How Much Weight Will I Lose from Bariatric Surgery?
Millions of Americans struggle with their weight. Individuals classified as obese or morbidly obese face an increased risk of multiple health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Unfortunately, many struggle to lose weight through diet and exercise alone. Bariatric surgery procedures, such as gastric bypass and gastric sleeve, alter the stomach and digestive system to promote weight loss.
Medical tourism, as coordinated through the team at Tijuana Bariatrics in Tijuana, Mexico, makes bariatric surgery an affordable treatment option. People considering surgical treatment often ask, “How much weight will I lose from bariatric surgery?” Here, we discuss typical weight loss results for popular bariatric techniques.
Average Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Results
Several bariatric surgery techniques are available to assist patients in shedding excess weight and improving their health, mobility, quality of life, and self-confidence. The specific details of each procedure vary slightly, but generally they all reduce the stomach’s size to limit its capacity and lower the patient’s appetite. Some techniques also reroute the digestive tract to reduce the calories absorbed by the body.
Bariatric surgery weight loss results may differ slightly for each patient. Results depend on factors such as the surgical technique, the weight the patient has to lose, and the patient’s adherence to post-surgical instructions. On average, bariatric surgery patients lose around 70 percent of their excess weight.
Gastric Bypass Weight Loss Results
Gastric bypass is one of the most widely performed bariatric surgery techniques. Tijuana Bariatrics physicians perform gastric bypass laparoscopically. Using tiny incisions and small surgical tools equipped with a camera, our surgeons resize the stomach and reroute the intestines. The procedure limits the amount of food the stomach can hold and reduces the nutrients and calories the body absorbs.
Gastric bypass has a high rate of success. Most patients lose a significant amount of weight after gastric bypass and can maintain weight loss results long-term. On average, gastric bypass patients lose five to 15 pounds a week during the first two to three months after surgery. Weight loss usually tapers off to one to two pounds a week after that, continuing until around six months post-surgery. Within one year patients can expect to lose 60 to 70 percent of their excess weight.
Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Results
A gastric sleeve procedure differs from a gastric bypass. During gastric sleeve surgery, the stomach’s size is reduced to about 15 percent of its original size. Gastric sleeve surgery does not alter the intestines. However, the procedure encourages significant weight loss by making the patient feel full faster so that they eat less food and the body absorbs fewer calories.
Gastric sleeve weight loss results are similar to those of gastric bypass. Average gastric sleeve patients lose around five pounds a week in the first three months after surgery. Weight loss results then taper down to one to two pounds a week. Six months after gastric sleeve, the average patient has usually lost 45 to 55 percent of excess weight. Patients can lose up to 60 or 70 percent of excess weight in the first year after surgery.
What if I Don’t Reach My Weight Loss Goals?
Most people successfully achieve their weight loss goals after bariatric surgery. If a patient’s weight loss results fall below the average, if their weight loss plateaus, or if they have trouble maintaining weight loss results, they may be ideal candidates for bariatric revision surgery. Bariatric revision surgery utilizes a different bariatric technique to help patients lose the desired weight.
Contact Tijuana Bariatrics
If you have questions about bariatric surgery techniques or the benefits of medical tourism through Tijuana Bariatrics, our team can provide you with the information you need. To schedule a consultation, send us a message at your earliest convenience.
