![]() ![]() Every detail of those cold silver prongs poking my side is imprinted on my memory. I remember the pills the receptionist had to give me to limit my appetite at break time, and the humiliation of being taken to hospital to have my rolls of flesh measured with callipers. I was the classic chubby-cheeked child, deemed cute while I was a toddler, but less so when I started school. My issues with my weight started when I was very young. Sarah King, 52, Buckinghamshire: Surgery stopped me overeating, but it hasn’t resolved my issues with food It’s a life-changing procedure and should be treated as such. It doesn’t cure eating problems that are in our heads, but it restricts portions, which has to be good – and counselling alongside the operation should be in place to help those who need it. Surgery empowers people to take control of their eating. Losing weight would surely save not only lives, but also NHS money and resources. People should be offered weight-loss surgery if they are really overweight and are serious about doing something about it. It’s not an easy ride – you still have to eat the correct foods, and it requires determination and a complete change of lifestyle. The band is a tool that has helped me lose weight for good by restricting my portion sizes and reminding me every time I eat that I have to be careful. They’re mostly aware I have the band, but they just treat me as normal. I got a new job after I’d lost most of the weight and I’ve made new friends there, who have only known me as I am now. When you’re fat, you’re always treated just that little bit differently and probably think of yourself as being different too. It takes courage to exercise when you’re fat. I would have thought people were looking at me, even if they weren’t. Before surgery there is no way I would have done exercise classes because I wouldn’t have had the confidence. I’m much happier, healthier and fitter now. I lost friends mainly because my lifestyle changed, and I discovered I enjoyed different activities, including some types of exercise. I think the balance of power within the relationship altered as I lost weight and gained confidence. My marriage was in trouble anyway but me losing weight was the final nail in the coffin. In terms of the pitfalls and positives, I’ve lost a few friends and a husband since having the surgery, which could be counted as either. ![]() There have been ups and downs along the way but I’ve stayed quite stable for a few years now. I now weigh around 12st and wear size 12 clothes. I lost weight quite quickly to start with, but it slowed right down. That hasn’t really changed I’m happy I did it and while eating the right things can be a struggle, it’s a struggle I now usually win. I had some restriction from the band straight away, so never went back to the huge portions I was used to. I concentrated on my recovery and followed the eating plan I’d been given. I felt proud too that I’d had the courage to do it, and more in control of my life than I had been for ages. The pain wasn’t bad and I felt good for seeing my decision through. I had a pack of instructions, and a nurse rang me a few times to see how I was doing. The surgery was OK – I spent one night in hospital and came home. ![]() I’d come into some money and for once decided to use it on myself, so I was able to have it privately. I’d lost a couple of stone on yet another diet when I made the decision to have gastric band surgery. I’d lose a bit and put it on again, and more, until I was a size 26 or 28. I’d spent most of my life overweight and it had got worse as I went through several pregnancies. I was told at the time that most “bandits” lost between 60% and 70% of their excess weight, which seemed reasonable to me. I had no particular weight I was aiming for. At my heaviest I weighed 22st 10lbs, but I lost a bit before I went for the surgery, so I was around 20st then. ![]()
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