Pamela Phillips, 42, from Wolverhampton, lost 3 stone on weight loss jabs but piled it back on after she could no longer afford them. She claims GLP-1s 'didn't solve the long-term problem.'
A History of Yo-Yo Dieting
Pamela battled with her weight during her teenage years, trying numerous diets. Despite her efforts, she repeatedly shed and regained pounds, reaching a peak of 22st 7lbs in 2010 after the birth of her daughter. She continued to yo-yo diet, losing around four stone each summer but regaining it each winter when she became less active.
Weight Loss Jabs: A Temporary Solution
In early 2022, weighing 20st 11lbs, Pamela tried Saxenda jabs at £170 per month. By June, she had effortlessly lost 3st, but financial pressures forced her to stop. She hoped to maintain her new figure without them, but by October, food cravings and snacking habits returned, and she regained the weight.
Health Crisis and Bariatric Surgery
In January 2023, chronic back problems required surgery, but surgeons said her weight was an obstacle. She needed to lose several stones urgently. Pamela opted for gastric sleeve surgery in May 2023, costing £10,500 at Tonic in the Midlands. She dropped from 20st 8lbs to 11st and has maintained her slender physique through lifestyle changes.
Pamela, a wellbeing coordinator, said: 'The jabs helped me lose the weight, but it was expensive. When things get tight, you give up your luxuries, and the weight just crept back on. Then I was told by doctors that I needed to lose weight fast for surgery to treat my back, which was when I looked into bariatric surgery. Since I lost the weight, I've kept it off, and I feel fitter, healthier and younger. If not for bariatric surgery, I'd still have been stuck in that rut. Jabs worked in the moment for me, but they didn't solve the long-term problem.'
Long-Term Struggle with Weight
Pamela embarked on her first diet at age 15, trying Weight Watchers after feeling larger than her classmates. She consistently regained the weight. At 18, she weighed 15st and experimented with popular diets throughout her 20s. Her weight soared after her first child in 2010 and a second in 2015. She also battled three prolapsed discs in her back, causing discomfort and limiting movement. Each summer, she would lose up to 4st, but winter brought weight regain.
Pamela said: 'In summer I'd lose the weight, but in winter I'd be in pain with my back, and I would put it on again. It was the same three or four stone every year, coming on, going off.'
Financial Barriers and Regain
In January 2022, she bought her first month's supply of Saxenda from an internet pharmacy for £170. She noticed reduced cravings and minimal side effects. By June, she had dropped 3st, but the monthly expense became unaffordable. Despite her best efforts, the weight returned. She said: 'In October, when I had regained the weight, I did buy another pen. But it didn't seem to work that time.'
A Turning Point
By January 2023, her back problems worsened, and doctors warned that prolapsed discs had caused nerve damage. She faced losing leg function without surgery, but her weight was too high to proceed. Seeking a swift solution, she explored bariatric surgery and underwent the procedure in April 2023. Since then, she has trimmed down to 11st and kept it off. Pamela said: 'You still have to think about what you're eating, but I still eat normal food, just smaller portions. Now I've got a thirst for life and it feels exciting.'
