John's Story

After losing an astonishing 34 stone, John is quite literally a new man.

John was a Liverpool docker until his retirement 15 years ago. He’d always enjoyed outdoor activities and had run a children’s football team in the city for the best part of 36 years. As a young man he was above average height at 6ft 1in, which meant his frame could comfortably carry the 12½ stone of body weight. So what happened to turn John from a fit and active 22-year-old into a man who weighed 49½ stone at 57? And what did it take to convince him he needed to lose weight?

‘I hadn’t always been heavy,’ says John.  ‘When I got married 40 years ago I weighed 12½ stone, but then I began to over-eat and over-drink.  I just loved fast food – going down to the chippy for fish, chips and peas. And I loved beer.’

But as the weight piled on, John became increasingly tired.  By the time the grandchildren came on the scene he could barely do anything.  ‘My extreme weight was causing me problems. I could hardly walk. I had arthritis and I couldn’t go anywhere.’

Many of the little things that most of us take for granted, John found difficult – even sitting in a chair.  ‘People would stare at me. Children were the worst – they’d stare and point their fingers,’ he says.  John found clothes shopping impossible as well as expensive, even in outsize shops.  ‘I was wearing 9XL clothes and my pants had an 84-inch waist!’

Because of his great size John needed a big car, but still he couldn’t do up the seat belt. ‘My stomach would hang over the steering wheel,’ he recalls unhappily.

John tried all the diets and had taken all the weight-loss tablets and capsules imaginable, but without the success he craved. He became so depressed by his daily struggle with obesity that he arranged a medical with his GP. Contrary to what he expected, John puzzled his doctor as surprisingly he didn’t have many of the health problems traditionally associated with obesity.  He wasn’t diabetic and his blood sugar levels and blood pressure were both normal.

His body was undoubtedly suffering because of the excess weight, though.   ‘I had arthritis, spondylosis of the spine (a wear-and tear-condition) and problems with my knee and ankle joints,’ he says.  ‘Arthritis had also set in and I’d had screws put in my ankles. Three vertebrae needed replacing, but the doctors wouldn’t operate because of my weight.’

So, what was the defining moment that put John on the road to choosing weight-loss surgery as an option?  ‘I was about 57 at the time and the doctor said “John, you’re not going to make 60.”  I said what do you mean? You just gave me a clean bill of health! You said I didn’t have diabetes and that my blood sugar levels and blood pressure were fine! But the doctor said my weight was going to kill me. The thought I might not make 60 really frightened me. Before the surgery I could only walk 5 or 10 yards and would have to stop to catch my breath.’

John’s family wanted him to have the surgery and they knew how desperately he wanted it, too.  He was eventually referred to consultant bariatric (weight-loss) surgeon David Kerrigan, medical director of Gravitas.

Mr Kerrigan advised him that the duodenal switch and gastric sleeve procedures were best for someone in his condition. ‘When Mr Kerrigan’s secretary rang to say the local primary care trust would fund my operation I screamed with excitement! My family thought I’d won the lottery!’

Because of his extreme weight John had the two procedures carried out twelve months apart. ‘I went in to have the sleeve done in August 2005 by Mr Kerrigan – it was a 5 to 6 hour operation. The next morning when they came to see me I had already got out of bed. I was feeling so good that I went in the shower. Mr Kerrigan couldn’t believe it. “How do you feel?” he said.  “Marvellous!”  I replied. When the registrar came in I was in my shorts and he said “What time’s your surgery?” I told him I’d had it the night before - he couldn’t believe it.’

Twelve months later in September 2006 John underwent the duodenal switch, which had a successful outcome just like his first procedure. In the year after his gastric sleeve John lost 12½ stone; after his duodenal switch he lost a further 19½ stone. ‘I now weigh 15 stone 2. I was 6ft 1in, now I’m down to 6ft!’ he laughs.  ‘I can eat normally and I can’t put weight on any more.  After the op I stuck to the hospital diet rigidly for two years because I wanted to make absolutely sure I would live to see my grandchildren.’

John has since had cosmetic surgery to remove flaps of excess skin from his stomach – an incredible three stone of surplus skin was removed in two procedures.

Life for John has been totally transformed by his weight-loss surgery. ‘These days I can do things with my grandchildren.  It’s my wife’s birthday on Christmas Day and the Christmas after the first op we were playing records – before I’d never been able to dance with the grandchildren, but this time I stood and danced with them.  By the following Christmas I’d lost another 15 stone and on Christmas Day I could do “Knees up Mother Brown” with my granddaughters!’

Buying clothes is now much easier.  ‘When I was 60 my son took me to Burtons to buy me a suit off the peg. It fitted like a dream and it still fits!’ An incredible 34 stone later, John is quite literally a new man.

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Video Interview


Patients are faced with a dizzying variety of procedures. David Kerrigan explains the weight loss surgery options.

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