Former Glamour Model Nicola McLean Warns of Dangers After Falling Ill from Misused Medication
Nicola McLean, the 42-year-old former glamour model, has courageously shared her harrowing experience with weight-loss injections, revealing that she falsified her weight to obtain them, which led to serious health complications. Joining the ranks of Stephen Fry and Holly Hagan, McLean is now speaking out against these controversial treatments and their misleading promotion.
McLean, who has struggled with eating disorders and body image issues for many years, admitted to fabricating her BMI to access weight loss injections designed for type 2 diabetes patients. Her goal in sharing her story is to highlight the potential dangers of these treatments and caution others against the “quick fix” solutions often touted in deceptive social media advertisements.
Describing how “simple and easy” it was to acquire the medication, the I’m A Celebrity star, who has faced anorexia and bulimia since age 11 and was later diagnosed with body dysmorphia, explained how she discovered the injections on Instagram, believing they were the “answer to all her prayers.”
In an interview with The Sun, McLean recounted how social media influenced her decision to try the treatment, despite being a slim size 10. She confessed to lying about her weight to an online nurse to get approval for the drugs, providing her actual height of 5ft 4in, her blood pressure, and paying £250 for a month’s supply. Within days, the medication arrived.
The injections, which McLean self-administered daily, quickly turned from a hopeful solution to a severe health issue, making her “violently sick” after just one week. Despite the adverse effects, she continued using the injections as she began to lose weight, feeling compelled to persist despite the growing concerns from her husband, footballer Tom Williams, with whom she shares two sons, Rocky, 17, and Striker, 13.
Ignoring her worsening symptoms, McLean remained in denial, prioritizing her weight over her health. Her condition deteriorated as she experienced daily sickness, having nothing in her stomach to vomit. Ultimately, it was Williams who intervened, disposing of the harmful treatment.
McLean is now on a mission to raise awareness about the potential dangers of weight loss injections, which are becoming increasingly accessible. She is also advocating for increased funding for mental health and eating disorder services.
Reflecting on her ordeal, McLean admitted: “I thought this was the answer to all my prayers, but it was a big mistake. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.”