Plastic Fantastic

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I’m half the woman I was and doubly sexy!
After a gastric band operation, Susan lost seven stone and finally felt feminine ...........

Taking a deep breathe I push open the clinic door and stepped inside. Nervous I plonked myself down in a chair. I’d found a private clinic in Manchester and gone along for a consultation – alone.
‘Yes we can perform the gastric bypass’ said the surgeon, after I’d explained I had polycystic ovaries.

At 18st and a size 22 I desperately needed to loose weight, “By stapling part of your stomach together, I can create a much smaller pouch” the surgeon explained.

“This way you wont be able to eat large quantities of weight and will loose weight.”

I wanted to fling my arms around his neck and kiss him. It was the perfect solution. I’d tried dieting but I couldn’t stick to any healthy eating plans I loved my food too much.

It’s a potentially life threatening op, and Paul was worried, but the surgeon told me the risks were low. ‘You’re young and are not dangerously obese,’ he said. ‘So the risk of heart attack is low’ I was sold.

‘We have a space in four weeks ‘ he said “ The operation will cost £10,500”

‘oops’ I gulped. My mum was lending me the money – although I hadn’t realised it would cost this much. But I booked it anyway.
I followed a pre-operation diet and lost a stone.

On the day of surgery, we dropped Ella off at nursery on the way to the hospital, ‘Bye, baby’ I cooed, hugging her tight ‘Mummy will see you soon’

When I was admitted to the Alexander Hospital in Manchester Paul’s face was as white as my crisp hospital sheets. ‘You don’t have to do this he said’, squeezing my hand.

‘It’ll be OK,’ I promised ‘ are you ready?’ the nurse asked, handing me my theatre gown. ‘Yes’ I beamed.

Pulling Paul towards me I wrapped him in my arms, ‘I love you’ I whispered, before I walked down the corridor.

I was given a general aesthetic and the surgeon worked for an hour.
He cut five holes in the skin around my tummy then, using keyhole surgery, he created a little stomach pouch, attached to a section of the small intestine, which would mean I’d only be able to eat a tiny amount.

The next day as I was leaving for home, the nurse handed me a diet sheet. ‘ You need to follow this’ she said talking me through it.

New Beginning
For two weeks, I was only allowed liquids, such as soup. At first, solid foods would have been too hard for my little stomach to digest.
I was starving, but within three days, I’d lost half a stone . I was determined to keep up the diet.

Soon I was allowed pureed food. Then by the fourth week, I could eat soft foods, so I tucked into scrambled eggs.

But I had to cut down on my portion sizes. Unlike before, I could no longer pile my plate as high as Pauls at dinner time. I was losing around half a stone a week and my size 22 jeans were hanging off me.

‘Let’s go shopping .’ I told my mum. I browsed through the clothes rail and picked up some jeans.

‘I don’t think you’ll be needing those, love,’ my mum sniggered, when she saw I’d picked up a size 18 out of habit. ‘You’re skinny now’ she said, handing me a 14. ‘Me skinny!’ I thought I couldn’t get my head around it.

Svelte and sexy

At home, I put on my new jeans and, for the first time in years, I didn’t cringe at my reflection.

As I tottered down the stairs my size – nine feet no longer shook the wooden floorboards.

‘You look great, love’ Paul said. Finally I believed him. I’ve lost seven stone so far and am down to a size 10 but I am still watching what I eat. I’m determined never to get fat again. I no longer feel like a big bloke. I’m now a petite sexy woman.

Susan Lane, 23, Bolton, Lancashire
For more information on SurgiCare Weight Loss Programme, call 08000 46 1000 or visit surgicare.co.uk