Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Much is said and written about gastric bypass surgery….
But you may find it difficult to determine what is true and what is not. We have listed the most common questions, facts and fables for you.
Is something still unclear? Get in touch, we are happy to explain.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about gastric bypass surgery
It is indeed true that by living healthy and exercising more you can lose weight well. But if you are very overweight, you almost never manage to keep that up for a long time and thus achieve a healthy weight. Scientific research shows that people who lose weight with diet and exercise are back to their old weight (and usually a little more) 95% of the time. Gastric reduction surgery is the most effective way to lose weight.
Medications can help lose weight but usually do not help enough. Most medications are prescription and also have side effects. There are two types:
- Medications that bind fats (e.g., Orlistat). On average, these give a few pounds of weight loss. Disadvantage is fatty diarrhea. In the long run, the effect is small.
- GLP-1 analogs (e.g., Ozempic, Saxenda, Wegovy). These medications do produce reasonable weight loss up to sometimes 15%. They are often prescribed for diabetes combined with obesity. The disadvantage is that they are very expensive and must be given by weekly injection. For a sustained effect, it must be maintained for the rest of life. Costs run up to €2000 per year. About a third of people have significant side effects from the medication such as: abdominal discomfort, diarrhea and depressed mood.
Every surgery has some risk. The risk of stomach reduction surgery is similar to gallbladder surgery. The risk of a serious complication is around 2%. The risk of death is 1 in 1,000. So there is indeed risk in surgery. But a person who is severely overweight is also at considerable risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other conditions without surgery.
After gastric bypass surgery, people lose an average of 70 – 80% of their excess weight in the first two years after surgery. After that, they often regain some weight, 15% to 25% on average. Yet they are then still very much lighter than before their surgery. For maximum results also in the long term, everyone receives a counseling program that attempts to learn healthier habits. Ultimately, 70% of people manage to keep more than 50% of their excess weight off for longer than 10 years. No other treatment achieves that result.
Many people who qualify for gastric bypass surgery do not know it themselves. A rule of thumb is that if you are one and a half times normal weight you may qualify. More accurate is the BMI (body mass index). With a BMI from 35-40, you may be a candidate for gastric bypass surgery. Find out what BMI is and when you qualify here or take the Quick Scan.
People who are severely overweight are eligible for bariatric surgery. If you meet the conditions, the surgery is insured in the basic package. This means that the health insurance company pays the cost of the surgery and counseling program. However, you do have to pay the deductible of €385 yourself. After surgery, digestion has changed and you do not absorb food as easily. This also puts you at greater risk of vitamin deficiency. It is therefore strongly recommended to take extra vitamins for life. Vitamins, unfortunately, are not insured and you have to pay for them yourself. If you don’t qualify for reimbursement but still want a stomach reduction, you can if your BMI is above 30. Learn more about pricing and reimbursement.
It depends very much on gender, age, fat distribution and BMI. Usually the skin around the torso in particular does become saggy. About 30% of people later have another abdominoplasty performed by the plastic surgeon because of excess skin.
There is no immediate answer to that. The choice of surgery is made in consultation with the surgeon. This takes into account age, personal preference, concomitant diseases, presence of acidosis, previous surgeries, etc. In the Netherlands, there is some preference for performing Gastric Bypass because of the long experience with the procedure and the highly reliable outcomes. About 70% of all procedures in NL are Gastric bypass or Mini Gastric Bypass. With a Gastric Sleeve, on average, the weight loss is a bit less and you are also more likely to regain weight.
Fables & facts about stomach reduction
Fact: Many people are wrong about this. If you are 20 kg or more overweight then you may well qualify. Read the criteria for gastric bypass surgery here.
Fact: Even though you may feel healthy, your excess weight can hurt. Unnoticed damage occurs to your body. This increases your risk of disease and makes you live shorter on average.
Fact: It is true that after gastric bypass surgery, portions are smaller. But basically you can eat anything. Because of the altered intestinal tract, you have a reduced sense of hunger and are full faster. So as a result, you eat less.
Fact: Nowadays we have become so good at this operation that the risk is only small. The risk is similar to gallbladder surgery. About 2% of people develop a serious complication. 1 in 1,000 people may die from the operation.
Fact: For most people, it is not. On average, you lose more than 80% of your excess weight. In about 15% to 25% of people, some of the weight lost comes back, but never actually to its former level.
Fact: Unfortunately, this is not so. Diet and exercise do help, but in almost all cases only temporarily. Less than 5% of people manage to maintain that for life. Moreover, the effect is almost always less than that of surgery.
Fact: Gastric bypass surgery is covered under insured care in the basic package. So you pay only your deductible.
Fact: 95% Of people go home the day after surgery. So you are only in the hospital for 1 night.
Do you want to know if you qualify for gastric bypass surgery?
Follow these steps:
Step 1
Do the Quick Scan
Complete the Quick Scan and quickly find out if you are a candidate for gastric bypass surgery.
Step 2
Going through your journey
You will go through the process from screening to the guidance of a Lifestyle coach in the after process.
Step 3
Go through life healthy
Now it’s up to you! Together with one of our lifestyle coaches, you will maintain a healthy lifestyle and have the most results and enjoyment from your gastric reduction.
