“Big Brother” Star ‘Nearly Died’ After ‘Horrific’ Reaction to Fake Ozempic: ‘I Had Three Bags of Vomit by My Bedside'

“I started losing my vision, my eyes were going blurry, and I couldn't even see my phone, ” Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace said

Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace

Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace

Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace nearly died after taking what is suspected to be fake Ozempic.

The former Big Brother UK star, who appeared in season 7, spoke to Closer magazine and revealed she gained about 28 lbs. last year after the death of her best friend, which left her in a “dark place.” Struggling with the weight, the 46-year-old turned to the black market to purchase Ozempic.

Ozempic is an FDA-approved prescription medication to treat type 2 diabetes. The medication — taken weekly by injection in the thigh, stomach or arm — is a brand name for semaglutide, which works in the brain to impact satiety. The drug has gained popularity over the last few years as many people turn to it for weight loss when not medically necessary.

Because of the increase in demand, the medications were previously impacted by the nationwide drug shortage. But before pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk was able to amp up production, many counterfeit and compounded versions of the injectable hit the market, causing health effects in people who try it.

Related: Several People Hospitalized After Taking Suspected Fake Ozempic in Austria

Getty Ozempic injection diabetes drug

Getty

Ozempic injection diabetes drug

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

"I won't lie, and I'm not proud, but I bought Ozempic injections from the black market,” Horgan-Wallace told the outlet. “I must have had a dodgy batch because my body reacted so badly.”

“For three days, I thought I was going to die,” she said. “I was in my bed, waking up vomiting, suffering with diarrhea and falling asleep again. At one point, I had three bags of vomit by my bedside. Frighteningly, I started losing my vision, my eyes were going blurry, and I couldn't even see my phone. I had no idea what was going to happen to me."

Related: Many People Are Overdosing on Ozempic Alternatives with DIY Injections, FDA Warns

Kate Green/Getty Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace

Kate Green/Getty

Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Although her health was declining, Horgan-Wallace admitted that she was “too embarrassed” to seek medical attention.

“I felt guilty over wasting NHS resources when I'd done this to myself,” she said.

Now, the TV personality is urging others to rely only on prescriptions from their healthcare providers rather than getting counterfeit versions of the drug.

"My message is do not do it,” Horgan-Wallace told the outlet. “I nearly died because of that s—. Your life is not worth losing over losing weight. Don't cut corners with your health, and don't buy stuff off the black market because you don't know what's in it.”

“It's the most horrific health issue I've ever been through, and I will never do it again."

Read the original article on People