Son, 11, Finds Mom on the Floor 'Coughing Up Blood' After She Abused Unprescribed Weight-Loss Injectables

Mar. 15, 2025

Gill Riley.Photo:Kennedy News & Media

Kennedy News & Media

A U.K. mom of four started taking unprescribed weight-loss injectables that she bought from a friend — who purchased them online — with the goal of being “skinny"After three months of taking the medication, Gill Riley, 43, says she collapsed on the floor, coughing up blood — and tests showed that she was malnourished with dangerously low electrolyte levelsRiley may have been left with kidney damage and now calls taking the medicine “stupid"An 11-year-old boy found his mother on the floor and “coughing up blood” after she abused weight-loss injectables that she purchased from a friend who found the product online.Gill Riley, a 43-year-old mom of four, toldThe Daily Mailshe wanted to get back to her pre-pregnancy weight. After diets didn’t work, she said she bought unnamed weight-loss injectables from a friend, who had purchased the product online. Riley said she weighed 123 lbs. when she started the medication.Weight-loss injectablesare approved for those with obesity, which Riley didn’t have.At first, Riley said she was happy with the medication, crediting it with helping her lose approximately 20 lbs. in three months after she started taking it last September.Gill Riley.Kennedy News & MediaBut then, “As the days went on, I just felt more and more unwell,” Riley said, according to the outlet. “I couldn’t eat any Christmas dinner and at this point I thought I had flu coming on.”When she woke up on the day after Christmas she said, “I was coughing and it felt like there were bubbles in my throat.”Riley, who hails from the English town of Warrington, said she took a nap, but when she woke up an hour later, she had chest pains.“I was coughing up blood and mucus and I was in a lot of pain. As I was walking to the toilet I felt really shaky and then when I sat down on the toilet I felt like I was going to be sick,” she said. That’s when she began throwing up uncontrollably.“It was blood and mucus and I filled the sink,” said Riley, who then collapsed on the floor. “My eyes were rolling into my head and I had to fight to stay awake. I had pins and needles down the left side of my body and I couldn’t breathe. My breath was really shallow.”That’s when her 11-year-old son found her. “It really upsets me to think about how my son found me, I could have died,” she said. “I honestly thought I was going to die. I can’t tell you how bad I felt and I was fighting to stay conscious.”An ambulance took her to the hospital, where tests revealed her electrolyte levels were dangerously low, and she showed signs of severe malnourishment. Doctors have told her she may have permanent kidney damage.Riley has said she’s joined a support group for women who are now struggling with their health after taking weight-loss medication that they weren’t prescribed. According toThe Daily Mail, Riley now says her decision to abuse the unprescribed medication “to be skinny” was “stupid.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Taking weight-loss medication without a doctor’s advice brings other problems, as fake versions of the popular drugs haveflooded the market, leading the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue a warning after the counterfeit medication sickened people, landing somein the hospital.“It’s not worth it and I think mums need to think about this as they could potentially be leaving their kids,” Riley shared, “just to look how they think they need to look.”If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please go toNationalEatingDisorders.org.

An 11-year-old boy found his mother on the floor and “coughing up blood” after she abused weight-loss injectables that she purchased from a friend who found the product online.

Gill Riley, a 43-year-old mom of four, toldThe Daily Mailshe wanted to get back to her pre-pregnancy weight. After diets didn’t work, she said she bought unnamed weight-loss injectables from a friend, who had purchased the product online. Riley said she weighed 123 lbs. when she started the medication.

Weight-loss injectablesare approved for those with obesity, which Riley didn’t have.

At first, Riley said she was happy with the medication, crediting it with helping her lose approximately 20 lbs. in three months after she started taking it last September.

Gill Riley.Kennedy News & Media

But then, “As the days went on, I just felt more and more unwell,” Riley said, according to the outlet. “I couldn’t eat any Christmas dinner and at this point I thought I had flu coming on.”

When she woke up on the day after Christmas she said, “I was coughing and it felt like there were bubbles in my throat.”

Riley, who hails from the English town of Warrington, said she took a nap, but when she woke up an hour later, she had chest pains.

“I was coughing up blood and mucus and I was in a lot of pain. As I was walking to the toilet I felt really shaky and then when I sat down on the toilet I felt like I was going to be sick,” she said. That’s when she began throwing up uncontrollably.

“It was blood and mucus and I filled the sink,” said Riley, who then collapsed on the floor. “My eyes were rolling into my head and I had to fight to stay awake. I had pins and needles down the left side of my body and I couldn’t breathe. My breath was really shallow.”

That’s when her 11-year-old son found her. “It really upsets me to think about how my son found me, I could have died,” she said. “I honestly thought I was going to die. I can’t tell you how bad I felt and I was fighting to stay conscious.”

An ambulance took her to the hospital, where tests revealed her electrolyte levels were dangerously low, and she showed signs of severe malnourishment. Doctors have told her she may have permanent kidney damage.

Riley has said she’s joined a support group for women who are now struggling with their health after taking weight-loss medication that they weren’t prescribed. According toThe Daily Mail, Riley now says her decision to abuse the unprescribed medication “to be skinny” was “stupid.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Taking weight-loss medication without a doctor’s advice brings other problems, as fake versions of the popular drugs haveflooded the market, leading the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue a warning after the counterfeit medication sickened people, landing somein the hospital.

“It’s not worth it and I think mums need to think about this as they could potentially be leaving their kids,” Riley shared, “just to look how they think they need to look.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please go toNationalEatingDisorders.org.

source: people.com