A NURSE who lost over eight stone after undergoing gastric bypass surgery has formed a support group for patients who are suffering from obesity.

Mary Casey, 50, of Fletcher Road, Chigwell, who once weighed over 20 stone, is reaching out to her patients at Spire Roding Hospital, who can now seek advice on how to lose weight.

As a bariatric nurse at the hospital, she says she has seen how hard it is for her patients to cope with clinical obesity and is mindful that there is not enough active support for them.

And after having surgery in February, she says she would have struggled to go through with it without the support of her colleagues.

Now at just over 11 stone, she is aware she must maintain a healthy lifestyle for the surgery to have any positive effects long-term.

She said: “It was a viscious circle and very disheartening. I was becoming physically and psychologically unwell, I felt tired all the time and I had no inclination to do anything.

"As a nurse, I used to eat for convenience as my breaks were short and I would always choose chocolate and biscuits in preference to a healthy meal.

"I was becoming depressed and knew that I had to do something about it.”

Mary suffered from exhaustion and had to take an array of medications to keep her high blood pressure and cholesterol in check.

Dieting only had limited success and she could never maintain the weight loss.

Although Mary said she knows that surgery is by no means a quick fix, she plans to teach her patients the importance of keeping to a strict, healthy lifestyle after going under the knife.

She said: “You have to adapt your eating habits, to chew more slowly and really think about the food choices.

"I now have a well balanced diet and it has been a case of trial and error to see which foods I can tolerate.

"Having weight loss surgery has helped me to start living again and I feel it has greatly benefited my work in bariatrics.

"I feel my patients can really identify with me and are often inspired by my personal experience.”

For more information contact Mary Casey by email at mary.casey@spirehealthcare.com or call her on 07887 635559/ 0208 709 7895.

Go to www.spirehealthcare.com/roding for information on weight loss surgery at Spire Roding Hospital.