Many of our patients initially did not have much information about gastric balloons, and no one they knew could tell them if the procedure brought real results. Some of them hesitated to take action and lost time and opportunity to make their weight loss dream come true. But there were also proactive and curious patients who came to us for a consultation and had all their questions answered by professionals.
One of the most common questions patients asked us was, “Does gastric balloon work?”. Here in this article, we will show how and why gastric balloons work by providing theoretical explanations and real stories of patients who had gastric balloons.
How Is A Gastric Balloon Procedure Performed?
A gastric balloon weight loss procedure is less invasive. This means that a patient will have minimum risks going through the procedure since he or she will not have any cuts or incisions as in bariatric surgery.
The doctor puts the patient to sleep, then inserts endoscopic instruments equipped with a mini-camera and light through the mouth into the stomach, and takes a close look at the inside of the GI tract.
Then after ensuring that everything is fine, the deflated balloon will be accurately positioned in the stomach and a few moments later, the balloon will be filled up with saline solution.
The procedure overall takes about 30 minutes. Once the doctor confirms that the placement of the balloon is completed successfully, you can go home the same day and start resuming your life and work routine in just a couple of days.
How Does a Gastric Balloon Work for Weight Loss?
The balloon will stay for about 6 months taking up around 70% of your stomach volume. For half a year, you will be physically constrained to eat large amounts of food. During this period, your body and mind will get adjusted to a new optimal food portion that is limited by your new stomach capacity. Eating small portions will become a new habit for you during the months you will spend with the balloon. When the balloon is out and your stomach returns to its original volume, it is anticipated that you still will be prompted to eat less because this has become a new normal for you.
Therefore, the point of having a gastric balloon is to help you change your eating habits and establish a new healthy lifestyle that, like a newly installed software program, will run and sustain your weight control for years to come.
How Much Can You Lose with a Gastric Balloon?
If we take an average, you are expected to lose about 30-40 pounds in six months while you are with the balloon. However, spending 6 months with a gastric balloon is like writing a weight loss code into your brain and body that will run independently after removing the balloon, making sure your weight is kept in check. Therefore, many people keep losing weight after the balloon is out and manage to sustain their results and achieve even more weight loss.
While these numbers are only predictions based on how other patients did, your results might be different from what we talked about here. The gastric balloon can be of great help but only if you take responsibility for your results and invest time, energy, and effort in sticking to a proper balanced diet, physical exercise, and following other recommendations of the medical team. All in all, a gastric balloon is a very useful tool that can deliver great results for dedicated patients.
Now let’s talk about real people who reprogrammed themselves for healthy lifestyles thanks to an intragastric balloon and achieved incredible outcomes.
Charlotte Lost 43 lbs with the Orbera Gastric Balloon
Charlotte is a young woman who loves her fast-growing career, busy life, and tight schedule. Due to having so many things going on, she could not pay much attention to her diet and lifestyle. As a result, one day during a regular physical examination, she learned that she could be a pre-diabetic since her weight might be causing an issue for her health.
She started researching and realized that she was not fit for serious treatments like surgery since she was not too obese and did not need to lose that much weight to be in the healthy weight range. During her research, the young lady learned about the Orbera gastric balloon.
She decided to act immediately and lost 43 lbs thanks to the balloon. Charlotte shares that also a very big advantage for her was that she learned to feel her body, control her emotions, and distinguish between physical hunger and emotional one. Equally significant, Charlotte formed new habits that she keeps enjoying even after the treatment is over.
Mary Lost 92 lbs with Orbera
Mary is a hard-working nurse who tries to do her best for the patients to improve their health. However, one day she realized that while caring for others she had forgotten to take care of her own health. At that time, Mary had a BMI of 40 and weighed 235 lbs. At that moment, she realized that she needed some help and decided to try a simple and effective non-surgical weight loss procedure such as the Orbera balloon.
It was the turning point of her life because after this decision, she became a totally different person who lives the life she always dreamed of. Not only did she lose 92 lbs, but she also gained confidence as well as a plethora of healthy habits like balancing her diet and being physically active. Thanks to the gastric balloon, now Mary enjoys hiking, running marathons, and improving her health. Mary says that a large
The Balloon Procedure Has Worked Great for Dr. Simmons’ Patients
Recently, Dr. Simmons’ patient who did gastric balloon placement at our clinic contacted us to express her gratitude. She wanted to tell people who are considering this procedure about her gastric balloon weight loss experience with our medical team.
“Dr. Okeefe is great. The balloon procedure was quick and has worked for me. After the procedure, I lost 45 pounds (and counting!). His team has been awesome during this process.”
We Are Here To Help You Lose Weight Comfortably
Dr. Okeefe Simmons is a highly qualified and experienced weight-loss doctor who offers a comprehensive weight-loss program that is tailored to each patient and his or her specific needs and circumstances. When you decide to undergo a gastric balloon procedure, you get the support and guidance from a whole team of medical professionals led by Dr. Simmons who will be there for you from day one and up to a year until you are sure you can continue on your own.
