More than skin deep

[Maddy2102]

Hi, this is my first time visiting this site.

I’ve been overweight my entire life, weighing 25st 7 at my biggest.

I was pre-diabetic and had gestational diabetes when pregnant with my first child.

The turning point for me was when I had to have a c section because he was going to be a bigger baby due to my diabetes, and the maternity hospital didn’t have a bed big enough for me so I had to go to the main hospital. Embarrassing and awful.

I vowed to lose weight which I did. After child number 2 some crept back on, but I got my head back around things.

Today I’m happy to say I’ve lost half my body weight. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no angel, I still have treats but I manage everything in a different mindset.

One thing I will say, is I tried every diet going- when you’re overweight you don’t need a diet, you need a change in lifestyle and that’s what I’ve adopted. My appetite and stomach have reduced so I can’t eat Like I used to even if I wanted to.

Food is an addiction, and the bigger you are, the more addicted you are. I wish the NHS would treat obesity and people as individuals because one size doesn’t fit all.

Anyway, my problem is the body I’m left with. I feel like a 70 year old woman . I dress well and from the outside nobody knows the utter despair I feel when I see my Baggy body.

I exercise and look after myself but there’s only so much I can do,

I have received 4 rejections from the NHS regarding any help with surgery,

I can assure you what I need doing is not cosmetic it’s reconstructive. It’s soul destroying at times

Of course I feel better losing weight - I’m no longer diabetic and I can be a good healthy role model for my children. But my confidence is low. I have had counselling, but the sheer utter disgust I feel towards myself at times Is awful

I’m trying to give myself confidence as time goes on, but the NHS are dishing out obesity surgery to curb the epidemic (I didn’t go down this road, I did it off my own back) but they are doing nothing to help with the “zombie body” nation they leave behind.

One of the comments back from the board was “we’ve seen her pictures and she looks no different to anyone else that’s lost 13 stones” .

In addition they want to see evidence where I have sores and infections in my folds and they haven’t cleared up after 18 months! Well I exercise, i sweat, and I wash. Do the NHS really want me to become ill to listen to me?

Whilst I appreciate where I live geriatric care receives large amount of funding, is there a suggestion that I have to move somewhere there are a large % if obese people in order to be listened to?

At the end of the day, it’s my fault I got so big, and I don’t expect a reward for losing weight, but if you’re not well or you need help you go to your doctor.

What if the Doc can’t help?

[Tiggerr]

That's an inspirational story and at the same time such a sad story. What do I know, but I'm amazed that the NHS are refusing to do something, when you've shown such great willpower to achieve such an impressive loss.

I don't know the answer to your question (I'm guessing you can't go private). The NHS is often described as a postcode lottery which may be what you're having to deal with.

You've done brilliantly to get where you are, keep persevering and hopefully there's a way forward. Maybe someone here will be more helpful.

[IndigoBlue61]

I agree totally with Tiggerr, it seems very unfair after all your hard work to be treated so badly. But very well done on losing so much weight, that’s an amazing and inspirational story, thank you for sharing 😊

Please don’t feel despair at your body, it is an amazing thing to have produced two children and repair itself to reverse diabetes and improve your overall health and fitness. You should celebrate the lumps and bumps. You are a real woman, not some air-brushed model from Hello magazine. 😊

Best wishes

Anna

[Ceals]

Thank you for sharing Maddy2102 huge respect for you for doing what you have done, you are truly amazing. Then huge sorrow that you are unable to get the help you need.

Thank you so much for sharing your inspirational story. You have so much to be proud of. Reversing diabetes is no easy task.

I, of course, have no answer to your difficulty just great admiration for what you have done.

Take care, you deserve so much better treatment than you are receiving.

[HubbysMissMouse]

Well done to you Maddy2102 you have done brilliant with your weightloss and managing to reverse your diabetes and I can't believe the trouble you are still having with getting any other help that you need. Hope things do change soon for you especially if you manage to lose enough weight to be under the bmi amounts they say you need to be under. Good luck.

[Maddy2102]

Hi thanks for your lovely message.

I’m 5ft 10 and weigh around 12st 7-12st 10 (depending if it’s the beginning or end of the weekend lol). But, the private surgeon i saw said I had at least 12lb of loose skin - that would take me further into “a healthy weight”.

The bmi is very outdated and doesn’t allow for things like loose skin sadly

Thank you again for your support

[Pineapple27]

Wow, wow, wow. You've done incredibly well!

I had a tummy tuck and breast reduction after losing my weight, but paid for it privately - but I know the cost if prohibitive for many people....

I'm not sure what the answer is - but I definitely think that the NHS should support people who have lost such large amounts of weight with surgery for lose skin.

I guess my only suggestion is to put yourself forward for one of the TV programmes such as "Embarrassing Bodies" - but I know that this wouldn't be a route many would be prepared to take!

I did find this: bapras.org.uk/media-governm...

bapras.org.uk/docs/default-...

which might provide you with some information on how to go down this route?

[Maddy2102 in reply to Pineapple27]

That’s great. Thank you so much.

With me the surgeon said I need a full body lift along with lipo, breast reduction then augmentation - the list goes on....

They want 21k which I just don’t have.

We’ll get there. Are you happy with your surgery?

I do wonder with the NHS if I got really fat again I’m pretty sure they’d offer me obesity surgery and then you’re “in the system” so there may be an argument for them considering the next bit.

At the mo, computer says no sadly.

I have around 12lb of loose skin according to the surgeon. Nice

[Pineapple27 in reply to Maddy2102]

Yes, very happy with the results. Had the surgery in December 2013.

Recovery is pretty slow and wearing an abdominal binder for a couple of months was no fun

I had lost 3 stones plus and was left with a skin apron that dangled down to cover my modesty! But because of my disability (short arms), I couldn't lift it to clean underneath. My boobs had always been very large (40H) and when I lost the weight went to a 38H, but just empty spaniel ears! After the surgery I was left with a much more proportioned 38DD cup.

I had about 3lbs of skin removed.

You can read / see more here

flidfit.com/2013/12/

[87down]

Hi well done on your weight loss Maddy2102 you have achieved so much. Can I just say as an ex nurse who spent many years working with Plastic Reconstructive Surgeons that it is because of cost that you are being denied the surgery. It has got harder and harder to get these types of surgery on the NHS because it isn't classified as life threatening or giving you your mobility back to keep you independent eg hip/knee replacements for example. The Plastic Surgeons would agree to do it but it is no longer under their control. The funding comes from the GPs who hold the purse strings now and who have to try to keep within their budgets. Anyone needing any type of surgery is now put forward and their case reviewed even for something as painful as a hernia. I understand that permission is not given unless they have no other option ....... I know this doesn't help you I'm just trying to help you understand it is nothing personal about what you are asking for. Having seen the difference a breast reduction can make for a woman or augmentation and in the past removal of excess skin, I really appreciate what it means to you to have it done. Don't give up asking and do stress the impact it is having on your mental health as that may help, I hope that at some point the NHS realises it is part of people really trying to address their weight issues and that they really deserve this surgery. Even if you put all the weight back on and had the bariatric surgery you would be very lucky at the moment to get the excess skin removed. But do please be very very proud of yourself for losing your excess weight you deserve the surgery and I so hope you get it - Chris