Failed Sleeve Gastrectomy

You had your sleeve gastrectomy or gastric sleeve some time ago. You lost weight initially and everything was great. Now you are putting weight back on. And maybe your hunger and appetite is coming back.

What now?

First, you should assess your dietary intake and exercise regime. Many people lapse back into old habits.

Second, if you are pretty careful with your portion sizes and exercise a fair bit but you are still gaining weight and hunger urges are coming back, you should see a surgeon for further investigation.

Why is there weight gain after sleeve gastrectomy?

There are various reasons:

• The sleeved stomach can stretch over time
• Dietary habits have changed
• The mind and body has become used to the sleeve and is now not working. The sleeved stomach does not have any malabsorption component to it.

What can be done if there is weight gain after sleeve gastrectomy?

First we need to investigate the cause behind weight gain, especially if there was initial weight loss. Your surgeon should offer to organise a barium swallow, a CT stomach and/or a gastroscopy to assess the state of the stomach.

If these tests show a very stretched stomach, you may benefit from repeat sleeve gastrectomy or re-sleeving.

If the tests do not show a stretched stomach, then your surgeon should discuss the option of a gastric bypass with you. This is obviously a very serious operation, but may be helpful in getting you back on track in terms of weight loss.

At Central Coast Surgery, Dr. Ken Wong has a lot of experience in dealing with failed gastric sleeves. He has performed many repeat sleeve gastrectomies and revisional gastric bypass surgeries. Discover the benefits of gastric sleeve newcastle for a healthier lifestyle on our website.

Please contact us on (02) 4323 7000 to organise an appointment if you are experiencing weight gain after sleeve gastrectomy.