I lost almost four stone after my unhealthy lifestyle landed me in A&E

Jamie Wood is set to become one of the new Slimming World leaders in Hebburn after he underwent his own health transformation.

The new Slimming World group leader lost nearly four stone after he ended up in A&E due to blood pressure issues that were connected to his weight.

Jamie has given the Gazette an insight into how he ended up in hospital and and the devastation he felt when he was told he would be on blood pressure medication for life.

He said: “I ended up in A&E suffering from pains in my chest and a general feeling of being unwell back in 2020 after I returned from holiday.

“It turned out that my blood pressure (BP) at the time was around 235/170 - the average BP of a typical male my age should have been 110/70.

“I was placed on three blood pressure medications and told I would need them for the rest of my life - this was soul destroying as I was only 35 at the time.

“The diagnosis was due to my lifestyle which was a mix of three takeaways a week and stress in other areas.

“Over the next two years I took the three pills a day and continuously monitored my blood pressure with a home cuff.

Read more: I changed my life with Slimming World and now I’m helping others in Hebburn do the same

“Then just before I was due to fly to Seattle for a well deserved break with friends I began to feel unwell.

“The BP cuff was measuring my blood pressure extremely high and I was sent back to hospital, with my GP adding a further two pills a day to the already long list of medication.”

In October last year, Jamie made the decision to join Slimming World in an effort to lose weight and to allow him to feel better within himself - something which has been life changing in terms of his blood pressure medication.

He commented: “I joined Slimming World back in October 2023 seeking weight loss and wanting to feel better in my overall wellbeing.

“Over the next five months, I ended up steadily losing around 2st 10lbs.

Stay up to date with the Shields Gazette’s latest headlines and get a newsletter delivered to your inbox

“I liked every picture of myself, every piece of clothing I wore fit and every time I left the house, I felt much more confident and healthy.

“In April, I began to feel unwell again so I checked my BP and it shocked me to see that it was extremely low.

“After going to A&E and to my GP, it turns out I was almost four stone lighter than my last visit.

“Because of my weight loss, my blood pressure had returned to a normal level and the pills I was taking were no longer needed - this is what was causing my blood pressure to be so low.”

Jamie is now set to take over the Saturday morning (8am until 9.30am) Slimming World group at Hedley Community Hall, in Hebburn, in the hopes of helping others.

He added: “Adopting Slimming World and understanding food optimising has changed my body.

“It has corrected the damage done with takeaways and an unhealthy lifestyle and allowed me to end the cycle of daily medications.

“Two months on and I’m feeling amazing, looking better than I have in years and ultimately enjoying a healthier lifestyle while still eating all the foods I love - if I can do it, I’m confident anyone can.”

You can find out more about Slimming World groups across the North East by visiting: https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/counties/tyne-and-wear.