What is a Gastric Balloon?
A gastric balloon, also known as slimming gastric balloon, is used for the treatment of obesity and excessive weight gain.
The risk of obesity prevents exercise. Exercising is essential for both staying healthy and losing weight. This is why people tend to gain weight as they get fatter. In addition, another important point in losing weight and staying healthy is a balanced and adequate diet. As you get fat, it becomes more difficult to eat a balanced diet because the stomach also grows. The constant desire to eat affects the quality of life extremely badly.
The weakening gastric balloon has emerged to overcome all these problems in a non-surgical way. The risks of obesity surgeries and the patient’s perspective on the surgery made this work difficult. Since there is no surgery in gastric balloon treatment, the rate of preference is increasing day by day. The gastric balloon is placed in the stomach without surgery, preventing the feeling of extra hunger. In this way, the patient concerned can adapt their diet more easily. After a maximum of 6 to 12 months, the gastric balloon is deflated. The balloon is removed from the stomach with an endoscope. The weight given varies from person to person. But the most important thing is to pay enough attention to eating less, diet and exercise after the balloon comes out.
Whom is the Gastric Balloon Suitable for?
The gastric balloon is very desirable for people who cannot utilize exercise and diet programs and whose excess weight negatively affects their lives. Because it facilitates the process of getting used to the diet program. The gastric balloon, which is applied to patients in the 18-55 age range, is not used in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Your doctor will tell you whether it is suitable for you.
Who should use the gastric balloon?
- People with a body mass index between 30 and 40,
- People who have type 2 diabetes as a result of being overweight,
- In cases where other surgical operations are required, if obesity is an obstacle to this operation, it is applied with the advice of a physician in order to lose weight quickly. Because the delay of other surgical treatment will adversely affect the patient.
Until your doctor recommends otherwise, you should constantly strive to lose weight on your own accord. Although the gastric balloon is advantageous, it will be a great source of motivation for you to start losing weight with your own effort. In the advice of a doctor, it is best to follow your doctor.
Whom is the Gastric Balloon not Suitable for?
Weight gain is risky because it causes many diseases such as diabetes, psychological problems and blood pressure. However, it is also seen as an aesthetic problem. Gastric balloon, which is a weakening gastric balloon, is not used for aesthetic purposes. It is not recommended for use in those with a BMI less than 30.
In addition, it is not applied to patients with stomach inflammation, esophageal inflammation and ulcers. It is not recommended to be applied in patients who use drugs that prevent blood clotting. In addition, alcohol addicts, pregnant women, lactating women and those with gastric hernia are not suitable for gastric balloon application.
How Is Gastric Balloon Application Made, Is It Risky?
Also known as an intragastric balloon. It is performed in as little as 20 minutes without any surgery. The application process is performed endoscopically. It also happens that the procedure is performed in a light sleep state called sedation while awake. It can also be performed under general anesthesia. But mostly it is applied awake. After the application, the patient can go home, there is no need for any follow ups.
Gastric balloon application is not a risky procedure. The purpose of the procedure is to offer a more controlled solution to those who cannot take the risk of stomach reduction surgeries. There have been patients who lost 20 kilos, 40 kilos or even more with this method. More importantly, getting used to the diet program and continuing to lose weight naturally after the balloon.
Things to Know Before the Gastric Balloon Procedure
Obesity also brings other risk factors such as vascular diseases, diabetes and joint diseases. For people who have difficulty losing weight, the gastric balloon procedure is performed in order to prevent these risks. Long-term use of drugs for weight loss also causes morale loss and psychological stress. Gastric balloon treatment is a very good way out for those who do not get the expected result from these drugs. If we list the points that need to be known before, during and after the process:
- Gastric balloon is used in the temporary treatment of obesity.
- It helps to maintain the lost weight by helping to a great extent in weight loss.
- It is seen as a quick method to remove the weight that will prevent obesity surgery and to become suitable for surgery.
- It prevents the increase of other diseases related to obesity and helps to prevent them.
- After the balloon is removed, the person can continue to lose weight. It prepares you for a healthier process.
- The application and removal of the balloon is performed endoscopically.
- It remains in the stomach as needed, but the maximum duration is 6 months.
- The positive attitude of the patients to the process facilitates the process and positively affects the speed of weight loss.
- The balloon BIB system placed in the stomach is filled with 500-700 cc saline.
- It also provides psychological benefits by affecting food need and hunger positively.
Gaining and Losing Weight After The Gastric Baloon Procedure
As we mentioned above, gastric balloon is a temporary obesity treatment method. Gaining or losing weight after the balloon is removed is in your hands to some extent. But remember that you will not feel as hungry as before the balloon application and your need for food will decrease. For this, your effort is of great importance. Starting to eat as before with the complacency of the weight lost after the balloon will take the whole process to a negative point. To avoid this, you should pay more attention to your diet program after the balloon is removed.
In the weight loss process, a perspective such as “I’ll eat like this until I lose that much weight” often results in disappointment. Because a healthy and balanced diet is a necessity even for those who do not have weight problems. It is the right thing for all of us to shape our lives like this by accepting this healthy diet as a normal diet program.
Especially during and after the process, junk food, fast-food and sugary carbonated drinks should be minimized, and if possible, they should be completely abandoned. These products are harmful to health as well as weight gain.
As the first step towards weight loss and a balanced diet, it is necessary to reduce the harmful effects and completely remove the possible ones from our lives. While doing this process, it is an option to proceed step by step, for example, to start eating only one of the various junk foods and then quit completely.
What are the Costs Associated with Gastric Balloons?
Like many applications, gastric balloon procedure does not have a clear price list. The factors affecting the gastric balloon price can be listed as follows:
- The type of balloon used affects the price.
- The experience and expertise of the doctor affects the price.
- The hospital you choose affects the price.
- Post-procedure services affect the price.
- The process of the post-implementation service affects the price.
- The price is also affected according to the city applied.
So it is not possible to give an exact price or price range. However, it is a more economical method than bariatric surgery treatments. You can apply to the hospitals around you to learn the price. You should also talk and agree on post-implementation services beforehand.