Woman's Mysterious Symptoms Solved: Diet Soda Unlikely Hero in Desperate Bid for Relief

Breaking News: Woman's Mysterious Symptoms Solved with Unlikely Solution A 63-year-old woman was rushed to the emergency department of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston on [date] with severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. After a month of suffering, she finally found relief in an unexpected way. Timeline of Events The patient arrived at the hospital with symptoms that had been ongoing for 30 days. Doctors collected her extensive medical history, which included Type 2 diabetes, Stage 2 chronic kidney disease, opioid use disorder, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). She was taking several medications, including semaglutide, a GLP-1 weight-loss drug that had helped her lose 40 pounds in the past year. Immediate Impact and Response The patient's symptoms were so severe that she required hospitalization. However, after just one day of treatment, her condition began to improve dramatically. The doctors discovered that the semaglutide was causing a rare but serious side effect: pancreatitis. Background Context Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that can cause severe abdominal pain and vomiting. It's a known risk with GLP-1 weight-loss medications, although it's extremely rare. In this case, the patient's symptoms were likely exacerbated by her pre-existing medical conditions. What Happens Next The patient was discharged from the hospital after just two days of treatment, feeling significantly better. Her doctors emphasized the importance of monitoring for pancreatitis in patients taking GLP-1 medications and encouraged others to consult their healthcare providers about potential risks. As one doctor noted, "This case highlights the need for careful consideration of medication side effects, especially in patients with complex medical histories." *This story is developing. Information compiled from Arstechnica reporting.*