Bariatric surgeryLatvia5 min read
Agnese Meiere and bariatric surgery: “a second chance”, in her own words
In October 2024 the Latvian journalist Agnese Meiere published a long first-person article in the weekly Ir about the weight-loss operation she had a year earlier. Below is what she wrote, where it was published, and what bariatric surgery involves for anyone considering it today.
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Medically reviewed by Andrey G. Ugay, lead bariatric surgeon. Review date: .
The main points in 30 seconds
- On 30 October 2024 journalist Agnese Meiere wrote in the weekly Ir about the bariatric operation she had on 19 October 2023.
- She called it a second chance, lost almost 60 kg, and stressed she must follow a set routine for the rest of her life.
- Bariatric surgery is laparoscopic under general anaesthesia, and you get out of bed on day 1.
- Office work usually resumes after 2–4 weeks, and the final weight result is assessed at 18–24 months.
- At City Medical Centre a sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600, and the first consultation is free.
Key facts about the procedure
- Back to work2–4 weeks
- Stay in clinic1–5 days
- Final result18–24 months
- Price
$4,800from $3,600
Profile
Agnese Meiere
- Country
- Latvia
- Who
- Journalist and medical writer
- Year of operation
- 2023
- Quote source
- Ir, 30 October 2024
I realised that with such a weight this was my only and last chance.
What did Agnese Meiere say about her operation?
Her essay “Esmu dzīva, man viss izdosies!” (“I am alive, everything will work out for me!”) appeared in Ir on 30 October 2024. Ir introduced it by saying that she saw her bariatric, or stomach-reshaping, operation as a second chance, and that thanks to it she had lost almost 60 kilograms and regained the ability to move freely.
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WhatsAppShe dates the change precisely: “I consider 19 October 2023, the day I had the operation, to be the beginning of my new life.” About the months that followed she wrote: “In April I had already lost 34 kilograms, in June 46. Now almost 60.” And she was clear that surgery is not a shortcut: “The operation does not mean I can live as I like and lose weight endlessly. For the rest of my life I will have to follow a set routine.”
That article is all we rely on here. Where the text below explains methods, preparation and recovery, it describes bariatric surgery in general, not her treatment. We do not name the hospital or the surgeon, and we do not add details she did not publish.
Why her account is worth reading
Meiere did not write a success advertisement. She described years of struggling with weight, a moment on a plane when the seat belt was too short, doubts that made her postpone the operation, and the fear of surgery set against the fear of what obesity was doing to her health.
More on this topic: Bariatric surgery with support all the way to your result, Mini Gastric Bypass (MGB), Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy), Bariatric Operations in Phoenix, Obesity Surgery in Singapore.
She wrote that before deciding she read medical sources, asked every doctor she met for an opinion and went to a surgeon for a consultation, where two types of operation were explained to her.
That is the most useful lesson for readers: the decision took time, information and honest conversations with doctors. She also stressed that the lifelong rules after surgery are part of the deal. Her closing thought was that every person deserves a second chance, and that behind jokes and bravado people often hide how they really feel about their weight.
Bariatric surgery abroad: choose a city and clinic
Prices, the clinic and a free online consultation for each city:
How bariatric surgery is done today
Modern weight-loss operations are laparoscopic: the surgeon works through a few small punctures rather than a large incision. The operations offered at City Medical Centre compare as follows:
How it works
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Most of the stomach is removed, leaving a narrow tube
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- A small stomach pouch is connected directly to the small intestine
- Mini gastric bypass
- One connection between the pouch and the intestine
- SADI-S
- Sleeve combined with a single intestinal bypass
Usually considered for
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- BMI 35–45
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- BMI over 45–50, type 2 diabetes
- Mini gastric bypass
- Chosen individually
- SADI-S
- BMI over 50
Average excess weight loss
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- 60–70%
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- 75–85%
- Mini gastric bypass
- Up to 75–80%
- SADI-S
- 80–90%
The sleeve does not bypass the intestine 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. Which option fits is decided with the surgeon after tests, not from someone else's story.
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, and sometimes lower when non-surgical approaches have failed. Preparation usually includes:
- blood and urine tests, biochemistry, HbA1c and a clotting panel;
- consultations with a GP, endocrinologist, cardiologist, psychiatrist and, for women, a gynaecologist;
- two to four weeks of cutting down fast carbohydrates and fats;
- stopping smoking at least a month before surgery.
What recovery looks like
Patients get up and walk on the first day and usually leave hospital after one to five days. Office work typically resumes after two to four weeks and physical work after about six. Food returns in stages over one to two months: liquids first, then soft food, then ordinary textures.
Swimming is usually allowed after 30 days, and long trips are best planned no earlier than a month after surgery. Weight settles over one and a half to two years, vitamins are taken for life, and women are advised to wait 12–18 months before a pregnancy. The timeline below shows the usual stages.
How recovery after bariatric surgery usually goes
- Day of surgeryLaparoscopic operation through a few small punctures under general anaesthesia.
- Day 1You get out of bed and walk; small sips of liquid are allowed.
- Days 1–5Discharge, depending on the procedure and how you recover.
- Weeks 2–4Office work resumes; the diet moves from liquids to soft food.
- Months 1–2Ordinary textures return; swimming and travel are usually allowed.
- Months 18–24Weight settles and the final result is assessed.
Bariatric surgery at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre offers sleeve gastrectomy ($3,600), gastric bypass ($4,000), mini gastric bypass and SADI-S, all performed laparoscopically through four small punctures of 5–15 mm. The first consultation with the surgeon is free and can be held 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 through recovery, and the team follows up during the first year. More details are on the bariatric surgery page.
To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Agnese Meiere or her treatment. Her story is quoted here because she chose to write about it publicly.
Frequently asked questions
When did Agnese Meiere have her operation?
She wrote in Ir that she had it on 19 October 2023 and that she considers that day the beginning of her new life.
How much weight did Agnese Meiere lose?
In her October 2024 article she wrote that she had lost 34 kg by April, 46 kg by June and almost 60 kg a year after the operation.
Can you eat normally after bariatric surgery?
Eating changes for life. Food returns in stages over one to two months, portions stay small, and bypass-type operations require vitamins and minerals for life. Meiere herself wrote that she must follow a set routine for the rest of her life.
How much does bariatric surgery cost at City Medical Centre?
A sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600 and a gastric bypass $4,000. The first consultation is free and the final price is fixed in the contract.
How is the right operation chosen?
The surgeon looks at BMI, related conditions such as diabetes, eating habits and test results, then recommends a procedure at the consultation.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- Ir, 30 October 2024
Medical background and further reading
General information about the procedure from health authorities and medical societies. It is not advice for any individual patient.
- PubMed / NCBI — Benefits and Risks of Bariatric Surgery in Adults: A Review (JAMA, 2020)
- PubMed / NCBI — Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy vs Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: systematic review and meta-analysis (2016)
- World Health Organization — Obesity and overweight
- American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery — Bariatric Surgery Procedures
How we prepare and review medical content · Medical disclaimer
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Message a coordinator on Telegram: we reply right in the chat, and you can send photos and questions there too.
- The first consultation is free, online consultations are available
- The doctor names the cost after the assessment, and it is fixed in the contract
- A personal coordinator guides you from the first message to recovery
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