A woman has revealed how she lost nine stone after spending £4,000 on a gastric bypass in Latvia – and now she can fit into aged 13-14 clothes due to the staggering weight loss.

Katie Chadwick, 37, from Bognor Regis, Sussex, had piled on the pounds after indulging in three or four weekly takeaways, as well as enjoying a whole packet of biscuits and a tub of Ben and Jerry’s each evening.

The mother-of-two’s weight fluctuated over the years but at her biggest she was 19 stone and wearing a size 24.

As an at-home carer, Katie got a shock in October 2021 when one of her bariatric patients passed away due to their weight.

She sought help from her GP who said she would qualify for a gastric bypass in the UK – but there was a five-year waitlist. After becoming ‘hyper fixated’ on getting surgery, she booked the procedure abroad in Latvia in January 2022.

Katie Chadwick (pictured before her weight loss, left, and right, afterwards), 37, from Bognor Regis, Sussex, had piled on the pounds after indulging in three or four weekly takeaways, as well as enjoying a whole packet of biscuits and a tub of Ben and Jerry’s each evening 

The operation was a success and Katie saw the weight ‘fall away’ – losing a whopping 9st 4lb in a year.

She forked out a further £6,000 flying to Lithuania to have a tummy tuck and breast reduction – having 2lbs of skin removed.

Katie is now 9st 6lb and a size 6 and loves saving money by shopping for clothes from the teen section of fashion stores.

She said: ‘Everyone noticed how happy I was after surgery. My father-in-law said it was like my demons had been lifted.

‘I actually shop in the kids section now, it’s crazy. I always find a kids version of the adults clothes, so it’s a no brainer and I can get stuff for half the price. Getting surgery has completely changed my life and it’s the best decision I ever made.’

Katie said as a teenager she was ‘very skinny’ but started gaining weight when she battled bulimia in her youth.

Her weight continued to creep up while pregnant with her daughter Faith, 17, and then with son Rupert, eight. 

The mother-of-two claims she now fits into aged 13-14 clothes due to the staggering weight loss (pictured trying on clothing from the children’s section)

Katie is pictured here before and after she lost a staggering nine stone

Her weight has fluctuated over the years but at her biggest she was 19 stone and wore a size 24

She sought help from her GP who said she would qualify for a gastric bypass in the UK – but there was a five-year waitlist (Pictured: Katie after her gastric bypass operation)

‘I was very self-conscious about eating in front of people so I’d eat in secret’ said Katie. ‘I felt so down about how I looked all the time. If I was working from home, I would often get a full packet of donuts to eat with a cup of tea. 

‘We could easily have three or four takeaways a week and a tub of Ben and Jerry’s in the evening. I tried every diet under the sun over the years and nothing had ever worked for me.’

After the death of her overweight patient, Katie became determined to change. Unwilling to wait five years for the gastric op she booked herself in for a private surgery abroad.

She said: ‘I have ADHD, and got hyper fixated on getting that surgery as soon as possible. I found a clinic in Latvia. I booked it and in my head I was ready to say goodbye and start my new life.’

Katie is now 9st 6lb and a size 6 and loves saving money by shopping for clothes from the teen section of fashion stores

After becoming ‘hyper fixated’ on getting surgery, she booked the procedure abroad in Latvia in January 2022 (Pictured: Katie with husband Guy Chadwick, 36)

The operation was a success and Katie saw the weight ‘fall away’ in just one year

Katie flew out for surgery in January 2022, and spent five days at the clinic before returning to the UK.

Despite being ‘over the moon’, the rapid weight loss left her with excess skin on her stomach and breasts.

One year later, in January 2023, Katie flew out to Lithuania for £6,000 skin removal surgery which included a tummy tuck, breast lift, reduction and implants.

She said: ‘I knew the saggy skin would hold me back as much as the weight did.  I booked to get the plastic surgery done and I was bit more nervous about this operation. 

‘Once again it all went well, the recovery was hard – but the results were amazing.’

Katie is still able to eat ‘whatever’ she wants but now has everything in moderation with much smaller portions.

The weight loss means she now fits into an adult size six or she can fit comfortably into a child’s size 13-14.

She said: ‘I went shopping with my daughter and saw a jumper I really liked but it was £25. I checked the kids section and there was one for half the price.’

Since August 2023 Katie has been a full-time carer to husband Guy Chadwick, 36, after he was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND), which impacts how the brain and body send and receive signals between them.

Katie said: ‘Bless my husband, he’d been with me through it all and put up with me through my worst and now my best. 

‘Getting a gastric bypass is not a decision I made lightly – it was my last resort.

‘I would advise anyone looking to do it to do your research and read reviews on every surgeon at the clinic. 

Katie is pictured here with her daughter Faith and husband Guy. Guy was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND), which impacts how the brain and body send and receive signals between them

‘It’s a huge lifestyle change and you have to know what you’re getting into. It’s worth it just for the money I’ve saved on clothes!’

According to the NHS, although patients are likely to lose weight quite quickly with a gastric bypass, the procedure itself carries a greater risk of serious surgery complications compared to others like the gastric band.

Classed as weight-loss surgery, a gastric bypass comes with the risk of blood clots, gallstones, wound infections and even death.

When it comes to having such surgery abroad, the service advises patients to take extra precautions, and to think twice before weighing up the costs.

It adds that weight loss surgery is also available in the UK on the NHS for people ‘who meet certain criteria’.

The advice reads: ‘Make sure you weigh up any potential savings against the potential risks. Standards may not be as strict in clinics outside the UK, and aftercare is not always straightforward. 

‘Clinics in other countries may not provide follow-up care, or it may not be the same standard as in the UK’.