What to Expect After Surgery

Patients can expect to lose an average of 50-75 percent of their excess weight after gastric gypass surgery, 40-60 percent of excess weight after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. After weight loss surgery, patients will only require small portions of food to feel full and satisfied. Weight loss surgery will help eliminate cravings for large quantities of food at meal time. With time, patients will be able to tolerate most foods.

Setting Realistic Expectations

The goal of surgery is to help lose over half of your excess weight. This can reduce or prevent health problems. It is not cosmetic surgery. Keep in mind that:

Other medically managed weight loss methods must be tried first and documented. Surgery is only an option if other methods have not been successful.
Surgery is meant to be permanent. You will need to make lifelong lifestyle changes.
You must commit to making good food choices and being more active after surgery, otherwise you will not maximize your weight loss.
You will not reach a healthy weight immediately. Most of the weight is lost over a period of 12 to 18 months after surgery.
The surgery is a tool to help you lose weight. However, by exercising and attending support groups and workshops, your chances of losing more weight will dramatically increase

When other medically supervised methods have failed, bariatric surgery offers the best option of long-term weight control for those with clinically severe obesity.