Mumbai: Surgery helps man lose 41 kg in four weeks

(From left) Dietician Mariam Lakdawala, Kajol Limbachiya, Dr Aparna Bhasker, Kalpesh and his mother

Obesity coupled with other health issues meant I was not able to lie flat on the bed, forcing me to sleep while sitting on the sofa. I had no desire to live, but my wife, mother and doctors gave me hope and motivated me to fight against obesity," said Kalpesh Limbachiya, who lost 41 kg in four weeks after bariatric surgery.

Limbachiya, a 38-year-old resident of Borivli West, used to weigh 264 kg in December 2022. Apart from obesity, he also suffers from associated diseases such as type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, severe obstructive sleep apnoea, cellulitis of the abdomen and both legs, breathlessness, gout and varicose veins. His condition was so bad that he could not even walk a few yards. His family and friends, who were concerned about his health, took him to Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker, consultant bariatric and laparoscopic surgeon at Namaha Hospital in Kandivli.

Doctor Speak

Dr Bhasker said, "When we first consulted Kalpesh, he could barely walk. He was extremely breathless and had cellulitis on his legs and lower abdomen. He had multiple comorbidities and was extremely nervous. Due to excessive abdominal fat and fragile metabolic condition, he was at the tipping point. Bariatric surgery was the only option for him."

Kalpesh Limbachiya, a Borivli resident

To prepare for surgery, Limbachiya was kept on a high-protein liquid diet for four weeks. He then underwent bariatric surgery in the form of a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on December 20 last year.

"The surgical procedure was technically very difficult due to excess fat and large size of the liver. The surgery lasted for three hours, after which the patient was kept in the ICU for a day. He will be able to start exercising for weight loss three months after the surgery," added Dr Bhasker.

She added, "It's been four weeks since the surgery and Kalpesh managed to lose 1.5 kg each day on average. There was a time when he could barely walk, but today he came to the hospital on a bike, riding the vehicle by himself."

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‘Had trouble with everything'

Limbachiya told mid-day, "I gained excess weight during the lockdown, which gave rise to other health ailments. Though I had accepted that I was overweight, body-shaming was common. I had to stop going to my office too as I couldn't move on my own and needed help from others."

Explaining the problems he faced, he said, "I had to ask my friends who have huge cars to go to my doctor appointments as I could not fit into my subcompact car. I could not even get into auto rickshaws or taxis. I remember one day I was not able to sit in an Omni taxi."

His wife Kajol said, "He had lost all hopes, but the whole family stood beside him and motivated him to overcome the hurdles. I fought with people who body-shamed him for his weight. He has been doing well after the surgery. He has not only lost weight but his other health parameters are also gradually moving towards normal. I would like to thank Dr Bhasker and the team at the hospital for treating him."

264 kg
Limbachiya's weight in December 2022