Originally printed on 29 Jan 2013;
When siobhan Leighton reached 22st aged 21, she was desperate to slim down – but instead of dieting, she paid £3,500 for a gastric band abroad, hoping it would change her life.
Despite having the band, Siobhan struggled to change her food habits. But, because overeating made her vomit up to 15 times a day, she lost weight anyway, dropping to 8st 6lbs.
When Closer last spoke to Siobhan, now 28, in August 2011, she was battling bulimia, devastated that her body had been left a “saggy mess” by her weight loss, and insisted she needed a tummy tuck. Now she says that in April last year, an NHS psychologist advised her to have children before a tummy tuck, because pregnancy would “undo” the results of surgery.
Incredibly, despite admitting she wasn’t ready to become a mum, Siobhan, who only wants one child, decided to try for a baby to speed up her bid for surgery. Now she’s five months pregnant – and set to be a single mum after splitting from her partner – but is hoping to have a tummy tuck by the end of the year.
Siobhan, who’s 5ft 2 and now 10st, says: “My body’s disgusting – my saggy belly hangs down to my thighs. I know it sounds like the wrong reason to have a child, but I’m desperate. Once I’ve had a tummy tuck, I’ll feel so much better. I’ve always wanted a baby, I’m just bringing it forward.”
Siobhan – who’s already had an arm lift, chest uplift and boob job, paid for by her grandad – began comfort eating aged 13, when her gran, who lived with her, went into a home.
'My saggy belly hangs down to my thighs'
Siobhan – who’s already had an arm lift, chest uplift and boob job, paid for by her grandad – began comfort eating aged 13, when her gran, who lived with her, went into a home.
“I missed Gran. I started ordering takeaways when Mum was working in the evenings, with money I’d stolen from her. I’d also binge on packets of biscuits and crisps,” recalls Siobhan, who has no contact with her dad.
Aged 15, Siobhan, who’s from Glasgow, was 15st. Her mum tried to get her to diet, but Siobhan continued to binge in secret. By the time she was 21, she’d reached 22st and a size 30.
“My size hadn’t got me down before, I think I’d been in denial – that was the wake-up call,” says Siobhan who, on a typical day, skipped breakfast and had a Chinese takeaway for lunch and dinner, then snacked on crisps, biscuits and four litres of Coke a day – totalling 10,000 calories.
She says: “I tried walking into town every day, but my thighs rubbed. I felt it was too late for diets. A family member suggested having a gastric band – there didn’t seem any point in waiting.”
After discovering that a gastric- band operation – during which the stomach is made smaller so only limited portions can be eaten – costs up to £11,000 in the UK, Siobhan paid £3,500 to have the surgery in Belgium.
In January 2006, she had the 50-minute op, which a friend funded, but soon struggled to change her eating habits.
“I was advised to eat less and go for liquids to start with, but I only managed for a week. I missed takeaways and carried on bingeing,” she recalls.
Unsurprisingly, all the fatty food made Siobhan vomit – but rather than acting as a deterrent, she enjoyed the feeling of control it gave her. She says: “I realised I could still eat what I wanted, but vomiting afterwards would stop me gaining weight.”
Her grandad, Ronald, 89, paid £5,100 for her to have an arm lift, chest uplift and 32F breast implants in 2011 – but he couldn’t stretch to a £3,000 tummy tuck so, in April 2012, Siobhan met with an NHS psychologist to beg for help.
She says: “I was so miserable. I didn’t have the confidence to apply for jobs and wanted the lights off in the bedroom when I was with my boyfriend. I met an NHS psychologist who would decide whether or not I was suitable for the NHS waiting list for tummy tucks and she asked me about my future plans and if I wanted kids.
“She said it was advisable to have kids before a tummy tuck, because getting pregnant would ‘undo’ the results of the surgery. I told her I wanted to be a mum – but just one baby. I considered saying I didn’t want kids at all to speed up getting the surgery, but I realised she was right. I didn’t want to have the op, then wreck it later by getting pregnant.”
Alarmingly, Siobhan decided pregnancy was her only option. She says: “I believed having a baby would solve all my problems – I’d get a tummy tuck and find a job, and having a baby to look after would take my mind off food.
'I believed having a baby would solve all my problems-I'd get a tummy tuck and find a job'
“My partner and I decided to start trying for a family, even though we didn’t live together. We’d both always wanted to be parents, we were just bringing it forward. But I didn’t tell my family – I thought they’d disapprove.”
Six months later, in September 2012, Siobhan discovered she was pregnant. She says: “I instantly felt regret. I was scared – I wasn’t ready. The stress made me binge that day and I vomited. But I was determined to go ahead with it.”
To add to her worries, two months ago, Siobhan, who still has her gastric band, split with her partner due to the strain. She says: “I know people might think I’ve been stupid. My main reason for having the baby is selfish, but it’s not like I don’t want a child. I still binge occasionally, but I’m trying to stop and seeking counselling. I keep thinking about how much better things will be after I’ve had the surgery. I’ll make it work and be a good mum.”
Siobhan adds: “I’ve spoken to a private surgeon who’s confirmed the NHS will be more likely to give me a tummy tuck after I’ve had a baby – I hope my dream comes true by the end of the year. If I do get it done, I’ll take every precaution I can to avoid falling pregnant again.”
Closer’s Dr Christian says: “The NHS always advise women to have children before considering a tummy tuck, because during pregnancy the woman’s stomach stretches, and if she was to have children after a tummy tuck, some of the good work received during the procedure would be undone. However, the NHS only perform tummy tucks in exceptional circumstances as it’s a cosmetic procedure and not a priority.”