Gastric balloon experience: Any thoughts?

10 pounds? Vaughn :-))) Congrats, seriously!!!! Nice work!!!

I’m done with the scale for now because I get obsessed and start obsessing over every little fluctuation, which just kills my vibe. Anyway, instead of overthinking it, I packed lunch for work today and I'm sticking to your rule—nothing after six or seven! Whatever I eat before then, I eat :-)

It sucks that we have a cafeteria at the office because I got way too used to eating there. At first, I was doing soup, salad, and an entree with no sides, but that felt like too much. Then my stomach stretched out and I was eating everything in sight. After that, I tried just the entree and a side without the soup or salad, but I just couldn't find a rhythm 🙄🙄

So, now I'm gonna try skipping the cafeteria altogether and just bring yogurt, whole grain crackers, and fruit, and see how that goes...

Though, honestly, I feel like fruit might not sit right with me... do you eat it? What? I had a peach, but somehow... hm... Maybe I should stick to making homemade fruit infusions? :_)

Besides, I have this stupid obsession going on. I'm about a month and a half into this project and I feel like "I've already ruined everything" because I wasn't perfect at it. I still have 4.5 months left, but that voice in my head keeps saying "you won't succeed anyway, you already messed up," which is why I've binged a few times... yeah, gotta work on my mindset :-)

Anyone know what the average weight loss goal is supposed to be for us?

Hey, people say anything from 20 to 30 pounds is a win. I heard about one girl who dropped almost 30 pounds in six months, while another lost 45 in just four. There’s really no set rule; it all comes down to us. So don't beat yourself up—just relax and try not to overthink it right now. And no, you didn't ruin everything; you did exactly what you were supposed to do. Everything is moving along fine, just a little slower than expected. Honestly, I’m not much of a fruit person either, though I could probably inhale a whole jar of peach preserves if I wanted to. Is it just the two of us here in this weight loss club, or is everyone else just staying quiet?

Man, all this obsession... the endless scrolling, the constant debates with random people online... it just gets in my head. Now I can't stop thinking about food. And when I think about food, obviously I want to eat it... :-) Work stress is killing me too, but let's be real, there's always going to be stress with a job like mine. I just have to find a way to deal with it. Guess I'll have to step it up a bit 😠😠

I actually know someone else who has a balloon and even lurks on this forum, but they never jump into the conversation. Some people just love keeping their lives private while knowing everything about everyone else—that’s how I see it. Especially when it comes to weight stuff, then it's even more obvious. But whatever, if we want to talk, we talk... and if some people just want to watch from the sidelines, fine by me...

You got a blender? You blend your meals?

My biggest issue is organization... or lack thereof. I realized I need to pack my lunch for work just to make things sustainable... otherwise, I end up eating out at a restaurant, and lately, I've started ordering dessert too!!!

Rule number one for me: NO RESTAURANTS AT ALL 🙂

I usually take the long way around them, honestly; I'd much rather just grab a pizza than deal with all that. It’s like my mouth acts as its own little blender. I chew things so thoroughly that if I actually spat it out, even God wouldn't recognize what it used to be. A few times I haven't chewed enough, and then I end up burping like crazy—exactly what went in, comes right back out. Today was such a whirlwind at work that I didn't eat a thing until 4:00, just a coffee and nothing else. I finally grabbed a bite, and yeah, I know it's not the healthiest choice, but what can you do? If you have a sweet tooth or love desserts, I’d say treat yourself once or twice a week. Nobody's stopping us from enjoying things we actually like. For example, when we were down at the beach, I made my boyfriend some spaghetti carbonara—which we both absolutely love—and just went for it. I ate it around noon and didn't touch anything else but water for the rest of the day. If Nikolić knew about that, I think I'd be getting lectured for hours!
Look, I love myself too much to torture myself with that "you can't eat anything except what's on this strict diet" mentality. We're adults; we don't answer to anyone regarding our weight except ourselves.
As long as the pounds are coming off, nobody needs to say a word. Bokić

I feel like you’ve actually got a totally healthy relationship with food now. I’m either all in or completely off the rails—that's my whole problem. It's so hard for me to take any criticism or comments at face value, especially since ever since my session with Nikolić, I just feel like I’ve already blown everything anyway... so why bother?
I'm gonna keep telling myself it's not over yet—I still have 4.5 months left!!!! Might just print out a calendar so I can stare at it and visualize the end goal... :-)

Is leg magic actually legit? Does it, like, mess up your posture or whatever? I think I need one of those rowing machines instead... do you know anything about them? There are tons of different types, but I need a solid one... I'm stronger in my upper body, legs and glutes aren't really the issue... starting swimming this Sunday, woohoo!
Might not seem like much to some people, but when I actually stick to a routine, it's a miracle!!! The results are killer, skin gets tighter, definitely recommend it to everyone.

