01 May 2024 , 18:32
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A woman has urged people not to get weight loss surgery abroad following a botched procedure in Turkey.
Leanne O'Driscoll, 43, from West Ireland, said she had reached "breaking point" with her weight and wanted took a drastic solution to shed the pounds. She had tried various diets with no results and found herself at 16st 10lbs at her heaviest.
She researched options and discovered that weight loss surgery in Ireland had a 10-year waiting list. But eager to start her new life, the mum-of-three came across a cheaper alternative costing £2,400 in Turkey and the operation was available right away. Despite having high hopes for the procedure, Leanne woke up in a nightmare.
Leanne wanted a drastic solution to her weight problem (Jam Press)“I kept vomiting blood and my body was wracked with pain,” she told What'sTheJam. I feared the worst, but the nurses kept telling me it was normal. After one week, I had recovered enough to go home. But on the flight, I was shivering cold and before I went to bed, I collapsed and fell unconscious.”
Believing herself to be dehydrated, she called her sister after regaining consciousness and got some water. But when her sister climbed the stairs, she found Leanne on the floor. Leanne said: “My sister screamed to ring for an ambulance. Once again, I slipped into unconsciousness.”
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Leanne felt immense pain following the surgery (Jam Press)At the hospital, scans revealed that her spleen had been damaged during the procedure and her body had entered in sceptic shock. Due to the internal bleeding, the 43-year-old had to receive 11 pints of blood in an emergency transfusion.
Sadly, there was no saving her spleen and this had to be removed. After one week, Leanne was able to go back home – and while recovered, the weight was “rapidly” falling off. Leanne said: “I looked like a skeleton and my colleagues struggled to recognise me. One told me they had no idea who I was. I felt like a shell of myself and my hunger was all over the place. Emotionally, I wanted to eat, but my body kept telling me I couldn’t.”
Leanne is sharing her story in the hopes that others do not go abroad for surgery (Jam Press)Now, she’s sharing her harrowing ordeal to warn others against the surgery – especially as it’s her “biggest regret” in life. She added: “I wish I’d never had the operation. I’ll be on antibiotics for the rest of life, something which I almost lost, because I have no immunity anymore. Even a minor infection could kill me I’m lucky to be alive – don’t make the same mistake as me.”
According to the NHS, sepsis is a life-threatening infection that can be hard to spot. There are lots of possible symptoms that mimic other conditions, including flu-or chest infections. If you think you or someone you look after has symptoms of sepsis, call 999 or go to A&E.