Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Gastric Sleeve Success Rate – How Much Weight Will You Lose?

Unsurprisingly, the “success” of your gastric sleeve surgery is usually measured in terms of weight loss. After surgery, if you eat right and exercise, you will lose up to 70% of your excess weight in the first year.

For example, if you are 5’ 4” and weigh 220 lbs, you will lose up to 55+ lbs in the first year. If you’re 5′ 9” and weigh 300 lbs, you will lose up to 95+ lbs within 1 year.

Click Here to See How Much Weight You Could Lose

Read the sections below for everything you need to know about how much weight you could lose if you have gastric sleeve surgery.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

  1. Weight Loss Over Time
  2. Successful Patients and Failed Patients
  3. How Gastric Sleeve Works
  4. Before and After Pictures
  5. The Truth About Weight Regain
  6. Side Effect Rates
  7. Complication Rates
  8. Revision Rates and Options
  9. Patient Experience & Expert Advice
  10. Find a Gastric Sleeve Surgeon
Advertisement
Bariatric Surgery Source
01.

Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Over Time

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • You will lose ~ 70% of your excess weight within 1 year

The fastest period of weight loss is within the first three months. On average, patients will:

  • Lose one-half pound a day for the first six weeks (3 to 4 pounds per week)
  • Lose one-third of a pound a day for the next six weeks (2 to 3 pounds per week)

Meaningful weight loss is achieved by the vast majority of patients in the short-term. Long-term success rates of gastric sleeve are also impressive. On average, patients maintain excess weight loss of 55% after 5 years.

Average Excess Weight Loss After Gastric Sleeve

For a patient who is 5’ 4” and has a starting weight of 240 lbs, following is the average weight loss over 5 years:

  • 3 months – 27 lbs lost (12.2 kg)
  • 6 months – 45 lbs lost (20.4 kg)
  • 1 year – 63 lbs lost (28.6 kg)
  • 3 years – 55 lbs lost (24.9 kg)
  • 5 years – 50 lbs lost (22.7 kg)
Click Here to See How Much Weight You Could Lose

See our Gastric Sleeve Results page for more information about weight loss and health benefits after gastric sleeve.

02.

The Main Differences Between Successful Patients and Failed Gastric Sleeve Patients

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • The successful patients commit to long-term diet and lifestyle changes

Most patients are satisfied with their weight loss after gastric sleeve, but some patients struggle. There are important differences between the gastric sleeve success rate of these two groups.

Successful patients will:

  • Follow a healthy diet (high in protein, low in carbs, eat only healthy fats)
  • Regularly exercise
  • Attend follow up appointments with their surgeon
  • Eat small portions
  • Avoid “cheat meals”
  • Take personal responsibility for their own weight loss or gain

Unsuccessful patients will:

  • Maintain a “sedentary lifestyle.” Lack of movement/exercise contributes to a slow metabolism and increases the risk of weight regain
  • Eat unhealthy foods
  • Eat large quantities of foods that stretch the stomach

Main takeaway: The gastric sleeve success rate is directly tied to patient behavior after surgery. Patients who shift their psychology (get motivated!) and make smart dietary decisions will lose an impressive amount of weight and keep it off.

See our Gastric Sleeve Reviews page for real-life stories of successful patients.

03.

How The Gastric Sleeve Works

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • Your surgeon will remove ~80% of your stomach
  • Your smaller stomach means you'll feel full sooner while eating and feels less hungry generally, so you'll eat less and lose weight

Surgeons make between 1 and 5 small incisions in the abdomen to access the stomach. The surgeon removes about 80% of the stomach, creating a banana shaped stomach “sleeve” that holds less food. Following surgery, patients feel full sooner while eating.

Gastric sleeve also works by reducing the amount of hunger-causing hormones (ghrelin) the stomach can produce. Think of the stomach as a factory for hormones that cause hunger. Gastric sleeve surgery makes this hunger-hormone factory smaller, helping to reduce food cravings and hunger pain.

See our Gastric Sleeve page for more information on how this surgery works.

04.

Gastric Sleeve Before and After Pictures

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • Scroll down to see the 5 sets of photos

See below for weight loss photos of patients before and after gastric sleeve surgery:

Gastric Sleeve Success Rate Picture

Image source: https://scontent.fapa1-2.fna.fbcdn.net

Gastric Sleeve Success Rate Picture

Image source: https://scontent.fapa1-2.fna.fbcdn.net

Gastric Sleeve Success Rate Picture

Image source: http://primesurgicare.com

Gastric Sleeve Success Rate Picture

Image source: http://muscletransform.com

Gastric Sleeve Success Rate Picture

Image source: https://cdn.thaimedicalvacation.com

See our Gastric Sleeve Before and After page for pictures of gastric sleeve patients, including women, men, and celebrities.

Advertisement
Bariatric Surgery Source
05.

The Truth About Weight Regain After Gastric Sleeve Surgery

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • You can regain the weight you lose after gastric sleeve surgery
  • The weight regain is usually caused by not following your diet closely

Weight regain happens in about 30% of patients and can start as early as 12-18 months after surgery (2). Around that time, weight loss momentum can slow down, and old habits can re-emerge. Patients are at the highest risk of weight regain for the first 5 years after surgery.

