A WOMAN was left paralysed from the neck down after getting weight loss surgery in Turkey.
Weighing 28 stone and barely able to walk, Danielle Peeble, 42, was “desperate” to get the surgery so she could “push her baby grandson around the park”.
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But after flying back to the UK, she was warned by doctors she may never walk again.
Danielle travelled to Turkey for a gastric sleeve operation in the summer 2023, choosing to get the surgery abroad due to long waits for weight loss surgery on the NHS.
She told Manchester Evening News: “I was absolutely desperate. I put on a lot of weight over the years.
“It’s a long wait on the NHS for surgery and I appreciate that, no one could really tell me how long that was going to be.
“I was trying to improve myself, and be a better mum and a better nana as quickly as possible as my grandson was about to be born.
“I was doing what I thought was best for us.”
The surgery cost Danielle £2,995 and went smoothly, which was a relief as she’d been feeling nervous to do it.
But the gran knew something was wrong the moment she arrived back home.
“I just couldn’t eat, I couldn’t keep anything down, I could barely have any liquid,” Danielle said.
“That carried on for weeks and months, I just couldn’t tolerate anything.”
Danielle emailed back and forth with medics at the Turkish hospital, but in December 2023 they told her to go to A&E.
There, the gran was told she was severely dehydrated and placed on a drip.
But she was back in hospital in January 2024 after feeling her legs go numb and collapsing.
Danielle said: “I’d never had weight loss surgery, so I didn’t know if this was just part of it.
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“But then I collapsed and when I came round, I was paralysed from the neck down and couldn’t walk.”
Danielle was diagnosed with nutritional neuropathy, a rare and severe vitamin deficiency that resulted in severe nerve damage, causing paralysis.
She couldn’t walk or move but her feet would be racked with agonising pain at the slightest touch.
“I don’t think I quite realised that I was paralysed, it takes a doctor to tell you even though you can’t walk,” Danielle revealed.
What are the risks of getting surgery abroad?
IT’S important to do your research if you’re thinking about having cosmetic surgery abroad.
It can cost less than in the UK, but you need to weigh up potential savings against the potential risks.
Safety standards in different countries may not be as high.
No surgery is risk-free. Complications can happen after surgery in the UK or abroad.
If you have complications after an operation in the UK, the surgeon is responsible for providing follow-up treatment.
Overseas clinics may not provide follow-up treatment, or they may not provide it to the same standard as in the UK.
Also, they may not have a healthcare professional in the UK you can visit if you have any problems.
Source: NHS
“I don’t think I understood the severity of how poorly I was. Then I was told I had very severe nerve damage and might not walk again.
“The surgical side of my procedure had all been fine, it was how my body dealt with it.
“You don’t hear that you can get nutritional neuropathy from not eating. You’re not told about these side effects because they’re so rare.
“It really upset me, I had such mum guilt. The surgery had totally backfired.”
‘Inspiring’
Danielle spent five months under the care of medics at the Salford Royal Hospital, unsure if she would ever recover.
But – slowly but surely – she began to regain sensation in her limbs.
With the help of physiotherapists, support workers and dietitians, the gran was able to make small but steady gains with movement.
She was able to lift herself up to give her son a cuddle, and has now progressed to being able to walk.
Danielle said she still has “a long way to go”, but she’s been able to accomplish more than she dreamed she could just a few months ago.
She recently visited the hospital again, walking unaided to say a big thank you to Dr Dan Whittam, a consultant in the neurology department who was heavily involved in her care.
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A heartwarming video shows the pair sharing an emotional hug as they reunite.
“To get where I am now, being a mum, a wife and a nanna it’s the best thing. I owe Salford Royal a lot of gratitude,” she said.
Speaking after being reunited with Danielle at Salford Royal, Dr Whittam, said: “It’s amazing to see Danielle, I almost didn’t recognise her.
“To see her walking without even a crutch really exceeded my expectations and her determination has been inspiring.”
“To hear how she’s back enjoying life and feeling so positive, that’s incredible.”
