Gastric Balloon

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Originally Posted by done67


hi

just joined this site am having a balloon fitted next week, worried about the vomiting been reading the pages and not good reports but the clinic have been good pre op with details ect: and I am hoping they will help with medication not found many reports about post balloon what stage are you up to would love to know if it gets better, look forward to hearing from you
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Hi done67,

did you get your balloon in the end? How was it and are you still feeling sick? I am due to have my in late Feb and starting to get a bit nervous about it all. Did you go for the 6 months or the 12 months balloon? I am having the spatz balloon which can stay in for 12 months. Figure I need the longer time to shift my weight and get used to eating smaller portions.
 
Hi there


Was just reading your post-i know it's from long ago-but wanted to know if you've managed to keep the weight off since having the gastric balloon??Did you have it in once?For how long? I really want to do it but am so nervous so finding out as much as I can? Was it worth it? Did you sleep well? What were the cons for you? Sorry to ask so many questions.....
 
Hi,


I have been thinking about this procedure for about a year now and am still not sure if I should go through with it. I have spoken to a number of places that carry it out and I always seem uncomfortable with them for some reason or another. I am based in Ireland and would love to hear anyone's experiences. I have contacted NOSC in the UK as they have a clinic in NI and they seem very helpful athough I worry about the fact that they don't always seem to be fully aware of the complications etc. I suspect thats because in many cases, the "highly trained medical personnel" are actually call centre operatives. I have found them nice to deal with though and they are reassuring. I have contacted the hospital group but they have not returned my call or replied to my email - doesn't boad well! I have read up about the National Gastric Balloon Centre and there are so many typos on the website, it worries me. Also, they don't actually have a set price. Its the same for Auralia. They will not tell you how much it costs but insists that you attend a consultation with their surgeon. I am paid by the hour so I don't want to take time off and loose wages to discover that they were too expensive anyways. Anyone got any idea what these places are like or what they cost? Well done everyone on their weight loss!
 
I will be putting the balloon in my tummy on Monday..i am worried..of course..i am worried of the pain and nausea..i had that all through the pregnancy of my first child and it was horrible..nothing stayed in..not even water..so my worst fear is re-living that again. I'm also worried i'd be frustrated and think myself into getting it removed right away.

but..at 38 this might be a life savior for me..I'm going on Monday alone..won't worry my family..and I'll be updating you..I'll use this forum as my log..I hope it goes well.
 
Hi, I am Linda in East London, I would love to hear from people who have done the balloon in Johannesburg/durban/Cape Town or any place around South Africa. I need the contact numbers or places for the doctors that are able to do the balloon.


Thanks
 
Hi Adam,


I found your posts really supporting. I was surfing the internet to get information as much as i can about the gastric balloon. I am living in Egypt, I know two dr. but i can't really decide where to do it. So, I wish you can help me in this issue.


I hope you have reached your ideal weight by now.


Thanks
 
I just wanted to provide an update - it has now been two years for me since I had the balloon. I lost 30kgs in the pre-op and balloon period and have gone on to lose another 24kgs. I have recently been on an extended holiday and put on a couple of kgs, but that is already coming off again. Don't get me wrong, the balloon was not easy - but also not as hard for me as some others. It takes time to settle it in. I did not have severe cramping once it settled in, but I took my meds everyday as prescribed. I did have horrible burping which was terrible. Would I do it again - YES! It changed my eating habits and mind set. I now run - having done multiple 10km + fun runs whereas before the balloon I could flat out walk 1km. I am fit and healthy and determined to lose my last 15-20kgs over the next 4 months. I am now on Michelle Bridges's 12wbt program. I don't think I could have done such a program before the balloon as I thought I could never survive on such low calories and small portions - but I can, easily! Good Luck x
 
Hi All,


Your testimonials are really informative and inspiring, thank you all. I am really considering having the gastric balloon. I was never overweight, actually i was always on the slim side, two years ago, i was promoted to a better but muchhhhh more stressful job, i spent 6 months in a small town for my training and my only hobby was eating! i gained my first 10 kgs there, after that with the nature of my job, travelling a lot, frequent business dinners and soooo much stress, i gained another 6, I tried everything to lose the weight, all diets...i would lose 3 kgs, start stress eating again, and gain 5 instead....being overweight is so lonely, i feel trapped, a stranger in my body, like i am not me :(....I isolated myself from everyone i knew because i felt like a failure for not being able to lose the weight when i see people successfully lose much more than what i hope to lose.

I am taking my annual vacation next month, and i am seriously thinking about having the procedure and taking 3 weeks off to recover and adjust.

I am not scared of the first rough week, but i am scared that it doesn't work, ....hope to make up my mind soon.....any advice or comments are welcome.

Thank you all and good luck!
 
Honestly, I know it IS a lot of extra weight for you, but I doubt that you would be a candidate for any type of surgery like this based on the information above. Do you mind me asking what your BMI is? Or what your weight and height currently are? You typically have to be in a certain BMI range to warrant this type of procedure.


Also, would you mind giving us a few more details about what you've already tried to do to lose weight?
 
Thank you for your reply, i totally agree with you, i am not dillusional, i know that i am not obese, i know that it is all relative, and gaining 16 kgs in 2 years for me is a lot, and i cannot stop being mesmerized by all the courageous people on this site, real fighters, losing 20 & 40 kgs AND MORE.....i have so much admiration and respect for them!

