From childhood, she struggled with obesity. She did not consider herself sick, although at a critical moment she weighed 136 kg. It was a coincidence that she was on the operating table. Today I thank fate for this chance. Bariatric surgery, i.e. surgical treatment of obesity, not only improved the comfort of her life. Read the interview with Katarzyna Partyka, who is currently president of the CHLO Bariatric Patient Association and helps hundreds of other obese patients.

How did you get obese?

- Until I was 4, I was a child of the correct weight. However, I liked to be praised for "I ate nicely". I wanted my grandmother and parents to be happy with me. This way I put on weight and when I was 7-8 years old the nurse worried about my condition. She alerted my parents, who from then on paid more attention to what I eat. Obesity was not so common then. People thought that a big child is a he althy and strong child.

How did you feel with the extra pounds?

- I am quite an unusual case. I don't remember having any complexes at school. I guess it was because of my character. My only frustration was that there were no nice clothes in the stores. But apart from that, I have always believed that you have to be optimistic about life and be content with yourself.

Did you try to use slimming diets before you decided to undergo bariatric surgery?

- In high school, I went on a strict, eighteen-month diet. I lost up to 60 kg. It so happened that it was just before the prom, so I looked fantastic at the prom. Unfortunately, the kilograms returned within 3-4 months. After a while, I wanted to be thin again. So I tried various diets - Dukan, cabbage and many others. I followed the standard route most obese people take before deciding to have surgery.

What then prompted you to undergo bariatric surgery?

- I went to the doctor with a completely different problem - a tumor near the thyroid gland. I was very lucky because at the same time, in the hospital where I was operated on, they were looking for patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver for tests. The professor who consulted me andnoticed my obesity, said: "we will operate on your stomach".

Earlier, somewhere in the back of my head, I had a thought to become interested in the surgical treatment of obesity, but I quickly came to the conclusion - what do I need this for? I'm he althy.

It turned out that the surgeon who operated on my tumor underwent bariatric surgery himself. Meeting someone face to face with a similar problem made me realize that I needed the procedure. I underwent a sleeve gastrectomy. We commonly call him sleeve.

Obesity is a disease
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Obesity has been officially recognized as a disease by the World He alth Organization. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in Poland. Already 700,000 Poles with third degree obesity need a life-saving bariatric surgery. A bariatric patient requires the interdisciplinary care of specialists in the fields of surgery, psychology, dietetics and physiotherapy.

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How did you prepare for the surgery?

- I was recommended to lose 10 kg. Nordic walking and cycling helped me a lot in losing weight. I trained conscientiously for five months and it worked. However, I underwent surgery 5 years ago. Now, the preparations for such a procedure include not only weight reduction, but also cooperation with a psychologist and physiotherapist.

How did the surgery affect your life?

- Gained a new dimension. I set up my own company and became actively involved in social activities. A few days after leaving the hospital, I met the first person whom I helped decide on the operation. Three months after our first meeting, when this patient saw me 30 kg lighter, he already knew that he wanted to undergo the procedure too.

When more and more people suffering from obesity started to visit me, I came up with the idea to formalize this activity somehow. This is how the CHLO Bariatric Patients Association was established, in which I work pro bono, i.e. without remuneration.

How do you support the association's charges?

- First of all, I share with them my experiences and the experiences of people I met on my way. The association creates support groups for bariatric patients. We help in contact with specialists. We make sure that the patient does not get lost in the maze of recommendations. But we also motivate each other to act independently.

Ultimately, it is no one else, only the patient himself must show will and determination so that the efforts of the entire team of doctors and specialists lead him to success and change his life for the better.

And what is your life as a patient five years after?operation?

- Maintaining my current weight does not cost me a lot of sacrifices. I have already learned to control my disease, which is obesity. I even eat sweets if I feel like it. Of course, in moderation.

I also pay attention to the composition of products, I avoid processed foods and try to prepare food myself, from scratch. As for exercise, I don't train regularly at the moment because I don't have enough time. But by nature I am an energetic person, I cannot sit still for long, so I keep fit by fulfilling my daily duties (laughs).

Important

Poradnikzdrowie.pl supports safe treatment and a dignified life of people suffering from obesity. This article does not contain discriminatory and stigmatizing content of people suffering from obesity.

Category:

Obesity