Family of grandmother, 73, who died after taking Mounjaro say doctors 'were fixated on fat jab side effects', inquest hears

The family of a grandmother who died after taking Mounjaro said that her doctors 'were fixated on fat jab side effects', an inquest has heard. The family of 73-year-old Caroline Savage voiced concerns that clinicians too readily attributed her symptoms to side effects of the drug before her death near Harleston, Norfolk in 2024. Her daughter claimed at the inquest that doctors' insistence of symptoms related to the fat jabs meant other potential diagnoses may have been overlooked. The grandmother had been privately prescribed Mounjaro for around four months before being advised to raise the amount she was taking. She then fell ill on October 18, 2024, and was rushed to Norfolk and Norwich Hospital where she was assessed by senior doctors and discharged at around 6.30pm.But Ms Savage collapsed at home a few hours later and died just after midnight.An inquest at Norfolk's Coroner Court heard the grandmother died from faecal peritonitis – a leaking of faecal matter into the abdominal cavity – caused by perforation of part of her intestines, not an illness typically related to Mounjaro use. One of Mrs Savage's daughters, Susannah Savage, told the hearing that Mounjaro 'was mentioned on the discharge letter'. 'It was on the discharge note as the only potential diagnosis that they came up with,' she said. The family of a grandmother who died after taking Mounjaro said that her doctors 'were fixated on fat jab side effects, an inquest has heard She continued: 'They also inquired into pancreatitis which is a known side effect of Mounjaro.'I should say they did an ultrasound regarding an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is not linked to Mounjaro.'But I think there's a clear problem here that lots of people are on these weight loss drugs and it really needs to be avoided that that fact you're on a weight loss drug means you go to hospital and when doctors have failed to come up with a diagnosis that explains the cause of pain – which does often happen – that they can too readily grab at weight loss drugs as an explanation.'She said it was 'not clear' if doctors were aware that Mrs Savage 'had just been administered intravenous morphine when they observed her'.She said her mother had been 'very excited about the future' having been prescribed Mounjaro.She said she had been diagnosed with lipedema, which she described as a 'painful build-up of fat cells in the limbs and it doesn't respond to diet or exercise'.'She had just been able to see a specialist and they had referred her to the doctor who prescribed the weight loss drugs as something that can help lipedema patients,' she said.'She had lost some weight and was feeling really positive about her future.'But Norfolk area coroner Yvonne Blake said doctors had considered other possibilities too. The coroner said: 'It's not clear to me from the evidence that the doctors were fixated with Mounjaro.' She noted that mother-of-three Mrs Savage 'had an increasing dose (of Mounjaro) but hadn't yet given herself the increasing dose'.'I don't think there was an overshadowing by doctors,' said Ms Blake.Mounjaro was not mentioned in the coroner's narrative conclusion, which blamed faecal peritonitis. Emily Ansell, also a daughter of Mrs Savage, said: 'Our mum was full of life and energy and love.'She said she was the 'centre of our family, had lots of friends, she was very sociable'.Mrs Savage, from Wortwell, in Norfolk, failed to lose weight through diet and exercise, weighing 128kg (20st) in July 2024, so turned to Mounjaro.She was also taking the drug in a bid to ease symptoms associated with lipoedema.The grandmother was warned at the time that possible side effects included abdominal pain and constipation, her private prescribing doctor Dr Harvinder Chahal said.The treatment appeared to be going well and Ms Savage's weight had fallen to 114kg (18st) by October and she reported no significant side effects.She was advised to complete the two remaining 7.5mg doses in her existing pen before increasing to 10mg.But on October 18, Ms Savage complained of acute and constant abdominal pain and an ambulance was called at 1.30pm.She was rushed to Norfolk and Norwich Hospital's rapid assessment and treatment area at about 2.45pm but remained in the ambulance because the emergency department was too busy.The grandmother was assessed by a senior clinical fellow in emergency medicine who said his initial concern was pancreatitis, a known but rare complication associated with weight-loss medication.This was ruled out after her blood results arrived and, following examination, the doctor concluded she did not require admission or a CT (computed tomography) scan.Advanced clinical practitioner Laura Rea said Mounjaro's recognised side effects, including abdominal pain and bloating, formed a reasonable working diagnosis in the absence of any evidence pointing towards a surgical emergency. Ms Savage pictured with her husband Jeremy. She had been privately prescribed the popular drug for around four months before being advised to raise the amount she was takingDr Diego Olmo-Ferrer, a consultant in emergency medicine, also reviewed Ms Savage and carried out a focused ultrasound to rule out an abdominal aortic aneurysm.He said she appeared comfortable enough to be discharged with pain relief, adding there was no clinical indication for a CT scan or a referral, and the grandmother left the hospital at about 6.30pm.Just after midnight, her husband Jeremy, a former Tory councillor, heard a thud and found his wife unresponsive on the floor.He called an ambulance and attempted CPR but she could not be saved.