Woman who lost 19st and one internal organ after surgery would 'do it again'
A woman who used to consume 10 chocolate bars a day managed to lose an incredible 19 stone, thanks to surgery. Despite experiencing complications that led to the removal of her gallbladder, Martha McCarthy, 32, insists she would "do it again".
Before her gastric bypass operation in Estonia in August 2021, Martha weighed a hefty 29st 4lbs. Years of "secret eating" had caused her weight to balloon.
She would consume up to 4,000 calories each evening when she was alone in her room. Martha confessed to having a ''big sweet tooth", guzzling up to seven cans of Diet Coke a day and indulging in multiple chocolate bars.
At her heaviest, she had to order specially made clothing to fit her size 28 to 30 frame. When a five-minute walk to the shop left her ''crying in agony", she knew it was time for a change.
After conducting thorough research, Martha found a weight loss clinic in Estonia and paid nearly £5,200 (€6,100) for flights, hotel and surgery. The operation was successful and she lost a staggering 19st 9lbs, slimming down to 9st 5lbs and a svelte size 14.
However, post-surgery complications arose, including a leak in her gut and gallstones. Despite numerous visits to St Vincent University Hospital, Dublin, and the removal of her gallbladder, Martha maintains she would undergo the surgery again "in a heartbeat", reports Bristol Live.
The trainee optician, hailing from Bray, Ireland, said: "The surgery was all done correctly I just had a bad reaction to it. But I would do it again 100 times over, no questions asked.
"I would rather have these health issues over the ones I had due to be overweight. I'm so much better off - it's changed my life."
Martha's spiral into weight gain began in her mid-20s when a full-time job meant she could afford to indulge in takeaways and nights out frequently. A typical day might see her miss breakfast, grab a deli sandwich for lunch and then round off with a takeaway dinner.
Yet, the biggest culprit in her calorie consumption was secret snacking alone. While working hotel shifts, Martha would nip off for 'toilet breaks', only to scoff down sausages from the breakfast buffet.
Her nocturnal nosh-ups were just as decadent; chocolate and snacks disappeared behind closed doors, as she munched through an eye-watering 3,000 to 4,000 calories each evening. Living with family, her kin were "concerned" about her clandestine munching habits.
She divulged: "I hide a lot of wrappers, but my family knew I was eating badly in secret. Chocolate was my favourite and I didn't care what I ate, I'd get whatever was on offer.
"Empty calorie guzzling extended to sugary milkshakes and coffees loaded with syrup and creamers. High blood pressure and sleep apnoea a dangerous condition where sleep is interrupted by breathing lapses plagued Martha.
"Her journey through various diets always hit the same dead end: none brought the success she yearned for." Her doctor's prescription for Ozempic, an appetite-suppressing medication, had to be abandoned when it left her feeling sick as a parrot.
Martha, who "barely left the house" during the 2020 national lockdown, saw her weight spiral until she reached a turning point. Overwhelmed by the pain in her knees just from walking to the shops, Martha became determined to make a change.
She explained: "I was literally crying in the aisles because my knees hurt so badly". She added: "I'd had enough I started researching into weight surgery and found a clinic abroad."
The weight-loss operation she underwent meant reducing the stomach size and rerouting food to a small intestinal pouch. Martha's efforts seemed to pay off as she lost an impressive 10 stone within nine months of returning home to the UK.
But shedding weight at such a fast rate brought unforeseen health challenges. That included gallstones, repeated hospital visits due to stomach ulcers, hernias, and a gut leak.
Still, Martha is confident about her decision, even with plans for further skin removal surgery on the horizon. She reflects: "I used to think surgery was the easy way out, but it's definitely not. You always read about success stories or total fails - but I'm something in-between."
Martha McCarthy after her surgery and weight loss
Determined to share the raw details of her experience, Martha insists: "I'm proof that there can be complications afterwards and I want to be totally transparent about the process. It's not been a walk in the park, but I have absolutely no regrets."