Woman Left Paralyzed After Weight Loss Surgery in Turkey

After undergoing weight loss surgery, a woman became paralyzed from the neck down. Turkey .

At 28 stone and unable to walk, Danielle Peebles strongly desired to get healthier for her soon-to-be-born grandson.

The individual, aged 42, traveled to Turkey in 2023 and spent £2,995 on a gastric sleeve surgery because they opted against waiting for the treatment through the NHS.

However, she started facing complications shortly after coming back to the UK.

The woman, who has five children, saw her health gradually decline until she fell ill last year. She was later identified as having nutritional neuropathy, a rare and serious vitamin deficiency.

This led to a five-month hospitalization at Salford Royal Hospital in Greater Manchester, where she regained her ability to walk, even though doctors had concerns about potential permanent paralysis.

She described it as 'the most difficult period of her life,' stating, 'I was paralyzed from the neck down except for excruciating pain in my feet that worsened with even the lightest contact.'

Later, Danielle discovered the severity of her nerve damage and the potential of being unable to walk ever again.

The actual surgery part went well for me," she explained. "It was more about how my body responded to it.

'She highlighted that nobody tells you about getting nutritional neuropathy from inadequate nutrition.'

'You aren’t informed about these side effects as they occur extremely infrequently.'

The increasing appeal of Turkish weight-loss clinics

Approximately 50,000 British people visit Turkey annually for weight loss surgeries, marking a considerable rise from about 10,000 cases five years back, as reported by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS).

The primary attraction is the lower cost, with treatments being up to 70% less expensive compared to those in the UK.

For instance, gastric sleeve operations typically range from approximately $5,400 to $9,000 AUD, whereas they can be as high as $14,400 to $21,600 AUD in the UK.

Nevertheless, many reports of complications have surfaced along with worries regarding the standard of care provided.

The Private Healthcare Information Network reported that approximately 1,000 patients encountered problems following treatments overseas, leading numerous individuals to consider seeking legal counsel.

Daniel's family, encompassing her spouse Stephen, went through significant anguish as she remained hospitalized for several months recuperating.

“She mentioned that they were unsure about what would unfold,” he stated.

Five months later, Danielle started to recover feeling in her extremities.

She commended the hospital team, highlighting the role of physiotherapists, support staff, and dietitians in helping her regain her ability to walk.

She had great praise for neurologist Dr Dan Whittam who 'went above and beyond' to assist her.

She has recently come together again with the healthcare professionals who provided her transformative treatment.

'Thank you to 'Dr Dan' first and foremost for helping me get through everything and for aiding my recovery, along with all the nurses on unit and ward L1,' she expressed.

Looking back at her journey, Dr Whittam remarked: “Seeing her walk without so much as a crutch surpassed what I anticipated, and her resolve was truly motivating.”

Speaking about her recuperation, Danielle’s spouse Stephen stated: 'Danielle has performed exceptionally well, and I am incredibly proud of her.'

'She is still in the initial phases of her recuperation, yet she remains resolute in pursuing as ordinary a lifestyle as feasible.'

Contact our news team by sending an email to webnews@.co.uk .

To find similar tales, check our news page .

Get the latest on all the buzzworthy stories by subscribing to 's News Updates newsletter.

Berbagi :