The high prevalence of obesity and the failure of conventional treatments have raised the number of weight loss surgeries worldwide. the problem of weight regain following metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) became an important clinical issue that concerns surgeons and other health professionals. Psychological and psychiatric factors are among the causes of weight regain.

To understand the emotional meanings of weight regain in women submitted to MBS and propose strategies to manage patients clinically.

Qualitative study conducted with a purposive sample submitted to semi-directed interviews in-depth in a university general hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.

With weight regain comes the loss of social insertion and self-esteem achieved after weight loss. Even losing some of the benefits derived from surgery, the memory of the positive experience stays with the patient, and they may even desire to repeat the surgical treatment. there is no regret for having been submitted to surgery, but a feeling of gratitude. the choice for the MBS is experienced as good. However, patients feel abandoned by the health team after weight regain, and tend to feel mistreated and not understood when they are criticized or considered as weak by others.

This clinical situation has a complex psychological constitution: there is gratitude, but a tendency to avoid the environment where the caregivers who have helped are. We suggest action programs to seek for patients with weight regain, aiming at psychosocial work. This search can provide incentive to treat this severe long-term complication of MBS.