This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_east/7584213.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Man who lost 20 stone refused op | Man who lost 20 stone refused op |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A man who lost 20 stone (127kg) says he has been refused surgery to remove four stone (25kg) of excess skin because he is still considered to be overweight. | A man who lost 20 stone (127kg) says he has been refused surgery to remove four stone (25kg) of excess skin because he is still considered to be overweight. |
| Alistair Preston was more than 37 stone (235kg) when he had an operation in 2006 to reduce the size of his stomach. | Alistair Preston was more than 37 stone (235kg) when he had an operation in 2006 to reduce the size of his stomach. |
| Mr Preston, 28, of Cardiff, is now around 17 stone (108kg) but has a large amount of excess skin he wants removed. | Mr Preston, 28, of Cardiff, is now around 17 stone (108kg) but has a large amount of excess skin he wants removed. |
| But in a letter to his GP, Health Commission Wales (HCW) said his body mass index (BMI) was still too high. | But in a letter to his GP, Health Commission Wales (HCW) said his body mass index (BMI) was still too high. |
| Mr Preston, who is 5ft 11in (1.8m) tall, said that to reach the required BMI he would have to weigh 12st 6lb (78kg). | Mr Preston, who is 5ft 11in (1.8m) tall, said that to reach the required BMI he would have to weigh 12st 6lb (78kg). |
| But he said dieticians estimated that four stone of his weight was made up of excess skin and if he was forced to slim down further before surgery took it away, he could be left "seriously underweight". | But he said dieticians estimated that four stone of his weight was made up of excess skin and if he was forced to slim down further before surgery took it away, he could be left "seriously underweight". |
| "I'm still in a way feeling like that big guy, that 37-stone man," he said. | "I'm still in a way feeling like that big guy, that 37-stone man," he said. |
| Dieticians estimate Mr Preston's excess skin weighs four stone | Dieticians estimate Mr Preston's excess skin weighs four stone |
| "I look at myself and it's like another person inside of me. I lie in bed and it's all hanging over. | "I look at myself and it's like another person inside of me. I lie in bed and it's all hanging over. |
| "It's hard to cope with every day. I look down at myself and feel miserable." | "It's hard to cope with every day. I look down at myself and feel miserable." |
| Mr Preston's mother said she was "very angry at the system". | Mr Preston's mother said she was "very angry at the system". |
| "He's under a psychiatrist and I have to watch my son," she said. | "He's under a psychiatrist and I have to watch my son," she said. |
| "I'm sure every mother would feel the same way, I don't want to lose my son." | "I'm sure every mother would feel the same way, I don't want to lose my son." |
| Mrs Preston, of Bridgend, remortgaged her home to pay for her son's gastric sleeve operation but said she could not afford to pay privately this time. | Mrs Preston, of Bridgend, remortgaged her home to pay for her son's gastric sleeve operation but said she could not afford to pay privately this time. |
| She paid almost £10,000 for the first operation after Mr Preston was told by the surgeon he would only have a year to live if nothing was done. | She paid almost £10,000 for the first operation after Mr Preston was told by the surgeon he would only have a year to live if nothing was done. |
| The family estimate that another operation to remove the excess skin would cost about £15,000. | The family estimate that another operation to remove the excess skin would cost about £15,000. |
| "He's now become a person who's trapped in his home," said Mrs Preston. Before surgery - Mr Preston weighed around 37 stone | |
| "He wears a tight vest which he hopes hides his excess skin. | "He wears a tight vest which he hopes hides his excess skin. |
| "If I could pay for this operation I would, but I can't." | "If I could pay for this operation I would, but I can't." |
| Mr Preston, who has a three-year-old daughter, said he started eating excessively when his father Alan died after a long illness. | Mr Preston, who has a three-year-old daughter, said he started eating excessively when his father Alan died after a long illness. |
| "My dad died when I was 17 and I went downhill from there," he said. | "My dad died when I was 17 and I went downhill from there," he said. |
| But his operation gave him a new lease of life until he realised that while the fat was disappearing, the excess skin remained. | But his operation gave him a new lease of life until he realised that while the fat was disappearing, the excess skin remained. |
| "At first when I started to lose weight, it was great," he said. | "At first when I started to lose weight, it was great," he said. |
| "Then I started to notice I was losing the weight but there was skin hanging everywhere. | "Then I started to notice I was losing the weight but there was skin hanging everywhere. |
| "I went from high to rapidly feeling down again." | "I went from high to rapidly feeling down again." |
| Decision | Decision |
| The case has been looked at by the Health Commission Wales internal review panel but it decided to uphold the original decision to refuse surgery despite support from Mr Preston's GP. | The case has been looked at by the Health Commission Wales internal review panel but it decided to uphold the original decision to refuse surgery despite support from Mr Preston's GP. |
| His partner Samantha Collins, 24, said: "We can go to an external review panel and we're just building a case for it. | His partner Samantha Collins, 24, said: "We can go to an external review panel and we're just building a case for it. |
| "They're saying that's the last option we have." | "They're saying that's the last option we have." |
| Now Mr Preston just wants to have the operation so he can get on with his life again. | Now Mr Preston just wants to have the operation so he can get on with his life again. |
| "I wanted to be a counsellor to help other people but when I started to lose confidence I said I couldn't do this," he said. | "I wanted to be a counsellor to help other people but when I started to lose confidence I said I couldn't do this," he said. |
| "It would give me a better life, able to go out there and find work and do something for myself. | "It would give me a better life, able to go out there and find work and do something for myself. |
| "I want to go out there and not be noticed for the big guy but just be noticed as an average Joe." | "I want to go out there and not be noticed for the big guy but just be noticed as an average Joe." |
| A spokesperson for Health Commission Wales said: "While we cannot comment on any individual case it should be noted that HCW always considers exceptional cases and HCW will consider abdominoplasty/ apronectomy for individuals suffering from severe functional problems that have a negative impact on their day-to-day life." |