Abubakar Hussain and his obesity surgery: “It changed my whole life”

What did Abubakar Hussain say about his operation?

As Dagbladet reported in September 2021, Hussain went through obesity surgery in November 2020. At his heaviest he weighed 208 kilos, and in 2015 he had been admitted to intensive care with heart failure. Talking about the operation on Iselin Guttormsen's podcast “G-punktet”, he admitted it was not easy for him: “I'm not very fond of being pricked, and I'm not very fond of injections, needles and all that, so it was really the worst thing I could do. But I had to do it.”

To Dagbladet he explained that the doctors made five holes in his abdomen and removed 80 percent of his stomach. His verdict on the decision was unambiguous: “The choice I made has perhaps been the best choice ever. It changed my whole life. Everything.”

That is all we rely on here. Apart from what he described himself, he did not give medical details, so this article does not add any. Where the text below explains procedures and recovery, it describes bariatric surgery in general, not his treatment.

What his story shows

Hussain's decision came after a serious warning: heart failure in his early thirties. Obesity is a disease that affects the heart, blood pressure, blood sugar and joints, and for many people with very high weight, diet and exercise alone do not bring lasting results. In those cases surgery is a medical treatment, not a shortcut.

He also described how life changed afterwards. He no longer has the same relationship with food, since there is less room and he gets full faster, and he now trains five times a week. The first period was strange, he said: he was not quite sure when and what he could eat, and he felt nauseous easily. That honest picture is useful — the early weeks after surgery require new routines and patience.

How weight-loss surgery works today

Modern bariatric operations reduce the size of the stomach, change the route food takes, or both. The four procedures offered at City Medical Centre compare as follows:

The sleeve involves no intestinal bypass but can be less durable if the diet is not followed. Bypass-type operations give larger weight loss and require vitamins and minerals for life. The mini bypass carries a risk of bile reflux. All four are done laparoscopically, through four small punctures of 5–15 mm.

Who is a candidate and how to prepare

Surgery is generally considered with a BMI above 40, or above 35 with serious related conditions such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, and sometimes lower when non-surgical approaches have not worked. Before the operation:

• blood and urine tests, biochemistry, HbA1c and clotting tests;
• consultations with a GP, endocrinologist, cardiologist, psychiatrist and, for women, a gynaecologist;
• two to four weeks of cutting down fast carbohydrates and fats;
• no smoking for at least a month before surgery.

Recovery after bariatric surgery

Patients get up on the first day and usually leave hospital after one to five days. Office work typically resumes after two to four weeks, physical work after about six. Eating returns in stages over one to two months: liquids, then soft food, then ordinary textures. Swimming is fine after around 30 days, and travel is best planned no sooner than a month after surgery. The final result is assessed after one and a half to two years, vitamins are taken for life, and women are advised to wait 12–18 months before a pregnancy.

Returning to exercise is decided with the doctor. Hussain mentioned getting back to training soon after his operation; for patients in general, the pace depends on the procedure and how the healing goes.

1. Day of surgeryLaparoscopic operation through a few small punctures.
2. Day 1You get out of bed and walk.
3. Days 1–5Discharge, depending on the procedure and your recovery.
4. Weeks 2–4Office work resumes; diet moves from liquids to soft food.
5. Months 1–2Ordinary food returns; swimming and travel are allowed.
6. Months 18–24Weight settles and the final result is assessed.

Bariatric surgery at City Medical Centre

City Medical Centre offers sleeve gastrectomy ($3,600), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass ($4,000), mini gastric bypass and SADI-S, all laparoscopic. The first consultation with the surgeon is free and can be done online; after the assessment the doctor recommends a procedure and the price is fixed in the contract. A personal coordinator accompanies the patient from the first enquiry to recovery, and the team follows up throughout the first year. See the bariatric surgery page for details.

To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Abubakar Hussain or his treatment. His words are quoted here because he chose to talk about his operation publicly.

Frequently asked questions

When did Abubakar Hussain have obesity surgery?

In November 2020, as Dagbladet reported in September 2021.

What did the operation involve, according to him?

He told Dagbladet that the doctors made five holes in his abdomen and removed 80 percent of his stomach. He did not give further medical details.

Why did he decide to have surgery?

At his heaviest he weighed 208 kilos, and in 2015 he was treated in intensive care for heart failure. He said he did not like needles, but that he had to do it.

Is bariatric surgery done through small incisions?

Yes. At City Medical Centre all four procedures are laparoscopic, done through four small punctures of 5–15 mm, and patients get up on the first day.

How much does bariatric surgery cost at City Medical Centre?

Sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600 and gastric bypass $4,000. The first consultation is free, and the final price is fixed in the contract.