Gastric Balloon

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Hi Hayling40, I am very happy to hear that you lost so much weithg in 7 months and that you feel strong to lose the rest withouth the help of a balloon! Please let us know how it's going on, above all the need for eating huge quantities, that's what i'm most afraid of...

Besides, I had my balloon fitted on Friday!!! :) I must say that I was terrified by the experiences I read in the forum but my experience is not that bad. I had it fitted on Friday 12 June at 13.30h and woke up surrounded by my parents telling me that all was well (I was just too worried that I had a gastritis or an ulcer or something which prevented me to have the balloon). The doctor came and informed me that they inflated it with 660 cc or saline, which I think it's a lot haha, he said that I had a large stomach but that it depends on the person, they could be fatter than me and have a smaller stomach.

I went home feeling a bit weak. That afternoon I was just sleeeeeeeeping and sleeeping hehe and at night I puked once. I was tolerating liquids very well (aquarius, gatorade, water,etc) so no acids out, just what I drank previously. After puking I was feeling very well, much better than before. I slept quite well and on Saturday I puked again "after" lunch hehe (no luch at all, just more liquids) and that was all about vomiting. I think I'm lucky after reading many experiences in the forum.

Today (Monday) I'm still having a bit of pain in the pit of the stomach, because the balloon tends to come up to the upper part and it feels like a contraction, very uncomfortable and painful. But well, if that's all the price I have to pay to become slimmer, be welcome!

Nan, good luck with your balloon, dont forget that here we are for whathever you might need.
 
Hey, everyone has been a bit quiet, how r u all getting on?? I have 1 more stone to shift in the next 2 and half months before my balloon comes out, starting to struggle now !
 
laurie1985 said:
Hey, everyone has been a bit quiet, how r u all getting on?? I have 1 more stone to shift in the next 2 and half months before my balloon comes out, starting to struggle now !
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Hi Laurie, I know its really quiet on here at the moment, hope people
are being good! I know its hard but keep going its so worth it, my
balloon out now but have lost another 2lb so fairly happy. It is
tempting to cheat when the balloons been in a while but remember
what we went through to get it and keep going one day at a time.
Good luck xxx
 
hayling40 said:
Hi Laurie, I know its really quiet on here at the moment, hope people
are being good! I know its hard but keep going its so worth it, my
balloon out now but have lost another 2lb so fairly happy. It is
tempting to cheat when the balloons been in a while but remember
what we went through to get it and keep going one day at a time.
Good luck xxx
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i have not lost any weight in a few weeks now and i am eating way more than i should but nowhere near what i did before i got the balloon i am trying to motivate myself to stick to a plan so from tomorrow its back to the golden rules for me but having said that for 10 of the last 12 weeks i did not feel like i had a balloon and now the last few days i feel it is there it makes me uncomfortably full and lets me know i am overeating so hopefully that will help my resolve to make the next 12weeks coming- i am aiming for 14 pounds to removal day which will be a total loss of 32 pounds which gives me a little way to go after the removal but i am pleased i have made some positive changes i now accept my body as no amount of weight loss will change it really just make it smaller and i now do 20 mins of some kind of exercise a day, i snack less and think about what i am eating-yes i cheat but hey i am only human -good luck all hope summer is not throwing too many of u off track :driving:
 
Hi all! How are you doing? I am doing fine, I've lost 4.5kg so far in a bit more than 2 weeks, so quite happy about it. I know that the pace is more or less 1 kg per week but I've been quite sick last week, as I ate more than advisable and had vomits and diahorrea :blush5: for a couple of days, so no food in, just acquarius and water to keep the minerals ok. Does it ever happen to you when you over-eat? That will show me not to eat more than I should!!!

I had my first visit with the nutritionist and the psycologist last week and all went well. I've been given a couple of hints for preparing food and for the dosis I should take (like a cup of food, and not mixing a lot of different things - for example, chicken and beans is ok but not chicken, rice and tomato, if you know what I mean). I have my next visit on 13th July so I'll let you know how it goes. 15 kilos to my goal!!! I hope I can make it at the end!!

