Vicki McFarlane says the jabs gave her nausea, headaches and 'eggy burps'Neil Shaw Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)08:51, 29 May 2026I swapped Mounjaro for 30p a day supplement and lost 49lbs in 15 weeksA mum who ditched Mounjaro after it gave her nausea and headaches swapped to a 'life changing' 30p-a-day supplement and lost 3st 7lbs in 15 weeks. Vicki McFarlane, 53, said she struggled with weight loss her whole adult life due to sugar cravings in the evening - worsened further by her metabolism slowing when she went through menopause.‌In a bid to lose the stubborn weight on her stomach and thighs, she ordered Mounjaro from an online clinic in January, 2025. The £180-a-month jab helped her shed two stone in two months - but came with unbearable nausea, headaches and "eggy burps" which made her eventually give up.‌After reading online about berberine - a natural compound used in Chinese medicine said to help regulate blood sugar and fat storage - she decided to give it a go. Vicki, from Pickering, Yorkshire, ordered some slow-release patches for £8.99 on Amazon - the equivalent of 30p a day.‌Despite being unsure if it would have an effect, travel agent Vicki said within days she noticed she no longer craved biscuits and cake every evening. Since starting the patches on June 30 2025, she dropped from 17st 9lbs to 14st 2lbs by October 14 2025.While GLP1 medications operate in a different way to supplements, the mum-of-one said berberine - which has been dubbed 'nature's Ozempic' - suppressed her appetite in the same way as Mounjaro did. But for her it didn't have the same side effects, and cost a fraction of the price.‌Vicki said: "I had been trying to lose another three or four stone forever - I was always on some diet or other. I lost weight on Mounjaro, but I felt so ill the whole time. Then I saw things about berberine online - and I noticed the impact within a couple of days."I always ate relatively healthy but it was all the cakes, chocolates, crisps and biscuits that I wanted in the evening. Now, I don't eat in the evening at all - maybe a yoghurt or something. But you can keep your cakes now. Friends always ask 'bloody hell Vicki - what have you been taking?'."‌Before trying Mounjaro and berberine, no matter what diet Vicki tried, she would never drop below 17st. But the jabs left her with "constant heartburn, eggy burps, nausea, headaches and bad breath".After just two months on the jabs, despite losing 2st 3lbs, bringing her down from 19st 12lbs to 17st 9lbs, she stopped. Soon after was when Vicki saw some adverts online for a berberine supplement. She said: "They were cheap, I did a bit of research and thought I'd try them."‌Incredibly, she noticed her appetite reduced within a matter of days - and her food cravings vanished. She said: "I no longer wanted to eat in the evening at all - I just didn't fancy that any more. The food noise just went."She began making reduced portion sizes to match her new reduced appetite, and saw the weight drop. Vicki even roped husband Darren McFarlane, 53, into giving them a go - and said he had the same feeling instantly. When she hit her goal weight of 14st 2lbs in October, she came off the patches so she didn't lose any more weight.She said: "I like to be a nice comfortable size 16 - I don't want to look too gaunt."‌After a trip away over Christmas, where she gained some weight back, she went back onto berberine three weeks ago. This time trying supplement tablets, she Vicki said she noticed the same result again - and has lost 10lbs. She said: "People say it could never compare to Mounjaro, but they're unreal considering how expensive that is."And, it made me very sick. This has done for me exactly what Mounjaro did, but without the sickness. My 27-year-old son has literally never seen me this slim before."Article continues belowVicki added: "It's been life-changing for me. I feel like I've gained years of life. I've got so much more energy and I feel so much healthier. But I've got a cupboard full of crisps I no longer want!"