- Usually temporary, in the first months.
- Common causes: loss of appetite, taste changes, eating without hunger.
- Rarely one single cause.
- Dietitian and psychologist are part of aftercare.
- Peer support: Bariatrie Groep Nederland.
Why do some people regret weight loss surgery?
The first months after surgery are demanding. Weight drops fast, but appetite can be absent for weeks, tastes change and you have to eat six times a day without feeling hungry. Being tired because you eat much less adds to it. For some people that leads to doubt: did I make the right choice?
Physical complaints such as reflux after a sleeve, frequent vomiting with a band or dumping after a bypass can also cause regret, as can social changes: dinners, parties and relationships that change with your new eating pattern.
What you can do when you doubt
Discuss it with your team straight away, even if it feels vague. A dietitian can adjust your eating schedule so you get enough protein, which often improves energy. If the doubt persists or is more about low mood than food, ask for a talk with the centre's psychologist.
Peer support and long-term perspective
Many people find it helps to talk with others who went through the same. Stichting Bariatrie Groep Nederland, the Dutch patient association founded in 2018, offers peer contact, a chat room and a magazine.
If regret is about persistent physical complaints, revision surgery can be an option, always after a careful new assessment. Research into mental effects and quality of life in the long term is still limited.
What helps and what makes it worse
Advantages
| Advantage | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Talking early | with your team |
| Dietitian | more protein, more energy |
| Psychologist | part of aftercare |
| Peer contact | Bariatrie Groep Nederland |
Points of attention
| Point of attention | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Keeping it to yourself | doubt grows |
| Skipping meals | more fatigue |
| Comparing online | stories vary widely |
| Alcohol as comfort | higher risk after a bypass |
Cost and insurance (2026)
Psychological support within the bariatric pathway is covered; extra mental health care follows the normal Dutch rules.
| Item | Amount or arrangement |
|---|---|
| Psychologist in aftercare | part of the covered pathway |
| Mental health care via GP referral | basic package, deductible |
| Peer support association | membership fee |
Regret after weight loss surgery: key figures
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Typical timing | first months after surgery |
| Main causes | appetite, taste, eating without hunger |
| Number of causes | usually several |
| Patient association founded | 2018 |
| Long-term research | still limited |
Temporary doubt versus lasting regret
| Aspect | Temporary doubt | Lasting regret |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | first months | after a year or longer |
| Cause | appetite, fatigue, adjustment | persistent complaints or mismatch |
| Help | dietitian, time | psychologist, sometimes revision |
| Outlook | usually passes | needs a plan with the team |
Step by step
- Notice. Doubt, low mood or no appetite.
- Talk. Contact your team.
- Adjust. Dietitian reviews your schedule.
- Support. Psychologist and peer contact.
- Evaluate. Persistent physical complaints? Discuss revision.
Read next
- Patient experiences — what others report
- Psychological screening — before surgery
- Revision surgery — for physical complaints
- Aftercare and support — who to contact
Regret far from home
If you live in the Netherlands without family nearby, the first months can feel lonely. Online peer groups and the chat room of Bariatrie Groep Nederland are accessible from anywhere, and many centres offer online contact moments. Remember that doubt in the first year is common and usually passes.
How partners, family and friends can help
The people around you can make a big difference. Explain what the first months involve: small portions, eating without hunger, not drinking with meals and sometimes feeling tired or low. Ask them not to push food or alcohol and to support new routines, such as walking together.
Partners sometimes need time to adjust too, as eating habits, energy and self-image change. Some centres offer information sessions for partners; ask your team.
When to seek help immediately
If low mood becomes severe, if you stop eating or taking vitamins, or if you have thoughts of harming yourself, contact your GP or your centre the same day. In the Netherlands you can also call 113 Zelfmoordpreventie (0800-0113, free) at any time.
Looking back after a few years
Many people describe the first year as the hardest and later years as more stable, once eating habits have settled. Keep attending check-ups and keep contact with the team: support is available for as long as the aftercare lasts, and your GP remains your point of contact afterwards.
If you are unsure who to contact, start with your bariatric centre; they can refer you to the right help, including mental health care via your GP.
You are not alone
Doubt after a major life change is human. Many people who felt regret in the first months later say they are glad they went ahead. Give yourself time, use the support available and keep talking.
Frequently asked questions about regret after weight loss surgery
It happens, often temporarily during recovery. Hard national figures are lacking.
Common causes are loss of appetite, taste changes and having to eat without hunger, often combined with fatigue and social changes.
For many people it does, as appetite returns and the eating pattern settles during the first year.
Contact your team. A dietitian can adjust your schedule and a psychologist can help with low mood or doubt.
A sleeve cannot. A bypass technically can but rarely is. Revision to another procedure is sometimes possible for physical complaints.
Low mood can occur, especially in the first months. If it persists, talk to the psychologist or your GP.
Bariatrie Groep Nederland offers peer contact and a chat room; many centres also organise group meetings.
No. Temporary doubt is common and does not mean things are going wrong.
No. Alcohol hits harder after a bypass and a minority develops problems. Seek support from your team instead.
Research into mental effects and quality of life in the long term is still limited.
Call +31 6 38048347 (Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00) or email info@maagverkleining-info.nl. This page is also available in Dutch.
Sources
- WeightWorks and Bariatrisch Centrum: regret after weight loss surgery
- Stichting Bariatrie Groep Nederland
- Vitalys (Rijnstate): FAQ
Search terms leading here: regret after weight loss surgery, regret gastric bypass, depression after bariatric surgery.
Author: Gijs Bodenstaff. Last reviewed: September 2026.