A mother who abandoned Mounjaro after experiencing nausea and headaches has turned to a 30p-a-day supplement, shedding 3st 7lbs (49lbs) in just 15 weeks. Vicki McFarlane, 53, from Pickering, Yorkshire, struggled with weight loss for years due to evening sugar cravings, which worsened after menopause.
In January 2025, she ordered Mounjaro from an online clinic for £180 per month. While the injections helped her lose two stone in two months, they caused unbearable side effects including nausea, headaches, and what she described as 'eggy burps', leading her to stop.
After researching online, she discovered berberine, a natural compound used in Chinese medicine that helps regulate blood sugar and fat storage. She purchased slow-release patches for £8.99 on Amazon, equating to roughly 30p per day.
Within days of starting the patches on June 30, 2025, Vicki noticed her cravings for biscuits and cake vanished. By October 14, 2025, her weight dropped from 17st 9lbs to 14st 2lbs. She described berberine as 'nature's Ozempic', noting it suppressed her appetite like Mounjaro but without the adverse effects and at a fraction of the cost.
Vicki said: 'I had been trying to lose weight forever. Mounjaro worked but made me feel ill. Berberine had an impact within days. Now I don't eat in the evening at all, and friends ask what I've been taking.'
Previously, no diet helped her drop below 17st. After two months on Mounjaro, she lost 2st 3lbs but stopped due to constant heartburn, eggy burps, nausea, headaches, and bad breath. She then tried berberine supplements after seeing adverts online.
Her appetite reduced within days, and food cravings disappeared. She reduced portion sizes and continued losing weight. Her husband Darren, 53, also tried the patches with similar results. Vicki stopped the patches after reaching her goal weight of 14st 2lbs in October to avoid losing more weight, as she prefers a size 16.
After a holiday over Christmas, she regained some weight and resumed berberine three weeks ago, this time in tablet form, losing another 10lbs. She said: 'People say it can't compare to Mounjaro, but considering the cost and how sick it made me, this has done exactly what Mounjaro did without the sickness. My 27-year-old son has never seen me this slim.'
Vicki added: 'It's been life-changing. I feel like I've gained years of life, with more energy and better health. But now I have a cupboard full of crisps I no longer want.'
