Gastric Sleeve Surgery

How Much Weight Could I Lose with Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

John Rabkin, MD, FACS

Last Updated:  

After having gastric sleeve surgery, the resulting weight loss is significant and tends to happen quickly after having surgery. Use the calculator below to project your weight loss, then scroll down to learn more about maximizing weight loss and preventing weight regain.

Click Here to See How Much Weight You Could Lose

Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about gastric sleeve weight loss.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Click on any of the topics below to jump directly to that section

  1. Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Timeline
  2. How To Maximize Weight Loss
  3. Health Benefits After Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss
  4. Weight Regain and Stomach Stretching
  5. Patient Community and Expert Advice
  6. Find a Surgeon
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01.

Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Timeline

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • Lose up to 5 pounds per week after surgery
  • Gastric sleeve weight loss has “staying power”

Weight loss after gastric sleeve is an exciting and fast-paced time of change. For the first 12 weeks, patients can expect to lose weight at the following rates:

Click the arrows to see more columns

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 Weeks 1-6Weeks 6-12
Weight Loss Per Day1/2 pound1/3 of a pound
Weight Loss Per Week3-5 pounds2-3 pounds

Factors that impact weight loss after surgery include:

  • How long it takes the patient to recover
  • How much weight the patient needs to lose
  • Dietary choices

A common way to measure gastric sleeve weight loss begins with identifying how much excess weight a patient carries. Excess body weight is defined by how many pounds a patient is overweight.

For example, if a patient weighs 300 pounds, but their ideal body weight is 200 pounds, that means they carry 100 pounds of excess weight. The following data shows averages of gastric sleeve excess weight loss in the first year:

  • Gastric sleeve weight loss at 3 months: About 33% of excess weight
  • Gastric sleeve weight loss at 6 months: About 50% of excess weight
  • Gastric sleeve weight loss at 12 months: Up to 70% of excess weight

See the gastric sleeve weight loss chart below for easy-to-read examples of patient weight loss:

Click to see a gastric sleeve chart with real life examples of weight loss

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 JenRemyTyson
Height5 feet 4 inches5 feet 10 inches6 feet 3 Inches
Starting weight240 lbs (108 kg)340 lbs (154 kg)400 lbs (181 kg)
Weight After 3 Months209 lbs (94 kg)285 lbs (129 kg)334 lbs (152 kg)
Weight After 6 Months192 lbs (87 kg)257 lbs (116 kg)300 lbs (136 kg)
Weight After 1 Year177 lbs (80 kg)223 lbs (101 kg)260 lbs (118 kg)
Total Weight Loss After 1 year67 lbs (30 kg)117 lbs (53 kg)140 lbs (64 kg)

Long term studies have demonstrated that gastric sleeve surgery has “staying power.” On average, patients are able to maintain weight loss of at least 55% of their excess weight 5 years after their surgery.

See our Gastric Sleeve Before and After page for real pictures of gastric sleeve patients.

02.

How To Maximize Weight Loss with Gastric Sleeve Surgery

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • Tips to Reach (and Maintain) Your Goal Weight

Read the following facts and tips to help maximize your gastric sleeve weight loss:

  • Patients who use a diet journal lose 2x the weight (1). Most diet journals are available on your smartphone. Use of a diet journal is highly recommended for gastric sleeve patients.
  • Patients who don’t get enough sleep have more difficulty losing weight (2). This is due to hormonal imbalances and the physiological stress that sleep deprivation causes (3). Gastric sleeve patients need adequate amounts of sleep to support their weight loss.
  • Begin an exercise program. It is no secret that exercise contributes to weight loss, improves health, and makes people happier. After the incisions from surgery heal, gastric sleeve patients should get at least some form of daily exercise.
  • Stick with water or low-calorie drinks like unsweetened tea. Soda, juices, and sports drinks are usually high in sugar and rapidly absorbed. This means you won’t feel full, your blood sugar will spike, and excess calories are consumed.
  • Follow the gastric sleeve post-operative diet. To learn more about how to eat after surgery, see our Gastric Sleeve Diet page.
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03.

