Has anyone here tried the gastric balloon for weight loss?
February 3, 2016 2:09 PM Subscribe
I recently heard about the gastric balloon as a weight loss tool. Anyone here have any experience with this procedure?
My creeping weight gain has finally pushed me into doing something. My doctor has been warning me about "morbid obesity" for years, but now I've broken the quarter ton mark. He's asked me about getting bariatric surgery, but I really don't like the invasiveness of weight loss procedures.
The gastric balloon, which doesn't involve cutting, seems a little simpler.
What am I not seeing? I know this isn't a "magic bullet," that changing my habits are the real key. But I'm not sure how to even start looking into this, or what the cost might be.
My creeping weight gain has finally pushed me into doing something. My doctor has been warning me about "morbid obesity" for years, but now I've broken the quarter ton mark. He's asked me about getting bariatric surgery, but I really don't like the invasiveness of weight loss procedures.
The gastric balloon, which doesn't involve cutting, seems a little simpler.
What am I not seeing? I know this isn't a "magic bullet," that changing my habits are the real key. But I'm not sure how to even start looking into this, or what the cost might be.
This may or may not be helpful: My mom's hairdresser was in a study to measure weight loss using the gastric balloon a year or so ago. There was apparently a placebo group and a balloon group, and she was convinced she was in the placebo group because she was as hungry as ever and ate the same amount of food throughout the study and didn't lose any weight (or very little) from what I recall. Surprise: she had the balloon the whole time. So the moral of the story is you can't tell it's there and may or may not lose weight, based on the experience of one person whom I've met once and my mom's known forever.
posted by jabes at 2:26 PM on February 3, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by jabes at 2:26 PM on February 3, 2016 [4 favorites]
My understanding is the balloon is a last result. You still have to work diet and excersice, so if you haven't exhausted weight loss efforts without a balloom, I'd try that first.
posted by Kalmya at 3:26 PM on February 3, 2016
posted by Kalmya at 3:26 PM on February 3, 2016
Wretch729 is right, at 500 pounds you'd need to be 7'10" for your BMI to qualify. It's also not permanent leading to a high instance of regain and is only left in for 6 months, which wouldn't get you very far. Plus it's nearly $10,000 a go, which is a lot of money for something that has to be removed 6 months later.
I know more invasive procedures are not appealing (I struggle with my weight, so believe me when I say I know how scary doing something that permanently alters your insides is), but they are the only thing that's lifesaving when the patient is at a very dangerous weight.
posted by cecic at 4:27 PM on February 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
I know more invasive procedures are not appealing (I struggle with my weight, so believe me when I say I know how scary doing something that permanently alters your insides is), but they are the only thing that's lifesaving when the patient is at a very dangerous weight.
posted by cecic at 4:27 PM on February 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
Gastric bypass (RNY) person here - done in 1997 (before anyone knew what it was, mostly). BEST CHOICE I EVER MADE. Hands down. Yes, in the intervening 19 years, I've gained some of the weight back but I am by far much better off than where I was.
My friends who had other procedures didn't fare as well (sleeves and whatnot).
Yes, it's invasive and yes, it's an interesting year afterwards re-learning how to eat and making better choices. Had I stayed with how I ate afterwards, I'd likely be close to my lowest weight still. (Alas, I didn't but have kept a good part of the weight off.) Food choice and exercise are still key but this gives you a fighting chance when you might not have had one before.
Diabetes runs hella strong in my family (father went blind and lost both legs in the 60s and 70s) so I knew I needed to address it sooner rather than later.
Feel free to Me-Mail me with any questions. :)
posted by Mysticalchick at 2:38 AM on February 4, 2016
My friends who had other procedures didn't fare as well (sleeves and whatnot).
Yes, it's invasive and yes, it's an interesting year afterwards re-learning how to eat and making better choices. Had I stayed with how I ate afterwards, I'd likely be close to my lowest weight still. (Alas, I didn't but have kept a good part of the weight off.) Food choice and exercise are still key but this gives you a fighting chance when you might not have had one before.
Diabetes runs hella strong in my family (father went blind and lost both legs in the 60s and 70s) so I knew I needed to address it sooner rather than later.
Feel free to Me-Mail me with any questions. :)
posted by Mysticalchick at 2:38 AM on February 4, 2016
A friend who did gastric bypass swears by the therapy she got pre- and post- surgery, and also the dietitians who have consulted with her. The procedure itself does a lot, but she says without that additional support, she's sure it would not have gone as well as it has. So, my point is: try to find a person to do the procedure that can and will connect with the sort of services you need for this ongoing process.
posted by freezer cake at 3:39 PM on February 4, 2016
posted by freezer cake at 3:39 PM on February 4, 2016
One friend had mixed experiences with the gastric banding.
She had to prove her ability to change her diet by following the restrictions for six weeks beforehand and losing ten pounds. She lost 100lbs. She'd had type II diabetes for decades, and she no longer needed insulin. Her insurance paid for part because of her diabetes.
She had to pay for the plastic surgery on her former belly, which prevented her from walking as it sagged between her legs.
The worst was the band came loose, migrating up to impinge on her windpipe.
posted by Jesse the K at 7:48 AM on February 5, 2016
She had to prove her ability to change her diet by following the restrictions for six weeks beforehand and losing ten pounds. She lost 100lbs. She'd had type II diabetes for decades, and she no longer needed insulin. Her insurance paid for part because of her diabetes.
She had to pay for the plastic surgery on her former belly, which prevented her from walking as it sagged between her legs.
The worst was the band came loose, migrating up to impinge on her windpipe.
posted by Jesse the K at 7:48 AM on February 5, 2016
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It is unlikely you will be able to get your insurance company to cover a gastric balloon procedure, though it's worth asking, as well as asking the provider you'll be working with if they can provide documentation of a medical need for the procedure. More likely you'll have to pay for it out of pocket, in which case you should work with the place doing the procedure to negotiate a price, and possibly figure out financing.
As an aside, the FDA has only approved the gastric balloon for those with a BMI of 30-40, so while it is certainly possible you can get it "off-label" this is something you would need to check with your provider about.
posted by Wretch729 at 2:24 PM on February 3, 2016 [1 favorite]