Gastric balloon experience: Any thoughts?

Hello everyone. I went through the gastric balloon procedure hoping it would finally tackle at least part of my weight issues, but to be honest, I am incredibly disappointed. I had already managed to lose 10 pounds on my own before the procedure, and while I dropped another 9 pounds during the first three months with the balloon, I started gaining it all back during the following three months. Ultimately, the entire ordeal resulted in absolutely nothing beyond those initial 10 pounds I lost through sheer willpower. The recovery process was also miserable; I dealt with five days of intense nausea—which, I suppose, is the only reason I actually lost any weight, simply because I couldn't eat anything. To be perfectly blunt, if you are looking for somewhat decent results, you might be better off just sticking to a treadmill. Of course, any kind of medical intervention or lifestyle change requires discipline, but the balloon itself is frankly terrible. You have to maintain an incredibly strict diet, and it certainly didn't work for me, though I know quite a few women from the hospital who had similar experiences. Good luck to you all.

Hi everyone, I wanted to start by saying thanks for all the helpful advice on this forum. I actually had my balloon procedure done about three weeks ago, and while I’m honestly questioning if I’d ever subject myself to that whole ordeal again, I’m praying the results make it worth it. I've already dropped 9 kg in these first three weeks. That said, after dealing with five straight days of constant nausea, I ended up hitting up a local Jack in the Box for a few days just to cope, but once I tried eating anything grilled, the pain was so intense I felt like banging my head against the wall. It was absolutely brutal. Now, I can't tell if it's pure anxiety or genuine hunger, but I find myself eating almost nothing at all during the day. For those of you who have been through this longer than I have, could you please share an example of what a typical daily meal plan looks like? I am completely out of ideas.
Also, is it necessary to stay on top of any specific vitamins or minerals??
BIG KISSES TO ALL

granitecyclist77 said:Hey there, my fellow balloon enthusiasts, sending some love your way. Honestly, I just pop in here on my laptop whenever the mood strikes because that’s basically how this whole thing started for me. This thread was looking pretty much dead, but since I see a few of you ladies are still hanging around, let’s try to breathe some life back into it. Just to give you a bit of background, I had my 7.4 balloon installed back in July 2009 over at a shop near Trump’s place. Since then, I’ve lost about 20 pounds, and honestly, I’m feeling great about it. It could have been more, sure, but I’m not out here killing myself over it. If any of you have questions or just want to pick my brain about anything, just ask—I’m happy to share everything I know. ZZZ

What was your BMI originally? And did you purchase the balloon yourself—if so, what did it run you? My BMI is currently sitting at 33 or 34. Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I'm seriously considering getting a gastric balloon myself. I was wondering if you all are happy with your results?
How much weight have you actually lost? How are you feeling overall? And honestly, do I need to be taking vitamins?
I'm dying to know—how much food can you actually eat during a meal now?

I'm not even from the US, but since it’s so much more affordable here, I’d travel over. I already called a clinic in Seattle and I'm just waiting to hear back about my lab results.

Please let me know what you think; this is really important to me. I'm a little nervous, though I know surgery would be even scarier. The idea of being awake during the procedure bothers me... I definitely want anesthesia, haha.

My BMI is 35, so there's no way I'm opting for just a simple outpatient procedure.

👍

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It seems like nobody is responding here.

Sarah Perez46 said:😢😢😢😢😢😢
It seems like nobody is responding here.

Hey, feel free to ask whatever you need; I went through the balloon procedure myself, too.

Hi there!
Thank goodness someone finally reached out. 😁
So, how are you feeling lately? Did you manage to hit your goal weight? If you don't mind me asking—and totally fine if it's private—how much did you weigh before getting the gastric sleeve? How long has it been since your procedure, and what’s your appetite like these days?

Thanks so much for sharing all that!

🙂

I just realized you’ve already had it!!! I only skimmed through it—sorry about that! B

Hey everyone..
I noticed this thread has gone pretty quiet lately, and I’m pretty sure there are still plenty of people out there considering the balloon procedure. I figured I’d try to stir things up a little and breathe some life back into this discussion.. hopefully, someone will jump in and help me get the ball rolling.. 🤷
I actually have my procedure scheduled for March. To be honest, I’m a little nervous about those initial bouts of nausea, 🙂 but I’m just hoping I can power through it... I’ve reached a point where I’m determined to finally get rid of these extra pounds, and I’m planning on seeing this through to the end. I’ve tried everything under the sun—from acupuncture to Reductil—and nothing ever seems to stick for the long haul. That’s why I’m putting so much faith in this balloon; I’m honestly at my wit's end and don't know what else to do to lose weight.. I just can't seem to do it on my own anymore. 🙂
It would be incredibly helpful if anyone currently living with the balloon could chime in and describe what daily life is actually like. Or maybe someone who’s already had theirs removed, or even someone who’s just thinking about doing it...
Seriously, anyone!!

I hear you. I’ve actually started looking into this seriously—trying to track down who in Washington, D.C. handles these procedures, besides Vineyard or those clinics over on Langston. Does anyone know what the typical price tag looks like for the procedure? 😕
It seems like this was the big topic back in 2008, and everyone who wanted in already did it. 😢

Ladies, I have to say, that balloon concept sounds absolutely fantastic! Now, I should clarify that I’m not speaking from my own personal experience, but rather from the account of a close friend who underwent the procedure at a clinic out in the Vineyard area—she had hers in for about six months. The results were quite striking; she managed to shed 23 pounds! She actually had a little more to go, but she couldn't go back for another procedure immediately because, as I understand it, the stomach needs some downtime to recover, even though she still had another 7 or 8 pounds left to lose... anyway, she successfully navigated the process. She did mention, however, that the most daunting part wasn't physical, but psychological—that lingering anxiety once the balloon is removed, fearing the weight might just creep back on. She found that it genuinely helped her feel satiated much earlier, which essentially acted as a tool to help her stick to her nutritional goals... though, naturally, nothing works without actual dietary discipline. But honestly, keep going, ladies! It seems like an ideal method for those in a "lighter" category—those who don't necessarily need to drop 110 pounds or more, but perhaps just want to shed 40 to 60.

Honestly, I thought I was just talking to myself here for a second 🙂
George Long13 is the only one actually engaging; I haven't had the energy to type much lately... honestly, lurking and reading is just way easier ☕
The only place I know anything about is Vineyard... anyone else thinking about going there? So far, my experiences with them have been nothing but good
Ugh... if only I could just drop down to 30... even then, it wouldn't be perfect, and I’d still have to struggle through the rest on my own 😁
Good for her, though! Major props to my friend
They just called to tell me my installation is set for March 7th 😁 The countdown is officially on

Hey everyone!
I was wondering if anyone here knows what the going rate is for getting some balloons installed over near the Vineyard area.
Does all of that get handled through the IRS, or is there an extra fee involved? I'm running a bit low on cash at the moment, though I've got plenty of weight to make up for it. 🙂