Health Benefits After Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • Cures or improves a variety of obesity-related health conditions

Gastric sleeve health benefits start immediately after surgery – even before leaving the hospital. Conditions improved or cured by gastric sleeve include:

  • Hypertension
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Asthma
  • Joint pain
  • Sleep apnea
  • …and many others

Patients who attend follow up appointments with their surgeon are more likely to see health improvements.

In addition to losing weight and feeling better physically and mentally, many patients report an improved quality of life. Activities that were once stressful, or even avoided, become comfortable and routine. Relationships and mood disorders like anxiety or depression can also improve.

For the full list of health issues cured or improved by gastric sleeve surgery, see the Health Benefits section of our Gastric Sleeve Results page.

04.

Weight Regain and Stomach Stretching

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • Weight regain occurs in 30% of patients
  • Stomach stretching is worsened by overeating
  • Avoidable by following recommended diets

Although gastric sleeve surgery is very effective for weight loss, about 30% of patients regain some of their weight back. Weight regain ranges from a few pounds to gaining back all pre-surgery weight.

Patients who regain weight usually know there’s a problem within five years of surgery.

Patients who maintain their weight loss for five years or more have effectively modified their lifestyle and they remain at lower risk of weight regain for the long-term.

Why do patients regain weight?

Weight regain typically happens when a patient returns to eating unhealthy foods. After patients recover from surgery and stop seeing their surgeon for follow-up visits, old habits can creep back in.

Here is a common example of weight regain after gastric sleeve:

Jennifer lost 75 pounds after gastric sleeve surgery. After surgery she was motivated, followed the recommended diets, and wouldn’t trade her fantastic weight loss for anything. Her new, slimmer self then started “cheating” and began eating the unhealthy foods she used to eat.

Her “go-to” foods included high carb, high fat foods like pizza, sweets, and sugary drinks. These foods were slowly reintroduced into her diet, and weight regain became a reality. She never anticipated weight regain, but it happened anyway.

Three years after surgery, Jennifer had gained back 50 of the 75 pounds she’d lost.

For the 30% of patients that regain weight, Jennifer’s story is all too familiar.

What is stomach stretching?

Stomach stretching is when the stomach increases how much food it can hold, reversing the benefit of the gastric sleeve procedure. This can happen naturally after gastric sleeve, but it happens even faster when patients eat too much food during meals. Patients who eat small/medium sized portions rarely experience significant stomach stretching.

Patients who stretch their stomach need to eat more food in order to feel full which leads to weight regain. Some patients who experience stomach stretching choose to undergo gastric sleeve revision surgery to tighten the stomach back up or to “convert” to a different type of bariatric surgery.

How To Avoid Weight Regain and Stomach Stretching

Gastric sleeve patients must eat a healthy diet or they won’t maintain weight loss. While the benefits of gastric sleeve can be amazing, the days of eating fast food or consuming sweets should be over. Patients should limit carbs, increase their protein intake, and eat only healthy fats.

Portion control is also crucial to maintaining weight loss. Calorie intake (largely dependent on food portions) plays a major role in whether or not the body begins to store fat. Small or medium sized portions of healthy foods will ensure that excess fat is not stored and gastric sleeve weight loss is maintained.

For more information, see our page on Weight Regain After Gastric Sleeve Surgery.

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05.

Patient Community and Expert Advice

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • You can hear from other patients about their experience
  • You can "Ask the Expert"

If you still have questions about gastric sleeve weight loss, our experts are happy to answer them. We (and other patients) would also love to hear about your experiences.

Please use the form below to share your experience or ask a question.

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06.

Find a Surgeon

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • You can ask a local bariatric practice for a free insurance check or cost quote
  • You can attend a free in-person seminar or an online webinar offered by a local weight loss surgeon
  • You should schedule a phone or in-person consultation (both often free), if you are interested in learning more about weight loss surgery
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Do You Qualify for a Bariatric Procedure?

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Do You Qualify for a Bariatric Procedure?

