Dodgy diet pills I bought online nearly KILLED me and I couldn’t walk – doctors thought I’d been poisoned
A MUM-of-two has revealed how dodgy diet pills she purchased online almost cost her life.
Elizabeth Katerina, 25, from Sydney, Australia, had been left unable to walk as baffled doctors thought she had been poisoned.
The 25-year-old was able to shed nearly 4st in two months thanks to diet pills she bought online.
After spending some time researching different brands and reading reviews, Katerina ordered the 3Action Sports Nutrition Fatburner pills, from Belgium, saying the reviews “looked really good.”
The mum started taking a capsule after breakfast and one in the afternoon “as direct(ed) on the bottle.”
But her health started to deteriorate shortly afterwards until the 10th day her heart rate was so high she had to call an ambulance.
She told 9now: “I started getting really bad headaches. I started feeling really dizzy. Just light headed.
“My stomach started feeling uncomfortable. I was getting diarrhoea everyday nonstop.
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“I just remember thinking ‘am I going to be ok? Like what’s happening to me’?
“These Fatburners over stimulated my system to the point where I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t fall asleep, my heart felt like it was going like brrrrr like this, that’s how it felt.
“I’m dizzy, light headed and nauseas. I can’t sleep I can’t eat.
“My heartrate was like 158 above that average for a human. An adult should be between 80 to 90 beats per minute. Mine was just chilling at 158, even when I was calm.
“The doctors at the hospital at Royal North Shore, they said to me ‘please throw out those diet pills. Whatever was in those Fatburners, they’re not good for you, they’ve over stimulated your system and you’ve been poisoned’.”
Katerina is still recovering and is now seeing a cardiologist and a gastroenterologist.
‘I’D RATHER BE CURVY AND HEALTHY’
She claims she contacted 3Action Sports Nutrition to report her reaction to the pills and was told to email them instead.
The 25-year-old says that the company has now blocked her and her family from contacting them on social media.
The outlet reports that according to a TGA statement the products are not currently included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
“Eight weeks ago I was a full time active mum, like very active with my children, university student, A grade netball player, I was a professional dancer for years.
“I would rather be curvy and healthy than consume, what I’ve consumed, what I thought was safe with online shopping.
“Not knowing it wasn’t TGA approved in Australia, than having to go through what I’m going through daily … I’m bed ridden. I wouldn’t wish this upon anyone. Not even my worst enemy,” she added.
The Belgian company said in a statement to the outlet: “3Action Sports Nutrition is a Belgian brand, active since 1994, and we supply sports nutrition products, mainly to endurance athletes (such as cyclists).
“We are partners of various professional athletes and teams, including our national team. These athletes are under the continuous supervision of doctors, and are checked very regularly.
“Our Fatburner, is a product that complies with Belgian and European legislation and is approved by the Belgian Food Safety Authorities as a dietary supplement.
“All food supplements in Belgium must first be notified by the government before they can be brought on the market.
“This product consists mainly of L-carnitine, herbal extracts and a mineral all authorized and approved by our Food Safety Authority.
“Complete ingredients list: L-carnitine L-tartate, gelatin capsule, bulking agent: microcrystalline cellulose, Guarana extract (paullinia cupana), Green tea extract (camellia sinensis), Coleus Forskholii extract, Capsicum annuum extract, anti-caking agents: magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide; colour: titanium dioxide, chromium picolinate
“In addition, the instructions for use are clearly stated on the packaging: ‘Take 1 capsule in the morning on an empty stomach and 1 capsule in the afternoon.
‘Do not exceed the recommended dose. Keep away from children. A food supplement should not be used as a substitute to a healthy and varied diet.
‘A balanced diet and healthy lifestyle are important. Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children, pregnant and breastfeeding women. Store dry.
‘Do not use with heart medication. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are using anti-coagulants at the same time.’
“This product has been on the market since 2018 and we have never received a complaint or dissatisfaction about it before.”
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