Nguyen Thi Nguyet (character name changed, 19 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) drank weight loss tea advertised for sale on social networks, after being criticized by friends for being fat. As a result, Nguyet suffered from acute kidney failure, high liver enzymes on the background of chronic type 1 diabetes (diabetes).
After 2 weeks of fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, rapid heartbeat, Nguyet suddenly fainted and fainted, and was taken by her family to Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Hoa ward facility) for emergency treatment. At this time, the level of glomerular filtration decreased to below 60 ml/min, blood potassium and liver enzymes increased, blood sugar was very high, diagnosed with acute kidney failure, with signs of liver failure.
Family members said that Nguyet had type 1 diabetes 4 years ago, still used medication according to her doctor's prescription, and recently drank a type of weight loss tea bought online. After the vital signs stabilized, the patient was transferred to the Department of Endocrinology - Diabetes for treatment.
MSc.BS Hoang Thi Hong Linh, Department of Endocrinology - Diabetes, Tam Anh General Hospital HCMC, said that the patient shared that recently she ate well, so she gained about 5 kg. Being criticized by friends for being fat, Nguyet researched weight loss products on social networks and decided to buy a tea advertised as safe for people with diabetes.
I bought a box, inside there were tea bags, labeled ingredients as dried fruit, natural origin, mixed with hot water with a taste similar to fruit. After drinking, I didn't feel cravings," Nguyet shared.
After drinking for 2 weeks, Nguyet lost 3 kg but was very tired, thirsty but urinated very little, bloated, had a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and finally became weak, lost consciousness, and had to be hospitalized for emergency treatment.
According to Dr. Hong Linh, Nguyet has type 1 diabetes, a chronic autoimmune disease, that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Nguyet must depend on the source of insulin delivered from the body throughout her life.
People with type 1 diabetes, if blood sugar is not well controlled, may experience dangerous complications such as angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, especially easily causing damage to blood vessels in the kidneys, gradually causing kidney failure or inability to recover from end-stage kidney disease.
Using weight loss tea of unknown origin, unknown ingredients, may contain substances harmful to the body, causing feeling of fullness, loss of appetite but affecting the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of stroke, especially for people with diabetes; or supplementing with phenolphthalein, which was once used as a laxative, but is banned due to the risk of causing cancer, serious digestive disorders, and electrolyte disorders.
Using products and weight loss drugs of unknown origin, containing banned substances, will cause many serious complications such as exhaustion, liver and kidney failure, bile atrophy, anaphylactic shock, stroke, myocardial infarction, brain damage, stomach bleeding, liver and kidney failure, electrolyte disorders, anaphylactic shock. "If not detected and treated promptly, patients may die," said Dr. Linh.
Because it was detected and treated promptly, the patient did not suffer brain damage. Dr. Linh added that patients with type 1 diabetes who want to lose weight must have a doctor's examination and treatment prescription at the hospital, to avoid dangerous complications due to poor blood sugar control.
