Gastric Balloon

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Hi,

Welcome evening starter! Sounds like you are lacking a bit of info. Please don't rely too heavily on what you read on the web, but look up Orbera on the net, has some good info and is the programme I am doing. You really must insist on info from your clinic. Have you thought about any other clinics? What country are you in?

I really feel so fortunate to have chosen the clinic I have, although I will say that having a medical background is an immense advantage, not least because I am not afraid to demand help or ask any question I want. They are there to help, and often assume that you have the knowledge unless you ask. In terms of food, the confusing part might be that for a week or so, while you get used to the balloon, most programmes seem to recommend that you stay on a clear fluid diet, then onto free fluids, then slowly introduce soft solids, then more normal food. You may find some things hard to eat- I cannot eat whole red meat for example- it will make you feel sick or crampy.

On another subject, I found it quite valuable to think about the LapBand as opposed to the balloon. If you are spending the money, and putting yourself through a procedure, it is worth considering. I'm afraid to commit, plain and simple.

FF, I know from experience on our programme you should be taking some meds 2 weeks out, and doing a clear liquid diet for 48 hrs (I think) before. Do you have a handout? Call them and ask them; they really are accommodating and want to help.

You will do great, believe in yourself, and visualise yourself being one of the lucky ones who just sail through. I actually told my body that the balloon was here to help, and to stop rejecting it, closet hippie that I am. I do feel a positive mental attitude- knowing it would be tough, but that the discomfort would end- was a big part of me finding it relatively easy.

And don't let yourself panic while you are in the thick of it! You will vomit, you will have cramps, you will survive, and you will lose weight.

Great mag in Australia and New Zealand called The Healthy Food Guide. Lots of cool recipes. I have found it has helped to figure out some staple meals, to replace cheese sandwiches, or crackers and cheese, or cheese toasties....easy stuff that I like to eat. I still eat chocolate, cheese, and cheesecake!! and drink wine... but less of it and less often, like a normal person. I study my slim friends in the light of trying to eat more like them, and the difference between how they eat and how I eat is quite marked.

Hmmm- Biggest Loser has ended and Masterchef has started. Different inspiration...right now I would love a pavlova (meringue type desert for those not from Oz/NZ).

100.7 today- yay! Going to start running soon, want to do a big race in Sydney called the City to Surf in August; 14 km, with "Heartbreak Hill" in the middle. I went to a triathlon on the weekend to support some workmates, and the buzz was very cool. Bless them, they have offered to run it with me, although I have told them they might have to finish it and then run back to meet me!! Happily my husband will be doing it with me, at my pace. Loving having a goal!


OCM X
 
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OCM Thanks for your response.

I am in the UK and basically there are 2 clinic groups near to me which offer weight loss surgery but I heard things about the other one which suggested that they were very poor on the post op support, which is why I approached the one I did. It is just unfortunate that they appear to be just as lax so I wonder if it is just an "industry norm". I was just a little phased by the general lack of attention to detail (two appointments made and paid for but just lost in the system). Seems very odd to me and doesn't exactly make you feel that you are "important" hence me having the wobbles.

BUT I really do want to have this op and so I think I just have to accept that I may not get the level of support I think I should get hence me trying to put an alternative one in place beforehand so I am not left totally on my own.

I have a very positive outlook on the procedure, very like your own, but I am also aware that you can't do it all on your own and if your paying for a service then it should be there. I am just a bit concerned that it won't be and I don't want it to fail through no fault of my own.

I am not afraid to have my say and demand what is rightfully due but at the end of the day, you can demand all you like but if the support isn't there it just isn't there and so you must put in your own scaffolding just in case.

Thanks for the referral site, I will have a look as I am trying to pull together all of the information possible and I will ask again about Life Coaches but really not sure that this is something which comes with the package as I did ask specifically about support/follow up appointments and was specifically told "not necessary, you will not be bothered with emails, calls etc. you will just be allowed to get on with it".

I also asked specifically about "Brain Hunger" as opposed to real hunger, a topic I think you touched on in one of your mails. I was told it "won't happen" but it doesn't seem logical to suppose it won't.

Anyway, got a few more weeks to fact find and get some sort of infrastructure in place, so fingers crossed. I still think I will stick with the balloon because it is less invasive as well as the shortened recovery period (can't afford time off when you work for yourself).

As far as the comment of "you look ok to me" goes, I am 5' 10" and so am told that I can carry a bit of extra weight but I have never been as large as I am now and put on about 9.5 kilos over the last year (mainly due to stopping smoking and starting to work from home i.e. cutting exercise/movement.) I was already overweight then and now am so desperately unhappy with myself, I need to do something for me.

