Inside life of Birmingham super slimmer who shed 20 stone with major change - 'I didn't want to die'
Weighing 27 stone at the age of just 18, David Coppage feared he would die before his time. He tried all the diets, from Slimming World to Weight Watchers, but nothing was working.
Through his twenties, he suffered with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and a fatty liver. At his heaviest, he weighed 30 stone. Walking his dog and long days working at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital were a struggle as his health worsened.
Now aged 31, after finally undergoing a long-awaited gastric sleeve surgery - along with major changes to his lifestyle - he has managed to shed a staggering 20 stone. Within nine months of the May 2023 operation, he had achieved the milestone weight loss and now feels "completely new."
Read more: 'I swapped stressful £50k job for half the salary in major life change - and never looked back'
Speaking in the hope of inspiring others, David from Rednal told BirminghamLive: "After weight loss surgery, everything has just become a lot easier, I've got more energy, it's like I'm completely new. All my life from when I was a kid and back at school, I was quite big.
"I was born about 8 - 9 pound. I was on the dieticians when I was at school, I've been on Weight Watchers, Slimming World and nothing was working. Then I got referred to the NHS.
"It was a big long wait, I didn't want to die early so I knew I needed to do something." When he was a child he was diagnosed with a learning disability, which added to his "struggles along the way."
"But it's never stopped me," he said. "I started working in the care sector when I was 16. I have even gone from band 2 to a band 4 and some people have had to go to Uni to get to that." He was put on the NHS waiting list for surgery aged 18 and tried dieting, but found nothing was helping.
"I was between 25 - 27 stone, I weighed more than my age," he explained. "I became type 2 diabetic and was on medication for diabetes. I was referred to the non-alcoholic fatty liver clinic as it was starting to play up," he explained. "I had high blood pressure, I was put on three lots of medication for my blood pressure. And then I was put on slimming tablets, but that still didn't work.
READ MORE: In pictures: Amazing transformation of superslimmer who lost 20 stone in nine months
"I still kept going back to my old habits of chocolate and all of that. And I was still hungry so I was still able to eat big meals. I'd have fizzy pop, coke, all of that, I wouldn't even think of drinking water. Since then, my life has changed for the better."
He underwent the surgery last year and has never looked back - even completing the Great Birmingham Run as a thank you to the NHS. He recalled: "On the day of the surgery I was scared, I said: 'Don't let me die'. And when I came round, they said: 'I told you I wouldn't let you die!' I was excited but in a lot of pain.
"After that everything was all on the up. I'd already made the changes, I knew I couldn't have fizzy pop after the surgery. Ever since, I've kept it out of my diet, I drink water, fruit shoot, squash. I don't miss fizzy pop at all." He now uses his slow cooker to make meals - which are a "kid's plate size" due to the new restrictions.
"Last year I decided to do the half marathon to say thank you to the NHS and raise money for Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity" he added. "It went well, for my first one, I did it in 3 hours 25. At the end of the half marathon, my sugar levels dropped and I ended up nearly passing out. But I felt good afterwards.
"Before the surgery I wouldn't go out as much , I used to enjoy watching football on the TV but now I go to the football a lot, I'm a big Leicester city fan so I go down there and to England matches quite a lot now." His story has since inspired his family members, including his brother and mum, to pursue their weight loss journeys too.
He added: "Before surgery, I couldn't get my football shirts on. I've had to buy a complete new wardrobe. I kept some of the old stuff to remind me." Asked his plans for the future, he added: "Just carry on running, exercising, hopefully get the story out there so more people can change their lives.
"My advice would be go to the gym, get some support on your side and make sure you've got good friends and work colleagues behind your back because without all the support from them and family, I don't think I would have been able to do it. You do struggle along the way, but just remember there is always help out there."
Do you have an inspiring life story to tell? We would like to hear from you. You can contact us by emailing stephanie.balloo@reachplc.com