Bariatric surgeryGermany5 min read
Did BigNick have weight-loss surgery? Yes, and he told the story himself
Nick Kreiseler, known to listeners of the radio station 89.0 RTL as “BigNick”, once weighed close to 200 kilos and was described by BILD as Germany’s heaviest radio presenter. In February 2024 he told the paper how he lost 85 kilos in a year: not with a miracle diet, but with an operation in December 2022. Here is what he said and what weight-loss surgery involves today.
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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
BigNick (Nick Kreiseler)
- Country
- Germany
- Who
- Radio presenter
- Year of operation
- 2022
- Quote source
- BILD, 7 February 2024
No, I had almost 90 percent of my stomach removed on 6 December 2022.
What did BigNick say about his operation?
When BILD asked him in February 2024 whether 85 kilos in one year was the result of a miracle diet, Nick Kreiseler answered plainly: “No, I had almost 90 percent of my stomach removed on 6 December 2022.” According to the paper, he made the decision after listening to a podcast about the stomach surgery of the former football manager Reiner Calmund, and his health insurance covered the operation because his body mass index was already in a life-threatening range.
He also explained what finally pushed him: “Three friends of mine had died shortly before, for different reasons. I didn’t want to be the next one.” Today, the paper reports, he can eat at most about 150 ml per meal. “In restaurants I can’t finish a portion any more. They always ask me whether I didn’t like it,” he said. At the time of the interview he weighed 115 kilos.
That is all this article relies on. He described the removal of most of the stomach, which matches a sleeve gastrectomy, but he did not name a hospital or a surgeon, and we do not add details he did not give. Where the text below explains methods and recovery, it describes bariatric surgery in general, not his treatment.
Why his story matters
BigNick’s account shows the real reasons behind most weight-loss operations. It was not about looks. It was about health and about fear, the moment when losing friends made him think about his own life expectancy. His insurer’s decision also reflects the medical logic: surgery is considered when obesity has become dangerous and other approaches have not worked.
He is also honest about daily life afterwards. Tiny portions, waiters wondering why the plate is still full: that is normal after a sleeve, and it is part of what patients sign up for. Nothing here judges anyone’s body; the interest is in how the decision was made.
Bariatric surgery abroad: choose a city and clinic
Prices, the clinic and a free online consultation for each city:
How bariatric surgery works today
Bariatric operations are done laparoscopically, through small punctures, under general anaesthesia. The two most common types are:
- Sleeve gastrectomy: most of the stomach is removed, leaving a narrow tube. Patients feel full quickly and hunger signals drop.
- Gastric bypass: the stomach is made smaller and food is rerouted past part of the small intestine, which also changes how nutrients and calories are absorbed.
What it does
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Reduces stomach volume
- Gastric bypass
- Reduces stomach volume and reroutes food
Main goal
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Weight loss, feeling full quickly
- Gastric bypass
- Weight loss, better metabolism
When it is chosen
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Obesity without marked reflux
- Gastric bypass
- Obesity with diabetes or reflux
Anaesthesia and stay
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- General anaesthesia, 1–5 days in hospital
- Gastric bypass
- General anaesthesia, 1–5 days in hospital
Price at City Medical Centre
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- $3,600
- Gastric bypass
- $4,000
City Medical Centre also performs mini gastric bypass and SADI-S. The method is chosen from the BMI, related conditions and the patient’s goals, not from a celebrity story.
Who is a candidate
Surgery is usually justified with a BMI above 40, or above 35 with serious related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension or sleep apnoea, after earlier attempts to lose weight have failed. BMI is body weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Contraindications include age under 18, malignant tumours, pregnancy, blood clotting disorders, severe chronic or mental illness and acute illness or flare-ups of a chronic disease.
- Bring your history: previous diets, medicines and conditions help the doctor choose between sleeve and bypass.
- Prepare for a new routine: after surgery the diet moves in stages from liquid to soft to solid food, with a focus on protein.
- Plan follow-up: results last when eating habits change for good and check-ups continue.
What recovery looks like
In the first hours after surgery patients may sit up, stand and drink fluids. They stay under observation for 1–5 days, depending on the extent of surgery. Office work is usually possible after 2–4 weeks, physical work after about 1.5 months; travel is best planned no earlier than a month after the operation. Over the first 1–2 months the diet moves step by step to solid food.
On average about 10% of excess weight is lost per month, and the final result is reached after 1.5–2 years. BigNick’s 85 kilos in a year fits that pattern of steady loss in the first year.
How recovery after bariatric surgery usually goes
- First hoursYou may sit up, stand and drink fluids.
- 1–5 daysObservation at the clinic, depending on the extent of surgery.
- 2–4 weeksReturn to office work; physical work after about 1.5 months.
- 1–2 monthsStaged diet from liquids to solids to let the stomach adapt.
- Every monthOn average about 10% of excess weight is lost per month.
- 1.5–2 yearsFinal result; stable eating habits keep the weight from returning.
Bariatric surgery at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre performs sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, mini gastric bypass and SADI-S for international patients. The first consultation is free and can start online: a patient care manager calculates the BMI and explains the methods, then the surgeon proposes a plan and the price is fixed in the contract.
Planning the procedure from your city? Read more: Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery in Benoni, Gastric Sleeve and Bypass in Harare and Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery in Pietermaritzburg.
Prices are $3,600 for a sleeve gastrectomy and $4,000 for a gastric bypass, including the surgery, general anaesthesia, the inpatient stay with meals and 12 months of support. More details are on the bariatric surgery page.
To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Nick Kreiseler or his treatment. His story is simply a well-known example of a man who talked openly about weight-loss surgery.
Frequently asked questions
When did BigNick have his operation?
He told BILD that he had almost 90 percent of his stomach removed on 6 December 2022.
How much weight did BigNick lose?
About 85 kilos in roughly a year, from close to 200 kilos. At the time of the BILD interview in February 2024 he weighed 115 kilos.
Why did he decide on surgery?
He said three friends had died shortly before and he did not want to be next. He made the decision after hearing a podcast about Reiner Calmund’s operation.
Who is bariatric surgery for?
Usually for people with a BMI above 40, or above 35 with serious related conditions, when other ways of losing weight have not worked. The doctor decides after a consultation.
How much does bariatric surgery cost at City Medical Centre?
A sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600 and a gastric bypass $4,000, including surgery, anaesthesia, the hospital stay with meals and 12 months of support.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- BILD, 7 February 2024
Considering the same operation? Get a free consultation
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- 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
In other cities
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