I am already feeling really excited about seeing the new me and going shopping for some new clothes, GREAT! I just can't wait.
 
Hiya, My package with the Nuffield Hospital includes phonecalls to check im ok, dieticians appts (as many as I want) for the 6 mths and one after the balloon is out and I get an appt with a counsellor too, I get to choose when and I am opting for when it is out!! lol xx Good luck :)
 
Hey Zoe- hope you are well! look like you are doing great!

OCM
 
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Hi there!

Hi there,

I recently had a balloon inserted at Taunton under Mr Mahon. I had it done under the National Health as I weighed 41 stone about a year ago. They have offered me the bypass but I am very nervous about that so the balloon seemed like a half way step to me and then when I have lost enough I will have to have the bypass.

I have to say that for the first 5 days I felt like death. Vomiting and heartburn and feeling sick. Days 5 - 8 similar but with a lot less vomiting and I started to eat soup and the odd scrambled egg. After day 8 I started eating semi solid foods again and have only actually vomited twice in 5 days which is great!

My biggest problem is lack of sleep. I cannot lie down in bed due to the heartburn it causes and I am not good at sleeping propped up so never get more than about 4 hrs which leaves me exhausted. Plus the hospital just seem to have done the op, sent me home with a leaflet and that is it. No follow up, no calls, no counsellor (despite me actually asking for one), nothing. The dietician; Anne Wheeler saw me for 10 mins at the initial consultation and gave me a leaflet about what to expect and that is it. I feel pretty annoyed about the lack of follow up.

I have been seeing a diabetes dietician in Torbay Hospital and she made the effort to ring me last week to see how I was and I went to see her yesterday and she talked me through some things, but it isn't really her field and I feel very let down by Taunton. I guess that as I am a National Health patient, they don't really care enough to spend the money on follow ups. No one has explained vitamins to me for instance, I am just taking a multi vit out of logic!

Sorry my first post is a whinge. I am getting used to eating smaller meals and the feeling slightly nauseas thing is liveable with, but my head is struggling to deal with such a small amount of food. I fully admit food is my drug of choice and it's more mental than physical.

Anyway, I am pleased to have found you all and hope to be more positive next time I post!
 
Hey Divalicious!
Welcome- love the name!

Gee, that is really tough not having support. Can you visit your GP and ask for a prescription medication? I was told that stomach acid damages the balloon, but that aside, you shouldn't be this uncomfortable!! Poor thing. I know that they sell some over the counter antacid tablets in Aussie...

How's the weight loss going?

OCM x
 
Yay! broke the 100 today! 99.5 kg- really pleased with my decision to do this.

OCM
 
Well done you!
I like your positive comments, they spur me on.

Not sure how long the cooling off period is supposed to be but I haven't heard a thing from the clinic so am wondering if they have forgotten me altogether.

I will give them another week and probably ring them then.

Any more success stories out there? I have read a couple of not so positive ones and am a bit worried about those. I thought that this surgery worked for everyone!
 
Day 3

Hi, it's been great reading all the posts, I had my balloon fitted last Thursday via The Hampshire Clinic in Basingstoke. I too fell asleep and can't remember the procedure, in fact when I woke up I assumed they hadn't done it. Mine was a fixed price and gives me 12 months support from a dietician, they also have a support group that meet that I hope to join. Today is the only day I have started to feel human and would have welcomed it being removed the past 2 days, was sick every time I had a sip of water, found it difficult to sleep but have persevered and today had a half portion of slimfast though it's taken me all afternoon to drink it. I feel very bloated and lack energy but that's to be expected not having eaten anything for 4 days. I am not going to weigh myself at home as this will only dishearten me if I haven't lost much, I have an appoint ment in a couple of weeks and will report my weight loss, yes I am positive I will lose some. I would ideally like to lose about 4 stones. If there is anyone else who had their procedure done about the same time perhaps we can support each other.

Wishing everybody the best in suceeding x
 
Well thought I would check in again am 15 weeks in with the balloon and have lost 19kg so I am so excited, plenty more weight to lose also. I have just found out that you do have to take nexium everyday as I was only having it when needed but if i laid on my right side to sleep the reflux and acid was really bad but taking the nexium for the last 3 days straight just before dinner has been a god send because now I dont have to sleep just on one side and getting a sore hip. My goal is to lose 25 kilos before my balloon comes out in July, then I am waiting for 4 weeks and having another one put in, as then I still have 5 months left of my programme, I am just waiting on how much it costs which will be around 1500-2000 hopefully. I am in Melbourne, so if anyone wants any questions answered I am here, also congratulations to everyone with their weight loss. :party:
 
Hi,
Keep your chin up Hopeful, it does get better!

