas again. I felt like a child who didn’t have a parent telling them what I had to do because I didn’t have Mounjaro holding my hand anymore.
“It felt liberating being free, but I soon gained 9lbs. I was constantly battling voices in my head saying ‘Go back on Mounjaro’, ‘Don’t go back on – people will think you’re a failure’.”
Kelly was stumped as to why she was gaining weight, ad she was still being active in the gym, but late-night snacking proved to be her downfall. She said: “When I was on Mounjaro this was non-existent, but after coming off I had cravings for desserts and sweet things – which is not like me at all.”
Kelly decided to go back to the costly drug in October 2025. She said: “I was putting it off because the prices had skyrocketed and I felt proud telling people I didn’t need it.
“But, in reality, I did. I came to grips with the fact I had used it wrongly. When I was [first] on Mounjaro, I was relying on it way too much, and struggled going to the gym because cardio and strength-training requires you to eat the right amount of calories and high protein.
“I’d struggled to get the balance right. I went back on it with a different approach. Instead of racing through the doses, I was going to use it as a guide – while still counting calories and exercising – and was only going to use it as a helping hand.”
She started back on the lowest dose and stayed on that for some time to allow her body to adjust, before upping it to 5mg – which she has since remained on. Kelly said: “I’m probably going to be on Mounjaro for life. But it’s manageable – I’m not relying on it, but it helps.
“I can eat my daily calories with no issue, and Mounjaro stops me going over them. Since taking it again, my sweet cravings have stopped, and I’ve lost a stone – including the weight I had put back on – so I’m happy.
“I pay £200 per month on instalment plans, but that would go on takeaways if it wasn’t for Mounjaro! I’d rather be on it for life than be overweight. My health is my first priority, and at least I’m paying for it myself so it doesn’t affect anyone else.
The mum had been at risk of developing type 2 diabetes before trying Mounjaro, weighing over 15-and-a-half stone and wearing a size 18. She had struggled to lose weight for over a decade, but found the pounds dropped off of her after starting the weight loss medication in October 2024, and by July 2025 she was down to a comfortable 11st 7lbs.
But the drug didn’t come without downsides, with Kelly struggling to enjoy food. She said at the time: “It has completely changed my taste buds. “I have gone off the taste of food. When I eat, it’s because I need it – and not because I enjoy the taste. It gets to around 1pm and my belly will rumble, and I’m aware that I’m hungry, but when I make myself a meal – no matter what it is – as soon as I have a bite, I’m instantly put off.
“All of a sudden, I feel full and don’t like the taste of what I’m eating. If I’m eating a ham sandwich, all I taste is the bread and meat – but I won’t enjoy the combination. Whereas when I was overweight, I was eating sandwiches and multipacks of crisps in between meals.
“I used to be able to eat, and eat, and eat without ever being full or satisfied. I would eat dinner and order a takeaway straight after! I ate purely for enjoyment. Everything that touched my lips was the best thing I’d eaten – and now even a takeaway pizza, which was my go-to, doesn’t taste the same.”
