‘My partner lost half his body weight after diabetes diagnosis – specialists say it’s most complex case they’ve seen’
A man who lost half his body weight after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes has been described by specialists as “the most complex case they’ve ever seen”, according to his partner.
Ben Hayman, 41, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, first sought medical aid after feeling dizzy and lethargic in 2022.
Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, he was given insulin to self-medicate, but rapidly began losing weight.
Over three years, Ben dropped from 22 stone to 11 stone.
In that time, he has suffered a slew of debilitating illnesses, including a blood clot, sepsis and cavitating pneumonia, which has made a hole in his lungs.
Doctors initially diagnosed him with malabsorption and stomach ulcers, but they are still unable to explain what is at the root of his suffering.
“We just wish he could be well and that we could live the life we had previously,” Ben’s partner, Joanne McKernan, 42, told PA Real Life.
“It all just came out of the blue. It’s so sad to see a man deteriorate like he has. He was a strong, 6ft 4in, well-built man.
A sales manager in Manchester, Ben was first admitted to Calderdale Royal Hospital in February 2022 as he felt dizzy, delirious, and his skin had gone grey.
It was discovered he had Type 1 diabetes and acidosis, which is when bodily fluids become excessively acidic.
“We had a little boy and we were doing all the normal things a family would when he first went to hospital,” Joanne said.
Ben joined a weight loss class in March 2022 and after losing a stone in the first month, appeared to be making good progress.
“It was great. He stopped going in April as we thought it was working really,” Joanne said.
However, his weight continued to drop, and by December 2022 he had lost around four stone in 10 months.
It was discovered his potassium levels were half the healthy amount and life-threateningly low.
“No-one knew what the problem was,” Joanne said.
“He had so many procedures – MRIs, CT scans, colonoscopies, endoscopies and X-rays. We’ve lost count of how many.
He was diagnosed simply with malabsorption – difficulty in the digestion or absorption of nutrients from food – and stomach ulcers, but the cause of those remained a mystery.
Over the following year, Ben was admitted to hospital three times as his symptoms were not improving and he was continuing to lose weight rapidly.
In November 2023 he was put on Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), providing key nutrients and minerals, but he came off this in January 2024 as his stomach ulcers appeared to be improving.
Once again it was discovered his potassium levels were critically low, so he was placed on TPN again, which he has been on ever since.
While his energy levels have improved, Ben continues to be sick and has now lost a total of 11 stone in three years – half his weight.
Since May last year however, Ben has had sepsis and pneumonia, thought to have been caused by an infection in his TPN canula.
While at home last month, Ben tried to get out of bed but his legs gave way beneath him, and he shattered his femur.
However, he cannot receive surgery or an epidural on the leg as he is too unwell and the risk of infection is too high.
“Still we’ve not really got a full diagnosis, other than he just struggles to absorb things,” Joanne said.
“We’ve seen doctors and specialists in three hospitals. They say it’s the most complex case they’ve ever seen.
“There’s now so much going on in his body with all the different issues.
“But since he’s become poorly, everything has stopped. Ben can’t work and provide for his family anymore. That was his main priority.
“For our son, daddy being ill is the norm.”
Ben’s company has been accommodating and he is still technically employed, though he can only work a maximum of one day a week.
He has not been able to work during his current three-month stint in hospital.
“It sucks, to be honest. There’s just so much information, so many hospital visits and still the only cause we know is that he struggles to absorb things,” Joanne said.
To find out more, visit www.gofundme.com/f/help-ben-find-answers-salford-10k.