WEIGHT OFF
At my heaviest I hit 35 stone but now I’ve shed 24st I wish I’d never bothered – I feel like I’ve been lied to
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A MAN who shed a staggering 24 stone now faces having to fork out £40k to have his excess skin removed because the NHS won't fund the op.
Wayne Shepherd had gastric sleeve surgery, which helped him reach 11 stone, down from 35.
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The major operation involves removing 80 per cent of the stomach to restrict the amount of food he can eat in one sitting.
It typically leads to significant weight loss.
After the surgery, Wayne was told he did not qualify to have his excess skin removed on the NHS.
Now he faces paying out £40k to go to a private provider for the body contouring procedure on his arms, legs and chest.
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The 41-year-old from Cambridge said: "If you had told me before the operation that I would be left with the excess skin, then I probably wouldn't have gone through with it.
"It's only because of how much better I feel that I know I would have to do it again.
"The excess skin has a huge impact on you - I still cover myself including my chest and arms as it looks horrible.
"I'm actually more body conscious now than I was when I was 35 stone and, to not get help with that, I find it quite ridiculous.
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"A lot of people think having the gastric sleeve or a bypass, you're taking the easy option but it's not."
'I couldn't even walk to the toilet without getting out of breath'
Wayne said he had problems with binge eating as he was severely bullied as a child and suffered a nervous breakdown when he was ten.
He explained: "Binge eating was a comfort blanket for me, and it carried on through adulthood.
"There's been a lot of trauma in my life: my mum died when I was 18, my dad died six years ago, and I had previous partners who were 'feeders'.
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"I've dieted throughout my life like Slimming World, where I lost eight stone - but I put it all back on.
"It got to the point where I couldn't even walk to the toilet without getting out of breath, and I knew I needed to do something radical to change my lifestyle, my mindset, and how I see food."
Wayne's weight was causing him serious health problems by the time he was an adult.
He suffered from sleep apnea, high blood pressure and depended on a mobility scooter to move around.
At 35 stone, he knew he needed to change and spent four years on the waiting list for a gastric sleeve operation.
After undergoing treatment, including monitored dieting at an obesity clinic in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambs, he was referred to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
The operation was cancelled five times, but on June 8, 2022, Wayne was successfully fitted with the gastric sleeve.
His weight soon plummeted, and he lost 24 stone in less than two years.
Now weighing 11 stone, Wayne has excess skin all over his body.
He said he was told by the NHS that they don't fund the removal of it despite a plastic surgery consultant telling him it would be before his operation in Portsmouth.
Raising money
Wayne, who is supported by his partner Sarah, 37, has spent ten years out of work with his weight-related health problems but will start a new job as a taxi driver at the end of the month.
He said that he feels like he has been lied to and is fundraising for at least £5k to get the excess skin on his arms removed by going private.
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How to lose weight without surgery
There are various other ways to lose weight without going under the knife.
According to the NHS, to get the best possible start on its weight loss plan, there are the seven steps you should follow.
- Get active for 150 minutes a week – you can break this up into shorter sessions
- Aim to get your 5 A Day – 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables count as 1 portion
- Aim to lose 1 to 2lbs, or 0.5 to 1kg, a week
- Read food labels – products with more green colour coding than amber and red are often a healthier option
- Awap sugary drinks for water – if you do not like the taste, add slices of lemon or lime for flavour
- Cut down on food that's high in sugar and fat – start by swapping sugary cereal for wholegrain alternatives
- Share your weight loss plan with someone you trust – they can help motivate you when you have a bad day
At the time of writing, the GoFundMe page has raised £1,635 for the op.
He estimates that removing the excess skin from his arms, legs, and chest could cost him up to £40k.
Wayne added: "One of my main decisions about the operation was that I would be able to remove the skin.
"My life has changed dramatically in every aspect. I am grateful to the operation for my new fitness levels and I got my health back.
"But on the flip side, how I see myself has gotten so much worse because of how I look.
"This excess skin is getting in the way for the rest of my life, and that shouldn't be the case."
'Funding may be considered in some circumstances'
A spokesperson for Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust said: "Whilst Mr Shephard's original gastric sleeve surgery was performed at our hospital, we are not in a position to decide on funding for additional surgery.
"That would be a decision for Mr Shephard's local hospital and system commissioning body in Peterborough."
A spokesperson for Cambridge and Peterborough Integrated Care System said they did not comment on individual cases.
They added: "Body contouring procedures are not routinely funded by the NHS in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
"Exceptional funding may be considered in some circumstances where specific conditions are met, in line with our Exceptional and Individual Funding Request policy."
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What is gastric sleeve surgery? How does it work? And can I get it on the NHS?
Gastric sleeve surgery is one of the most common type of weight loss surgery used in the UK.
It is available on the NHS for people who have a BMI of more than 40, or for those with a BMI of more than 40 who also have a serious weight-related health condition.
The surgery involves removing a large part of the stomach, so it is much smaller than it was before.
Having a smaller stomach means you will not be able to eat as much as before the surgery and you will feel full sooner.
Before getting any weight loss surgery, patients are referred to a specialist clinic for an assessment to check if the operation is suitable.
Before getting any weight loss surgery, patients are referred to a specialist clinic for an assessment to check if the operation is suitable.
This can involve checking:
- Physical health – using blood tests, X-rays and scans
- Diet and eating patterns
- Mental health – such as asking about your expectations of surgery, and whether you have any mental health conditions; this is to assess if you'll be able to cope with the long-term lifestyle changes needed after weight loss surgery
Some people are advised to eat a calorie-controlled diet in the weeks before the surgery to help reduce the size of the liver.
This makes the surgery easier and safer.
Many people find that they are left with lose folds of skin after they lose weight which can require further surgery to correct.
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Gastric bypass surgery also comes with many potentially fatal risks, including internal bleeding and blood clots, according to the NHS.
Up to 7,000 Britons have bariatric surgery – the collective term for gastric band and other weight-loss operations – every year.