A woman who weighed 22 st 10lbs at her heaviest has gone viral on TikTok after halving her weight by getting surgery in Turkey.
Lauren Evens, 29, from Chester, says she believes her weight would have killed her in years to come had she not taken action.
After gastric sleeve surgery, she’s halved her body weight by losing 11st – but not everyone agrees with the risky procedure which can cause severe complications.
The mother-of-two has struggled with her weight since childhood and claims she built an unhealthy relationship with food after the passing of her dad in 1999.
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Growing up, she recalls being called names while in theatre school, such as ‘fat dancer’ and being told: ‘You would be so much prettier if you lost weight’.
Lauren now has two of her own children, Reese, aged eight and Lottie, aged seven.
After suffering with her mental health and being in a toxic relationship, finally made the decision to overhaul her lifestyle and shift the pounds.
But, after trying various diets, she struggled to lose weight and decided to opt for gastric sleeve surgery, where a large part of the stomach is removed, in Turkey – costing £2,000.
After trying various diets, Lauren struggled to lose weight and decided to opt for gastric sleeve surgery, where a large part of the stomach is removed, in Turkey – costing £2,000
‘My weight could’ve killed me in years to come,’.
‘My mental health was [quite low] and being obese isn’t healthy physically, so it would’ve caused many other health issues down the line.
‘I knew there were risks, but there are with any surgery and it was a risk I was willing to take.
‘I did loads of research and a lovely lady called Irem looked after me.
After suffering with her mental health and being in a toxic relationship, finally made the decision to overhaul her lifestyle and shift the pounds. Pictured after her surgery
Lauren Evens, 29, from Chester, says she believes her weight would have killed her in years to come had she not taken action
‘The hospitals are like five-star hotels and you get seen very quickly.
‘All the preoperative tests were really good and now, I feel so much happier and confident in myself and my body.
‘Before I was severely mentally low and after my dad died in a plane crash when I was six, I grew an unhealthy relationship with food and would use this as comfort.
‘Nothing worked, no matter what diet I tried.
Before and after her surgery: Lauren shed 11 stone with the gastric sleeve surgery
Growing up, Lauren recalls being called names while in theatre school, such as ‘fat dancer’ and being told: ‘You would be so much prettier if you lost weight’
‘Then, when I turned 29, I decided I didn’t want to be 30 and fat, so I took the plunge and booked it.’
After the surgery in July 2022 and five weeks of recovery, she claims to have lost more than 11st and now weighs 11st – halving her body weight.
In a bid to show her transformation, she decided to upload a video on TikTok documenting the process, racking up 3.8 million views and over 156,000 likes.
She begins showing herself before wearing underwear, and before taking viewers along the journey.
Lauren, pictured in Turkey, awaiting her gastric sleeve surgery. She said the hospital was like a five-star hotel
With the surgery, Lauren said, ‘I realised I needed to love myself before anyone else could love me and I have worked on my self-love for the past six months’
Lauren then clips to a video of her only a few weeks after the surgery while wearing a vest top and tight leggings.
Users flocked to the comments to share their reactions, with many praising the mother for her transparency.
‘Wow, good for you!’ one viewer commented.
Lauren in her living room at home before and after her surgery
Lauren documented her stay and treatment in the hospital in Turkey via her TikTok account
Another person said: ‘Proud of u girl,’ followed by three love heart emojis. [sic]
‘You look amazing and you look so so happy,’ user Nikki O’Hagan commented.
Someone else added: ‘Omg so happy for you your glowing you look amazing.’ [sic]
Others warned of the dangers, with user Colette Beesley saying: ‘I see all the amazing results and then see the horror stories sometime after surgery too.’
‘Sleeve. You can never ever reverse it when it goes bad…’ someone else added.
Now, she plans to go back to Turkey next year to get any loose skin removed – but claims the procedure has been ‘life-changing.’
She added: ‘The surgery has changed my life, and my confidence and I have grown so much as a person.
‘The only regret I have is that I wish I did it years ago.
Lauren built an unhealthy relationship with food after the passing of her dad, Nicholas, in 1999
Lauren now has two of her own children, Reese, aged eight and Lottie, aged seven
‘I am made up, as so many people give me compliments.
‘My friends and family have been really supportive and they’re just happy I’m happy.
‘I realised I needed to love myself before anyone else could love me and I have worked on my self-love for the past six months.
‘I’m very happy now and maybe I’ll have somebody who makes me smile even more, and actually appreciates my body.
‘I have taken the jump to better my health and future, which makes me so proud of myself and how far I’ve come.’
The ultimate weight loss aid? What is gastric sleeve surgery – and how does it help you drop pounds
A sleeve gastrectomy is where a large part of the stomach is removed so it’s much smaller than it was before.
This means you cannot eat as much as you could before surgery and you’ll feel full sooner.
The remaining section of the stomach is formed into a tubelike structure.
This smaller stomach produces less of the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin, which may lessen your desire to eat
There are long term risks of gastric sleeve surgery.
Many of them have to do with the fact that patients take in fewer nutrients than before.
Longer-term gastric sleeve complications include gastrointestinal obstruction, hernias, gastroesophageal reflux, hypoglycemia, malnutrition, and vomiting
Source: NHS