A majority of patients will regain some weight after a bariatric surgical procedure. The amount regained ranges between a few pounds and all of the weight lost during the operation. The amount of weight regained after the operation is dependent on many factors and this is one of the reasons why so much stress and attention is made to the importance of a healthy lifestyle during the pre-op and post-surgical period.

For laparoscopic gastric bypass, long term weight loss after gastric bypass is suggested to be approximately 60-70% of your excess body weight at 2 years, and 45-50% of your excess body weight at 5 to 10 years after the operation. These numbers do not mean that you will regain weight after the operation however underscore the fact that for some reason, weight-loss after gastric bypass only occurs for approximately a 18 months. After 18 months weight-loss is due to healthy life style choices and exercise.

Weight regain may occur when patients eat high-calorie soft foods that easily pass through the opening in the stomach into the intestines. Others gain weight because they do not change their eating habits and do not lose much weight to begin with. Successful results depend on the patient’s willingness to adopt a long-term plan of healthy eating and regular physical activity.

These statistics are generalizations and averages. Some patients have more success than others