Kimberley: lost 9 Stone with a Gastric Bypass

"It has been a life changing experience"*

* All patient reviews on our website are based on that individual's experience and may vary from person to person.

I have always been someone who struggled with my weight since I was in childhood, years of poor eating habits and choices made by me. This was not helped by some family members as they would not give me the restrictions and guidance I needed as a child and there was too much freedom of unhealthy choices and ‘you must finish your plate’.

I spent many years trying various diets as I became an adult, but nothing seemed to work long term and I often found that I would re-gain the weight I had lost plus more. I spent thousands on personal trainers at a gym too but this only got me so far and seriously affected my mental health when I wasn’t seeing the results of my hard work and before I knew it, I gave up and I was caught in the never-ending cycle again.

Now at the age of 33, me and my mam then made the decision to do this journey together and it has been the best decision of my life and I wish I had done it sooner. From the minute we enquired we were put at ease and treated as people, and we were really looked after. We were able to find a slot on the same day with the same surgeon (who we also stay in touch with) and only needed to wait an extra month.

Being able to do this with my mam has been my triumph as we have been able to support each other through the process and help keep each other on track especially on those days where we struggled, and it would have been so easy to make poor choices.

Eating out is not an issue with us either as if we don’t order a side option or a kids meal we can share a main meal depending on what we fancy. I have no restrictions to the types of food I can eat and I still have to be mindful of choosing healthy options and living by a protein rich diet. Unlike my mam I find I graze more than she does but there are some day’s where I can eat my 3 small meals a day. The weight loss surgery has provided me with a much-needed tool to help me live my best life and I don’t regret it one bit.

Going in for the procedure I was apprehensive and you do have all sorts of thoughts about what is going to happen, just remember you are human and this is a normal response. There were a few pre op appointments to attend and I was given 5 choices for the Liver Reduction Diet prior to surgery, and I was able to pick the best one that suited my tastes and lifestyle and work commitments etc. It was very hard for the first 3 days (I won’t sugar coat it ha-ha) as this is your body getting rid of all the sugar and toxins in your system, but it does get better and by the end of my 10 days I was even feeling full on the Liver Reduction Diet.

Since having my Gastric Bypass on the 11thof October 2021, I have lost a massive 9 Stone which is 126 pounds or just over 57 kilograms. Ideally, I would like to lose another stone if I can which will put me at a healthy BMI however this does not take into account loose skin and muscle mass, and I feel if I wasn’t to lose anymore weight, I am actually the happiest I have been ever!

I have been able to do more for myself and do activities that I wasn’t able to do previously because of my weight restrictions, like theme parks, bungee balls/jumps, zip wires, climbing walls and I’m looking to book a sky dive soon too. Life is too short, and I actually enjoy every day now and I have so much more confidence, I like going out with friends even if we go for a meal as they are all aware of my surgery and are very supportive, I even like going shopping now!

As a family we recently took a holiday to Egypt, this was our first holiday since having the operation and it was a little tough at times, the food is usually served in large portions and we found that we could all just share, the cocktails were too sugary and even the soft drinks too, there was not a lot of diet options or still drink/low sugar juice options so I would definitely check into this more for the next holiday I book.

The buffet restaurants were ideal as we still had access to plenty of protein and could stick with our smaller portions. Prior to surgery I went on an all-inclusive holiday for 2 weeks and put on over a stone, this time I remained the same weight and I was delighted! I was even able to wear a bikini for the first time in my life and participate in the water sports with the family.

I also suffer with Psoriatic Arthritis but since having the Bypass the pressure on my joints has eased massively and I’m in a lot less pain, I still take my medication, but I find I don’t need to take as many pain killers in my day-to-day life and can focus on the more important things.

I chose to go with the NOSC after doing my research and reading up on patient reviews and testimonials by other people that had struggled with their weight like I have. I arrived at the hospital at 7am on the morning of my operation and I was talked through what will happen and signed all my consent forms etc, I was taken down to theatre a little after 9am. When I woke up I was in some discomfort from the gas pain which was to be expected and this got better each day and only lasted about 5 days for me, I did feel a little sick but this was from the anaesthetic but other than that I didn’t feel any different and I wasn’t in a lot of pain.

The surgeon came to see me after and also the next morning and then I was released with all the medication and pain relief I needed that evening. I took 3 weeks off work as I am a support worker and it is a very physical job, I returned to work on light duties for a further 8 weeks to ensure I was properly healed and had a review with the surgeon to see how the wounds were healing as well as a review at 6 months and 12 months to see how we were getting on.

The NOSC have also been my rock during this journey as well, they talked me through all of the processes involved and once I was discharged from hospital, they called every day for the first 2 weeks to check on me and help me through any concerns. They were then able to support us through the different stages of eating as our bodies healed and got used to our new lifestyle.

They helped us recognise the signs of feeling full and mindfulness eating and provided us with a super helpful online platform that I referred to throughout my first year. I attended all the workshops to help me stay focused and to get other peoples opinions and tips to succeed. Overall, it has been a life changing experience and the NOSC made it possible, and I can’t thank them enough for the support they have given us.