for thoe people whho would likehto see more of my journry , please feel freeF to give me a follow on FAcaBbook.Hi,

My name is Ashley and I am 42 years old.

On the 27th September 2021 I decided I needed to change my life. I weighed in at 36 stone requiring two sets of scales to even measure my weight. After 16 months of living a healthier lifestyle, I have managed to hit my weight target of 16 stone, meaning I have lost over half my body weight, 20 stone in total.

During this journey I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in November 2021, this hit me hard, despite my weight, I had always been generally healthy. This diagnosis was the wake-up call I desperately needed. However, through sheer determination and lots of effort, I managed to reverse my diabetes diagnosis in June 2022 and now I am currently on no medication.

Throughout this weight loss journey, I always knew that my skin would be an issue in the end. However, I was not prepared for the information my GP would give me. I approached my GP in the summer of 2022 to discuss my options. My GP informed me that skin removal surgery was classed as a cosmetic procedure that it was only available to certain postcodes in the UK on the NHS. Unfortunately, despite my efforts, I did not fall under a post code that enabled me to access these sorts of procedures. My GP informed me that my only option was to go down the private route.

Later on, I approached my GP again due to pain and discomfort that loose skin on my chest area was causing me, the only way I can describe it is it felt like internal tearing. I would have to walk around, holding my chest to ease the discomfort. I was referred by my GP to a plastic surgeon, to see if I could have the area causing me pain operated on under medical grounds. However, this referral was denied without any sort of consultation with the plastic surgeon.

So, I came to the conclusion that private surgery was my only option. I contacted two different clinics and paid for consultations to discuss my options. Both clinics gave me a ball park estimation of £35,000 for the four procedures I would need in the UK. This amount shocked me, I was not expecting this amount at all. Due to this, I am currently researching into the procedures in other countries, but I have concerns based on the regulations being different to those that the NHS adhere to here in the UK.

On a previous just giving page that expired, I managed to raise an amazing £9,400 through incredible generosity. This paid for my first operation of four on 29th April 2023 where I weighed in at 15 stone 3 pounds. I recovered well from having the excess skin removed from my chest area. I have since booked my second operation, through a loan from the bank costing £11,300 scheduled for 5th August 2023.

After this, I still have two more surgeries to fund that would likely cost in the region of £7000 each.

Any further donations would greatly help me reach the end of this massive journey.

I will be posting some photos of my journey and my skin below, if you would like to take a look. I will keep you all updated with regular updates through my journey and surgeries.

Thanks.