If something goes wrong: who to call and what to say

Call your local emergency number now

• Confusion or slurred speech, very fast breathing, or pale, blue or blotchy skin, often with fever or shivering These can be signs of sepsis: the body's reaction to an infection has started to damage its own organs.
• Fainting and not waking up within a minute, or fainting with chest pain, a racing heart or a fit This can be a dangerous heart rhythm or a severe allergic reaction.
• Pain at the injection spot that is much worse than it looks, or dark, purple or grey patches or blisters there This can be a rare, fast-spreading infection of the deep layers under the skin (necrotising fasciitis).
• Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, wheezing, a hoarse voice, or feeling faint, soon after an injection This can be a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), which is life-threatening and gets worse very quickly.
• Pain, pressure or tightness in the chest, or pain that spreads to the arm, neck, jaw or back This can be a heart attack, which needs treatment in hospital straight away.
• Sudden, severe shortness of breath: gasping, or not able to finish a sentence This can be a serious problem with the heart, the lungs or an allergic reaction.
• A racing, pounding or irregular heartbeat that does not settle, or that comes with chest pain, breathlessness or fainting This can be a dangerous heart rhythm.
• A sudden, severe headache with blurred vision, chest pain, confusion or vomiting Blood pressure may be dangerously high, which can damage the brain, heart, kidneys and eyes.
• An erection that lasts more than 3 hours, or a painful erection that will not go down Blood trapped in the penis can damage it for good if it is not treated quickly.
• Shaking, sweating or sudden hunger that turns into confusion or drowsiness Very low blood sugar can cause a fit or loss of consciousness; take something sugary if you can still swallow safely.
• Severe, constant pain in the upper belly that spreads to the back, often with vomiting This can be an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis), a known risk of GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide and tirzepatide.
• Sudden weakness or numbness on one side, a drooping face, or slurred or confused speech These are signs of a stroke, which needs treatment in hospital straight away, even if the signs pass.
• A headache that starts suddenly and is extremely painful, or a headache with a stiff neck, confusion or a fit This can be a stroke or another emergency in the brain.
• Sudden loss of sight in one or both eyes This can be a stroke or damage to the nerve of the eye, and sight can be lost for good.
• A fit (seizure): jerking movements, or suddenly not responding A fit can be caused by very low blood sugar or a problem in the brain, and needs checks straight away.

Get medical help today

• Fever, shivering or feeling very ill in the days after an injection Germs from the needle, the skin or the product may have reached your blood. If you also have a fast heartbeat or fast breathing, call your local emergency number.
• Redness, heat, swelling or pain around the injection spot that keeps growing or getting worse This can be a skin infection (cellulitis), which needs antibiotics before it spreads.
• Red lines that run from the injection spot towards the armpit or groin The infection may be spreading along the lymph vessels, and from there into the blood. If you also have a fever with a fast heartbeat or fast breathing, call your local emergency number.
• A painful, warm lump that fills with pus This is probably an abscess: it often needs draining by a doctor, so do not squeeze it.
• You were pricked by a needle that someone else had used Blood on a used needle can pass on HIV and hepatitis B or C, and preventive treatment works best within hours.
• Vomiting so often that you cannot keep fluids down, or passing very little urine Losing too much fluid can damage the kidneys.
• Yellow skin, or yellow whites of the eyes This can be a sign of a liver problem, gallstones or an inflamed pancreas.
• Dark, red or cola-coloured urine together with muscle pain, tenderness or weakness Damaged muscle can release a protein that harms the kidneys (rhabdomyolysis).

Stop and contact a doctor

• You fainted, but woke up quickly and now feel well Fainting is often harmless, but a doctor should check the cause.
• A new mole, or a mole that changes size, shape or colour, itches or bleeds A changing mole can be skin cancer, and tanning peptides such as melanotan II have been linked to new and changing moles in case reports.
• A lump at an injection spot that does not go away, or keeps growing A doctor should check whether it is an abscess, a reaction to the product or something else.
• An itchy, raised rash, or puffy eyes or lips, while breathing stays normal Your body may be reacting to the product, and using it again can bring the reaction back.
• Palpitations that keep coming back, even if they pass and you then feel well A doctor can check whether your heart rhythm is normal.