Gastric Bypass

Gastric bypass surgery is a fast and effective weight loss method for people who are obese and severely obese who have been unable to lose weight through diet and exercise alone.

The amount of weight lost after gastric bypass varies from person to person, but you can expect to lose around 70 percent of your excess weight within one year of surgery. Much of the weight loss happens within the first six months of surgery and stabilises after around 12 to 18 months. By losing this weight you will be cutting your risk of serious illness, such as heart disease and cancer, and any obesity-related conditions may go into remission, such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Losing the excess weight will relieve the pressure on the joints, improving mobility and cutting the risk of musculoskeletal problems, such as osteoporosis and joint damage. Weight loss caused by gastric bypass surgery can also help to boost mental health, alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety, further improving your quality of life.

However, to get the full benefit of your gastric bypass surgery, it is essential that you are able to commit to a healthy lifestyle after the procedure. This means following a diet and exercise plan. Your surgeon will discuss this with you in detail.

Some people who lose an excessive amount of weight may find that they have a lot of loose skin left behind. This can be successfully managed with abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) which is a surgical procedure that we also carry out here at the Cadogan Clinic. If you feel you would benefit from this surgery, one of our expert surgeons will be happy to speak to you about this in more detail.

As mentioned above, if you follow a sensible diet and exercise, you can expect to enjoy fast and effective weight loss following gastric bypass surgery. You can expect to lose around 70 percent of your excess weight within one year of surgery, according to figures from the The National Bariatric Surgery Registry.

Much of this weight is lost within the first six months and this tends to stabilise after around one year post-surgery. You may find you put a bit of weight back on at around 18 months after surgery, but this is normal. As long as the weight levels even out, this is not considered to be a problem.

Gastric bypass surgery costs in the region of £8,000 to £15,000 if you have your gastric bypass in the UK.

Don’t be tempted by cheaper prices at overseas clinics. Often clinics abroad do not adhere to the same high standards as in the UK and aftercare can be poor. We strongly recommend not going abroad for this type of surgery. It is not worth potentially putting your health at risk.

Here at the Cadogan Clinic, we offer the following as part of your gastric bypass surgery.

• Up to two 60 minute consultations with a leading surgeon at our award-winning premises in Chelsea
• Your procedure carried out at London’s leading specialist cosmetic surgery centre of excellence
• 24/7 on call nurse assistance
• Dedicated Patient Co-ordinator, as a personal point of contact through your journey with Cadogan
• A pre-operative medical assessment to ensure you are fit for surgery 
• Comprehensive post-operative aftercare courtesy of our specialist team.

It is possible to get a gastric bypass on the NHS, but there are strict criteria to meet and this can vary depending on which CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) covers your area.

The NHS waiting list for weight loss surgery can be long and over the last two-and-a-half years Covid-19 has also had an impact on waiting times across the board. During this waiting time, any obesity-related conditions that you may have may get worse, further affecting your quality of life.

If you are looking to have your weight loss surgery done quickly, then the Cadogan Clinic has no waiting lists. If you are considering the Cadogan Clinic for gastric bypass surgery in London, then book an appointment with one of our experts who will be able to discuss the options with you.

A gastric bypass is a permanent weight loss surgery and is essentially irreversible. There is a revision procedure but there is a high risk of complications attached and this is only really carried out if absolutely necessary.

If you are unsure about permanent weight loss surgery then there are non-permanent alternatives available. This includes a gastric band, where a band is placed around the top of the stomach, and can be tightened, loosened or removed where necessary, and a non-surgical gastric balloon. In this procedure a balloon is placed in the stomach and filled with saline fluid, meaning there is less space in the stomach for food. Our expert surgeon can talk you through the options and help choose which would be the best to meet your needs.

Once you have had your gastric bypass surgery, it is vital that you maintain a healthy, balanced diet in order to help you reach your weight loss goals. As a gastric bypass operation makes you feel full more quickly, you will only be able to eat a small portion at each meal.

You should only eat a small amount of carbohydrates, but make sure that you are consuming enough protein. Avoid sugary foods, particularly as they may cause ‘dumping syndrome’. If you are suffering from dumping syndrome, you may feel sweaty, lightheaded and nauseous. This may progress to stomach pain and diarrhoea. This is caused by a change in blood sugar levels.

You should aim to drink around two litres of water a day, but try not to drink too much at mealtimes as this will fill you up. Avoid fizzy drinks.

You may find that you are intolerant to some foods after your gastric bypass. This intolerance may change over time, so you can always try these foods again at a later date.

Gastric bypass surgery is safe and the procedure is successfully carried out on thousands of people a year.

However you must consider that gastric bypass is a major surgery and comes with a higher risk of complications than other weight loss procedures, such as gastric banding or gastric balloon.

Complications may include food leaking from the join between the stomach and small intestine, blood clots, gallstones and malnutrition. However these are all rare and the benefits of gastric bypass surgery outweighs the risks.

Book a consultation with our expert surgeon who will be able to discuss the pros and cons of gastric bypass surgery with you and help decide whether this is the best weight loss surgery for you.