I can really see that I lost kilos but people somehow do not see the difference, (well, my family do! but no workmates or friends), probably they think it's not polite to say that you are slimmer because that would mean that you are fat hahaha. But my clothes are already a bit loose and my skin a bit more smooth (no little holes anymore in my arms!). Anyway, I'm really motivated as I see the weight going down but I still "eat with my eyes".... I had a family meeting on Saturday and I just ate a bit of vegetables and chicken while they were eating sooooo nice things!! But well, I hope I can change my way of seeing things with the help of the nutritionist and psycologist.

By the way, is anybody doing any exercise while having the balloon? My doctor said that I should wait 1 month before doing anything.

Take care and glad to hear that all of you are fine!
 
Hi everyone,
sorry not been in touch but been away working on and off for the last couple of monthes. Well iv lost 26lb in total in 3 months so pleased but been stationary for the last couple of weeks. Iv just been looking at the GMTV diet and printed the shopping list for the apple shape and off to the shops now to get everything in. Hopefully it will kick start me again as iv been finding i am eating anything i want again and my portions have gone up in size:banghead:
I have been walking 4 to 6 miles around a park most days also so think that is what has helped me shed the pounds more than the food side of things.... I just need to be more strict with myself....
Well hope your all ok and doing well, by the sound of some of the comments you are doing brilliantly..
bye for now, and if any tips to stop eating as much let me know
xx
 
Hi, I'm relatively new to the balloon scene!

Hi Everyone,
I've just found this site and love reading about all your experiences. It has really helped my today as I am feeling a bit off.
I got my ballon on 20th of May and have lost 23lbs so far, however that's mainly because I can't seem to eat every day and feel nauseous most of the time.:ack2:
Everything seems to take forever to digest.
Does anyone know if you can use a mild laxative while you have the balloon, I seem to be constipated too:blush5:? (TMI I know)
Thanks
J
 
Joanie said:
Hi Everyone,
I've just found this site and love reading about all your experiences. It has really helped my today as I am feeling a bit off.
I got my ballon on 20th of May and have lost 23lbs so far, however that's mainly because I can't seem to eat every day and feel nauseous most of the time.:ack2:
Everything seems to take forever to digest.
Does anyone know if you can use a mild laxative while you have the balloon, I seem to be constipated too:blush5:? (TMI I know)
Thanks
J
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i use prune juice about once a month and bam i am good to go again :blush5:
 
deetreacle said:
Hi everyone,
sorry not been in touch but been away working on and off for the last couple of monthes. Well iv lost 26lb in total in 3 months so pleased but been stationary for the last couple of weeks. Iv just been looking at the GMTV diet and printed the shopping list for the apple shape and off to the shops now to get everything in. Hopefully it will kick start me again as iv been finding i am eating anything i want again and my portions have gone up in size:banghead:
I have been walking 4 to 6 miles around a park most days also so think that is what has helped me shed the pounds more than the food side of things.... I just need to be more strict with myself....
Well hope your all ok and doing well, by the sound of some of the comments you are doing brilliantly..
bye for now, and if any tips to stop eating as much let me know
xx
Click to expand...

u sound just like me and i know exactly how u are feeling i know now that because the balloon made very little difference to me any loss was all my own work, i too am trying to find a programme to stick to for the last 3 months to make sure i get the most from the balloon experience must look up the gmtv diet for apple shapes cos thats me too lol-well done on the 26 pounds that is fantastic well done u:hurray:
 
2 weeks in

It's been 2 weeks since I had the procedure in Prague and I still feel tired and weak. The day after the procedure (which was too horrendous to describe and I am sure has scarred me for life) I was fine and even went for a walk around the area of Prague in the sunshine, I wasn't even sick, however the next day when I had to travel home and spent 3 hours in the airport, an hour and a half on the flight and an hour in a taxi coming home I couldn't keep anything down, even water. I had to have an anti sickness injection to get me home in 1 piece!

