‘I was called fat and lazy ... it was true’
44-year-old expat saw his sleep apnoea and hypertension cured and diabetes a worry of the past after the surgery
Amotorbike accident about eight years ago had left Marcus Lynock unable to undertake physical activities. With a busy job, the 44-yearold security executive from the UK gradually gained weight till he tipped the scales at 111kg.
Standing at 5 feet 11 inches, Lynock’s height hid some of his weight. But the comorbidities of obesity were unmistakable.
“I was suffering from sleep apnoea, diabetes, hypertension and hypocholesteraemia. And I knew it was not healthy to have gained 30kg,” Lynock told Gulf News. “The worst part was that I was always tired. I had no energy to take my children to the park, even on weekends, and when people said I was fat and lazy, I knew it was true,” he added.
Lynock remembers being impatient to undergo bariatric surgery, but his surgeon ensured that he saw a psychologist. Because of his sleep apnoea, sleep training was also part of the prep for the surgery.
“I saw different specialists who worked with me to prepare for the changes after the procedure. All of this took about three months. At the same time, in the month before the surgery, I was on a protein-heavy diet that included milkshakes, soups and protein bars,” Lynock said.
Back at work
Lynock finally underwent bariatric surgery at Healthpoint in October 2016, and it cost him Dh45,000.
A day after the procedure, his blood pressure returned to normal levels and within three days, his sleep apnoea was cured. In time, his diabetes also became a worry of the past. “I was back at work in five days, and within a year, I had lost all the 30 kilograms of excess weight,” Lynock said.
More importantly, he was able to do many things that had not been possible before.
“I had wanted to get on the roller coaster at Ferrari World, and I could finally do it. I now go swimming two to three times a week, and regularly play tennis with my wife. And instead of being the one who gets tired at the park, it is my toddler who tires out first. It’s a great feeling,” Lynock said.
The procedure did, however, mean that the father of three had to consciously make some lifestyle changes. Initially, Lynock was unable to eat solids for three months, and afterwards, he has to reduce his portion sizes.
“It also required a change in mindset. I would sometimes use food to comfort myself, and I had a few down days after the procedure because I could no longer do that. But I soon trained myself to eat a kid’s meal instead of a Big Mac with fries,” Lynock said.