Cameron's Story
Weight Loss Causes Gallstones
This is the story of how weight loss creates gallstones, then becomes the very reason people are denied treatment for them. At 32, Cameron is a dedicated social worker who advocates for vulnerable teenagers in the foster care system. Their small flat is filled with houseplants, and they spend weekends tending to their community garden plot and hosting dinner gatherings for friends. Behind this fulfilling life, however, lies a journey of medical trauma that began in their teenage years and continues to shape their relationship with healthcare today.
Content Warning: This post contains discussion of weight stigma, medical bias, and challenging experiences with healthcare professionals that may be triggering for some readers.
Cameron's Weight Loss Journey Begins
It started when Cameron was just 15 and sought the adviece of their GP regarding their severe acne. It turned out they had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) but instead of discussing hormonal treatments or management strategies, the doctor delivered a stark warning: “The only way to manage your PCOS is to lose weight and stay thin. If you gain weight, your PCOS will be out of control, and you’ll develop diabetes by the time you’re 30.”
This moment became the catalyst for nearly two decades of weight cycling. Like many people with PCOS, Cameron embarked on a cycle of dieting that would define their relationship with food and their body for years to come. They tried everything—Weight Watchers, Slimming World, keto, intermittent fasting, meal replacement shakes—each attempt yielding temporary results before the weight returned, often with extra pounds.
By their late twenties, Cameron avoided doctors completely. Their acne hadn’t improved, and their PCOS symptoms persisted, but the shame and blame they experienced in medical settings made seeking help feel impossible. As they put it: “I’d rather deal with the symptoms than be told again that everything wrong with my body is my fault.”
Weight Loss Surgery: The Path To Gallstones
After years of failed diets and worsening self-esteem, Cameron began researching bariatric surgery. The decision wasn’t made lightly—they initially resisted, feeling like surgery would be admitting defeat. But after reading about how it could potentially help with PCOS symptoms and prevent diabetes, they began to see it as their last chance for health.
Their GP supported the idea but warned about lengthy NHS waiting lists. Desperate for relief and unwilling to wait years, Cameron took out a personal loan and traveled to Turkey for gastric bypass surgery.
The initial recovery wasn’t easy. There was pain, nausea, and the challenging adjustment to tiny food portions. But within months, Cameron had lost over 30% of their body weight. People treated them differently—complimenting their appearance, treating them with more respect in public spaces. Their PCOS symptoms seemed to improve slightly, and for the first time in years, they felt hopeful about their health.
Despite this dramatic weight loss, Cameron’s BMI never dropped below 30—meaning they were still classified as “ob*se” according to medical charts. Whilst that didn’t impact their day-to-day, this seemingly arbitrary distinction would soon prove consequential.
Gallstones: When Weight Loss Creates New Problems
Six months after surgery, Cameron developed a strange pain in their upper abdomen. It would come and go, sometimes accompanied by nausea. Initially, they dismissed it as indigestion or an adjustment to their altered digestive system, but over time, the episodes intensified.
During one particularly severe attack, the pain became so unbearable that Cameron’s colleagues called a paramedic. At the hospital, blood tests came back normal, and they were sent home with instructions to see their GP about getting a scan, which “wasn’t urgent.”
After multiple dismissed visits and worsening symptoms, their GP reluctantly ordered an ultrasound. The results confirmed what should have been obvious from the beginning: Cameron had developed gallstones—a common complication affecting up to 40% of bariatric surgery patients.
Gallstones form when rapid weight loss increases cholesterol concentration in bile, creating the perfect conditions for stones to develop. Cameron’s history of weight cycling and PCOS had likely contributed as well, as hormonal imbalances are known risk factors.
The Catch-22 of Surgical Care
With a clear diagnosis in hand, the next step should have been simple: referral to a surgeon for gallbladder removal. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a standard day procedure with low complication rates. Left untreated, gallstones can lead to serious complications including infection, pancreatitis, and bile duct obstruction.
Instead, Cameron’s GP delivered a crushing blow: “There’s nothing we can do about this. I can’t refer you to a surgeon because your BMI is too high. It has to get under 35.”
The irony was staggering. The very weight loss procedure Cameron underwent to improve their health had created a new health crisis, but they were now deemed “too fat” to receive the standard treatment. The GP suggested weight loss injections, seemingly oblivious to the fact that further rapid weight loss could worsen Cameron’s gallstone symptoms.
How to manage gallstones without weight loss
This experience has had profound effects on Cameron’s life. The recurrent pain has made working difficult, putting their job at risk. The financial strain is compounded by the loan they’re still paying off for bariatric surgery. Their social life has contracted as they avoid food-related gatherings, afraid of triggering another painful episode.
Perhaps most damaging is the intensification of medical trauma with each invalidating encounter. The message Cameron has received since adolescence continues to be reinforced: when something goes right with their health, the medical system takes credit; when something goes wrong, it’s Cameron’s fault for being fat.
“I did what they told me to do,” Cameron says. “I had major surgery, lost nearly half my body weight, and I’m still being denied care. At what point am I thin enough to deserve treatment?”
Evidence-Based Care Without Weight Stigma
What Cameron deserves—what all patients deserve—is evidence-based care free from weight bias. A thorough review by Gregori et al. published in 2018 studied 730 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, comparing outcomes between higher-weight and lower-weight patients. They found:
- The overall rate of conversion from laparoscopic to open procedure was only 1.6%, with no significant difference between weight groups
- Post-operative complication rates were 8.3%, again with no difference based on weight
- The procedure was safe and effective regardless of BMI
The Royal College of Surgeons has explicitly stated that denying surgical care based solely on BMI is unethical and unsupported by evidence. In fact, for someone with gallstones, further weight loss attempts may worsen symptoms and increase risk of complications.
What would evidence-based, weight-inclusive care look like for Cameron? A compassionate doctor would acknowledge their pain, promptly diagnose the gallstones, and refer them to a surgeon without delay. The surgeon would discuss the small but real risks of the procedure (which exist for patients of all sizes), and allow Cameron to make an informed decision about their own body.
Finding Your Way Forward
If Cameron’s story sounds familiar, know that you’re not alone. Whether it’s gallstones, joint pain, or any other condition that’s being blamed on your weight rather than properly treated, you deserve evidence-based, weight-inclusive care that respects your autonomy.
Remember these key points:
👉 Rapid weight loss is a known cause of gallstones, affecting up to 40% of bariatric surgery patients
👉 BMI thresholds for surgery are arbitrary and unsupported by evidence
👉 Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe and effective regardless of body size
👉 You have the right to be referred to a specialist for assessment
👉 You have the right to make informed decisions about your own healthcare
Where To Next?
For those navigating gallstones or other surgical needs while experiencing weight stigma, know that you deserve better than what Cameron received. Join our community in The Weighting Room, where you’ll find support, resources, and healthcare professionals who understand.
Additionally, you can book a one-to-one consultation with me and I’ll help you process the trauma you’ve experienced and together we’ll create a manegement plan that you can take back to your own healthcare team. I’m here to advocate for you when you simply don’t have the energy to advocate for yourself.
Want to learn more about evidence-based gallstone treatment without weight loss requirements? Head to the No Weigh Website or check out my comprehensive on-demand masterclass, free for anyone with a masterclass membership or available to purchase individually. You’ll learn about gallstone management options, how to advocate for yourself with healthcare providers, and the latest research on gallstones after bariatric surgery.
Remember, your health matters at any size, and no one should have to beg for appropriate medical care.
This blog post is based on Episode 20, Season 5 of the Fat Doctor Podcast. You can listen to the full episode wherever you stream your podcasts or watch it on YouTube.
