A Sydney woman has warned Australians against buying black-market peptides online after she was rushed to hospital following just two injections of retatrutide she fears were tainted with other substances.
Ali Krzyszton said she was in the worst pain of her life on the way to hospital and was diagnosed with severe acute pancreatitis – something she believes was caused by the peptide doses.
‘There is no way to describe this pain. My pancreas was eating itself,’ Ms Krzyszton told the Daily Mail.
‘I’ve fallen off many horses. I’ve broken my neck. I’ve broken my back. I’ve got fractures everywhere all over my body. I’ve had my finger ripped off by a horse… and I’ve never experienced anything like this before.
‘I was in agony for three days.’
The condition Ms Krzyszton suffered, pancreatitis, occurs when the pancreas – an organ behind the stomach that helps break down food and regulate blood sugar – becomes inflamed.
Ms Krzyszton’s warning comes just weeks after a coroner found that the use of unapproved peptides triggered the death of martial arts legend Richard Norton.
The finding renewed scrutiny of peptides promoted online for weight loss, muscle growth, recovery and anti-ageing.
Sydney woman Ali Krzyszton (pictured) has spoken out to warn others about the risks of black market peptides
NSW Health has warned consumers about the risks of unapproved peptide products after a sharp rise in emergency department presentations linked to their use. It warns products sold online may contain different ingredients, strengths or dosages than those listed on their labels.
Ms Krzyszton said she had previously taken a different peptide, BPC-157, while trying to rebuild her health and fitness following the sudden death of her partner. She did not consult a doctor.
‘My brain felt clear. I was firing on all cylinders,’ she said.
Ms Krzyszton said she obtained retatrutide through a friend after seeing results with BPC-157.
‘The first one should have been my warning,’ she said, referring to an earlier reaction that caused a lump at the injection site.
‘My doctor sent me for an ultrasound and said, “Don’t take that again”.’
But Ms Krzyszton decided to finish the batch and took a second injection a few days later.
‘My naivete unfortunately thwarted me. The first one should have been my warning.’
Ms Krzyszton said she initially called an ambulance when she became seriously unwell following the second injection.
Ms Krzyszton was rushed to Northern Beaches Hospital (pictured) after her condition rapidly deteriorated following a second injection. Doctors diagnosed her with severe acute pancreatitis, and she now faces months of recovery and ongoing medical monitoring
Fearing a lengthy wait, she arranged a rideshare instead.
She said the driver abandoned her on the side of the road as her condition deteriorated.
‘About 10 minutes into the trip, the driver told me, “Get out, I don’t want a dead person in my car”,’ she said.
‘He charged me $52, which I still haven’t had refunded, to dump me on the kerb.
‘I was lying on the ground in absolute agony, screaming and crying and thank goodness for the Good Samaritan lady.’
She said the woman stayed with her while she waited for paramedics.
Ms Krzyszton said she was in severe pain by the time the ambulance arrived. Neither methoxyflurane, commonly known as the ‘green whistle’, nor fentanyl provided relief.
Doctors diagnosed Ms Krzyszton with severe acute pancreatitis after she was rushed to Northern Beaches Hospital.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant (pictured) has urged Australians to seek medical advice before using peptide products, warning that labels, purity claims and influencer endorsements do not guarantee what is actually inside a vial
‘By the time I got to hospital, I was tachycardic and on the point of cardiac arrest, and my appendix was in trouble.
‘I had six cannulas at one stage, morphine, thiamine, potassium and saline.’
While she survived the ordeal, Ms Krzyszton says her recovery has only just begun.
She said she had been told she cannot eat protein while her pancreas heals and that she would need weekly blood tests and regular iron infusions for months.
‘I’m not allowed to eat any protein because my body can’t handle it,’ she said.
‘I have to have a weekly blood test for the next six months, and hopefully can then eat protein again.
‘I’m on digestive enzymes because my pancreas can’t digest anything properly or process fats.
‘That’s six months of my life gone. My parents are doctors, so (they are) very, very upset with me.’
Martial arts legend Richard Norton is pictured with actress Margot Robbie. A Victorian coroner found the use of unapproved peptides triggered the 75-year-old’s death last year, renewing concerns about products marketed online for weight loss, recovery and anti-ageing
Last month, NSW Health also warned the public about the risks of unapproved peptide products after a sharp rise in emergency department presentations linked to their use.
Surveillance data shows NSW emergency departments recorded 1,180 presentations associated with peptide use between July 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026.
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant urged Australians to seek medical advice and warned that product labels, purity claims and influencer endorsements offered no guarantee of what was inside the vial.
‘A professional looking website, a label, purity claim, reviews, or influencer endorsement is not proof of what is inside the product,’ she said.
‘The contents and strength may also vary between products carrying the same label.’
Ms Krzyszton said she would never be able to use peptides again and warned others against buying unregulated products.
She said more people she knew were choosing unapproved peptides over medications such as Ozempic.
Ms Krzyszton said she would never be able to use peptides again and warned others against buying unregulated products
‘You don’t know what you’re getting, but everyone’s taking them,’ she said.
‘It’s turned into a bit of a phenomenon among gym-goers.’
Peptide products are increasingly marketed online and on social media for weight loss, muscle growth, anti-ageing, recovery and performance enhancement.
Some peptide medicines are approved for use in Australia. However, many products sold online are unapproved therapeutic goods and may be unlawful to import, supply or advertise.
The growing concern follows Victorian coroner David Ryan’s findings on the death of Richard Norton, who trained Hollywood stars including Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie and Ben Affleck.
The 75-year-old actor, stunt performer and martial arts instructor died after suffering a cardiac arrest in March last year.
Coroner Ryan found that the use of unapproved peptides triggered Norton’s death. He recommended that the Therapeutic Goods Administration review the products and consider whether additional restrictions were needed
