A woman flew to Turkey to have half her stomach removed before losing over 16-and-a-half stone after a psychic predicted she would die without drastic action.
Rebecca Wilkinson, 30, began struggling with her weight during her teenage years.
Issues began after she got pregnant at the age of 18, causing her to gain nearly 10 stone in just under two years.
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She also struggled with her diet - often indulging in two takeaways a day followed by snacks such as chocolate, crisps, and sweets with litres of Lucozade.
Rebecca weighed 28st 12lbs at her heaviest and struggled to fit into a size 28-30.
Despite dieting for years, the mum-of-one saw no changes - it took a trip to a psychic that 'scared' her into action.
The psychic revealed she had 'no future' if she continued with her unhealthy habits - he noted she had to 'do whatever it takes or die'.
The grim news threw Rebecca straight into her weight loss journey and she booked a flight to Antalya, Turkey, to undergo a private gastric sleeve operation in September 2020.
She lost a staggering 16st 7lb only one year after the surgery - slimming her down to 12st 5lb and a comfortable size 10-14.
Rebecca, an apprentice plasterer, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, said: “I was desperate after years of trying and failing to lose weight.
“During a visit to my psychic, he scared me into action.
“He said he saw 'no life' for me on the cards.
“He also said: 'Do what it takes - go to the extreme or you will die.'
“I knew I had to take drastic actions and surgery was the only way.
“The weight has fallen off after having my stomach removed - it’s turned my life around.”
Food was a comfort for Rebecca who was bullied during her teen years.
She said: “I went to an all-girls school, and I was bullied really badly.
"In school they nicknamed me 'Rebecca double-decker' because I was bigger than the others girls.
“I definitely ate to feel better.
“I’d start the day with four pieces of buttered toast, and if I was peckish at midmorning, I’d easily repeat this.
“For lunch I’d get a takeaway and dinner every single night was a takeaway as well.”
Rebecca's weight issues also put tremendous strain on her mental health - she struggled with anxiety and depression.
She hoped for another baby with her partner of 16 years, Matt, 34, who owns a plastering company, but struggled to conceive for the next 12 years due to her weight.
At her biggest, she weighed a whopping 28st 12lbs and struggled to fit into a size 28.
She said: “For years I tried to ignore the mess I was in.
“I wouldn’t leave the house without my mum or fiancé by my side.
“I was selective over where I went in case I didn’t fit in the seat or the toilet cubicle.
“I even had people shouting profanities at me from passing cars."
Feeling 'defeated', Rebecca was ready to 'give up', but that all changed when she visited a psychic in 2020.
According to Rebecca, he couldn’t see a future for her in the cards and told her to ‘sort it now’ or she would die.
“I was sceptical of the psychic at first, but he knew things no one else did,” she said.
“The way he knew about how I’d eat and ‘hibernate’ afterwards.
“I left the reading in tears, but it was important I did.
“He said: 'I don’t see any life left for you.'
“It was the wake up call I needed to change.”
After the reading, Rebecca looked into private surgery for a gastric sleeve in the UK, but it would cost upwards of £12,000.
She found the operation abroad in Turkey costing a fraction of the price - £3,000 - and flew over in September 2020 with her mum, Jayne Nunn, 47, who also underwent the surgery.
The operation involved removing three-quarters of the stomach and the remaining amount formed a 'sleeve' or tube that lead to the intestine.
After the surgery, Rebecca flew back to the UK and had to survive on a diet of liquids, purees, and soft foods for a month before being able to eat solid food again.
Rebecca continues: "My mum came with me and was such a big support.
"It all went well but it was a lot to adjust to with my new diet.
"Now I can only eat small amounts every two hours - like a Babybel or a small bit of protein like a salmon fillet.
"For dinner, I'll usually have a very small portion of whatever I've cooked for the family.
"I don't feel hunger or miss food. "Over a year, Rebecca said the weight 'fell away' and she a lost a whopping 16st 7lb, slimming down to 12st 5lb.
She now wears a size 10-14 and said she's had a whole new lease of life.
Her mum Jayne also lost a staggering 13 stone after the surgery.
Rebecca said: "The weight has fallen off me - it's been amazing.
"Mum did an incredible job as well.
"We're hoping to return to Turkey for another surgery to remove the excess skin.
"I gave up my work from home job and now I'm an apprentice plasterer.
"I enjoy super long walks, going out and socialising which I never imagined would be possible.
"Most importantly, I'm able to move around and live pain-free.
"Hopefully the weight loss will help with my fertility and having another baby.
"It's changed my life."