The next day I couldn't keep anything down so I took an anti sickness supository and I haven't been sick since. I am still on semi-solid food, soups, weetabix, yogurt, soft boiled eggs etc. but yesterday I had to come home from work as I had a funny turn at work. I am off work today too and still feel so tired, shaky and just generally unwell.

Do things improve? I really want to get on with some gentle exercise and make this thing work. I have lost 3.5 kilos already but that is because I don't really feel like eating and also because I have not touched any alcohol for 2 weeks.

I can only do short sharp burts of anything then I have to sit down to recover. Luckily my day job is in an office so is mainly sitting down. Are people feeling better as time goes on or do you still have off days? Joanie if you are still feeling nauseous and you had yours fitted on 20th May how are you coping? I just want to feel well again.:driving:
 
Still feeling nauseous

Nan, the first few days were exactly as described - nauseous, cramps, vomiting etc. Then after about a week I began to feel fine and was able to cope with work. I felt tired but put it down to not eating enough. Then I started being sick and couldn't keep anything down. On 9 June I was admitted to hospital with dehyrdration and spend 8 days in hopsital on a drip. A scan showed that the ballon had completely blocked my stomach and the only plan was to remove it. Glad to stay my stomach cleared itself and I'm gradually on the mend but still finding it hard to eat solid 'solids'. I keep saying that it will get better, it has to because I couldn't cope with 6 months like this. Today I feel much better having had some prunes, gaviscon and some fruit.
I just have to keep thinking about the end result now 28lbs lighter and another 70 to go:p
Think positive - we are all here to support each other and everyone has a different experience, mine has been rotten so far but I'm not giving up. J
 
Intragastric Balloon

Hi I noticed nobody had written in here for a while. I have read the whole of this thread as I have looked into have the intrgastric balloon fitted myself.
I have read all your stories and I still want to do it even though many of you have had great problems with sickness and wind.
I suppose the feeling of being slim and happy with your body beats everything.
I used to weight a healthy 9 stone 6lb at 5ft 5, so i was very slim and very happy. I piled on the pounds after loosing my brother and my dad and now i weight around 14stone! I had got into bad habbits with food and have got used to eating bigger portions.
I have tried so many diets to get rid and even go to the gym 4 days a week to budge the weight but no luck so far. Ive been overweight for about 5 years now! hate it! I was that confidence back!

I have been looking into the intrgastric balloon programme at prague beauty and i have heard some of you chose them. will that sadate you while having the balloon fitting? please share your stories with me, bad and good. I am so interested in having this done.
Many Thanks
Ali
 
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Hi Ali North,

I think our stories are similar. I used to weigh 8st 3lbs throughout my teens, 20's and early 30's which at 5ft 3" was a perfect size 10. I then lost my mum in very tragic circumstances and apart from initial weight loss I then turned to comfort eating. Initially I only put on around a stone but over the last 10 years, even eating healthy and going to the gym I still managed to put weight on. I have had every test going to see if something is wrong as compared to my friends and colleagues I eat far less than them yet they are slim and I am now nearly 12 stone with a BMI of 31 which has just slipped into the obese category.

I chose Prague Beauty after doing some research and e-mailing them, mainly due to the price. I consulted Transform in Harley Street but they were double the price. It is now 2 weeks since the procedure and I am feeling much better but still have bad days when I can't eat anything and have had a few days off sick for the first time in 2 years. The good news is I have lost 3kilos and my clothes feel loose, I don't think about eating and food. I know I can still eat nice food but just a lot less in portion size. I would recommend Prague Beauty, the nurses were nice, there is no after care once you are home, they give you a number to call and you can contact them by e-mail but I would rather hear people's experiences on this forum so I have not contacted them. I would recommend speedy boarding on the way hoe it they book Easy jet for you. The plane was packed and I wish I had thought of it beforehand as I felt really sick and didn't want to queue up with all the stag parties!!!

Anyway ask away if you have any questions.
 
Nan,

Thank you for telling me your exprience. Please could you tell me about the procedure in detail. I'm really nervous about this and wouldn't know what to expect. Ive seen videos of this on the net but obviously the patient shown on these clips cannot voice the way it felt ect. They do sedate you don't they?

