It’s human nature to believe that a pill or surgery can “fix” the problem of obesity. Most of us know better. But the dramatic visual results and the ads and marketing around weight-loss surgery can lead to a belief that surgery alone will produce and maintain your weight loss.

The question is not whether there will be some eventual weight regain after surgery, but how to minimize it. Surgery is not a cure, but rather a tool to help you in your overall program of weight loss. Education, lifestyle changes and long-term support are the other critical tools that will yield successful, long-term weight loss.

In the majority of cases, post-surgery weight loss can be maintained for years, even decades. However, patients need to be educated early on about the importance of developing excellent habits, such as attention to exercise, hydration and patterned eating. The need to reinforce these habits never ends and can be aided over the years through participation in support groups and other activities.

If, despite your best efforts, weight regain continues, your surgeon can determine if you need band adjustments for tightness or surgical revisions. Before turning back to surgery, get a full nutritional and behavioral evaluation and try to work diligently on your exercise, diet and support plan.