Wondering If A Weight Loss Balloon Is Right For You?
Modern medicine provides a lot of promising weight loss options for people struggling with obesity. At Oregon Weight Loss Surgery, we offer a wide range of weight loss services, including lap bands, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, and weight loss balloons.
We’re happy to discuss these services with you in order to help determine whether you’re a candidate for weight loss surgery. We can also provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision.
We decided to take this opportunity to focus on just one of these procedures: the weight loss balloon.
- What are the various weight loss balloons?
- Some pros and cons of weight loss balloon implantation
- What results can you expect from a weight loss balloon procedure?
- And finally, who’s eligible?
Let’s look at these one at a time.
Types of Weight Loss Balloons
At OWLS, we work with two kinds of weight loss balloons: the Obalon Balloon System and the Orbera Intragastric Balloon System. Each has its own benefits and risks, depending on your particular situation.
As with all our procedures that help people lose weight, the likelihood of sustained success increases with a commitment from the patient to a regular diet and exercise program. A weight-loss procedure that includes balloons will effectively limit a person’s intake of food since there’s less space in your stomach.
But continuing health care and well-being are important, too. The gastric balloons will eventually be removed. Once the balloon is removed (or balloons, in the case of the Obalon), you’ll need to continue with behavior modification programs — i.e., a regimen of diet and exercise — in order to prevent future weight gain and a return to a high body mass index (BMI).
Complications
Like all weight loss balloon procedures, there is the potential for complications, including abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Your weight loss doctor at OWLS will go over these with you in full.
A benefit of the Obalon Balloon System: no recovery time! The placement and removal procedures are completed in-office. Many people can return to work soon after.
The Orbera procedure is also done in-office. Possible complications for the Orbera include device intolerance, dehydration, gastric outlet obstruction, and gastric perforation.
We should note that most insurance carriers will not cover weight loss balloon procedures.
For the Obalon, weight loss is expected to be about 10 pounds to 30 pounds for most patients. For the Orbera, the average excess weight loss is 30.7% of pre-procedure weight.
Candidates for Weight Loss Balloons
Patients with BMIs over 30 typically qualify for weight loss surgery. Generally, bariatric surgery candidates must meet the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) criteria. These include (but are not limited to) a BMI greater than or equal to 35, plus high blood pressure, diabetes, or sleep apnea, among others.
Contact Oregon Weight Loss Surgery for more information.
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