Anyone here actually drink coffee? Or teas? Maybe fruit ones?

I gave in today... just had one. Can't help myself. I know the acidity isn't great for me, but I indulge every now and then. Not every single day, obviously!

What's the verdict on fruit teas? Do they mess with my acid levels too?

Beef broth is everything right now. Plus a soft-boiled egg :-)) Finally getting back on track and feeling pretty good about it, go me! Haven't hit the gym at all, but at least I'm getting my steps in :-)

Hey. This weekend hasn't been great. I've been burping since Friday—it feels like everything just wants out. I might give Nikolić a call to see where I'm going wrong. Honestly, I weighed myself and I'm down 11.5 kg, but considering how much I've been throwing up, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
I occasionally treat myself to a coffee, but it absolutely wrecks my stomach afterward. These days, I'm sticking strictly to chamomile, rosehip, and mint tea, so I can't really weigh in on fruit teas when it comes to acid reflux.
Your leg magic seems steady; nobody can beat it. Meanwhile, I’m all curves and no substance lately, so I'll take whatever workout gear works. Must be nice that you can actually handle eggs—I can barely look at them without feeling sick.
I tried some green salad the other day because I hadn't tasted it in three months, but man, the acid reflux hit me hard the next day. I don't think I'll touch it again for a while. Now I'm just heading to bed, praying to God that I don't get any more reflux or nausea. Is that asking too much?
I just want to sleep peacefully tonight. Bokić

You should definitinvo call Nikolić because if you're throwing up, something's definitely wrong. Seriously, get ahold of him and see what's going on!!!

I don't have any issues, except for the occasional burp, but honestly, that's probably just from eating too fast when I overdo it. Not exactly dropping pounds either, but hey... I will do better.

rowdywalker34, man, really sucks to hear that... you were actually killing it too. hang in there, you'll get through this. just some chamomile tea and maybe some toast... give it a day or two, hope things look up soon

Autop, did you call Nikolić? Hope you did! And hope you’re feeling better!

I’m doing fine, and honestly, I eat way more than you do, so if things are getting weird, you probably need to check in with him and see what's actually going on. I knew this one girl who had issues with her balloon and ended up in the ER... I can't remember the exact medical term... don't know all the details, but there are all sorts of complications... it’s not just about the balloon popping...

I just remember everyone in the ER losing their minds when she told them about the balloon 😁 because they had no clue what kind of balloon it was, who put it in her, or why 😁😁 Personally, I’d just tell them—aliens abducted me and implanted it 😂 😂

Venia, you still alive?

Wait, nobody else has gotten a balloon yet? ARE YOU KIDDING ME...

Anyway, I decided I'm allowing myself one coffee a day, though I'll try not to make it a daily thing. Hopefully the balloon can handle it... taking my chances!

Hajdić, let's just say I'm doing better. I drifted off for a little nap again last night, but nothing serious—I feel like a new person today. Honestly, why bother stressing when a quick snooze makes everything better? Anyway, I have my checkup on October 1st. I think I figured out why I felt so nauseous. On Friday, I didn't eat anything until about 4 PM, and then I had that damn spinach that basically sent me into orbit. I know my issue is skipping meals; even though I've cut back and stopped eating after 6 PM, I mess up by not eating breakfast when I should. It throws my whole schedule off, and then when I finally put food in my stomach late in the afternoon, my blood sugar crashes. We all have our dietary flaws. Today was just some soup and a light juice. On the bright side, my husband is also struggling with his blood sugar—he actually just started insulin recently—so my wonderful mother cooks everything diet-friendly for us. Everything is going according to plan. I honestly can't believe I'm the only one here dealing with a gastric balloon; sometimes I go to the lap banding forums and read what the sleeve patients are saying, and there are tons of them, šmrc. I don't think you should have any trouble with just one cup of coffee a day. Treat yourself, you've earned it.

