Gastric Bypass Surgery

How much weight will I lose after the Gastric Bypass?

Weight loss after the operation is initially very swift - most patients will lose a stone in the first month. This will slow down with time as you approach your target weight.

Patients are individuals and no two are the same. Of course different patients need to lose different amounts of weight and the dimensions of the bypass are adjusted to take this into account.

As a rule of thumb however, most patients will lose about two thirds of their excess body weight in the first year, and about half of the patients will halve their weight after 12-18 months. After about 18 months the weight will probably have levelled off and most people are happy with their weight at this stage. It is possible to lose more weight by a combination of regular exercise and additional dieting usually by reducing high calorie snack foods or fluids rather than reducing the meal size.

Unlike ordinary dieting, where weight is regained very rapidly when the diet stops, weight loss after the surgery is more permanent and once lost, weight tends to stay off.

Is the Gastric Bypass operation reversible?

It is technically possible to reverse the gastric bypass operation surgically, but no patient has ever asked us to do this. Neither have we ever had to reverse the procedure on medical grounds.

What will happen on the long term, with the Gastric Bypass operation?

The gastric bypass operation has an excellent long-term track record with good follow-up on several thousands patients who have been observed for up to 20 years. Weight loss is shown to be durable but to achieve good results you must maintain your new pattern of eating until it is your life and breaking the rules long-term is extremely uncommon.

You should have your blood count checked once a year to make sure that you are not anaemic. You should also have your vitamin B12 levels checked. These tests are automatically done as part of SurgiCare's aftercare programmes (including the annual packages available after you have completed your initial programme) - giving you peace of mind that all is well. You should also continue to take the multivitamin/mineral supplements and additional calcium as recommended by the dietitian.

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