Woman's Weight-Loss Surgery Leaves Her With 8% of Her Stomach Left

When Donna Worthington flew to Turkey for weight-loss surgery, she never thought her dream body would almost cost her life.

The 36-year-old told Newsweek that she was left with just 8 percent of her stomach. She spent $3,300 (£2,600) on sleeve gastrectomy, where a large part of the stomach is removed.

However, patients are usually left with 80 per cent of their stomach. Now, Worthington is recovering from surgery after spending almost the same amount of money as the surgery itself on private healthcare.

Worthington, from Birmingham, United Kingtom, weighed 262 pounds at her heaviest. In July, 2022, she hoped to lose weight to be a better mom to her kids, Isaac, 7, and Joey, 10. However, Worthington has been fighting for her life ever since.

"I wanted to be a fitter and healthier mom so I could play more, without getting out of breath.

"I thought I would lose weight, and my mental and physical health would improve, but it has been the total opposite," she said.

Worthington admitted missing out on the fun in the swimming pool with her children as she is too self-conscious and added that feeling embarrassed on the school run.

Now, Worthington yearns for those days back as she is unable to leave the house due to her weak condition.

Donna Worthington with her husband Adrian, 49 and sons Isaac, 7, Joey, 10, prior to the surgery. Donna Worthington with her husband Adrian, 49 and sons Isaac, 7, Joey, 10, prior to the surgery. Donna Worthington

Over the past year, she has spent a total of five months in hospital and is missing out more than ever on her family's lives.

Worthington said: "I am housebound. I have to go down the stairs on my bum with my husband in front of me. He puts me on the sofa, my children get the drinks for me, I stand up and the world is spinning. I can't see.

"I am very sleepy and have constant headaches, if it wasn't for my husband with his own business then I would be dead.

"I can't eat, my stomach is too small. On a good day, I manage to drink 250ml of water," Worthington added. "I can only sip it, otherwise I am sick."

If Worthington had undergone the surgery in the U.K., it would have cost around £8,000 ($10,000) to £10,000 ($12,610), according to The National Health Service (NHS), a publicly funded healthcare system in England.

Worthington told Newsweek: "My friend had the same surgery at the same place and she had no problems, therefore that was enough for me to book it.

"I didn't see the point in spending thousands when it is so cheap in Turkey. I didn't see any bad reviews until after the surgery," she added.

Since the surgery, Worthington's life has turned upside down, and she has spent months trying to find a doctor who can help her.

"The NHS are unable to help because I had the surgery abroad," she said.

"We found a private consultant who was willing to help and we were quoted £25,000. But at this point, I don't care about money, I would pay anything to feel better.

"My family are terrified, my husband doesn't sleep properly anymore as he is constantly listening to check I am still breathing," Worthington added.

"My kids start banging on the door when I am in the bathroom for longer than a minute, and if I don't answer the phone straight away, then my family automatically think I am dead."

Worthington said that she deeply regrets going to Turkey and she advises other people to do their research.

Donna has been in and out of hospital since the surgery. Donna has been in and out of hospital since the surgery. Donna Worthington

She added: "I would rather be fat than go through this. My knees and ankles used to hurt and I did all the diets in the book, but I wasn't at risk of dying.

"I wish I never had it done!" she said.

"My advice to anyone is don't do it, but if you feel like you have no choice, then please do your research.

"Or save for an extra 12 months or however long it takes to get the money to get it done in your home country," Worthington added.

In total, she has spent £500 ($625) on private consultations and £1,390 ($1,735) on an endoscopy.

After looking inside her body, the private doctor said he can no longer go ahead with the surgery because he would need an intensive-care unit and crash team. On the same day, Worthington was rushed into hospital after having a seizure.

On September 6, medics performed a seven-hour surgery that involved placing mesh into her body to prevent her stomach from moving.

Worthington said: "My stomach is that small, it had moved up into my throat. They have now put surgical mesh in my body to stop it from happening again.

"If this surgery works, I will be able to eat much smaller portions; I am just glad to be alive," she added.

What the Expert Says

Nikhilesh R. Sekhar, an attending bariatric surgeon at New York Bariatric Group, told Newsweek about the risks and revisions.

Risks of a Gastric Sleeve Procedure

Sekhar said: "Every surgical intervention has associated risks. Risks can be categorized into events that are directly related to the surgical procedure and risks that can occur after the surgery. Surgical complications include infection, bleeding, and anesthesia-related issues. These types of complications may occur in any type of surgery. Complication rates tend to decrease with greater operative years of experience, so finding an experienced surgeon is key.

"Post-surgery risks associated with a gastric sleeve include leaks and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). In a leak, the stapled region of the stomach might leak. A leak at the staple line would allow stomach contents to enter the abdominal cavity, which could cause a serious infection.

"Signs of a gastric leak include: tachycardia (rapid heart rate), dizziness, shortness of breath, fever, abdominal pain, drainage from a surgical wound, nausea and vomiting and low blood pressure," Sekhar added. "Leaks should be recognized early and treated promptly for the best outcome. A good bariatric surgery program includes medical professionals that are on call and easy to reach."

Sekhar said some patients may experience increased acid reflux after the procedure. Typically, GERD can be managed with lifestyle changes and by consuming smaller meals.

Revising a Gastric Sleeve

Sekhar added: "In cases where the gastric sleeve does not yield the anticipated results or if complications arise, patients might consider revisional procedures such as gastric bypass, duodenal switch (biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, BPD/DS), or single anastomosis duodeno–ileal bypass (SADI-S).

"Transforming the sleeve into a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass can be beneficial in further restricting food intake and reducing nutrient absorption in patients who did not achieve the desired results with the gastric sleeve," Sekhar said.

"The duodenal switch (biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, BPD/DS) involves rerouting a lengthy portion of the small intestine, creating two pathways and one common channel. The stomach remains slightly larger than it would after a traditional sleeve procedure. It allows patients to consume a bit more food but limits the calorie absorption, thus aiding in weight loss.

"The single anastomosis duodeno–ileal bypass (SADI-S) is a modified version of the duodenal switch. It consists of a sleeve gastrectomy, followed by bypassing a significant part of the small intestine and connecting it to the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum. It offers similar benefits in terms of weight loss and improvement of comorbidities." Sekhar said.

Warning Signs After a Gastric Sleeve

Worthington said that she felt awful from the moment she woke from the general anaesthetic in Turkey. The symptoms worsened, but she thought this was normal.

Sekhar advises immediate medical attention if any of these symptoms manifest after surgery:

Severe abdominal pain
Persistent nausea or vomiting
Fever
Difficulty swallowing
Redness or drainage from incision sites
Shortness of breath or chest pain

Newsweek has emailed the plastic-surgery clinic in Turkey for a right of reply.

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