My BMI is borderline, i am 160 cm, and now weigh 70 kg, i am the minimum BMI recommended for the procedure, which requires BMI 27 and up. Women in my family have a tendency for weight gain in their mid 30's, i am 32....now all the women in my family (mother side) are overweight to obese.

in 2 years i tried in order:


Going on a food regimen with a doctor, lost 5 kgs in 2 months, gained them back in 3 months, did not change my eating habits and i was hungry all the time. It was the kind of diet with lots of protein and no carbs,i had no energy and was always in a bad mood.

Tried the SlimFast 3-2-1 diet, i tolerated it more, did not get hungry, i have a sweet tooth, so this one helped with that, lost 4 kgs and gained them back in 2 months.

Tried eating normally and skipping dinner, last meal @ 5 pm, i felt better in the mornings, did not gain any weight but did not lose any either

Did the Lemon-Detox diet for 5 days, lost 3 kgs in 5 days gained them back in 2 weeks, would not recommend, u lose water weight and it is not healthy and would never change eating habits.


I am a stress eater and i am under a lot of stress, my job is stressfull, my company is relocating me to another country, which was not my optimum choice,but i have to if i want to keep my job, i am not in the happiest place and this will not change soon, and i am depressed because of my weight, the more depressed, the more i eat....u know....the old familiar viscious circle!
 
Wow, I'm completely floored that this surgery would be done on someone with a BMI of 27... I really thought the guidelines were more responsible than that...


You said that you're a stress eater... In my personal opinion, I don't think that surgery is going to help you. It will not change the fact that you stress eat. I think that you'd be wiser to seek out a professional that deals with emotional eating. Sometimes these are one-on-one sessions, and sometimes they are done in a group setting.


From what I've seen with clients that struggle with weight loss - they are almost never successful at losing and keeping weight off until they reduce the stress in their lives.
 
Hi all

I've had my balloon in 3 weeks today. I was very sick for the first 3/4 days then things settled down and I thought hey this is ok...........but for a week and a half I have been sick, sick, sick, sick. I can't even keep fluids in. I can't leave the house as I'm sick so suddenly (just been sick) and am sure I'm am becoming dehydrated. How long can you tell your work collegues you've got a sick bug!!!!! I have lost 1st 10lbs in 3 weeks which is great but worries me. Am awaiting a phone call from the doctor of my support team at the clinic, if he doesn't get a move on I will be checking myself into the closest A&E. Anyone else suffering or suffered and got better????

Jax25
 
I did have intolerance, like you I did ok for a week, but than sick, sick, sick, too. I did become dehydrated, and decompensated quickly. It looks like you posted this almost a week ago, I hope you are feeling better or that you have gotten some help if it hasn't improved. I unfortunately had to have my balloon removed as the vomitting would not stop, not even sips of water would stay down.

What country or province are you in?

I wish you a quick return to health.
 
Hi I am much better thank you. I went back to the clinic and had a readjustment, 100ml of saline taken out which instantly solved the vomiting. I spent 4 days in hospital dehydrated and thought I was dying. I had my balloon at the National Obesity surgery clinic in Manchester, England.
 
AHi, I read your post and an interested in following your progress. My BMI is 29 and I had a gastric balloon fitted 4 days ago in Saudi Arabia, where I am currently working. We got a good discount and it cost £1300. The experience of having it fitted was as uncomfortable as I had expected and these first days have been terrible. But the consultant made me very much aware of how miserable I would feel post insertion, I'm just riding out the storm and hoping it will pass. I'm hopping to loose 15kg in the next 6 months. I've always been good at diets however I was put onto beta blockers last year to prevent migraines but consequently lowers my heart rate and since then the weight has just steadily increased. Had a personal trainer with a friend and she lost the weight and I stayed frumpy and was progressively getting more depressed with my weight situation. That's why I had the balloon, just hoping this constant stomach pain and intolerance to food subsides. My dr recommended apple juice and to be honest that is all I have tolerated since insertion. I'd like to know how you are coping now and any advise welcome
 
Jax 25 I have just had mine done at the same clinic as you. How are you finding the support? I think I may have had mine done when you got your adjustment, my husband was talking to the husband of someone who got the balloon emptied a bit because of vomitting and heartburn. Was that you?


I am three weeks in tomorrow and I am still feeling very nauseaus and weak. I feel like when I do actually feel like food, I accidentally eat too much and then I am throwing it back up. When I say too much, it can literally be a portion on a side plate and i eat two forks too many.


I have probably lost about half a stone to 10ibs in this time and I am starting to notice the difference. Would be good to chat to someone else who has it in at the moment to get some feedback, motivation and general support. I started at about 12stone 10 ish and last time I weighed myself I was 12 stone 1.
 
AHi I am 10 wks in with my balloon I just want to say it does get better I was probably one of the lucky ones I was I'll for probably 2 and a half days,I still get the odd day when I feel sick but I have learnt now it's certain food and alcohol,I no ur not meant to drink but I do have the odd night when I have wine.i have lost 1 stone 9 pound and I'm happy with result up to now, I weighed 12 stone 11 half pound I'm only 5ft 1 hope I make u feel more positive
 
Niscott we are very similar then as I am only 5ft 2 and you have certainly made me feel better. I am not feeling ill now and do still feel very full after small portions. I would love to talk to you more in depth if you fancy sending me a private message and i will send you my email address so we can chat properly. :)
 
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