8<\/p>\n Georgie Cook, who was told she had heart failure, pictured before her drastic weight lossCredit: Georgie Cook 8<\/p>\n The mum-of-five says she was terrified her kids would grow up without herCredit: Georgie Cook 8<\/p>\n She now feels amazing, and her heart issues have almost disappearedCredit: Georgie Cook<\/p>\n She struggled to breathe on walks in the park with her young family and climbing the stairs – and getting her children out of the bath left her feeling exhausted<\/a>.<\/p>\n Weighing 17.5st and developing worsening heart palpitations<\/a>, the 32-year-old visited her GP<\/a>.<\/p>\n After weeks of back and forth, tests eventually revealed she had developed a condition called peripartum cardiomyopathy<\/a> (PPCM), which caused her heart to become enlarged during her pregnancy.<\/p>\n The rare form of heart failure<\/a> tends to strike in the last month of pregnancy or immediately after delivery, but can develop up to five months after a woman gives birth.<\/p>\n Georgie, who lives with her husband Matt, 34, a carer, and their five kids, Anabelle, 11, Zachary, six, Roy, five, Percy, four, and three-year-old Edward, tells Sun Health: \u201cI\u2019d suffered with heart palpitations for years, but it got worse in my last pregnancy, especially after I had the Pfizer Covid jab four months in.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI had another top-up vaccine over the next few months, and my chest pains became unbearable.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI went back and forth to the doctor, but my symptoms were just put down to stress and anxiety.<\/p>\n \u201cI even went to A&E with chest pains but medics told me it was a normal pregnancy symptom and looked at me as if I was crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n At 37 weeks, Georgie finally had an ECG at the hospital, which confirmed she had PPCM.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt was devastating news, a massive shock,\u201d she says. \u201cMy heart had enlarged during my pregnancies and it couldn\u2019t pump the way it was meant to.<\/p>\n ‘Secret eater’ mums show off their incredible 28 STONE transformation<\/p>\n \u201cIt was made even worse because I was so overweight. I was struggling to catch my breath even on a short walk to the park.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMy consultant told me it could be linked to the Covid jab, and I believe that 100 per cent too. I\u2019ve never had another one since.\u201d<\/p>\n The risk of heart issues after a Covid-19 vaccine is very low, according to the British Heart Foundation.<\/p>\n ‘I was embarrassed to go out’<\/p>\n Doctors prescribed Georgie medication<\/a> – ramipril then ivabradine – but the palpitations and her breathlessness continued.<\/p>\n She gave birth to Edward in October 2021, and carried on as best she could.<\/p>\n But her health<\/a> only continued to decline. And it wasn\u2019t just her racing heart<\/a> that stopped her from going out.<\/p>\n I hated the way I looked and was always trying to cover up under baggy clothes. I was embarrassed to go out<\/p>\n Georgie Cook<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cClimbing the stairs or lifting the kids out of the bath made my heart race,\u201d Georgie says.<\/p>\n \u201cEven getting them ready to leave the house could trigger palpitations, and often I would have to cancel going out.<\/p>\n \u201cThey would take their coats and wellies off because I wasn\u2019t feeling well, I felt so awful.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it wasn\u2019t just that. I was hugely overweight, at 17st 8lb and a size 24 and just 5ft 3ins.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though I cooked healthy meals for the kids, I found myself wolfing down leftovers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThen there was junk food and takeaways, I couldn\u2019t resist.<\/p>\n \u201cI hated the way I looked and was always trying to cover up under baggy clothes.<\/p>\n \u201cWhenever we did make it to the park, I\u2019d imagine other mums staring at me. I was embarrassed to go out.\u201d<\/p>\n 8<\/p>\n Georgie, who weighed 17st 8lb at just 5ft 3ins, in hospital for weight loss surgeryCredit: Georgie Cook 8<\/p>\n The 32-year-old underwent gastric sleeve surgery, where 80 per cent of her stomach was removedCredit: Georgie Cook 8<\/p>\n Georgie lost almost 8st and now weighs 9st 1lbCredit: Georgie Cook<\/p>\n Georgie, from Kingston upon Thames, South West London<\/a>, says she had always struggled with her weight, even as a child.