Mumbai: Egyptian national Eman Ahmed Abdulati (36) — at 500 kg arguably the world’s heaviest woman — who has been admitted at a private hospital here for weight-reduction (bariatric) surgery, has shed almost 40 kg since her admission a week ago. This allows Ms Ahmed to move her limbs and hands marginally, unlike before. After losing 40 kg, Eman is cheerful and smiling these days, doctors attending her at Saifee Hospital said.
A hospital endocrinologist (who treats people suffering from hormonal imbalances) and attends to Eman, said the weight-loss has made Eman hopeful about her treatment. Earlier, Eman weighed 500 kg and was pensive and pessimistic, sources said. Talking to The Asian Age, endocrinologist Dr Shehla Shaikh said, “She has shown a drastic improvement after losing around 35-40 kg of weight after her admission here. She is responding well to the treatment. She has started moving her hand and limbs, which are good signs.”
Dr Shaikh said, “After the weight loss, she has become much more assertive and positive.” Talking about Ms Ahmed’s mental well-being, Dr Shaikh said, “Yes, she is much more happy now and her gestures reflect a cheerful frame of mind. She shows confidence about recovering fully.”
Ms Ahmed is in the city for a life-saving bariatric surgery, which will be scheduled after results of her gene study come out in the next four weeks. A team of 13 doctors is working on Ms Ahmed’s treatment.
Commenting on Ms Ahmed’s psychological condition, psychiatrist Dr Yusuf Matcheswalla said, “Eman has come with the hope that she will walk on her feet, but for many years she was inside her room and didn’t see the world. That condition itself is depressing.” He said, “After the weight loss she may be hopeful that she will be fine one day.”
Ms Ahmed used to be depressed in Egypt as for the past 25 years, she did not get to move out of her room at her family’s residence in Alexandria, a hospital source said.
As per the doctors’ plan, Ms Ahmed needs to lose 200 kilos in the next six months. She has a lot of water retention. Doctors are working to control this with medicines.
