A DEVOTED mum has transformed her life and waistline after vowing to lose weight for the sake of her baby daughter.

Sophie Bradley has so far lost an incredible five stones, following a gastric sleeve op in Turkey, and credits her baby daughter, Jacqueline, as her inspiration.

Sophie, 26, was overwhelmed with guilt when weight-related pregnancy issues meant she had to give birth prematurely and baby Jacqueline was rushed to ICU with breathing difficulties.

But it was a turning point for Sophie, who paid for her own gastric surgery in Turkey, and now wants others to know about her experiences.

Sophie has dropped from over 17 to 12 stones and from a dress size 24 to a 14. She is still steadily losing weight.

Sophie, from Port Glasgow, says: “The first time I saw my newborn daughter she was covered in wires and tubes and I blamed myself. I knew it was a turning point for me.

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“I’ve heard some horror stories about weight loss surgery overseas. But my surgery was the best decision I ever made.”

FEELING HOPELESS

Sophie, a receptionist, had been overweight since she was a child and was bullied throughout primary and high schools.

By the time she left primary school, aged 11, she was a size 14-16.

She says: “The bullying got so bad I had to move schools.

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"I was pretty miserable and of course I ate more to make myself feel better.

“My real weakness was crisps; I could eat a big family bag of onion rings in one sitting. I loved takeaways too, especially Chinese.

“I tried several diets but always put back on more than I’d lost. I felt hopeless.”

After leaving school, Sophie started dating her husband, Glenn, and she continued to gain weight. 

Aged 19, she was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and kidney problems.

She was also warned she would struggle to conceive.

Sophie says: “It should have been a huge wake up call; I was just a teenager and I had serious weight-related health problems. But I just went into denial.”

Aged 23, she fell pregnant with the couple’s first child.

Sophie says: “We were over the moon, especially since I’d been warned I would struggle to conceive. 

“But I had to stop taking a lot of my medication which caused problems and I was eventually diagnosed with preeclampsia.”

The birth was induced prematurely, and baby Jacqueline was born by emergency caesarean section in September 2020. 

She suffered breathing difficulties and was rushed to special care.

Sophie says: “When I was allowed to see her, she was covered in wires and tubes and I just thought, ‘This is all my fault.’ It really upset me.

“I felt an overwhelming guilt because I knew my weight was to blame.”

TAKING CONTROL

In January 2022, Sophie saw her GP and was accepted for weight loss surgery, but warned the waiting list was up to five years. 

She and Glenn began saving and researching private options and in August 2022, she travelled to Turkey for a gastric sleeve, costing £3,300.

By now, Sophie weighed just over 17 stones and was a dress size 22-24. At just 5’4” she was classed as dangerously obese.

The surgery, at Gozde International Hospital, Izmir, went well. 

Sophie says: “I flew home three days later. Obviously I was in pain and I felt nauseous, but overall it went exactly to plan.”

Sophie began losing weight and in the past eight months she has lost an incredible five stones. 

She now weighs 12 stones and is a dress size 14.

She says: “I was really pleased with my weight loss. Better still, my health problems have all disappeared. 

“I am no longer diabetic, I have normal blood pressure and I don’t take any medication. I’m in the gym all the time. 

“Mentally, the journey has been up and down. My brain can’t keep up with the physical changes and sometimes, I struggle to feel pleased with my progress. 

“That’s something which will improve over time.

“I can run around after Jacqueline now. I can fit on the slide at the park with her, and I can take her on rides. Those moments are priceless.

“I know there are risks with weight loss surgery, and in particular surgery in Turkey often gets bad press. But I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. 

“The surgery has completely changed my life and given me a future.

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 “I can finally stop punishing myself and feel rightly proud of who I am.”

Sophie documents her journey on TikTok at sophgotsleeved.

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