How Much Does A Gastric Balloon Cost? Gastric balloons such as Orbera, ReShape, Obalon, and Elipse are non-surgical weight loss options for people with a BMI between 27 and 40. The balloon, made of silicone or a thin polymer film, is placed in the stomach and then filled with saline or nitrogen. It takes up space in your stomach, so you feel fuller and eat less. Six months to a year later, it is deflated and/or removed and you should maintain your results with diet and exercise. How much does a gastric balloon cost and if you are wondering if insurance covers this, you should continue reading.
What are the pros and cons of a gastric balloon?
Advantages
- Gastric balloons are an easier choice for those people who do not want (or qualify for) invasive weight loss surgery.
- Clinical studies report that patients lose twice as much weight with a balloon and lifestyle changes than with diet and exercise alone.
- You should start seeing results within three months of entering.
- The weight you lose should stay away even after the balloon is removed if you maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Disadvantages
- Gastric balloons are not the right choice for those who want to lose weight, so you must meet the requirements for the procedure.
- It is not an option for people who have undergone weight loss surgery, stomach or esophagus, or are taking prescription anti-inflammatory or anticoagulants (blood clot medicines).
- Stomach balloon surgery is not covered by insurance and the procedure can be costly.
- Pain, nausea, and acid reflux affect about one-third of people immediately after the balloon is inserted. Your doctor may prescribe medication to relieve these symptoms.
- Although rare, it is possible for the balloon to deflate and move through your digestive system, creating a blockage that will need to be surgically removed.
- Another potential risk is an ulcer, or hole, in the lining of the stomach, caused by rubbing on the balloon.
- People have reported feeling the balloon move as well as seeing it in their stomach can create remarkable success. It is not dangerous or abnormal to see the swelling in your abdomen that corresponds to the point where your balloon sits inside your stomach. It simply means that you have lost enough weight for the contour of the balloon to appear through the abdominal wall.
What happens when the gastric balloon is inserted?
Note that there are some key differences between the four main types of the gastric balloon and RealSelf members give them significantly different value scores.
Orbera is inserted endoscopically and then filled with saline. It stays in your stomach for six months before it is removed, but you will have a full year of support from a dietitian, trainer, and doctor, through an app, to help you change your exercise habits and switch to a healthier diet. RealSelf members give this gastric balloon the highest Worth It rating.
ReShape consists of two balloons, which are placed endoscopically by the doctor and then filled with saline solution. They remain in place, are connected to each other, for six months, and are removed endoscopically.
The Obalon is a three-balloon system that you swallow during office visits a few months away. Each Obalon balloon capsule is about the size of a large grape. After six months, all three balloons are removed through an endoscope. Note: Some people cannot swallow the capsule, so they cannot take the Obalon system.
The Elipse
The Elipse is a simple balloon that is swallowed and then filled with seawater during an office process. Unlike other intragastric balloons, it does not require endoscopy and will deflate on its own after four months. Once degraded, it naturally passes through the body. You do not need to pull the balloon out of your mouth.
A few weeks before the gastric balloon is inserted, your doctor will give you some instructions on what to eat and drink and what medications you may need to stop taking.
On the day of your procedure, you will be given mild sedation so that you are drowsy and relaxed. For Elipse, you will not need to calm down.
For endoscopic surgery, your doctor inserts a catheter that holds the gastric balloon down your neck into your stomach, followed by an endoscope (a tiny camera in a tube) so they can see and accurately fill the balloon. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes and you can return home the same day. Just make sure you have someone there to take you, as you will be a little grumpy.
For these balloons that you swallow, you will do it in your doctor’s office and they will fill the balloon through an attached catheter while they will monitor you. They remove the catheter and you are ready to go.
Son Phase
Six hours after the procedure, you can start taking small sips of the liquid. You will stay on a liquid diet for the next few weeks and start eating soft foods for about two to three weeks. You should be able to start eating regular food three weeks after the balloon is inserted.
For the next 6 to 12 months, you will follow a careful diet. You will also have follow-up visits with your medical team, which includes your doctor, a nutritionist, and a psychologist.
How much weight can you lose?
Eventually, you can expect to see a weight loss of about 10 to 15 percent of your existing body weight. In a randomized clinical trial of an intragastric balloon, of the 255 adults with a BMI 30-40 who had a gastric balloon plus behavioral therapy (i.e., also worked with a nutritionist and psychologist), 29% lost weight, compared with 14% of those who had only behavioral therapy (without balloon). If you are looking for a more dramatic weight loss, you may want to consider surgeries such as gastric bypass, sleeve, or belt gastrectomy.
After significant weight loss, you can expect to have loose skin that may need to be removed with surgery such as body lift.
How much does a gastric balloon cost?
Your cost depends on the procedure you choose, as well as the level of experience of your surgeon and the location of his practice. Your doctor will give a clearer answer to the “how much does a gastric balloon cost” question. Contact our clinic today and make an appointment.