Life after weight loss surgery includes
(depending on your chosen procedure):
- Full recovery in 1 to 6 weeks
- Excess weight loss between 25% and 90+%
- Many obesity-related health problems cured or improved
- Significant diet and exercise changes
- Good and bad changes in how friends, family, and strangers treat you
- Challenges such as sagging skin, digestion issues, and weight regain
RECOVERY
- Average Hospital Stay: Ranges from outpatient (return home same-day) to 2-3 days
- Average Time Until Back to Work: Ranges from 3 days to 2 weeks
- Average Time to Full Recovery: Ranges from 3 days to 6 weeks
- Pain: Ranges from mild discomfort to “manageable with pain medication”
- Diet: Ranges from a few limited foods to a strict and slow transition from clear liquids to solid foods
- Back-to-Normal Activity: Ranges from 3 days to 4-6 weeks
WEIGHT LOSS
- Patients lose weight quickly after most procedures, with the low point coming 12 to 18 months after the procedure.
- The duodenal switch (DS), gastric sleeve, and gastric bypass are very close in terms of their average low point, but the DS pulls ahead over the long-term as it results in less weight regain over time.