A nurse who used to joke she 'looked like a prop forward' says she's now finally happy in her own skin after after flying abroad for weight loss surgery. At her heaviest, Marie Rowe, 56, tipped the scales at more than 17st and wore a size 24 uniform.
But now she's lost more than six stone and is a slim size 12 after undergoing undergoing gastric sleeve surgery in Latvia. Marie, of Lymm in Cheshire, said: "There's a lot of rugby players in my family and I always joked that I was built like a prop forward. Now I feel really happy with how I am."
The palliative care nurse says she struggled with her appearance her entire life and began dieting when she started high school. Marie said: "I remember at the age of 12 I'd just started high school and I started getting a bit of stick.
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"My mum told me I wasn't fat but I didn't listen. Growing up I became thick-skinned to the comments and certain things became the norm, like scanning a room as soon as I walked in for a chair without arms, as I didn't want to be squeezing over the sides.
"Some people say 'why can't you just exercise and eat less?', but people who don't have a weight problem don't understand."
It was only when Marie's best friend, who lives in Australia, decided to undergo weight loss surgery in her home country that the mum-of-two also agreed to have the procedure out of support. Marie began researching online and found a clinic in Riga, Latvia.
After extensive research and joining a @WeightLossRiga Facebook group with almost 7,000 past and prospective patients, Marie made her decision and flew the two-and-a-half hours to Weight Loss Riga in September 2021. Gastric sleeve surgery involves removing approximately 75 to 80% of the patient’s stomach. As a result, patients are not able to eat as much because they feel full after a much smaller amount of food.
Marie, said: "My experience was spot on. I travelled out on Wednesday and returned home on Sunday. I had a week and a half off work and then I was back. Before my surgery I had terrible eating habits.
"I like healthy foods and love salads but I also have a sweet tooth and used to enjoy really big portions. Now, I can eat everything but I can only have a small amount of things like rice and pasta.
The procedure cost £5,000 but for me it wasn't about the cost. I've still got quite a few working years left and I want to be fit and healthy.
"With the complications that come with obesity we're saving the NHS a lot of money. Now I'm up and down the stairs with no pain in my knees or back."
Marie is also enjoying a new wardrobe thanks to her shrinking frame. She added: "I always wanted a pair of leather trousers. Now I've got some and they're too big for me!
"Before the surgery I wanted to cover my bottom and my legs with baggy clothes. Now I can go more towards things where I'm showing my shape."
Urging other people to look for long-term solutions to their weight problems, Marie said: "Take responsibility, do your research and prepare mentally."
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