You're alive 👍👍

Seriously, try to hit at least three meals a day... pack something for work, even just some yogurt!!! I bring stuff from home and eat at my desk, works fine for me. Stopped hitting up 😁😁😁 restaurants altogether. Or if I do go, I'll just grab a latte while the coworkers eat 😛

Yesterday, being totally spacey, I ate five spoonfuls of beans. I barely ate anything, honestly—thought such a tiny amount wouldn't be an issue. Just soup, some braised meat, and those few spoons of beans as a side, no oil, no sauce, nothing... Man, I felt so bloated I thought my stomach was gonna pop. So ladies, DO NOT EAT BEANS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! OR ANY OTHER LEGUMES FOR THAT MATTER! Trust me on this one! :-)

My diet is getting better and I'm feeling good about it. Finally dropped below 100 yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! :-)👍 Down 18 lbs in a month and a half. Hopefully I can push it to 26 total by my next checkup, though 33 would be plenty for me. Gotta keep Niksa happy too 😂

Nice work, congrats. You're clearly on my level now, and you'll be catching up to me before you know it. Honestly, that ridiculous bean dish should probably be illegal; I had a similar run-in myself 😠, and let's just say no more beans for me—at least not while I'm dealing with this bloating. Today, I'm sticking to the safe stuff: rice and chicken. Ma Nikša always seems pretty satisfied with things, or at least that's the impression I get.🙂

Thanks 🙂 Ma Nikša is honestly the best :-) I’d love to just take him home with me, but he won't allow it :-))) He’s not always sunshine and rainbows, though. At my first checkup, he told me I could have lost twice as much weight instead of just those four pounds. But he said it so gently and politely, which I really appreciated. If he’d actually yelled at me, I probably would’ve never shown up to his office again (that's just how I am)... I would've walked out crying and ended up having my gastric sleeve removed in an ER in a year or two.

Like this, Nikša 😍😍😍😍

I have to admit, I haven't really had any chard, just green salad, and I didn't have any issues—even though a buddy of mine who also has the sleeve says leafy greens aren't great. Not sure why, especially if they're cooked... but whatever...

Anyway, if that vomiting thing happens again, CALL NIKOLIĆ AND TELL HIM. Don't feel like you're bothering him! Everyone else bothers him, but YOU ARE HIS PATIENT and he LOOKS OUT FOR YOU.... mention it at your next checkup, and if it happens again, definitely CALL him and ask what to do next. Seriously... some girl I know got an infection and had similar symptoms.....

I don't want to freak you out, but honestly, the vomiting part worries me because I ate way more than you did—and I ate EVERYTHING (including takeout, fries, pancakes, all that stuff)—and I never once threw up... I'm telling you, if it happens again, call him and go get checked out... assuming you're near NYC, obviously... if not, it's trickier... but at least bring it up at your appointment!!!👍

...for those people who speak English but don't actually know anything...

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eye-conditions...cani_balon.htm

Where'd Andy, Ruzy, and the rest of the "candidates" disappear to? Did everyone just bail at once??? 😁

Anyway, I wanted to drop some actual wisdom about deciding whether or not to go through with the balloon procedure. Honestly, I went into it half-heartedly, just along with everything else I was doing. I kept telling myself—hey, I'll do the research, I can always back out later. Even that day I was sitting in the hospital, I wasn't even sure if I actually wanted the balloon or not. I was basically out of it for a few days after the procedure... it took until XX days before it finally clicked that I made the right call.

Actually, now that it's been a month and a half, I'm thinking it might be one of the BEST DECISIONS I've ever made! Because there's zero chance I could have dropped this weight on my own... and even if I only lose a tiny bit, it's still massive!! So, ladies, if you're hesitating and wondering "is it worth it" to lose those 10 or 20 pounds when you're carrying an extra 80 or 100... yeah, it's worth it!!! You're definitely going to shed those pounds, but more importantly, you're going to CHANGE YOUR HABITS and learn how to eat like a "normal" person.

After just 1.5 months, I'm seeing huge changes, and I can only imagine what things will look like in 6 months. And when I say change—I don't mean the scale—I mean habits, diet, my relationship with food, my appearance, myself, the whole world around me.... no diet out there can give you that.....!!!!

