IT'S MORE THAN JUST WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY
Carey shares her amazing and inspiriation more than just moments.
" I needed help with my addiction to food"
Carey had tried all the diet programmes, Slimming World, Weight Watchers, the 1:1 Diet Plan. She’d followed the Joe Wicks lockdown health kick, but none of these could permanently lead to Carey being a Healthier Weight.
Shortly after lockdown and seeing how over weight people were at a much higher risk, Carey decided it was time to find a long term solution to her weight. She wanted to live a long healthy life.
Finally wanting to take control over her weight management Carey and her husband decided it was time to put some money behind her health. Not knowing too much about the different types of weight loss surgery, her first point of research was a gastric balloon.
After speaking with the gastric balloon group it was clear that the balloon wouldn’t offer Carey the long term solution she needed or the support with her “addiction to food”. So, she was passed onto Healthier Weight’s patient care co-ordinators who were able to discuss surgical options of weight loss.
"The GASTRIC BAND LET ME FEEL I HAD MORE CONTROL"
After having a virtual consult with one of our weight loss surgeons Carey’s understood that with a BMI of 42 at the time, the best weight loss options were either a gastric band or a gastric sleeve.
“Cost did come into the decision, but what it came down to was me and having my control over the weight loss, I didn’t want it to be all because of the weight loss surgery.” After being involved in weight loss communities since her surgery Carey learnt that all weight loss procedures were tools you had to work with, but prior to this her understanding was that the band required more work from the patient to lose the weight.
Read more about the differences between a gastric band and a gastric sleeve here
Choosing the right provider
Like all patients Carey enquired with ourselves and a couple of other weight loss providers. She had ruled out going anywhere abroad for her surgery as during her previous job as a bariatric nurse she had seen patients from weight loss surgery abroad with serious problems and I need of long term care.
Carey knew what she wanted in her provider and didn’t want to settle for any less. The aftercare and surgeon performing the surgery was most important for Carey. She knew the risks involved with weight loss surgery and wanted the best team to minimise the chances of any problems.
“When I looked at other providers Healthier Weight came on top for me; 1, because I liked the testimonials, and the real stories about patients who had been through the surgery. 2, the aftercare package was more extensive than other clinics. I knew I would need support in the long-term so aftercare was really important to me.”
"the investment was in me, and getting myself back for my family"
Deciding to go ahead with the surgery wasn’t a straightforward decision for Carey. Being a mum to 4 kids she felt guilty, that the money could have gone to something better. But, her husband re-assured her that it didn’t matter the cost if it meant they were getting her back, it was in everyone’s best interested that Carey was her best self, her healthiest self. Weight loss surgery was the answer to this.
“Although we had money saved from lockdown, we still didn’t have enough to pay off the full surgery amount in one go, so finance was the option”.
Carey used our finance options to help pay for some of her gastric band surgery. Choosing the spread the cost over a set amount of months.
Since having the surgery and paying off the monthly finance, she admitted they haven’t noticed the money missing.
“When you factor in the area’s where we’re saving money, on food, slimming world subscriptions and my lower BMI brining down our life insurance policy, it’s evened out so it hasn’t effected us”.
adjusting to life after weight loss surgery
“I intend on keeping my band forever” Carey told us. She has finally been able to control and manage her weight for over a year now and her life has been transformed.
For the first year after gastric band surgery Carey kept the surgery between her husband and family. But, after a successful first year banded Carey wanted to share her story to inspire others.
“I shared my story on facebook and the response I had was amazing, people were messaging me to find out more about weight loss surgery. There is still a stigma around it but I want to help change that. No one turns their nose up at people on a slimming world diet or any other weight loss programme, and I don’t think weight loss surgery should be any different.
So far it’s only positives that have come from her gastric band surgery. The biggest adjustment of course is learning to eat differently, making the right choices, and remembering things like not to drink and eat at the same time. It’s all second nature for Carey now, and even her friends find it just as easy to accommodate to her, they know not to offer her a drink until after food and to give her a small portion size.
my more than just moment
Since surgery 15 months ago Carey has lost over 6 stone. But at Healthier Weight we like to celebrate people’s more than just moments.
For Carey her more than just moment’s are growing by the day. From being able to walk the dog without slowing down and stopping due to joint pain and being breathless, to wearing a swim suit on holiday and not wanting to cover up!
But, a massive more than just moment is being off her depression and anxiety medication. It’s been proven the impact physical health and exercise have a direct impact on peoples mental health. This has been proved with Carey, which is truly inspirational.