REAL PATIENT STORIES

In high school I was a trim slender girl who participated in many games. I really liked my shape and how I felt about myself. Both boys and girls told me I was beautiful. I wasn’t vain but I knew their compliments were true. In college I partied and we had fun. I gained some weight but it didn’t bother me. My boyfriend said I was gorgeous.

College came and went, and I got my first job, and then marriage. These were my golden years, the job, money and a loving hubby. My hectic work schedules left me with minimal time for a gym and other physical activities. My mother was a good cook, I loved her food and also learnt how to cook as a girl. My career and life challenges took away my cooking time.

In our second year of marriage I was blessed with a beautiful baby boy. Together with the boy, I padded, soon I had fat everywhere. My loving hubby called it love hurdles. Little did I know it was a disease.

Soon I started feeling tired, my moods changed, I became irritable and also became withdrawn.
From once outgoing extrovert girl, I started feeling there was something wrong with me. I visited the doctors who did many tests and yet nothing was found. Eventually one doctor thought my real problem was my increased body weight. I now weighed 140 kilograms. Luckily for me I didn’t have high blood pressure or diabetes, diseases associated with that kind of body weight.  My doctor told me that with time it was likely that I would develop those diseases and even others, associated with obesity. I started explaining to him that I tried weight loss by diet and exercises but really there was no real change. I had tried harder but it didn’t work.

My doctor said he would then refer me to a specialist gastrointestinal and obesity surgeon would advise me better. This is how I came to be referred to Dr. Miriti Kiraitu. I arrived at his clinic at the Kenya Medical Association center Upperhill, 2pm on a Thursday April 2016. I had never been to his clinic before and didn’t know what to expect. His secretary settled me in the reception area and told me the doctor would soon be arriving. Shortly thereafter the doctor arrived and I was ushered into his office.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries he asked me about my problem. I told him that I was referred to him because of my weight problem. He asked many questions concerning my food, feeding habits, exercises, my previous weight, he asked me to stand on the weight machine and then took my weight and height. He calculated my BMI, which we found to be 44 Kg/m².

He told me that I had obesity class III and that with time I would develop many obesity related diseases.

We discussed various options and I settled on sleeve gastrectomy. Three weeks later he performed my surgery at one of the Nairobi hospitals and three days later I was discharged from the hospital. Within a month, I lost over 10 kilograms. Now it’s almost 2years after my surgery and I have lost about 30 percent of my excess weight.

I now feel like the girl I used to know. My energy and groove is back. I enjoy my social activities, my family life, my job and most important how I feel about myself and my looks are back.

Obesity surgery saved my life, improved my family life and my career. Many thanks to the doctors and the team at the Digestive and Bariatric Clinic.

I had struggled with weight for a very long time. After reading so many articles, I finally decided to book my ticket to India to undergo obesity surgery at their hospitals. Then a colleague mentioned about a friend of hers who underwent obesity surgery by Dr. Kiraitu. The friend of my friend referred me to Dr. Kiraitu’s clinic. As I sat waiting for my turn to see him, I read through the obesity brochure at his reception desk. I immediately felt reassured by the team of surgeons and the nutritionist working there. I finally got to see Dr. Kiraitu, a tall, academic looking doctor.  He listened attentively as I explained my problems to him and my decision to undergo obesity surgery.

He examined me, took my height and weight and sent me to the laboratory for a number of tests. He explained to me the various operations to reduce weight. In 2018, I decided to have gastric sleeve. After the operation I have since lost 20 kilograms. I feel awesome. I am continuing with my dietary and exercises to maintain my weight on the downward trend.

The nutritional and obesity clinic truly helped me achieve my weight loss. After surgery I have continued to see the surgeon for the follow up and Linah the nutritionist who advises on my diet and lifestyle.

Congratulations for your good work.