Life-changing ops for three friends

Jess Saxby and Tai Lolohea are a regular sight on the gut-busting steps up Titirangi/Kaiti Hill, since their weight loss surgery. Picture by Renae Lolohea

Friends who nurse together get surgery together.

That was the case for Jess Saxby, Tai Lolohea and BJ Taare, who now have more than a nursing degree in common. The three close friends have lost more than 200 kilograms between them.

BJ  had a partial gastrectomy in 2021 through the public system. She is now 80 kg lighter than her heaviest weight of 152 kgs.

She has worked at De Lautour Medical for over seven years and is the nurses’ team leader. Her decision to get weight loss surgery was about getting her own health on track.

“My girls lost their dad 13 years ago. I wasn’t about to let them lose their second and only parent left.

“With my mahi and caring for their dad and my parents, that’s just always been about giving.

“I decided that I needed to look after myself If I wanted to be here for my whānau and my mahi.”

BJ says she is loving her new life and is exercising now because she enjoys it rather than because she has to.

“I was always comfortable in my skin, big or small. It was never a confidence thing. It was all about health,”she said.

Tai and Jess went private last year and did the whole journey together, including having their mini gastric bypass surgery on the same day.

Their decision to go private was because of the five-year follow-up services provided post-surgery.

Both women have always struggled with their weight, and medical issues made their weight hard to control.

Tai also works at De Lautour Medical. She had respiratory issues as a child and was prescribed the steroid prednisone which increases your appetite.

She was on the keto diet consistently for four years which helped her get her weight down, but after losing two of her grandparents she went off it.

“As soon as you go off keto, all the weight comes back on. That’s when I was like, no stuff that, it shouldn’t be this hard. And I decided to have the surgery,” she said.

Tai has lost 73 kgs. She says the most beneficial thing after surgery is the energy and confidence she has now.

“I just feel a lot more comfortable in my own skin. The awesome thing is being able to walk into a clothing store and fit into clothes straight off the rack which I would  never have dreamt of before.”

Jess works at Chelsea Hospital. She met Tai when she was studying to become a nurse and they have been good friends ever since.

The topic of weight loss surgery was brought up during a camping trip together. From there they researched, went to appointments together, and decided on the same surgeon.

Jess, who has lost 61 kgs, says the biggest change is her energy levels, and motivation to do day-to-day things like cleaning, which was much harder when she was carrying the extra weight.

She was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, a metabolic disorder that makes it harder to lose weight even when you are living a healthy lifestyle.

She has always enjoyed exercising but found it hard on her body. Now she and Tai attend the gym and walk up Kaiti Hill. Jess  has found a new love for running.

“It’s been amazing. Now I am running, which I would never have said a year ago. I try to run three times a week, usually about six to eight km. I’m going to the gym with Tai, focusing on resistance training.”

All three women understand that this is a lifelong journey. BJ has seen what happens if you allow bad habits to creep back in.

“We’ve seen people after five, six years post-surgery, just put it all back on and then some. I’m very conscious of that and I don’t want to do that.”

Tai believes  psychology and dietitian input are essential for success.

“If food is an issue for you, you need to deal with a lot of those issues before having surgery just so that you set yourself up for the best possible results.

“It’s remembering that the surgery is just a toe-in and to continue with the good habits.”

Jess’s only regret is not having the surgery sooner.

“It’s a really good science-based, proven way for people who are obese to get your life back. I think if people are on the fence about it they should look into it because it is so life-changing.”