Cassandra Klatzkow on her gastric bypass: “a conscious choice”

What did Cassandra Klatzkow say about her gastric bypass?

As Aftonbladet reported on 31 October 2023, she said it plainly in her podcast: “I have had a stomach operation.” According to the report, she had a gastric bypass three years earlier.

She explained why she had kept quiet: “Since I started losing weight, there has been writing, speculation and talk about how it happened. I have made a conscious choice, not because I am ashamed, not because I am trying to hide anything in any way, it is just that I have chosen not to want to talk about it. Now so much time has passed that I feel it is not as charged for me any more.”

She also addressed accusations that she had given a false picture of her weight loss: “I train, but I have never claimed that it is what made me lose weight.” And she said that part of the reason for her silence was that she did not want to inspire anyone else to have surgery.

That is all we rely on here. Klatzkow did not share medical details beyond the type of operation, so this article does not guess at them. Where the sections below explain methods and recovery, they describe bariatric surgery in general, not her treatment.

Privacy and honesty are not opposites

Klatzkow's statement touches on something many patients recognise. Weight-loss surgery is a medical treatment, and deciding whether and when to talk about it is a personal matter. She chose privacy first and openness later, when it felt less charged, and she was careful not to present surgery as something others should copy.

Her point about training is also medically sound. Exercise builds strength and supports health after surgery, but the weight loss itself comes from the change the operation makes to how much can be eaten and how food is processed. Being clear about that helps others form realistic expectations.

How weight-loss surgery is done today

Modern bariatric operations are performed laparoscopically, through a few small punctures in the abdomen. In a gastric bypass, a small stomach pouch is created and connected directly to the small intestine. The main operations offered at City Medical Centre compare as follows:

Bypass-type operations give larger weight loss and require vitamins and minerals for life; the sleeve involves no intestinal bypass but can be less durable if the diet is not followed. The choice is made with the surgeon, based on weight, related conditions and eating habits.

Who is a candidate and how to prepare

Surgery is generally considered with a BMI above 40, or above 35 with serious related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, and sometimes lower when non-surgical approaches have not worked. Preparation includes:

• blood and urine tests, biochemistry, HbA1c and clotting tests;
• consultations with a GP, endocrinologist, cardiologist, psychiatrist and gynaecologist;
• two to four weeks of cutting down fast carbohydrates and fats;
• stopping smoking at least a month before surgery.

Recovery after a gastric bypass

Patients get up and walk on the first day and usually go home after one to five days. Office work typically resumes after two to four weeks and physical work after about six. Eating returns in stages over one to two months, from liquids to soft food and then ordinary textures. Swimming is possible after about 30 days, and travel is best planned no sooner than a month after surgery. The final result is assessed after one and a half to two years, and women are advised to wait 12–18 months before a pregnancy. Regular training, as Klatzkow described, helps build strength along the way.

1. Day of surgeryLaparoscopic operation through a few small punctures under general anaesthesia.
2. Day 1You get out of bed and walk; small sips of liquid are allowed.
3. Days 1–5Discharge, depending on the procedure and how you recover.
4. Weeks 2–4Office work resumes; the diet moves from liquids to soft food.
5. Months 1–2Ordinary food returns in small portions; swimming and travel are allowed.
6. Months 18–24Weight stabilises and the final result is assessed.

Bariatric surgery at City Medical Centre

City Medical Centre performs sleeve gastrectomy ($3,600), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass ($4,000), mini gastric bypass and SADI-S, all laparoscopically through four small punctures of 5–15 mm. The first consultation with the surgeon is free and can be held online; the doctor recommends a procedure and the price is fixed in the contract. A personal coordinator guides the patient from the first enquiry through recovery, and the team follows up during the first year. More details are on the bariatric surgery page.

To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Cassandra Klatzkow or her treatment. Her words are quoted because she chose to speak about her operation publicly.

Frequently asked questions

When did Cassandra Klatzkow have her gastric bypass?

She said in October 2023, in the podcast “Det skaver”, that she had had a gastric bypass three years earlier.

Why didn't she talk about it earlier?

She said it was a conscious choice, not out of shame or to hide anything, and that she did not want to inspire others to have surgery. After some time it felt less charged to talk about.

Does training alone explain weight loss after a bypass?

No. As Klatzkow herself said, training made her stronger but was not what made her lose weight. After a bypass, weight loss comes mainly from the changed stomach and digestion.

How much does a gastric bypass cost at City Medical Centre?

A Roux-en-Y gastric bypass costs $4,000 and a sleeve gastrectomy $3,600. The surgeon consultation is free and the final price is fixed in the contract.

Are vitamins needed after a gastric bypass?

Yes. After bypass-type operations, vitamins and minerals are needed for life, and regular follow-up helps catch deficiencies early.