How Much Weight Can I Lose With A Gastric Balloon? The gastric balloon procedure (“endoscopic intragastric balloon”) leaves 1 to 3 swollen silicon balloons in the stomach for 6 months, making less room for food. As a result:

  • You will feel earlier as you eat, so you will eat less and lose weight
  • You will lose about 30% of their excess weight in 6 months (when the balloons are removed)
  • A patient with 100 kg overweight will lose 30 kg in six months
  • Your health will improve, including improving diabetes, joints/bones, and heart problems

Read the following sections for everything you need to know about the gastric balloon procedure.

How The Gastric Balloon Procedure İs Performed

The gastric balloon procedure is performed differently depending on the type of balloon you choose:

Orbera & ReShape

The Orbera and ReShape gastric balloon procedures usually take more than half an hour to complete (compared to about 2 hours for the gastric sleeve) and most patients are out of the hospital on the same day.

Once you are in the treatment room, here are the steps:

Your throat will numb with a special spray. Numbness may feel strange, but it will help your throat tolerate the organs used in the procedure. If you wish, you can also ask for injection to make you feel drowsy, but these options will be discussed with you in advance.

Once you feel comfortable, the nurse will place a plastic mouth guard between your teeth to keep your mouth open in the field.

The field will pass through your mouth and into your stomach. This will not be painful and you will be able to breathe without worry. The doctor may also need to pass some air through the field to get a clear picture. This can also be a strange feeling and can make you want to get tired.

The field will be removed.

The deflated balloon will pass into your stomach and swell with an air or saline solution.

The field will pass to your stomach one last time to check again that the balloon is in the correct position and properly inflated.

How much weight can I lose with a gastric balloon

The average patient with a gastric balloon loses a moderate amount of weight very quickly after the procedure:

Month 3:

About 15% of excess weight

Month 6:

About 30% of excess weight

Actual weight loss can be higher or lower.

The most popular types of balloons need to be removed after 6 months, so long-term weight loss depends entirely on the patient’s diet and lifestyle. In other words, the gastric balloon should not be considered a “long-term repair”.

In fact, some patients use the balloon to lose weight before a more complicated procedure such as gastric banding. Most of the procedures involved have a lower complication rate when patients weigh less before surgery, so you may want to discuss this option with your surgeon.

Preparing For The Process

Take the appropriate steps to improve the result. Your doctor and his office will work closely with you to prepare for your gastric balloon procedure, such as:

Perform a preoperative health assessment, where you will be asked questions about your medical history and medications.

Check your surgical history, as there may be some complications if you have had previous procedures on your stomach.

Order some tests, such as an ECG, x-ray, and blood tests.

Teach fasting (without food) for at least 24 hours before surgery, without eating or drinking anything 12 hours before surgery.

Recovery

After the procedure, patients with gastric balloon usually:

Leave the hospital and return home the same day.

Ask someone who is willing and able to take you home and care for you for at least 24 hours. The patient’s throat may ache after the procedure after the balloon is inserted through the mouth.

He or she fully recovered and returned to work within 3 days.

Nutrition And Life After

  • You will follow a 14-day transition diet
  • You will not have any dietary restrictions
  • The balloon will help you achieve better eating habits and lifestyles
  • The balloon will be removed after 6 months

Life with the gastric balloon will be very similar to life before, with a few exceptions:

  • You will feel full earlier while eating, causing you to eat less and lose weight
  • If food gets stuck in your balloon, you may experience vomiting. To reduce this risk, you should avoid foods that are likely to get stuck in your balloon, such as pasta, and drink water after eating to rinse your balloon.
  • Regularly attending online or in-person weight loss support sessions (thankfully, many are free) can be a huge help and is highly recommended.

The following sections give you an idea of ​​what to expect after surgery.

Food & beverage: The 14-day diet transition program

Improving your food choices and lifestyle habits will be the most important change after the procedure. The gastric balloon provides a great opportunity to “start” a long-term diet and exercise program. However, because it is not a permanent solution (no more than 6 months to a year), many patients use this time wisely to change long-term habits.

Your surgeon’s dietitian or nutritionist, and sometimes a personal trainer, will guide you to long-term success. Here will be the transition of your diet:

Day 1: Only clear liquids

Days 2 to 7: Liquid diet

Days 7 to 14: Clean food diet

After your balloon is removed, your surgeon will discuss options such as continuing your new diet and exercise, replacing the balloon with a new one, or possibly switching to permanent weight loss surgery.

Exercise: 2.5 hours per week, in 2 to 4 days

Exercise is almost as important as your diet in terms of long-term success:

  • Patients who exercise regularly lose more weight in the long run
  • The physical and mental health benefits are incredible

How much exercise do you need for noticeable results?

Although there are no studies on the gastric balloon procedure, a study of patients with gastric bypass found that 2.5 hours per week resulted in 5.7% more weight loss.

To help you stay on track, exclude exercise time at the same time on the same days of the week.

Also, apply 2.5 hours a week for 3 or 4 days (in other words, 30 to 45 minutes 3 or 4 days a week). This will make it less intimidating to start each day and will help you build endurance. How Much Weight Can I Lose With A Gastric Balloon?

How Much Weight Can I Lose with a Gastric Balloon?

 

If you are looking for an answer to “how much weight can I lose with a gastric balloon?” a gastric balloon is typically used as a short-term weight loss solution and can help you lose up to 15-20% of your body weight over three to six months. The gastric balloon makes you feel fuller faster, consuming fewer calories than usual.

The weight loss achieved with a gastric balloon is usually very rapid in the first few months after the procedure. Thus considering, “how much weight can I lose with a gastric balloon?” 10-15 pounds in the first month and 20-25 pounds in the first three months after the procedure. After that, your weight loss should slow as your body adjusts to its new size.

 

The amount of weight you lose with a gastric balloon depends on several factors, including how much weight you need to lose, your diet and exercise routine, and any underlying health conditions you may have. It’s important to note that while gastric balloons are effective for short-term weight loss, they are not a long-term solution and should be used as part of an overall healthy lifestyle plan. If you want to learn more about “what is a gastric balloon?”