I almost died after using skinny jabs I bought on Facebook

A healthcare worker 'almost died' after using skinny jabs that she bought on social media and fears that they may have been laced with cocaine.

Paige Roberts visited her doctors after becoming concerned about bloating around her stomach caused by the hormonal disorder polycystic ovary syndrome.

The 24-year-old said she was told by her GP that she would have to lose weight.

However, after getting no results through diet and exercise, Ms Roberts decided to take a more drastic step and began searching for skinny jabs on Facebook as a way to rid herself of her unwanted belly fat.

Ms Roberts, who lives in Llandudno, North Wales, said it was very easy to find a seller online - and paid £80 for four injectables which claimed to suppress user's appetites.

The morning after Ms Roberts used her first jab, she began feeling dizzy and nauseous and was soon unable to keep water down without throwing up.

After three days of vomiting, Ms Roberts was rushed to hospital where she claims doctors suggested her jab could have been laced with drugs due to her dilated pupils and elevated heart rate.

Doctors also told her that many counterfeits are 'just speed' but Ms Roberts fears the jabs had been laced with cocaine.

After placing an order, the injectables came in the post with a pre-made syringe, which Ms Roberts injected into her stomach last Thursday, November 7.

But the next morning, Ms Roberts said she began feeling noticeably unwell.

Ms Roberts said: 'I was a bit hesitant to use them at first because they were in a syringe. But then I read some in chemists and pharmacies are in syringes so thought I'd give it a go.

'I felt fine, I did it at night time. I went to bed and when I woke up the next day, I felt like I had the flu and felt like I was going to be sick.

'I just thought because they'd warned that it could make you feel sick, I would ride through it. Every time I was drinking water, I was throwing up and I thought this can't be right.

'I was getting the train home when I started feeling much worse. My heart was racing, I was shaking, I couldn't stop throwing up, I felt dehydrated. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt hungry but I couldn't eat.'

Ms Roberts was rushed to hospital when her symptoms began worsening that night - where she claims doctors told her that the jab may have contained drugs.

She said: 'I felt like I couldn't move, I had absolutely no energy, I was dizzy. I felt like I was going to collapse.

Ms Roberts then phoned 111 but after being told of long wait times at A&E she decided to ‘ride it out’ and wait until the following day.

'My mum drove me to hospital the next morning. They thought there could have been drugs in the injection because I had dilated pupils, I was glazed over, my heart rate was quite high.

'They said they see a lot of these jabs and said it's normally speed. I think it's more cocaine-based that's found in these jabs. It could've potentially been laced with cocaine.

'I believe there was something in there and it could've been cocaine. It's upsetting, it's made me really angry that I was sold this.

'I could've easily lost my life. I felt like I was going to die. It was like I had been spiked.'

Ms Roberts was able to return home after her symptoms began to improve - but said she feels lucky to be alive after injecting an unknown substance into her body.

She said: 'I have PCOS and it causes a big bloat on my stomach. I don't have periods at all. And I went to the doctors for some help and said I was struggling with my periods, my weight, and my bloating.

'I'm not a big girl but she said to me I would need to lose weight to be seen by a gynecologist. I was about a size 14/16 so not the skinniest nor that big.

'It was just the bloating I didn't like about myself. I did lots of exercise and dieting to try and lose this bloating but it wouldn't go. Nothing was working. It looks like I'm pregnant. It can go but it takes a lot longer..

'So I went and had a look at these weight-loss jabs. I was seeing a lot of stuff about it on social media.

Ms Roberts claims the seller blocked her on social media after messaging their page to complain about the jabs and requested a refund.

In response to previous cases of skinny jabs being allegedly sold over their platform, a Facebook spokesperson said they do not allow the sale of pharmaceutical drugs and they remove violating accounts when they become aware of them.

She added: 'I tried to buy them through Boots Chemists but I didn't fit their criteria of being obese so couldn't get the jabs. So that's when I resorted to Facebook to find the jabs.

'And it was very easy to find. There were loads everywhere. I reached out to one page and they offered four jabs for £80.

'I didn't have to tell them my weight or any details. It was so easy. They posted a lot of before and afters which looked really good.'

Facebook claim to remove content about weight loss that contains a miracle claim and attempts to buy, sell, trade, donate or gift weight loss products, while content related to weight loss products is restricted for under-18s.

They claimed to be constantly working to get better at detection and urged people to report anything they think violates their policies, so they can review it and take action.

Facebook have been approached for a comment.