Published: 2026-01-30
Updated: 2026-01-30
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"In the UK, gallbladder surgeries have increased by 15% in the past year, reaching their highest level in the last 10 years. Experts are questioning whether popular weight-loss injections (Wegovy, Mounjaro, Saxenda) are behind this surge."
The central question: Medication or rapid weight loss?
According to Ahmed Ahmed, president of the British Society of Obesity and Metabolism Specialists (BOMSS), the vast majority of patients undergoing surgery use these injections. However, there is a critical distinction:
- Side Effect of the Drug: These injections can directly trigger gallstone formation.
- Rapid Weight Loss Effect: Independent of the drug, losing weight too quickly disrupts the balance of the gallbladder, leading to stone formation.
Patients' Experience: "A Deadly Pain"
It is estimated that 1.6 million people in the UK alone have been given these injections. While some users go through the process without problems, patients like Sue Peacock complain of "lifelong" damage. Peacock states that gallstones that developed after the injection caused pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and that she narrowly escaped death.
Numbers and Warnings You Should Know
- 80,000+: The total number of gallbladder surgeries performed in the UK in a year.
- 1% Risk: The risk of gallstones is described as "common" (1 in 100 people) in the package insert for medications like Mounjaro.
- Official Update: The MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) has updated its guidelines due to the risks.
Conclusion: While weight-loss injections may revolutionize the fight against obesity, could losing your gallbladder be a "small price to pay"? Surgeon James Hewes' advice is clear: "If you want to reduce your risk of gallstones, lose weight more slowly and in a controlled manner."
