Can I get overweight again after gastric bypass surgery?

If you are thinking about gastric bypass surgery, you may be afraid that you will gain weight again after the surgery.
This fear is understandable, especially if you’ve heard stories of people who have become overweight again. Dr. Kevin Göttgens, gastrointestinal surgeon at WeightWorks, has now performed more than a thousand gastric reduction surgeries successfully since 2015.
As a result, he understands well the concerns people have about weight gain after gastric bypass surgery.
“We know that people are afraid they will become overweight again after gastric bypass surgery.
We can reassure these people: Most people are still at a good weight after 20 years.”
In this blog, we explain whether you can regain weight after gastric bypass surgery and what things you can do to maintain a healthy weight in the long run.

Can my stomach stretch after gastric bypass surgery?

To answer this question correctly, it is important to explain a little about the different surgeries so you know what happens in the stomach.
We explain if your stomach can stretch with a Gastric Sleeve, a Gastric Bypass and Mini Gastric Bypass.

Gastric Sleeve

Gastric sleeve surgery reduces your stomach to a narrow tube.
Compare it to a bicycle tire under high pressure.
The constant pressure allows your stomach to stretch, just as a bicycle tire would under constant pressure.
This does not happen to everyone and it is difficult to predict in whom it will happen.
You cannot prevent it and it is independent of the amount of food you take.
So can your stomach stretch with a sleeve?
The answer is yes!

Gastric Bypass and Mini Gastric Bypass

With mini gastric bypass and gastric bypass, the stomach is under less pressure than with the sleeve.
As a result, there is less chance of stretching.
Can your stomach stretch with a (mini) gastric bypass?
Dr. Kevin Göttgens: “This hardly ever occurs. The chances of this happening are very small. Do continue to listen to your body and stop eating when you are full.”

Can I get overweight again after gastric bypass surgery?

Yes, it is possible to regain weight after gastric bypass surgery. Much is now known about the long-term results of gastric bypass surgery.
Although most people remain at a good weight (%-90%) 20 years after gastric bypass surgery, there are several things that can cause weight gain.
If you regularly eat foods that are high in calories after gastric bypass surgery, you may regain weight at some point.
If people with (mini) gastric bypass do not experience symptoms when they eat a lot of sugar – such as dumping – then it may be easier to take these products more often.
This allows you to regain weight slowly.
If you have a gastric sleeve, it is important not to take too many liquid calories (ice cream, smoothies, whipped cream, etc.).
The sphincter at the bottom of the sleeve mainly keeps solid food in your stomach longer.
However, this does not happen with liquid products.
If you eat a lot of liquid products, they “slide” through your stomach faster and you may not feel full.
This, in turn, can cause you to eat faster, ultimately causing you to overeat.
“In practice, we see with a gastric sleeve after 5-7 years that people are more likely to relapse and regain weight than with a gastric bypass.” said Dr. Kevin Göttgens.

Can I eat normally again after gastric bypass surgery?

It is possible.
You may find that over time you can return to eating normally after a gastric bypass. Dr. Kevin Göttgens explains the following: “In general, we see that people cannot eat the same in terms of quantities or portion sizes. However, people can tolerate most food products again. Also, you can eat out and partake in multiple courses if you take your time, and small portions. Sometimes people are also able to take normal portions again, as before surgery. There is no way to predict in whom this will be the case and what may cause it.”

What can I do myself to avoid becoming overweight again?

The success of gastric bypass surgery depends not only on the surgery itself, but also on the changes you make in your lifestyle.
We’ll give you some advice you can follow to make sure you don’t get overweight again. 7 Tips to Stay Healthy After Gastric Reduction:

• Eating structure: stick to the 6 eating times
• Nutrition: Eat nutritious and varied foods
• Separate eating and drinking: You should wait half an hour between eating and drinking.
  This gives the stomach time to process the food.
  It also prevents you from feeling overfull
• Exercise: Get regular exercise.
  Choose fun forms of exercise so you stick with it long-term
• Checkup appointments: Go to checkup appointments in the first 5 years after surgery.
  “Often after 2 years people think they can do it themselves, but regular checkups will help you maintain your healthy lifestyle.”
• Follow advice: Continue to follow the advice of your doctor and dietician, even if you are not experiencing symptoms (e.g., taking vitamins for life).
• Support: seek support from a coach or psychologist if you find it difficult to deal with feelings of discomfort (anger, sadness, fear).
  If you are an emotion eater, it is good to learn how to release tension in other ways.

I now know more about what can happen to the stomach after gastric bypass surgery. Do I qualify for gastric bypass surgery?

As you can read, much is already known about the results of gastric bypass surgery.
We also know what you can do to maintain a healthy weight in the long term.
After all, you want to avoid becoming severely overweight again after your gastric bypass surgery.
The WeightWorks team will be involved in your recovery and lifestyle changes for a long time.
We do this so you can gain real confidence that you can maintain long-term weight loss.
Want to take the step of coming in for a gastric bypass screening?
If so, discuss a referral with your primary care physician.
Afterward, you can schedule an appointment at WeightWorks.
During the screening appointments with the internist (doctor), dietician, lifestyle coach and psychologist, you can ask all your questions.
If you do the quick scan, you can quickly see if you might qualify for a gastric reduction.