Leslie Gammon of Wendell, North Carolina, spent three days in the hospital after overdosing on a GLP-1 medication. She received a $9,000 medical bill and has not heard back from her telehealth company, Amble. Her story was featured on the TODAY Show on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
A Wendell woman's experience with self-injected GLP-1 drugs landed her in the hospital for three days and left her with a $9,000 medical bill. Leslie Gammon's ordeal was featured on the TODAY Show on Thursday, July 16, 2026, and serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of improperly administered medication.
Gammon began taking a GLP-1 medication to lose weight before an upcoming cruise. Initially, she was injecting eight units once a week. She felt the dose was not effective because it did not curb her hunger. After reporting this to her telehealth company, Amble, the company sent her a second vial with instructions to inject 46 units, which was more than five times her original dose. A doctor with Amble told her to follow those instructions.
Gammon was cautious about such a large increase but ultimately decided to inject only 30 units instead of the full 46. Two hours later, she began vomiting violently.
She first went to urgent care and was later taken to the emergency room. Gammon told NBC's Anne Thompson, "I wouldn't stop throwing up, and it was like every 20 minutes. I was hurting. I mean, it hurt. I couldn't talk for nearly a week after. My ribs felt like they were being beaten up."
Medical staff told Gammon that she had overdosed on a GLP-1 drug. She has not used any GLP-1 medication since the incident. After being discharged, she received a bill for $9,000 and said she has not received any response from Amble.
A Gallup poll found that 11% of U.S. adults currently take GLP-1 medications specifically for weight loss. According to the National Poison Data System from America's Poison Centers, there has been a surge of more than 1,000% in GLP-1 overdoses or side effects since 2021.
Gammon attributes the incident to both the doctor's error and her own lack of education. She said, "I think the doctor, I think it was a mistake. They're human. They make mistakes. But myself, too, as well. I should have educated myself more. I'm not dumb. I mean, I have a college degree. I should have known."
Her story highlights the growing concerns around GLP-1 medication dosing errors as use of these drugs for weight loss continues to rise sharply.
Peptides referenced: GLP-1.
Related reading: GLP-1 Drug Costs Surge as More Americans Seek Weight-Loss Medications, GLP-1 Drug Use Reshapes Ingredient Strategy for Food and Beverage Makers, GLP-1 Drug Costs Push Dallas Health Plan Over Budget, Crocin II Targets ANGPTL8 to Reduce MASLD Progression in Preclinical Study.