'˜Super obese' Kerrie loses whopping 12 stone after gastric band op

Kerrie Hawthorne, 32, from Leeds has lost more than half her body weight in the two years since she had weight loss surgery.

At 5ft 2ins tall and weighing 22½ stones at her heaviest, Kerrie had a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 55, and was classified as ‘super obese’.

Kerrie’s weight problems started when she was 11 years old and nearly lost her leg in a horrific accident. Playing with a friend after school, she was walking along the top of a fence when she lost her balance, falling onto an iron girder.

Kerrie had multiple operations as surgeons reconstructed her leg, but what followed was a lifetime of pain and mobility problems. Her leg often gives way even now, and when she was larger she would fall and break bones.

As she was immobile for a long time after the accident, Kerrie gained a lot of weight. Over the years the pounds piled on and it started to impact on her life. She struggled with coughing, shortness of breath and had acid reflux problems. She also suffered from depression related to obesity and alopecia – she lost her hair after her father passed away and is only able to grow hair on the top of her head She tried various diets but reached the point where she needed ‘a helping hand’ and felt surgery was her only choice.

“My downfall was eating big portions. I craved carbs – pasta, pizza, bread and rice dishes were my downfall and I was addicted to energy drinks. I tried every diet going as well as slimming pills. Nothing worked long term and I started to get really depressed. Some days I felt like I wanted to go to sleep and never wake up again.”

Kerrie visited a weight loss support group in Leeds – WLSinfo- and listened to other people’s stories. After further research, she decided to explore the possibility of surgery. She was referred on the NHS to Mr Abeezar Sarela, consultant weight loss surgeon at Spire Leeds Hospital.

“With a BMI of more than 50, Kerrie was in the category of super-obesity,” says Mr Sarela. “Without surgery it was likely that Kerrie would have continued to gain weight and she was at high risk of developing serious health disorders, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart attack, stroke, chronic liver disease and various types of cancer. Her life-span is likely to have been shortened by about 15 years.

“Kerrie was well informed about gastric band, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. We discussed each of the three options separately and compared the relative risks and benefits. I fully supported Kerrie’s choice of the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy operation, which is done by keyhole surgery.”.

Kerrie underwent surgery in February 2014. Since then she has lost 12 ½ stone. She now weighs ten and a half stone, her BMI is 27 and her dress size has plummeted from 24 to 10.

“I’ve lost the equivalent of another person in weight. I’m a totally different person with so much more energy and confidence,” she said.

Mr Sarela said Kerrie had confronted her problems with great courage and made the necessary changes in her life style and diet. “The sleeve gastrectomy restricts the size of the stomach and also controls your appetite. It causes changes in the levels of the hormones that control our sense of fullness and so gives you a feeling of fullness after eating a small meal. In this way, intake of calories is reduced and you lose weight. ”

Kerrie is now very strict with herself when it comes to her diet. “I eat smaller portions of protein and vegetables and I avoid carbs. A typical meal would be half a chicken breast with salad. If I have a treat, such as some chocolate, I will eat it in moderation.

“If I get on the scales and I see I’ve gained even a little weight I will adjust my diet accordingly. I’m determined, after all this hard work, that I will not put the weight back on.”

She attributes her success is in part due to the support of her family and her partner, Yvonne. Also to the WLSinfo support group in Weetwood Leeds, which helped to keep her on track.

Kerrie added, “I used to live to eat, That’s changed now. It feels as if they’ve flipped a switched and it’s cut off my cravings for carbs. Having the surgery was the best decision I have ever made.

“ I would advise others, who are considering bariatric surgery to do their research, discuss it with their doctor and choose what’s the best option for them.”

www.wlsinfo.org.uk