Weight loss with the Roux-en-Y procedure is quite good, with most people losing between 65 to 75 percent of their excess weight within the first year. While some people do gain a considerable amount of weight back over the following three to five years, most do not. The first six months after the surgery is known as the rapid weight loss phase.
Immediately following surgery your stomach will be quite swollen and you simply will not be hungry. At this stage you will be taking in liquids only and your weight will fall dramatically. As you begin to eat real food weight loss slows a little, but you can expect very steady and substantial weight loss for the first six months. At about six months many
people find that their appetite returns. Nonetheless weight loss generally continues for another six months, but at a slower rate. In general, after about a year, further weight loss becomes more difficult without real effort. By a year most people will have lost about 65 to 75 percent of their excess weight. This means that in order to achieve their ideal body weight they need to continue to lose. Unfortunately, at about a year a person’s new stomach will have stretched a bit, making it much easier to consume larger portions.
At this point food choices and exercise help determine if a person will achieve his or her ideal body weight.
Within the first two years of surgery, you can expect to lose 50 percent to 60 percent of your excess weight. If you closely follow dietary and exercise recommendations, you can keep most of that weight off long term.
The improvements observed in type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood triglycerides may significantly decrease the risk of cardiovascular events in people who have undergone gastric bypass surgery compared with those people who did not have surgery. Also, gastric bypass surgery may reduce the risk of dying of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The surgery has also shown to improve mobility and quality of life for people who are severely overweight.