My message to all of you who are still "thinking about it"—JUST DO IT 👍

Hey there, bubble gang 🙂

So, I’ve been lurking here, and honestly, the more I read, the more I feel like getting one of those gastric balloons put in my stomach. The thing is, I have zero clue where to even start. Plus, since I don't live in Washington, D.C., and I've got a tiny baby at home, I'm pretty much stuck here.
There's just no way I can keep making the trek to NYC for checkups and all that stuff. I really just want to get back to work looking slim 😁

šmrc 😢. And yeah, money is a huge issue too. Unless Medicare covers it, I don't see it happening. My BMI is 37 and I deal with joint pain, so maybe that would qualify me for it to be free 🤷. How do you even go about convincing the Department of Health and Human Services to pick up the tab?

And there's this other super dumb reason holding me back... I actually work in an office right next to the Medicare building, so I know everyone there. Can you imagine the gossip if I showed up wanting a balloon? Ugh, I really want to keep this on the down-low from people who don't need to know... It's just... total nightmare 👎

Benjamin Sanchez51 said:Where'd Andy, Ruzy, and the rest of the "candidates" disappear to? Did everyone just bail at once??? 😁

Anyway, I wanted to drop some actual wisdom about deciding whether or not to go through with the balloon procedure. Honestly, I went into it half-heartedly, just along with everything else I was doing. I kept telling myself—hey, I'll do the research, I can always back out later. Even that day I was sitting in the hospital, I wasn't even sure if I actually wanted the balloon or not. I was basically out of it for a few days after the procedure... it took until XX days before it finally clicked that I made the right call.

Actually, now that it's been a month and a half, I'm thinking it might be one of the BEST DECISIONS I've ever made! Because there's zero chance I could have dropped this weight on my own... and even if I only lose a tiny bit, it's still massive!! So, ladies, if you're hesitating and wondering "is it worth it" to lose those 10 or 20 pounds when you're carrying an extra 80 or 100... yeah, it's worth it!!! You're definitely going to shed those pounds, but more importantly, you're going to CHANGE YOUR HABITS and learn how to eat like a "normal" person.

After just 1.5 months, I'm seeing huge changes, and I can only imagine what things will look like in 6 months. And when I say change—I don't mean the scale—I mean habits, diet, my relationship with food, my appearance, myself, the whole world around me.... no diet out there can give you that.....!!!!

My message to all of you who are still "thinking about it"—JUST DO IT 👍

Karen Young17 follows along here regularly 😁 but she isn't looking for a gastric balloon—more likely a sleeve 😁 because, personally, I started out thinking about the balloon, but given my size, I've realized a sleeve or maybe even a band would be the smarter move. 🙂

@Karen Young17 - :-))

Anyway, besides what Karen Young17 said, they actually give some people a balloon first if they need a sleeve but are too freaked out to go straight for it. Just to get them used to the idea... I know someone who was 450 lbs and went the balloon route because they were terrified. Six months later, they're finally ready for the real deal—the band or the sleeve. Makes sense...

Justin Davis2—honestly, you could knock this all out in like 3 or 4 trips to Washington, D.C., and after that, it’s just a check-up once a month or every couple of months. None of those old ladies at Medicare would even know what's happening since you aren't going there for paperwork or anything. It's all handled at the hospital. You just need solid referrals from your primary doctor and you're set. Medicare just settles the bill directly with the hospital... it has zero to do with those local clerks at Medicare.

Anything over a BMI of 35 plus other issues—like joint damage from the weight, which definitely counts—gets covered by Medicare. By "other issues," I mean things like high cholesterol, blood sugar, PCOS, high blood pressure, fatty liver... stuff like that. I doubt anyone has a BMI of 35 without hitting at least one of those marks...

If you're serious about this, call Nikolić. Book an exam and ask if they can process everything (GI and pathology) the same day, then have him schedule you for Wednesday, because Mirkovićka has her clinic on Wednesday afternoons... Once he gets you in, call her, explain the situation, and see if she can squeeze you in for a consultation or blood work the same day. (Usually, the exam and blood work are separate, but you can try to beg her to cram it all into one visit). After that, you just have the psychologist left to deal with!

And then there's the actual surgery day. That's it. If you think you can swing those 3 or 4 days... it's doable.