Deborah loses over 3 Stone in less than 3 months
I have been a yo-yo dieter all my life. I dread to think about the amount of money I have spent trying to lose weight – slimming programmes, liquid only diets, medication, unlicensed pills, the list goes on.
By the time the millennium came around I was at my heaviest ever, 17 stones, and was suffering from reduced mobility, constant pain from arthritis in my ankles and desperately low confidence. Coupled with the fact I only have 10% vision and am registered blind, you can imagine I was not in a good place as others were celebrating the turn of the century!
I first thought about weight loss surgery after I was refused operations to help with my arthritis. I looked on the internet at various providers, and a case study I read on the Healthier Weight website inspired me to book a consultation with Dr Ashton. I have since met this lady and we have helped each other with losing weight!
Dr Ashton and my surgeon, Mr Rogers, were understanding and supportive of my decision to have a gastric band. I had a lot of confidence in them and they always had time to answer my questions. I booked my operation for May 2009 at the Princess Grace hospital in London, where the staff and facilities were wonderful. I was finally getting a solution to my problems I hoped.
After the gastric band operation I had to stick to fluids and soft foods for 3 weeks which I didn’t find to hard, although the sight of a milkshake now isn’t too appealing! I found the post operative information and support invaluable; in fact I still make use of it today. The staff at Healthier Weight were always on the end of the phone to guide me through things. My kids have been a big help to me, and now they don’t bring me the left-overs from dinner anymore!
The gastric band is not a miracle cure though – you still have to look after your diet and take enough exercise, but if you do that it can work wonders for you! I know some people who try to let the band do all the work, and they don’t get on as well as I do. I’ve now lost over 3 stones in 3 months and couldn’t be happier with my weight loss so far. I have had the operations for my arthritis which has improved so much that I now go to the gym twice a week and am taking belly dancing classes, something I’ve always wanted to do!
Not once have I regretted doing this, in fact I only wish I’d found it when I was younger. I am now the lightest I have ever been as an adult – I have changed so much that an ex-partner even made a pass at me! I would encourage anyone at the end of their tether with their weight to consider this, and would definitely recommend Healthier Weight as the company to do it!
Deborah
August 2009