CheekyGirl- 19 kg- that is amazing!! What have you been doing to lose it?

Definitely need to take the antacid tablets, couldn't agree more. I don't think anyone would be able to do it without them.

OCM xx
 
Cheekygirl

Well done on the weight loss hope I will do as well if I ever get it fitted!!

The clinic has disappeared on me! I have telephoned the original number and had a moan, promised a call back which hasn't come so am now really at a loss to know what to do. Has anyone else had this problem?

Hopeful - How are you doing?

Does anyone know (I am sure you do) what happens to your drinking when it is fitted? are you able to drink as normal? I don't mean alcohol, as I am assuming you will not be able to drink as much without making yourself ill, I mean just normal drinking through the day, after all you need to keep hydrated don't you?
 
Thankyou for your support, ozcatmum I think eating the smaller portions is the bonus and doing exercise lol. I dont eat much at night as I had that full feeling, so I think that maybe the key for losing the weight, also not have the carbs at night. I am so glad that everyone is doing well. My niece who is 21 is going to have the balloon she needs to lose around 20kg but I think when she goes to the lifecoach that will help her deal with alot of things also. She said she was proud of me ect, so that made me feel better about myself, that I can be a role model for her, also my 6 year old daughter said to me the other day out shopping "mum you look so different" and I said how honey and she said "you are losing weight mum and I love you" bought a tear to my eye lol.
 
Day 11

Wow 19KG, that's fantastic, I am so stupid, of course the burning sensation from throat down to tummy is acid reflux, I will get something for that to make life more comfortable. Can't give weight loss, I'm not going to weigh myself so only monthly weigh-ins with the dietician, but it is day 11 and I tried on some trousers that were really uncomfortable 2 weeks ago and they fit really well now :) Still on soft foods and can't drink tea or coffee and chocolate does not appeal so that's great news but never hungery. Keep up the good work everyone. :seeya:
 
Hi everyone,

I spent most of my day at work reading this entire thread (naughty I know!) and would just like to thank everyone for their advice and tips. I've been toying with the idea of having the balloon fitted for a while now and expected to be met with a barage of disapproval from friends and family. However my best friend has now decided she also wants to undergo the procedure and my mum is going to see how I fair before taking the plunge herself, so am feeling very positive about it. I have no unrealistic expectations and I know it's going to be really hard.........infact harded than I anticpated. I was hoping to be able to have 6 months where I just didn't feel hungry and think about what I can eat next...I suppose the main thing is that I physically can't eat it without a consequence.

I'm hoping to travel to Prague and have the procedure in July and have just booked in with my dietician to constuct a sensible eating plan. So that pretty much covers all the angles for now, but I hope to keep a log of things on here to help others out, as I have been with the candid advice from everyone so far.

Thanks you for settling my nerves :)
 
My Diary,

Monday 3rd May
Had the balloon inserted at midday , when I woke up , it felt like the worst period pain that I had ever felt, the pain went from around the front to the back of me. I wondered if it was the right thing to do, I was doubting myself and why I did it. I asked the nurse for pain killers , which they were quite surprised as to why, but I had a long journey home and did not want to be in that type of pain all the way home, so they gave me Panadine Forte. This allowed me to sleep all the way home. Once in bed, I was able to take the vast array of medications to help me sleep. I found when I was asleep I was okay , but woke up in hour intervals and thats when I had the pain.
By tuesday morning , the pain was gone , I did not have any nausea at all, and was wondering if I ever had the balloon fitted at all, it was not painful or I did not feel sick? I still took the medications and did not eat , I just stuck to liquids.
Wednesday, was a good day except the reflux started and although I am walking around , the reflux pain is quite bad, I have tried peppermint tea, anti reflux tablets , panadine forte and last night sleeping tablets, the pain seems to go away for a little while , but then comes back.
Thursday - today - still have the reflux pain, it is very painful, and all I want to do is make the pain go away, I have increased mu reflux tablets dosage to see if that helps.
As for being sick, I have not been nauseous or felt sick at all, I have vomited twice. I am still not eating as I am too scared to , I am still on the liquid diet.
so that is where I am up to today, will keep you all posted as to how I go, and oh jumped on the scales I am down 4.5 kgs already , from not eating.
 
