For anyone who suffers from being overweight, they will understand the psychological agony felt of the results of yo yo dieting; the highs when there is weight loss and the lows when there is weight gain. For me it seemed my whole adult life was consumed with weight loss and weight gain.

I had considered the option of bariatric surgery on and off for many years, but did nothing about it. Following a car accident in 2019 when I was 63 years old, I gained a lot of weight whilst being immobile. Over the following years my back pain worsened due to the injuries I had sustained and the weight I was carrying. I resorted to using a walking cane to support me whilst walking. I also started to suffer from high blood pressure and urge urinary incontinence.

A family trip to Disneyland Paris in 2022 resulted in me using a wheelchair. The embarrassment and humiliation I felt seeing my husband and son struggle to push me due to how heavy I had become, over 21 stone, made me realise for the sake of my health I needed to take control of my weight.

I spent the following year researching the differing options of Bariatric surgery available, where I would like to have the surgery performed, and by whom. It is a big decision so I needed to feel my choice was the right one for me and the safest one for me. Surgery abroad was a risk I was not prepared to take. I watched various webinars and from these Mr Hamouda stood out for me. One of my concerns was that at 66 years old I had left it too late.

After my consultation with Mr Hamouda, I was reassured by him that I was not too old to have surgery. He answered all my questions thoroughly, and we agreed that gastric sleeve surgery was the better option for me as I wanted a permanent solution. I knew that I still would have to be mindful about my choices in food and that bariatric surgery is an aid to weight loss and is not an easy option. I liked the fact that I would receive 12 months support following surgery from Mr Hamouda and his team as I felt I would need this for me to have the success I wanted.

I would say to anyone undertaking bariatric surgery that the 2-week pre surgery liver shrinkage diet is an opportunity to start taking control of your eating habits, and for you to feel you have some control in helping to ensure that your keyhole surgery will go as smoothly as possible. I had to trust Mr Hamouda to perform my surgery successfully and he had to trust me to follow the diet plan. Appointments with the team’s nutritionist, are very important pre and post-surgery where her advice should be followed.

I felt this was the start of my journey to success in finally taking control of my weight. I took photos and measurements of myself on a regular basis throughout the 12-month period, so that I could see my progress. At my 12-month appointment with Mr Hamouda, I weighed in at 14 stone 7lbs. I was so happy I could have hugged him.

I am more mobile and do not use a cane when walking. I no longer suffer from high blood pressure.  And I do not suffer from urinary incontinence, which is wonderful and has changed my life considerably.

I recently fulfilled one of my ambitions which was to snorkel with sharks and stingrays at the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai, something I had wanted to do on a previous visit but shied away from, as I knew I would not fit into a wetsuit.  If I have one regret, it is that I did not do it sooner!