<\/p>\n As a teenager, she felt she couldn\u2019t walk around in crop tops<\/a> like her friends, and got bullied<\/a> as a result.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember being at the swimming pool with a friend aged eight, wearing a costume, and a boy called me fat and laughed at me,\u201d Georgie says.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never forgotten it, it upset me so much. I\u2019ve been so self-conscious ever since.<\/p>\n \u201cI tried lots of diets, like Slimming World, Weight Watchers and meal replacement plans, but nothing worked for me.\u201d<\/p>\n After discussing everything with Matt, Georgie decided she needed to take drastic action – for the sake of her health.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew I had to do something,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter trying and failing at diets for years, I knew I couldn\u2019t do it alone.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘I felt exhausted and sick for days’<\/p>\n Georgie began to research her options online and came across a clinic in Turkey<\/a> that offered gastric sleeve surgery<\/a>, where 80 per cent of a patient\u2019s stomach is removed, for \u00a32,850.\u00a0<\/p>\n Given it was a fraction of the cost of the op at home (which can cost between \u00a37,000 and \u00a311,000), supported by her husband, Georgie dipped into the couple\u2019s savings<\/a> to pay for it.<\/p>\n In September 2022, Georgie flew to Turkey for \u00a3350 return.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEverything went to plan and five days later I was back home to recover,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt exhausted and sick for days.\u201d<\/p>\n For two weeks, Georgie had to survive on a liquid diet<\/a> before moving on to pureed food<\/a>.<\/p>\n When she was able to eat proper food again, her diet consisted of Weetabix<\/a> for breakfast, meat and salad for lunch, and a small dinner.<\/p>\n \u201cMy smaller stomach meant I always felt full, so I didn\u2019t snack,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n And the results were instantaneous.<\/p>\n What are the risks of getting surgery abroad?<\/p>\n IT’S important to do your research if you’re thinking about having cosmetic surgery abroad.<\/p>\n It can cost less than in the UK, but you need to weigh up potential savings against the\u00a0potential risks. <\/p>\n Safety standards in different countries may not be as high.<\/p>\n No surgery is risk-free. Complications can happen after surgery in the UK or abroad.<\/p>\n If you have complications after an operation in the UK, the surgeon is responsible for providing follow-up treatment.<\/p>\n Overseas clinics may not provide follow-up treatment, or they may not provide it to the same standard as in the UK.<\/p>\n Also, they may not have a healthcare professional in the UK you can visit if you have any problems.<\/p>\n Source: NHS <\/p>\n In the first week, Georgie lost 12lb, and in the weeks that followed she shed 4lb to 5lb each week.<\/p>\n A scan in January 2023 – four months after her procedure – still showed signs of heart failure<\/a> but it was improving as she started to lose weight<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFor the first time I felt happy in my body. I had more energy too,\u201d Georgie says.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the park I didn’t lurk at the side hiding from the other mums.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead I was pushing the kids on the swings and chasing them about. I even joined a gym.<\/p>\n \u201cI was down to a size 12 and for the first time I could go clothes shopping and pick out anything I wanted. It felt amazing.<\/p>\n \u201cI still look at myself in the mirror now and it doesn\u2019t hit home that it\u2019s actually me looking back.\u201d<\/p>\n 8<\/p>\n Georgie had the support of her husband Matt, 34Credit: Georgie Cook 8<\/p>\n The mum started experiencing symptoms while pregnantCredit: Georgie Cook<\/p>\n By September 2023, Georgie had shed 8.4 stone and was down to 9st 1lb.<\/p>\n![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/i-told-heart-failing-31-990601315.jpg\")
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