Maisie is a Streamline Mini Bypass, also known as a One Anastomosis, patient who has lost almost 14 stone since starting her Bariatric journey.
Discussing why she had surgery Maisie explains, “I had been dieting since I was 14. So that’s nearly 15 years and it was kind of a cumulative effect really. The main turning point for me was a moment where I realised that several people around me in my immediate family had become very poorly as a result of being overweight.
“And I knew that approaching the size and the weight that I was at the time that could very well become my reality. Also, another reason was just the amount of pain that I was in. I was in pain on a daily basis because obviously when you carry a lot of weight, it puts a lot of pressure on your joints and your bones and everything else.
“I had previously tried things like Slimming World and Weight Watchers and while you lose initially I found it really, really hard to maintain, and I would just go back into my old way of eating. Actually, what the surgery has provided me with is essentially a stop button.
“Towards the last year of me being very overweight, it was during COVID but previous to that I wouldn’t go out. I would avoid social situations because I was so embarrassed and I was in so much pain. I was constantly having to worry about how we’d get to places. It’s the little things like you know, whether you can fit in a seat on the tube or how out of breath you’re going to be walking or am I going to have to stop? So it’s all of those things that you have to consider.”
Talk about life since her bariatric surgery Maisie said, “it’s like night and day. It’s been completely transformative and I always say that it’s the best thing I ever did, which it really is.
“It was an incredibly scary decision in lots of ways. There’s a lot to weigh up and there’s a lot to consider. However, I think if I’d have continued on that trajectory, I’d have still been very unhappy, almost definitely depressed, I’d have still been in pain, I’d have still been miserable and I just wasn’t living my life.
“Now I have all of those things back. I don’t have to think about whether I’m going to fit in a chair or whether I am going to get out of breath on a walk. I’ve just done a 5k run and walk last weekend I could barely walk five minutes down the road this time last year.
“It’s really lovely just being able to walk into any clothes shop and be able to know that I can fit into whatever I want to fit into. I’ve been loving just trying things with different kind of fashion just experimenting with different styles and it’s been really nice kind of just developing my own style rather than having to wear whatever fit.
“I’m going on holiday next week and I’m actually taking bikini which is would never have ever done so it’s been amazing. That side of things.
“Every time family or friends see me they’re still surprised. One of my best friends, for nearly 20 years, actually walked past me the other day and I had to wave to her and say hello!
“They have been so supportive all of my friends and family I was really upfront and honest with my particularly my close group of friends because I think it’s incredibly important that you have that support network around you. Actually, I think that being as public and you know, not being ashamed of anything which I think there can sometimes be around weight loss surgery, unfortunate I think there’s still can be a bit of a stigma, that by being as open as possible I’m hoping that it will help other people make the decision that they perhaps need to me.
“I have no regrets at all. It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done. Getting my life back and feeling like a 28 year old rather than someone in their mid to late 60s. I’ve just gained my life. That’s been the best thing for me.
Discussing her experience with Streamline Maisie added, “the minute that I found and had a couple of conversations with various people I just felt instantly at ease. I felt that I was being treated as a real person rather than just someone else that was just being kind of churned through the process.
“I have to say from start to now they have been incredibly supportive. And I knowing that if there’s ever an issue, or even a worry, particularly in those first couple of weeks and months post-op, when you’re feeling really anxious about things such as, am I meant to be eating this or is that healing the way it’s meant to be, having someone at the end of the phone means a lot. I think that’s a real strength of Streamline’s that, there are people that actually really understand what you’re going through. That’s been invaluable to me, and they’ve been incredibly supportive. I would not hesitate to recommend Streamline to anyone.
