Rebecca Deicu, a mother from Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, has halved her body weight, dropping from 26 stone to 14 stone over 18 months following gastric sleeve surgery. Despite this remarkable achievement, the 37-year-old says she finds it difficult to feel confident or sexy due to the large amount of loose skin left on her stomach, arms, and legs.
Rebecca recounts her struggles with weight from a young age, having struggled since she was ten and frequently consuming meal portions sized for three people. At her heaviest, she was a dress size 26 and weighed 26 stone, which affected many aspects of her life, including being unable to fit on rollercoasters and fearing she might break garden chairs.
After years of yo-yo dieting and failed attempts to maintain weight loss, Rebecca chose to join the NHS waiting list for a gastric sleeve in 2020. She underwent the procedure in March 2025 after a five-year wait. Since then, the 5ft 6in teaching assistant has lost around 12 stone, reducing to a dress size 14.
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However, the weight loss has left her with significant loose skin, which has impacted her comfort and self-confidence. She describes the skin on her arms as so loose she could “slap herself in the face” with it. Despite her husband’s unwavering support and love regardless of her size, Rebecca admits she feels less confident, especially in intimate situations, and often opts to wear loose clothing to hide her loose skin.
Now, Rebecca is fundraising to cover the estimated £15,000 cost for surgery to remove the excess skin, as she was informed that the procedure is not available through the NHS in her case. She hopes that the surgery will allow her to enjoy activities she currently avoids, like wearing a swimsuit or getting a massage, without discomfort or embarrassment.
Rebecca expressed mixed emotions about her journey: “Having the gastric sleeve is the best thing I’ve ever done, but this loose skin is so uncomfortable and frustrating. I see the thinner person inside, but that skin feels like a shell I can’t shed. I hope to feel amazing in my body someday soon.”
A spokesperson for NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board commented, “We appreciate Rebecca’s feelings following gastric sleeve surgery. While we cannot discuss individual cases, there is a process for reviewing funding requests based on clinical evidence and personal circumstances. We encourage patients to contact their local Patient Advice and Liaison Service for more information.”