I have been intouch with the doctor at prague beauty now and all I have to do is choose a date to go! Scary stuff!!!
Ali
 
Ali_North said:
Nan,

Thank you for telling me your exprience. Please could you tell me about the procedure in detail. I'm really nervous about this and wouldn't know what to expect. Ive seen videos of this on the net but obviously the patient shown on these clips cannot voice the way it felt ect. They do sedate you don't they?

I have been intouch with the doctor at prague beauty now and all I have to do is choose a date to go! Scary stuff!!!
Ali
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Hi Ali, the procedure is over really quickly, I was sedated (I think everyone is) so I was really out of it, I knew what was going on, but I was just totally relaxed. It's not a nice feeling as such, but the doc i had was really good and she did it in about 5 minutes. i too went to Prague and had mine done with New You, the clinic was fab and the nurses were fab. you mentioned about people not voicing how it felt, well New You have a page with videos of previous clients talking about their experience, that should help make you feel better. It's been nearly 4 months since I had mine and i have lost nearly 3stone so far, they have provided me with an excellent after care service, as good as anything in the UK (my sister had it done with the Hospital Group cos she was scared to go abroad) difference is I got mine for about half the price :sifone: You should go for it :auto:
 
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The procedure

Ali_North said:
Nan,

Thank you for telling me your exprience. Please could you tell me about the procedure in detail. I'm really nervous about this and wouldn't know what to expect. Ive seen videos of this on the net but obviously the patient shown on these clips cannot voice the way it felt ect. They do sedate you don't they?

I have been intouch with the doctor at prague beauty now and all I have to do is choose a date to go! Scary stuff!!!
Ali
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Hi Ali North,
I had mine done at the Nuffield through the National Obesity Surgery Centre. I was a size 10 to 12 most of my life and various things including the loss of my Mum, Dad and Sister and my Mum in law (who was my best friend) have meant a steady but dramatic increase to 17stones (on 20 May)
My consultant said that he wouldn't totally sedate me as he had to have my co-operation. I felt that I was fully aware throughout the procedure and didn't like it one bit. If full sedation is offered then take it.
I have a support package including nutrition, exercise and 'emotional' therapy so I am hoping to do well.
I've been quite ill up to now and even ended up in hospital but I am starting to feel really good and I am now 14st 11lbs.:hurray:
I felt this was my last resort or I would end up getting bigger and bigger. I think it has been worth it.
 
Ali_North said:
Nan,

Thank you for telling me your exprience. Please could you tell me about the procedure in detail. I'm really nervous about this and wouldn't know what to expect. Ive seen videos of this on the net but obviously the patient shown on these clips cannot voice the way it felt ect. They do sedate you don't they?

I have been intouch with the doctor at prague beauty now and all I have to do is choose a date to go! Scary stuff!!!
Ali
Click to expand...

Hi Ali - I am keeping a blog, and I described the procedure in detail (my experiences in Canada anyway, which I imagine would be similar. Go to gastricballoon.blogspot.com to check it out; look for the posting titled "Insertion and First Week".
Cheers.
 
:eek::eek:Thanks guys!

AlligatorCAN, I have read your blogs on the website! brilliant idea btw! I cant believe how well its gone for you... hardly any nausea or anything like that! think I will have to stock up on jelly and ice lollies!

Wrote to the doctor today but not had a reply yet which is unusual as he's been pretty quick to respond most days. ah well! I don't think i'm going to tell any of my friends... they would only say i was stupid! do you think I shall be ok to deal with this on my own?

Thanks

Ali
 
I have only told my husband. While I think my friends would probably be supportive, I didn't want to deal with any of the negative comments, or have to endure the looks/questions if we were out for an evening enjoying a "normal" dinner... If I wasn't married I probably would have done it on my own, the first couple of days would have been rough though. Even though I didn't have the same amount of nausea as others have reported, I still didn't feel well for the first few days and it was nice to have someone take care of things as I rested in bed. However, some on this forum have reported a huge amount of sickness, so I'd get some advice from them as well! All in all I'm glad I've done it. Good luck.
 
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