Why People Regain Weight After GLP-1s and Bariatric Surgery

Weight regain after GLP-1 medications, bariatric surgery, and obesity treatment is common, but it does not mean someone failed.

In this video, I talk about one of the most important realities in obesity care: the journey is not always linear. People start GLP-1 medications and sometimes stop because of side effects, insurance changes, cost, access issues, or life circumstances. Many regain weight after stopping, and that can feel discouraging.

But obesity is a chronic disease. That means it requires long-term care, ongoing support, and honest conversations between patients, families, and medical providers.

The goal is not to shame people when weight regain happens. The goal is to keep patients engaged, make sure they feel safe coming back for care, and help them find the next right step.

I also talk about what happens after bariatric surgery, why revisional surgery is sometimes considered, why eating disorder concerns should be taken seriously, and why obesity treatment programs may actually reduce the risk of eating disorders compared to no treatment at all.

If you or your child is going through obesity treatment, the most important thing to remember is this: setbacks can happen, but they should never keep you away from medical care.

The path to metabolic health has ups and downs. What matters is staying connected, staying supported, and keeping the overall trend moving in the right direction.

Watch the full episode below.