Woman who went to Turkey for weight loss surgery now says she is worried about her health
A woman who flew to Turkey for low-cost weight-loss surgery now fears for her health after discovering she “can’t stop losing weight.”
Tracey Hutchinson, 52, weighed 16kg before paying £5,000 to go under the knife in January last year and was initially ecstatic about the results.
Surgeons at the unnamed clinic performed gastric bypass surgery, which creates a small pouch in the stomach that helps patients feel full faster and absorb fewer calories from food.
But now the mother-of-two says she was left “skin and bone” after she couldn’t stop shedding the pounds — making her look dangerously underweight in shocking footage.
Ms. Hutchinson, from Washington, near Sunderland, currently weighs just 6.5 stone, almost a third of her pre-surgery weight.
Weighing in at 16 stone and wanting to lose weight, Tracey Hutchinson flew to Turkey in January last year for low-cost gastric bypass surgery (pictured left). Shocking footage on the right shows the mother of two, reduced to ‘skin and bones’, now weighs just 6.5 pounds
The 52-year-old was initially thrilled with the results, especially considering the cost of the surgery was much less than what she would have paid in the UK
The entrepreneur said, “I lost so much weight in the beginning. I could not believe it.
“But after I reached my perfect size, I couldn’t stop. And now I’ve gone from one extreme to the other.’
Ms Hutchinson originally intended to have the procedure performed on the NHS. But after being refused, she decided to fly to Turkey in January 2022 instead.
Only those with a BMI of 40 or more or a BMI of more than 35 along with one health condition are eligible, according to health care guidelines.
Patients must also have tried diet and exercise to lose weight, and then agree to a healthy lifestyle.
A gastric bypass uses surgical staples to create a small pocket at the top of the stomach, separate from the rest of the organ.
The pouch is then connected directly to the small intestine, bypassing the rest of the stomach.
This means that less food is needed to make a person feel full and that he will absorb fewer calories, resulting in weight loss.
Ms Hutchinson, who had been on the NHS waiting lists for three years, was told she would only be eligible for a gastric balloon on the NHS.
This procedure sends a special balloon down the throat into the stomach, where it is then inflated with air or water.
The balloon makes people feel full and prevents them from eating as much, although it is only temporary and usually removed within 6 months.
Ms Hutchinson accepted the offer of a gastric balloon but said it did not help her lose as much weight as she had hoped.
She said, “My weight was building dangerous pressure around my brain, but all they offered me was this gastric balloon.
“I tried and lost two stone. But as soon as the balloon was out, I put all the weight back on.”
Frustrated, she then decided to have a gastric bypass abroad instead and traveled to Turkey early last year.
In Turkey, gastric bypass surgery can cost as little as £3,000 – much less than the over £8,000 it costs privately in the UK.
Ms Hutchinson said she was happy with the operation, the cost and her aftercare for about five months.
She said: ‘The operation went smoothly and I was then put up in a nice hotel.
“When I came back, I immediately started to see results.
“And I got married last June with a dream weight of 10.5 stone – I was so happy.”
But after this point, Ms. Hutchinson found she just couldn’t stop shedding the pounds, and she’s been progressively thinner ever since.
She now describes herself as all ‘skin over bones’.
Fearing for her health, she contacted her surgeon in Turkey for help.
But she claims that the doctor just recommended that she take the antidiarrhoeal medication Imodium to prevent her from going to the toilet as a way to gain weight.
She was even able to reach her ‘dream weight’ of 10.5 stone for wedding last June with a dream weight of 10.5 stone – I was so happy.
However, this has not worked and Ms Hutchinson said she now ‘really scared’.
She said, “I’m at the point now where I’m not sure how much weight I can physically lose.
“I hope someone reading my story can help me because I have no idea how to stop this. It’s terrifying.’
Dr. Neil Jennings, clinical director of surgery at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, said any form of weight loss surgery is major surgery and should not be taken lightly.
He said: ‘It needs to be considered very carefully by a team of health professionals in accordance with national guidelines.
“Patients need to go through a series of checks to make sure surgery is the right option for them.
“This includes a full health check, counseling and support and commitment to losing weight before any procedure can take place.”
Dr. Jennings noted that some people are refused surgery on the NHS after experts feel it is not right for their particular case.
“For some people, surgery is not in their best interests. This is usually the case when the risks of the surgery outweigh the potential benefits,” he said.
“Many people are offered alternative treatments, but they are not always effective.”
Dr. Jennings, like many other health professionals in the UK, said he had seen an increase in the number of patients requiring follow-up treatment following surgery abroad.
“We strongly advise anyone considering traveling abroad for private care to carefully research their options and understand the risks involved,” he said.
Thousands of Britons go to Turkey each year for a range of medical treatments, such as cosmetic or slimming surgery, at a fraction of the price they would pay to go under the knife in the UK.
UK surgeons are increasingly concerned that the NHS is helping to subsidize poor care abroad, with the bill costing taxpayers an estimated £4.8 million over the past four years
But some are paying the ultimate price for budget surgery, with at least 22 Britons having died following medical visits to the country.
Many more are injured or suffering from complications and often have to turn to the NHS for emergency assistance on their return to the UK.
Experts estimate the cost of treating a botched on-board operation at around £1.2 million a year to the taxpayer, although this is likely an underestimate as the health service does not directly record such cases.
Ms Hutchinson has not disclosed which clinic she went to in Turkey for her gastric bypass surgery, nor what she paid.
However, there are dozens of surgeons offering UK slimming surgeries in cities like Istanbul and Izmir.
She also did not specify exactly why the NHS had deemed her ineligible for gastric bypass surgery.
But MailOnline understands that the NHS made a detailed assessment of Tracey’s case and it was decided that gastric bypass surgery was not in her best interest as she did not meet surgery guidelines and weight loss targets.
She was offered an alternative procedure, which she accepted.