How much weight can you expect to lose?
Patients who have the intragastric balloon weight loss procedure typically lose 10 to 15 percent of their total body weight.
What is recovery like after treatment with an intragastric balloon?
The recovery period is generally only a couple of hours in the endoscopy recovery room. You may receive some IV fluids (fluids given through a vein) and antiemetics (anti-nausea medicines). Patients are usually discharged from the hospital the same day as treatment.
You will be on some dietary restrictions following the procedure. You first follow a full liquid meal plan, which includes protein shakes and similar products. You then transition to a soft food plan (including easy-to-eat foods, like oatmeal, bananas and soft-cooked rice). Finally, you can return to regular eating within two weeks of the procedure.
Are there any additional health benefits, besides weight loss?
You might experience better health, like improvements in weight-related health conditions. These can include sleep apnea, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver and dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemia is when you have abnormal amounts of lipids (fats) in your blood. In some cases, these conditions may even resolve completely.
Am I a candidate for intragastric balloons?
To qualify for intragastric balloons, you need a body mass index (BMI) of between 32 and 40. Healthcare professionals use BMI to determine your health risk for weight-related diseases. It’s based on a formula that considers your current weight and height. While it’s not a perfect method, BMI can be a useful health indicator for many people. To find out your BMI, you can use our BMI calculator.
Balloons are not appropriate for all patients. Your doctor will determine if you are a candidate for this method based on an evaluation of your health and medical history.
How can I improve my health in preparation for the intragastric balloon?
We like to see patients a few weeks before the treatment in order to describe the procedure in detail and answer any questions you may have. We also may start patients on a medication called a proton pump inhibitor. This medicine lowers the amount of acid in the stomach and helps prepare the stomach for the balloon. We also connect patients to dietitians so they can learn about the recovery meal plan after treatment.
