How Much Can You Lose With A Gastric Balloon?
Patients have been shown to lose up to 47% of their excess weight in six months after the gastric balloon. If a patient is 400 pounds, and their goal weight is 150 pounds, their excess weight is 250 pounds.
Keep in mind, though, this is not a typical result. What does a typical result look like?
Average Weight Loss With Gastric Balloon
When the Orbera gastric balloon was tested in a clinical trial, six month weight loss averaged about 10% of total body weight. That 400 pound patient mentioned earlier would lose on average 40 pounds in 6 months.
This is a very wide range of results, with some patients seeing minimal weight loss and others seeing drastic weight loss. Knowing how the gastric balloon works may provide some insight into this.
How Does The Gastric Balloon Work?
Gastric balloons are inserted into the stomach through a small tube that is placed down the throat. The doctor also inserts an endoscope to see the balloon inside the stomach. A saline solution is then pumped into the balloon to fill it.
The gastric balloon is left inside the patient for up to six months. It’s a temporary procedure, primarily marketed at those who want to lose weight fast without a surgical procedure.
After the procedure, patients can go about their normal activities with a modified diet. Recovery time is minimal. Patients are expected to feel some minor abdominal discomfort for a short time, which should go away relatively quickly.
The balloon, once filled up, takes up space in the stomach that prevents the patient from eating too much in one sitting. It also causes the patient to feel full for most of the day.
Do We Recommend Any Brand of Gastric Balloon?
At West Texas Bariatrics, we do offer Orbera balloons and we will do the procedure. There are benefits to the gastric balloon; for example, it’s not a surgical procedure, so recovery time is very short and you can return to normal activities immediately.
However, we don’t recommend the gastric balloon for most patients. Most patients would be better served with a gastric bypass or gastric sleeve. The reason is because the procedure itself is similar in price to a gastric sleeve, due to the cost of the balloon and the fact that ultimately, you’ll need to have the balloon removed. It’s also a temporary procedure, only lasting six months at a time. Most patients need the assistance with keeping weight off, which gastric sleeve and gastric bypass can help with more adequately.
If you are interested in the gastric balloon procedure, schedule a consultation with us! We’ll walk you through the pros and cons of the procedure to help you determine if it’s right for you.