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Do You Qualify for a Bariatric Procedure?

Patients who qualify for bariatric surgery usually:

  • Are at least 80 lbs (36 kg) overweight
  • Are between 18 and 75 years old
  • Have a history of failed weight loss attempts (e.g., failed diets)
  • Thoroughly understand that the procedure is just a tool; long-term success requires significant diet and lifestyle changes

The minimum bariatric surgery qualifications include:

  • A body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more
  • OR a BMI between 30 and 39.9 with a serious obesity-related health problem like diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, joint problems, or others
  • OR a BMI of 30 to 40 with or without health issues for the gastric balloon procedure

To calculate your BMI, enter your height and weight into the tool, then click the “Calculate BMI” button.

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Check My Insurance Tool

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Check My Insurance Tool

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Check My Insurance Tool

Bariatric surgery insurance coverage varies by insurance policy:

Individual/Family Plans & Small Group Plans – Coverage varies by state; coverage is required by the Affordable Care Act in some states

Large Group Plans – Coverage depends on whether your employer has chosen to add it to your policy

Medicare and Medicaid – Bariatric surgery is covered

If your policy covers it and you meet the qualification requirements, your plan will likely include 4 procedures:

  • Gastric sleeve
  • Gastric bypass
  • LAP-BAND®
  • Duodenal switch

Your surgeon may be able to get partial coverage for the other procedures.

Use the tool to find out if your insurance covers bariatric surgery.

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Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Estimator Tool

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Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Estimator Tool

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Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Calculator

You will start losing weight fast after any bariatric surgery procedure, but the total amount lost varies based on:

  • The procedure you choose
  • How closely you follow your doctor’s instructions

Enter your information into the tool to get an idea about how much weight you’ll lose after each procedure.

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Bariatric Procedure Cost Compare Tool

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Bariatric Procedure Cost Compare Tool

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Bariatric Procedure Cost Compare Tool

Your out-of-pocket bariatric surgery cost can range anywhere from $0 to $20,000 or more depending on several factors, including:

Whether your insurance covers it – many insurances (including Medicare, Medicaid, and many individual/family and employer-provided policies) cover the majority of costs for gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, LAP-BAND®, and duodenal switch. The other types of bariatric surgery are less likely to be covered, although you may be able to get insurance to pay for some of the costs. Tap the “With Insurance” button in the tool to see average out-of-pocket costs per procedure after insurance pays. See our Insurance Tool to find out if your plan covers it.

Which procedure you choose – if insurance won’t pay, costs range anywhere from $8,000 to $20,000+, depending on the procedure. Tap the “Without Insurance” button in the tool to compare the national average self-pay costs for each procedure. (NOTE: Some surgeons offer each procedure for as low as half of the national average).

How competitive your surgeon and hospital fees are – there is often a substantial difference in costs between different doctors and hospitals, even within the same town.

Whether you qualify for tax write-offs – Bariatric surgery is tax deductible, which can have a big impact on the total cost of surgery. You can deduct medical expenses if your out-of-pocket costs are more than 10% of your adjusted gross income. See our Tax Tool to find out if your bariatric procedure will be tax deductible.

How you choose to pay for your procedure – If insurance covers it, you’ll only be responsible for any copays, deductibles, and coinsurance required by your specific plan. If you pay for the procedure without insurance, total costs will depend on how you pay. For example, your surgeon may offer a discount if you pay the full amount up front, and you can make the costs more affordable by applying for bariatric surgery financing.

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LOAN ESTIMATOR TOOL

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LOAN ESTIMATOR TOOL

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Bariatric Surgery Tax Write-Off Calculator

Weight loss surgery is tax deductible, which can have a big impact on the total cost of surgery. You can deduct medical expenses if the costs are more than 10% of your adjusted gross income.

Use the tool to find out if you qualify for a tax deduction.

