After Losing 16 Stone Naturally, Mum Says She Was Told to “Put Weight Back On” to Qualify for NHS Surgery

Lisa Smith, 44, from St Helens in Merseyside, says she never imagined that transforming her health would leave her facing a new kind of struggle—one that feels impossible to win.

After losing more than 16 and a half stone through healthy eating and long-term lifestyle changes, the mum-of-three says she was devastated to be told she may need to regain weight to improve her chances of qualifying for surgery—despite the fact she worked for years to lose it.

A health scare that changed everything

Lisa says her health reached crisis point after the birth of her son in 2008. At the time, she weighed around 28 stone and sought medical help after experiencing severe breathlessness.

She initially suspected asthma, but doctors later linked her symptoms to complications from diabetes, eventually diagnosing her with diabetes-related heart failure.