My Diary,

Monday 3rd May
Had the balloon inserted at midday , when I woke up , it felt like the worst period pain that I had ever felt, the pain went from around the front to the back of me. I wondered if it was the right thing to do, I was doubting myself and why I did it. I asked the nurse for pain killers , which they were quite surprised as to why, but I had a long journey home and did not want to be in that type of pain all the way home, so they gave me Panadine Forte. This allowed me to sleep all the way home. Once in bed, I was able to take the vast array of medications to help me sleep. I found when I was asleep I was okay , but woke up in hour intervals and thats when I had the pain.
By tuesday morning , the pain was gone , I did not have any nausea at all, and was wondering if I ever had the balloon fitted at all, it was not painful or I did not feel sick? I still took the medications and did not eat , I just stuck to liquids.
Wednesday, was a good day except the reflux started and although I am walking around , the reflux pain is quite bad, I have tried peppermint tea, anti reflux tablets , panadine forte and last night sleeping tablets, the pain seems to go away for a little while , but then comes back.
Thursday - today - still have the reflux pain, it is very painful, and all I want to do is make the pain go away, I have increased mu reflux tablets dosage to see if that helps.
As for being sick, I have not been nauseous or felt sick at all, I have vomited twice. I am still not eating as I am too scared to , I am still on the liquid diet.
so that is where I am up to today, will keep you all posted as to how I go, and oh jumped on the scales I am down 4.5 kgs already , from not eating.
 
Day 5 -
had the balloon in on Monday arvo, for the past two days I have had amazing stomach pain, so I thought it was reflux or heartburn , so I went to the doctors yesterday and she gave me some constipation stuff , which I took and some digestics , as Panadine forte make you constipated - today I woke up with slight pain in my stomach and yes I have finally gone to the toilet after 5 days yay! sorry guys you are like family I had to share that.
I took a buscopan this morning and that seemed to stop the pain, now here it is 12 midday and I have this amazing pain in my stomach, I dont know what the hell it is , is that normal ?
The doctor at the clinic said that I should be walking 10 minute walks from day 4 - wow day four , I was still in bed.
I had my first opti slim shake today and was full half way through it, and that seemed to settle the pain a little- I might have another one for lunch not sure.
I am too scared to eat , however my darling husband eat roast chicken & red wine last night , whilst I lay on the lounge dying.
The proceeded to eat cheese & crackers & finish off his meal with a turkish delight and me...... well, I happily ate diet jelly..... my 3rd bowl for the day.
I jumped on the scales this morning and half a kilo lost, I have not even started my weight loose thingy yet .
so at this time, I am sitting on the computer with a pain in my stomach that I cant explain , feeling sorry for myself. As for being sick at all, nope not at all, I have not felt sick throughout the entire ordeal.
 
Hi all,

FF, constipation is a bitch!! Such a relief when it is over....

Definitely worth trying to eat a bit; I fell head over heels for V8 juice as I got sick of so much sweet stuff.
Hair falling out a bit, not handfuls but leaving more in the shower; the dietician says it is a short term thing, related to the initial malnutrition from the first few weeks, so should stop soon- hope so!! Taking multivitamins and a skin/hair/nails thing too. Even though I don't think this is the choice I am facing, I would rather have thin hair and a small bum, than thick hair and a fat bum!!

Isn't what cheekygirls daughter said lovely? Makes it all worthwhile...

The elephant in the room....what are you all thinking about maintaining weight loss after the balloon? What are your strategies and ideas?

OCM xxx
 
HI ozcat
yeah I would have to agree about the sweet stuff, jelly, juice, cordial, you wonder how you loose weight with all that crap that we are eating. Ok so now I am over the balloon pain, over the reflux and over the constipation , now we are up to back pain. I have back pain ..... has anyone else experienced that. it is terrible, it seems as soon as one pain stops another area takes over. To make it worse , whilst I was relaxing I had a brief that needs to be completed in 2 weeks time, and its huge to contend with. So thank you work, you dont let up for even a week. Dencorub is my best friend at the moment and I am usually in bed by 930pm , something I have never done for a long time. My husband had a nice fish meal , with tartar sauce and chips & oh yes and he is washing it down with a beer , I am enjoying a three course meal tonight of a shake , water & diet Jelly. yumo . I am too scared to eat I think just incase the balloon says " um no way " . I have not started to exercise as yet , because of my back pain. I feel like we are on a dead line to quickly exercise or do this or that .... sometimes I wish I had of got the lap band done at least that is perm? what are your thoughts on that.
I am terrified that after it comes out I will get fat again .......
 
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