To receive the deductions, you’ll need to complete Schedule A of the IRS Form 1040. You’ll also need to save your medical bills and payment statements as proof. Money in one of the following special savings accounts (or even your IRA) may also be a way to pay for part of surgery tax-free:

  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Archer Medical Savings Account (Archer MSA)
  • Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
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Bariatric Surgery Tax Write-Off Tool

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Bariatric Surgery Tax Write-Off Tool

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Bariatric Surgery Tax Write-Off Calculator

Weight loss surgery is tax deductible, which can have a big impact on the total cost of surgery. You can deduct medical expenses if the costs are more than 10% of your adjusted gross income.

Use the tool to find out if you qualify for a tax deduction

To receive the deductions, you’ll need to complete Schedule A of the IRS Form 1040. You’ll also need to save your medical bills and payment statements as proof.

Money in one of the following special savings accounts (or even your IRA) may also be a way to pay for part of surgery tax-free:

  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Archer Medical Savings Account (Archer MSA)
  • Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
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Bariatric Surgery Recovery Timeline Tool

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Bariatric Surgery Recovery Timeline Tool

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Bariatric Surgery Recovery Timeline Tool

Bariatric surgery recovery varies by procedure. Here are the ranges:

  • Timeline Range: from 3 days to 6 weeks to full recovery
    • Hospital Stay: from outpatient (return home same-day) to 3 days
    • Back to Work: from 3 days to 3 weeks
  • Pain Range: from mild discomfort to manageable with medication
  • Diet Range: from no restrictions to slow transition from clear liquids to solid foods
  • Activity Range: from no restrictions to slow transition back to regular activity and exercise

Use the tool to learn more about each stage of recovery.

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Bariatric Procedure Summaries

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Below is a brief explanation of how each bariatric surgery procedure works. Tap the icons for more information.

Bariatric Procedure Summaries

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Below is a brief explanation of how each bariatric surgery procedure works. Tap the icons for more information.

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Bariatric Procedure Comparison Tool

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Bariatric Procedure Comparison Tool

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Bariatric Procedure Comparison Tool

There are 6 types of bariatric surgery (also called “weight loss surgery”) available, including:

  • Gastric Sleeve – feel less hungry & full sooner while eating
  • Gastric Bypass – feel full sooner while eating & absorb fewer minerals
  • Duodenal Switch – feel less hungry & full sooner while eating, absorb fewer calories and minerals
  • LAP-BAND® – feel full sooner while eating
  • Gastric Balloon – temporarily feel full sooner while eating (balloon removed after 6 months)
  • AspireAssist – drain a portion of stomach contents after eating

Use the tool to compare each procedure.

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Bariatric Surgery Quiz: Learn Your Top 2 Procedures

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Bariatric Surgery Quiz: Learn Your Top 2 Procedures

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Bariatric Surgery Quiz: Learn Your Top 2 Procedures

The best weight loss surgery options for you depend on:

  • How much weight you want to lose
  • Your current age, weight, health issues, habits, and lifestyle
  • Your expectations for life after surgery
  • Whether you want a reversible procedure
  • What “trade-offs” you are willing to make

Take the quiz to find out which two procedures are best for you and why.

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Bariatric Surgery Health Benefits Tool (Gastric Sleeve)

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Bariatric Surgery Health Benefits Tool (Gastric Sleeve)

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Bariatric Surgery Health Benefits Tool

Bariatric surgery “cures” or significantly improves many obesity-related health conditions, including:

  • Diabetes
  • Sleep apnea
  • Hypertension
  • Joint issues
  • … and many others

Select your health conditions in the tool, then click the Submit button to find out the impact a procedure like gastric sleeve can have.

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* Disclaimers: Content: The information contained in this website is provided for general information purposes and your specific results may vary depending on a variety of circumstances. It is not intended as nor should be relied upon as medical advice. Rather, it is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician(s). Before you use any of the information provided in the site, you should seek the advice of a qualified medical, dietary, fitness or other appropriate professional. Advertising: Bariatric Surgery Source, LLC has entered into referral and advertising arrangements with certain medical practices, original equipment manufacturers, and financial companies under which we receive compensation (in the form of flat fees per qualifying action) when you click on links to our partners and/or submit information. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Read More

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