Bariatric surgerySweden5 min read
Fredrik Boltes had a gastric bypass and filmed the whole journey
TV producer and musician Fredrik Boltes weighed 162 kilos when he decided to have a gastric bypass. He let cameras follow the process for the SVT series Min Tjockumentär. Below is what he said, where it was published, and what the operation involves for anyone considering it today.
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Medically reviewed by Andrey G. Ugay, lead bariatric surgeon. Review date: .
The main points in 30 seconds
- In September 2023 SVT Nyheter published Fredrik Boltes' video diary about his gastric bypass, filmed for the series Min Tjockumentär.
- He weighed 162 kilos before the operation, felt strong and full of energy after nine months, and weighed 97 kilos almost three years on.
- A gastric bypass is laparoscopic under general anaesthesia, and you get out of bed on day 1.
- Office work resumes after 2–4 weeks, and after a bypass vitamins and minerals are needed for life.
- At City Medical Centre a gastric bypass costs $4,000, and the surgeon consultation is free.
Key facts about the procedure
- Back to work2–4 weeks
- Stay in clinic1–5 days
- Final result18–24 months
- Price
$4,800from $3,600
Profile
Fredrik Boltes
- Country
- Sweden
- Who
- Comedian, musician and TV producer
- Quote source
- SVT Nyheter, 3 September 2023
You get hungrier and less full on the same amount of food as before. Your energy expenditure drops.
What did Fredrik Boltes say about his gastric bypass?
In September 2023 SVT Nyheter published extracts from Fredrik Boltes' video diary under the headline “Så går en gastric bypass till” (“How a gastric bypass works”). According to SVT, Boltes had lived with obesity for many years, had dieted hard several times and once lost 41 kilos on a vegetable juice diet, but the weight always came back. He wanted to be able to climb stairs and play with his son, and he decided to have a gastric bypass.
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WhatsAppNine months after the operation he described how his body felt: “I feel strong, supple, flexible, light, happy and full of energy.” SVT added that almost three years after the operation he weighed 97 kilos.
That is all we rely on here. Beyond what SVT reported, Boltes' statements do not give further medical details, so this article does not guess at them. Where the sections below explain methods and recovery, they describe bariatric surgery in general, not his treatment.
Why his story resonates
Boltes' account is familiar to many people with obesity: repeated diets that work for a while, followed by the weight returning. SVT explained this with the image of an inner “thermostat” that pushes the body back to its previous weight after a diet ends. Surgery changes the conditions under which that happens, which is why it is considered when other attempts have not lasted.
More on this topic: Bariatric surgery with support all the way to your result, Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy), Gastric Bypass (Roux-en-Y), Bariatric Operations in Phoenix, Obesity Surgery in Singapore.
What makes his story useful is its honesty about the whole process. The series showed a last diet before the operation, the adjustment afterwards, and the fact that eating too fast after a gastric bypass can cause strong pain. It also stressed that therapy, medication and check-ups continue for years, and that weight loss alone does not solve every problem. That is a realistic picture of what the operation means.
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Prices, the clinic and a free online consultation for each city:
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, so food bypasses most of the stomach. The main operations offered at City Medical Centre compare as follows:
How it works
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Most of the stomach is removed, leaving a narrow tube
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- A small pouch is connected directly to the small intestine
- Mini gastric bypass
- One connection between pouch and intestine
- SADI-S
- Sleeve combined with a single intestinal bypass
Usually considered for
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- BMI 35–45
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- BMI over 45–50, type 2 diabetes
- Mini gastric bypass
- Chosen individually
- SADI-S
- BMI over 50
Average excess weight loss
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- 60–70%
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- 75–85%
- Mini gastric bypass
- Up to 75–80%
- SADI-S
- 80–90%
A bypass gives larger and more durable weight loss than a sleeve, but it requires vitamins and minerals for life. Which operation fits is decided with the surgeon, based on weight, related conditions and eating habits, not on a celebrity story.
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, for women, a gynaecologist;
- two to four weeks of cutting down fast carbohydrates and fats before surgery;
- stopping smoking at least a month before the operation.
The consultation with the psychiatrist is not a formality. As Boltes' story shows, changing how you eat is as much a mental process as a physical one.
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; eating slowly and in small portions becomes a lasting habit.
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.
How recovery after a gastric bypass usually goes
- Day of surgeryLaparoscopic operation through a few small punctures under general anaesthesia.
- Day 1You get out of bed and walk; small sips of liquid are allowed.
- Days 1–5Discharge, depending on the procedure and how you recover.
- Weeks 2–4Office work resumes; the diet moves from liquids to soft food.
- Months 1–2Ordinary food returns in small portions; swimming and travel are allowed.
- 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 Fredrik Boltes or his treatment. His story is quoted because he chose to document it publicly.
Frequently asked questions
When did Fredrik Boltes have his gastric bypass?
SVT reported in September 2023 that almost three years had passed since his operation, which places it around late 2020. He documented the process in the SVT series Min Tjockumentär.
How much weight did Fredrik Boltes lose?
According to SVT he weighed 162 kilos before the operation and 97 kilos almost three years later.
What is the difference between a gastric bypass and a sleeve?
A sleeve removes most of the stomach and leaves a narrow tube. A bypass creates a small pouch connected directly to the small intestine. A bypass usually gives larger weight loss but requires vitamins and minerals for life.
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.
Is weight loss surgery a quick fix?
No. It changes how much and how you can eat, but lasting results depend on new eating habits, follow-up and, for bypass patients, lifelong supplements. Support from a psychologist is often part of the process.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- SVT Nyheter, 3 September 2023
Medical background and further reading
General information about the procedure from health authorities and medical societies. It is not advice for any individual patient.
- PubMed / NCBI — Benefits and Risks of Bariatric Surgery in Adults: A Review (JAMA, 2020)
- PubMed / NCBI — Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy vs Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: systematic review and meta-analysis (2016)
- World Health Organization — Obesity and overweight
- American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery — Bariatric Surgery Procedures
How we prepare and review medical content · Medical disclaimer
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Message a coordinator on Telegram: we reply right in the chat, and you can send photos and questions there too.
- The first consultation is free, online consultations are available
- The doctor names the cost after the assessment, and it is fixed in the contract
- A personal coordinator guides you from the first message to recovery
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