Zoe Winn was overweight from a young age. She was bullied and as a result became severely depressed, but now her life has been turned around thanks to Spire Washington Hospital:
“When I met my fiancé Josh I was happier than ever. He loved me for me and wasn’t bothered about my weight so I started to feel comfortable. I was ecstatic to find out I was pregnant, but not so pleased to gain a further two stone whilst pregnant.
“After the birth of our son, Josh was really keen to book our wedding but when I eventually weighed myself the scales showed 20 stone 13lbs, I was devastated. How could I get married feeling like this? That’s when I knew I had to do something, not just for me but for my family.
“I enquired with the NHS about weight loss surgery, but due to the two year waiting list, I decided to go private. Having done some research with my family, I decided Spire Washington was the place to go. I booked an appointment with a Bariatric Surgeon called Mr Balupuri.
“He was brilliant – he explained the different weight loss procedures and the process involved with surgery. I then saw the dietician who went through my eating habits and discussed pre and post-surgery diets. Mr Balupuri decided the best surgery for me was the gastric bypass. He and the team at Spire Washington were amazing! I needed the surgery in a certain time frame and they worked around me to suit my needs, they were so flexible.
“The overall hospital experience was brilliant, the surgery went great and the nurses who looked after me were fantastic. Nothing was a problem - my fiancé stayed in the room with me and they even made sure he was fed, watered and comfortable. I was overwhelmed by the support and care I received, not only while I was in hospital, but afterwards too. The hospital even offers a support group where patients go pre or post-surgery to talk and share their stories. I found this particularly beneficial to speak to people who are going through the same thing as you.
“Life now is amazing. I didn’t realise how much it would change. I am now a size 14 and feel fantastic. We’ve finally booked our wedding and I’m so excited. My confidence has soared and I can’t wait to start trying dresses on! If I hadn’t had surgery, I’d most likely be even bigger and even further away from getting married.
“I couldn’t recommend weight loss surgery at Spire Washington enough. If anyone is debating weight loss surgery, I’d say go for it. It’s changed my life and I can’t wait for my next chapter!”