2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Ryan Thom)
A mum-of-two desperate to be skinny died suddenly after taking 'weight loss drops' she popped under her tongue. Sarah Thompson's heartbroken family believe the 34-year-old died because of deadly red drops she'd purchased in the summer. The Mirror reports how her distraught s ister told ITV News that Sarah wanted to lose weight following a cancer battle.
Within a month she rapidly shed over three stone, going from 15-and-half stone to 11 and felt she could "take on the world". But those dreams turned to tragedy in September when she was discovered dead in her bed by her 16-year-old daughter. Police were called out after the mum's "sudden death" at her home in Connah's Quay, North Wales.
Her family now face an agonising wait to confirm her official cause of death after the coroner was informed. Just days before Sarah's death, she called her younger sister Gabriella and was violently ill on the phone. Dramatic before and after pictures show her sudden weight loss.
She was unable to keep any food or liquids down before her tragic death. Gabriella, 26, urged her sister to go to hospital, but Sarah thought she could "ride out" the side effects. Just days after the sisters discussed concerns around the drops, she was dead.
Sobbing Gabriella told ITV News how her sister was after the weight loss: “She had a lot more confidence, she felt she could take on the world, she was ready to go out and achieve everything that’s held her back for so many years.” Her family said that Sarah failed to meet the NHS requirements for weight loss injections, so she hunted for the 'fat burning serum'. It is not known she got them but they are available online.
Gabriella tried the same drug her sister was taking after seeing how happy she was with results. But she has explained how she experienced body shakes and a racing heart so she stopped taking them, whilst Sarah continued. “When I took them my whole body was shaking and heart was going.
. and she said ‘Gabby just ride through it, because in the end you’ll be thankful for it,’” she told ITV News. “You don’t actually know what’s in them and there’s people taking them to feel better about themselves or numb the pain - but what about people’s families? “I’m never going to see my sister again because of this.
Her children are going to grow-up without their mum and it’s not nice. No family should feel the pain we feel.” Sarah previously battled throat cancer in 2018.
She had her voice box removed and she was left having to breathe through a tube in her neck. It became difficult to exercise and as a result, Sarah put on a lot weight. The drops are entirely different from the authorised weight loss medications available on the NHS.
ITV News sent one of the bottles from Sarah’s house to a laboratory to get tested, which confirmed they contained Clenbuterol - a Class C controlled drug. The drug is not approved for human use in the UK and the maximum penalty for supplying it is 14 years in prison. Clenbuterol can increase muscle growth and reduce body fat - so despite being an illegal substance - is sometimes used as an image enhancing drug.
It is a steroid-like chemical, initially developed to alleviate asthma symptoms in horses by relaxing the muscles in the airways. It increases lean muscle mass and reduces fat deposits. It is claimed some celebrities have used the dangerous drug with reported risks including an increased heart rate, vomiting, low blood pressure and heart attack.
Sarah’s death only happened in September, and her family are still awaiting test results to confirm the official cause - but they believe the drops were to blame. Her devastated family want more to be done to prevent the supply of these drugs, and to warn anyone who is considering taking weight loss medication. Asked if she thinks Sarah had any idea what was in those drops, Gabriella said: “No, I don’t think she did, because as much as she wanted be skinny, I don’t think she would’ve taken them if she knew exactly what was in them and there was a risk of her never seeing her children again, I know she wouldn’t have.
“When you’re buying them off the street they’re so cheap and easy to get hold of and people, like me sister, think everything’s going to be ok, I’m going to have a better life. But one day you’re just going to end up dead and it’s your family who’s going to have that pain.” About how they are coping now, she said: “We have to be strong for the kids, so we have to put our grieving on hold.
With Christmas coming up it is hard, because they’re not going to be waking up to their mum.” North Wales Police confirmed to ITV they had attended a report of a sudden death at a property in Connah's Quay at 9.17pm on September 28.
The Coroner was informed. They said they attended at the time of the report and have submitted all necessary paperwork to the coroner. A government spokesperson said: “Every death from the misuse of drugs is a tragedy for those who have lost their lives, our thoughts are with their friends and families.
Through our mission driven government, we will take preventative public health measures to tackle the biggest killers in society – including drug misuse – and better support people live longer, healthier lives.” Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter .
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