A diabetes patient is celebrating a whole new wardrobe after losing an incredible four stone in less than a year due to a pioneering new drug.

Patricia Fagan is now an impressive size 14, having slimmed down to less than 12 stone in weight following a new course of treatment for her type 2 diabetes.

The 59-year-old receptionist has been attending the diabetes clinic at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) since first being diagnosed with the condition in 2000.

Her weight had ballooned to more than 20 stone over the previous few years but the mother of two, who also has three stepsons, has now shed almost half her former weight.

Patricia, who lives in Northfield has attributed much of her amazing weight loss to a drug called liraglutide, which she has been taking since August last year.

It is often prescribed for diabetes patients with a high body mass index (BMI) who are suffering problems as a result of their weight.

Patricia, whose father died as a result of a diabetes-related illness at the age of 64, said: “For years I have tried to lose weight but this new drug is absolutely fantastic. It’s done everything that my consultant said it would.

“It says it changes your metabolism and I am very rarely hungry now. I had managed to get down to 16 stone, 4 pounds by August last year, but I have lost more than four stone since taking liraglutide, which I administer as an injection myself daily.

“It has just been fantastic and the diabetes is also under control. My reading is down to almost zero but I am staying on the new medication as a maintenance drug.”

Patricia, who also has 11 grandchildren and two great grandchildren, added: “I have never been really thin but I put on a tremendous amount of weight between 1995 and 1999. I went up to more than 20 stone and just couldn’t understand it. My BMI was 40 but it’s now down to 27.”

She was persuaded to visit her GP, Dr Abad Ali, at Northfield Health Centre in 2000 after suddenly becoming ill.

“I was very thirsty and kept going to the toilet. So I went to my own doctor who said straight away I had diabetes and he sent me to the diabetes clinic at Selly Oak.”

Patricia has been under the expert care of consultant diabetes physician Dr Wasim Hanif, who said major weight loss was one of the “big success stories” of the new diabetes drug liraglutide.

Dr Hanif added: “Since first coming to my clinic, Patricia has lost around eight stone in weight. She was struggling to lose weight but this drug has proved enormously beneficial, both in terms of her weight loss and controlling her diabetes.

“Losing that amount of weight could add 10 – 15 years to your life, as well as improve your psychological well-being.”

As well as Dr Hanif, Patricia is also grateful to Dr Abdul Nazal from UHB’s pain management clinic, who is helping her cope with nerve damage, known as neuropathy – one of the long term complications of diabetes.

She said: “I can now move but without these people I would be crippled with pain. I just want to promote this treatment for other people with a serious weight problem.

“And it’s so good to be wearing nice clothes again. The only thing is it’s costing me a fortune because I’ve gone down from a size 28 to a 14 and have had to get rid of my old clothes.”