UK Mum Left Paralyzed from Neck Down After Desperate Bid for Weight Loss in Turkey

42-year-old Danielle Peebles took the life-altering step of weight loss surgery in Turkey in 2023. Driven by a need to be healthier ahead of her grandson's arrival, she hoped that the surgery would provide a clean slate. Yet what started out as a positive experience soon escalated into a healthcare nightmare that saw her temporarily paralyzed from the neck down.

Danielle was 28 stone (around 177kg) at the time she underwent her operation. Bothered with the waiting list of up to seven years for NHS bariatric surgery, she decided to go abroad for a gastric sleeve operation at a cost of £2,995 self-paid. Initially, everything seemed to go according to plan. She described the Turkish facility as impressive and was relieved when doctors told her the surgery had been a success.

The relief was short-lived. Once back in the UK, Danielle’s health began to deteriorate. She couldn't eat or drink, even managing to keep water down. It continued for weeks, then months. While she phoned the Turkish hospital to get advice, distance meant she could not have access to the care she required. Eventually, she did what they recommended and visited A&E, where severe dehydration was diagnosed in December 2023.

Things continued to go from bad to worse in January 2024. Following numbness in her legs, she fainted and woke up to discover she had lost all function below the neck. The doctors diagnosed her with nutritional neuropathy—a not commonly seen disorder due to extreme vitamin deficiencies, usually resulting from malnutrition after bariatric weight-loss surgery. Although the operation itself had gone on smoothly, the inability of her body to process nutrients led to a chain reaction with disastrous consequences.

Danielle reported the excruciating pain in her feet, which would increase even with light pressure. Paralysis was shocking. She said it took a medical professional to make her fully understand the extent of her condition. The prognosis was grim: doctors feared she might never walk again due to the extensive nerve damage.

Her five-month stay at Salford Royal Hospital in Greater Manchester marked one of the most difficult periods of her life. She was isolated from her children and husband and tortured by guilt, particularly for not spending time with her new grandson. In spite of the emotional struggle, Danielle was pledged to an aggressive rehabilitation program with physio, nutrition management, and continuous support of a dedicated team of experts.

Slowly, she started regaining sensation in her limbs. Perhaps the most emotional experience of her recovery was the first time lifting her head to embrace her son. Through determination and the steadfast care of her medical team—particularly neurologist Dr. Dan Whittam—Danielle moved from complete paralysis to walking with support.

In an emotional reunion, Danielle visited Salford Royal to express thanks to the team that saw her through her experience. Unassisted, she went to hug Dr. Whittam, now a consultant in neurology, telling him how much she owed him. "To progress from being absolutely immobile to walking, and to be home with my family—it means everything," she explained.
Her husband, Stephen, praised her strength and determination. “She’s come so far and still has a way to go, but Danielle is focused on living life fully again.”

This experience has cast light on the growing number of UK residents seeking cheaper weight loss surgeries abroad, often unaware of the risks. Doctors are worried about surgery complications like Danielle's, which are putting a strain on NHS resources through follow-up operations and long hospital stays. An estimated 5,000 Britons fly abroad for weight loss surgery annually, typically because they are cheaper, but others like Danielle pay a far higher cost.

Experts note that patients who have such operations are at a very high risk of nutritional deficiency because food intake is drastically decreased, particularly of critical vitamins such as B-complex, which is required for nerve health. Although these complications are not common, they can be life-changing.

Looking back, Danielle admits she hadn’t realized the potential dangers. “I thought I was doing the right thing for my family,” she said. “But I had no idea how serious the risks could be.” Now, she’s focused on her recovery and cherishing time with her loved ones. “Being a mum, a wife, and a nana again, that’s what keeps me going.”

References:

1. The Sun. 2025. "Mum Paralysed from the Neck Down after Weight Loss Surgery in Turkey." The Sun, April 3, 2025. https://www.thesun.co.uk/health/34254360/mum-paralysed-neck-down-turkey-weight-loss-surgery/.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)