The most frequent causes of weight regain are changes in diet, lack of exercise, and/or food addiction. Fortunately, weight regain can usually be avoided by eating healthy foods in small or medium-sized portions.

Tips To Avoid Weight Regain:

  1. Use a free diet journal. Tracking your food makes maintaining a healthy diet easier and can contribute to 2x the weight loss (3).
  2. Maintain healthy sleep patterns. Sleep deprivation makes weight loss more difficult (4).
  3. See a therapist if you struggle with food addiction issues.
  4. Begin an exercise routine. Exercise aids in weight loss and improves quality of life.

See our page on Weight Gain After Gastric Sleeve for more information.

06.

Gastric Sleeve Side Effect Rates

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • 1 in 5 gastric sleeve patients experience gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) (read details below)

The majority of patients will experience normal, post-surgery side effects. These include mild pain at the site of the incisions, and fatigue for 1-2 days. Fatigue is common due to the impact of surgery and anesthesia (which is required for gastric sleeve).

Other side effects may be a result of the anatomy changes after gastric sleeve. These usually resolve on their own as the body adjusts to the smaller stomach.

Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD)

Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), also known as acid reflux, occurs in about 20% of patients after gastric sleeve (5). These symptoms usually resolve on their own, and only 3% of patients report GERD symptoms a year after surgery (6). Treatment includes dietary changes or the use drugs that reduce stomach acid.

Additional Gastric Sleeve Side Effects

  • Digestive Issues (gas, nausea, and bloating) – Common side effect
    • Usually resolves after the stomach heals and a new diet is implemented.
  • Nutrient deficiencies – Common side effect
    • Daily multivitamins are strongly advised for all patients following gastric sleeve.
  • Sagging skin – Common after significant weight loss
    • Treatable with a Tummy Tuck or the use of “slimming clothes.”

For more information about side effects, visit our Gastric Sleeve Complications page.

Advertisement
Bariatric Surgery Source
07.

Gastric Sleeve Complication Rates

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • Non-fatal, serious complications occur in 4% of surgeries (read details below)

Gastric sleeve surgery has a 99.7% survival rate.

But like all surgeries, it does carry a risk of complications. Non-fatal serious complications occur in approximately 4% of surgeries.

Reliable treatments are available for post-surgery complications. Compared to other weight loss surgeries like duodenal switch and gastric bypass, the gastric sleeve is lower-risk.

For more information, visit our Gastric Sleeve Complications page.

08.

Gastric Sleeve Revision Rates and Options

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • 4% of weight loss surgeries are a revision of a previous weight loss procedure

Gastric sleeve revisions are when a patient gets a second weight loss surgery after an unsuccessful gastric sleeve. Gastric sleeve revisions are rare, and most patients do not desire or need more surgery. Approximately 4% of weight loss surgeries are revisional (10).

There are three common reasons patients undergo revisional surgery:

  • Unsatisfactory Weight Loss: This can result from poor diet or unexpected weight loss setbacks.
  • Weight Regain: Approximately 3 out of 10 patients regain weight. Weight regain can be as little as a few pounds, or mean a patient returns to their pre-surgery weight.
  • Persistent Side Effects (Rare): The most common side effect that leads to a revisional surgery is gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). Other side effects that lead to gastric sleeve revision are very rare.

There are four gastric sleeve revision options:

  • Duodenal switch (best for weight loss)
  • Gastric bypass (best for addressing gastroesophageal reflux)
  • Re-sleeve (2nd gastric sleeve is performed)
  • Lap-Band® (least popular)

For more information about revision options, see our page on Gastric Sleeve Revisions.

Advertisement
Bariatric Surgery Source
09.

Patient Experience & Expert Advice

SECTION SUMMARY:

  • You can read about the experiences of other gastric sleeve patients
  • You Can "Ask the Expert"

If you still have questions about gastric sleeve success rate, 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.

Close Help

Entering your question or experiences is easy to do. Just type!… Your comments and questions will appear on a Web page exactly the way you enter it here. You can wrap a word in square brackets to make it appear bold. For example [my story] would show as my story on the Web page containing your story. TIP: Since most people scan Web pages, include your best thoughts in your first paragraph.

Upload 1-4 Pictures or Graphics (optional) [ ? ]

Close Help

Do you have some pictures or graphics to add? Great! Click the button and find the first one on your computer. Select it and click on the button to choose it. Then click on the link if you want to upload up to 3 more images.

 

Click here to upload more images (optional)

 

 

 

Author Information (optional)


To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

(first or full name)

(e.g., City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

submission guidelines.

Privacy: We promise to use your e-mail address only to notify you as requested.

We will need your e-mail address to notify you. Please enter...

Your Name
Your Email Address

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Submit Your Question or Contribution

Questions From Other Visitors*

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page.

Sex After Weight Loss Surgery Question For A Doctor*

Hi, I have questions about sex after weight loss surgery, specifically gastric sleeve. I’ve been with the same man for 5 years, we’re both obese, and we’re both getting gastric…

10.

Find a Gastric Sleeve 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
Advertisement
Bariatric Surgery Source

To view references for this page, click here.

* 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

Request a Free Insurance Check

Fill out the below form for a free insurance check performed in partnership with your local bariatric surgeon.

Advertisement

Los Angeles/Orange County

logo
mark