The woman who weighed 27st looks totally unrecognizable after a huge weight loss

A woman who weighed 27 and a half stone looks unrecognizable after almost halving her body weight.

Elle Kearney, from South Liverpool, underwent life-changing gastric bypass surgery after complaining to her GP about her size. The 27-year-old, who said she was bullied most of her life because of her weight, has now dropped to 12th and said she feels she has been given a “second chance”.

Before having the operation, which involves removing part of her stomach, Elle was wearing size 32 clothes and felt “segregated by society”.

However, when she was told there was ‘no chance’ she could have IVF with her girlfriend of 12 years, because of her weight, Steph knew she had to act.

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Speaking to the ECHO, Elle said: ‘I’ve struggled with my weight all my life, from childhood I’ve faced some struggles. I was bullied in schools and workplaces. It was something I couldn’t escape on my own, it made me feel separate from society, like I was on the periphery and couldn’t participate.

“It really affected my self-confidence, I was 27-and-a-half stone at the age of 26. I felt so bad, I was so worried I was going to have a heart attack. I felt like I was dying, every day or week I felt worse. I couldn’t move or go to my local supermarket. I couldn’t do normal tasks without it causing me massive pain, I was so sick I didn’t want people to know I was struggling.

Elle said the turning point was when she was told her BMI was too high to undergo IVF and she went to her local GP and burst into tears.

Her doctor asked if she had ever considered weight loss surgery and told her that due to her long-term health problems she would be eligible for surgery on the NHS.

She added: “I felt that with society’s way of thinking, I thought people would judge me for taking the easy way out. I was given an NHS dietician and physiotherapist and worked hard on my relationship with food for 12 months – I did everything. who prepared me for the operation.

“Because of my health, my BMI and the conditions I was dealing with, it was a very quick process for me. I was suffering from sleep apnea and a hernia. I was throwing up every day and struggling with acid reflux – it was waking me up. at night I knew I had to do something.

“It was the hardest 12 months waiting (for surgery). I was scared of what I had done to my body and I was getting sicker and sicker as the months went by. I was desperate, I was so desperate to get it (the operation).

“I was really scared, I didn’t want to communicate how worried I was about it. I was worried about the aesthetics at my size, I was petrified that I wouldn’t come out the other side.”

Elle knew the operation would save her life and, despite her fears, decided it would be the best thing for her and her partner Steph, 33. She added: “I knew with the quality of life I had before the surgery I had to take the risk because it was worth it to me. It was my chance at life again.

“I feel that I have been given a tool that will allow me to change my life forever and prolong a healthy and happy life. I did not do it (surgery) for vanity reasons.”

Elle added: “I’m also with my girlfriend of 12 years and we want a baby, but of course being LGBT we would need IVF. You have to have a certain BMI to do IVF and the years go by and I feel it. like i didn’t have a future to look forward to and that was my fault but now i hope i can have a family. It is such a big thing for me that I now have these possibilities.

Fortunately, Elle’s gastric bypass, which was carried out at Phoenix Health Care Hospital in Altrincham on 1 August 2023, went well. She had 80% of her stomach removed and to date has lost an impressive 11 12lb and is now a size 16.

She said: “You still struggle with the mental part of it making it last a lifetime. Every day I think about my relationship with food and struggle with overeating.

“I lost weight quite quickly so it was a whirlwind, even in my relationships with Steph, family and friends, I gained so much confidence in nine months. People comment saying how I got my spark back. , it allows me to feel more like I have a chance to have an opinion about something and not worry about people judging me or thinking less of me.

“It’s great to go into a high street shop and pick out a dress to wear that weekend if I’m going out and not feel like another class of people who can only shop in certain shops.

“I feel like now I can be part of society without thinking about it. It’s nice to be like any other girl my age. 20 years have completely passed me by and I regret it, but now I’m getting my life back and I’m just going to live my life to the fullest and make up for lost time.”

Before losing the weight, Elle said she “sat in pain” through a pantomime show because she couldn’t fit in theater seats and had to perch on the top of the armrest for the entire performance.

However, Elle and friend Steph enjoyed a trip to the theater in December and she said she was “really excited” because she could fit in the seat.

She said: “I feel incredible, my partner lights up when I walk into a room because people comment on how beautiful I look. I can experiment with fashion, my hair and things I couldn’t do before.

“And people are looking at me in the face again now, it’s been a long time since people recognized me. People are looking at me in the face and it’s like I matter again.”

Elle booked a holiday in August to mark 12 months since she had life-changing surgery. She said she was looking forward to wearing size 14 holiday clothes and showing off her new wardrobe in the Spanish sun.

She added: “I want to send the message that this is not something to be ashamed of, this is a tool that allows you to change the rest of your life. It was such a low quality of life (had it before surgery) and you can get your quality of life back. I didn’t expect to have all these things in life after the operation – I now have so many things I couldn’t do before that I now feel confident doing with ease.”

You can follow Elle’s journey on her TikTok account, where she blogs daily.

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