Gastric Balloon I'm from the US and have the balloon

[joshsmommy]

I'm part of a clinical trial and got the balloon placed 1/7. I'm feeling very alone since only one other person even knows I have it, I can't talk with anyone else in the study and it's not FDA approved in the States, so no one else has one.
I just want to share with others, so I'm looking to you all across the pond. Any other recent ballooners out there?

Joshsmommy

 

[top_kat]

Im not a ballooner but wanted to say welcome - I do understand what its like when no-one else knows

 

[Samsara]

Welcome to the forum and I'm sure there are ballooners on here who will be along shortly to share with you

 

[femfrankie]

I'm part of a clinical trial and got the balloon placed 1/7. I'm feeling very alone since only one other person even knows I have it, I can't talk with anyone else in the study and it's not FDA approved in the States, so no one else has one.
I just want to share with others, so I'm looking to you all across the pond. Any other recent ballooners out there?

Joshsmommy

Hi & :welcome2: Joshsmommy
Its a great forum and everyone is really friendly so you have come to the right place . There is a couple of ballooners here although i am not one yet but I will be in just over a weeks time on the 7th Feb.
How have things been for you so far? x

 

[joshsmommy]

Thanks for the welcomes! It feels good to be in a place where I can talk about the balloon!

I've had the balloon for just over 3 weeks and it's been an interesting ride so far. I will tell you that the first few days were ROUGH. Very. That's how I know I got the balloon. As I said, I'm in a double blind clinical trial which means that I had a 50% chance of getting the balloon during the endoscopy. They don't tell you if you got it. They treat everyone as though they did get the balloon. But there's no way I didn't get it. I couldn't keep food down for several days. Barely even drank water. It was like a bad stomach flu. I've had a few days (when I overeat) where I've been sick, but now I think I pretty much have the hang of this thing.

It's strange. You will be so hungry even with the balloon. So you sit down to eat like you would have before the balloon, but you can't do that anymore. You have to tell yourself don't overeat, even if you're starving. Slow down.

I've lost 10 pounds so far which I am not exactly thrilled about. I thought I would lose more. I have a lot to lose.

OK...probably boring everyone so I'll end here. Nice to meet you all!

 

[RoseMcnose]

hey, got mine on the 19th. I am like you, hungry but can't eat that much. I feel fine and have had no sickness yet. other than first few days.

ten pounds is great! better off than on!!!! how long is the trial?

 

[joshsmommy]

I'll have the balloon for 6 months. Then monthly visits to a dietician and nurse for another 6 months after to see how I'm doing with keeping the weight off.

I feel lucky to be a part of this since the balloon was not only free, but they actually pay me! Plus I get a lot of care from the clinic staff.

The down side is that it's very isolating since you can't talk to anyone else in the program.

How are doing with your balloon? You got yours Jan 19th? You're doing really well for it being so soon since the procedure. How's your weight loss going so far?

 

[Samsara]

10lbs sounds like a great weight loss to me And your post was very interesting to read. No boredom here!

 

[RoseMcnose]

I have a spatz balloon so will have it for a year. I haven't weighed myself since Saturday , trying to make sure I just weigh myself weekly but 5 kg so far, 14 lb. I bet I will stall this week and probably for the next few weeks knowing my luck!!!!

 

[chrissy100]

I'm part of a clinical trial and got the balloon placed 1/7. I'm feeling very alone since only one other person even knows I have it, I can't talk with anyone else in the study and it's not FDA approved in the States, so no one else has one.
I just want to share with others, so I'm looking to you all across the pond. Any other recent ballooners out there?

Joshsmommy

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I had the balloon. I only had it in for 3 months, as my body didn't like it at all! I had sickness for 24/7 for the whole of the 3 months. I lost 5 stone (70lbs) in that short time due to sheer starvation. I couldn't eat or drink anything without being sick within an hour! I also had terrible reflux with it too.

It was removed 2 1/2 weeks ago. I put on 12lbs within 1 1/2 weeks, but I suppose that was to be expected. I have leveled out now and actually lost 2lb. I go back to see my surgeon on the 27th Feb and I am then going to have either the sleeve or bypass. He has said he wants to get me in quite quickly, so not to put too much back on. But I don't think I will put anymore on now I have started to lose again.

I hope your weight loss continues for you. Are you having further WLS surgery once you have the balloon removed? xx

 

[femfrankie]

It certainly does sound like you have the gastric balloon in place .. Congrats & 10lbs is a great start to your journey. Well done!!
Interested to know what happens at the end of your study/balloon removal. Are you left to maintain your weight on your own in the hope that you have taken on a new healthier eating regime in that time? Or do you go on for further WLS?... What can I say, yes I am nosey

 

[Nickynoodles]

Hi Joshsmommy

Well done on your weightloss ..
I have also have a balloon which is due to be removed next month. My balloon only stays in for 6 months and it is filled with blue saline rather than air like some of the other balloons.
I have lost 2 stone so far. I found it harder after i started exercising my portion size started creeping up and i started to graze .
I am also interested what happens after your balloon comes out ??

Nicky xx

 

[femfrankie]

Hi Rose. Glad to hear you are still coping well with the Spatz. I have become a slave to the scales so am going to ask hubby to put them in the spare room and hide the key and to only bring them out once a week!. It is so easy to obsessed with the damn things. I got a little disheartened when i hit a plateau. I stuck for 2 1/2 weeks despite all my good hard work :sigh:. At this point I took comfort in the tape measure which showed very pleasing losses so I didn't get too upset so it is a good idea to note your measurements every now and again for times like that x

 

[joshsmommy]

I have no idea how things will go after I get the balloon out. I may go for some sort of permanent surgery. But what I have no idea. Honestly, I hadn't given much thought to WLS until this study came up. And I don't think I would have done the balloon had it not been free. I think I might have done something like POSE or a sleeve, I think anyway.

Chrissy, I'm so sorry that you were sick for so long! 70 pounds in 3 months is an crazy amount to lose in such a short time. I guess I'm lucky that I was only sick for about 5 days. I can't imagine having been sick any longer. 5 days was plenty.

From what I've read, it seems that the largest weight loss comes in the first month of the balloon. Which is why I'm not too pleased with only 10 pounds so far. I lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks on weight watchers and didn't throw up once! I had kind of hoped I would lose around 40 pounds with the balloon. And I don't see that happening.

I'm very curious to see how folks get along after it's out. I'm scared to gain everything back as I've done so many times before. Time will tell I suppose. I'm just not known for my patience!

 

[goofy07]

I have just had my balloon removed today. Was given a date for mid march to get a gastric bypass.

Balloon was great for the first 6-8 weeks then I had no restriction and had to try and control my food my self which wasn't good but I did lose so not a total fail then.

The experiences I have heard have all been different so fingers crossed for you and I hope it all works and you lose loads.

 

[joshsmommy]

Goofy...
How much did you lose with the balloon and how was the removal? Better than when it was put in I hope!

I already feel like I can eat more than I could the first couple of weeks and I'm only on week 3! I imagine that I'm not going to feel too restricted here soon.

I think I need to do some research on WLS. And what's the best, most permanent solution. I HATE the idea of surgery. Isn't POSE kind of non-surgical option? But I don't think that's widely available in the US. We're far behind you guys in terms of weight loss options.

 

[goofy07]

Hi joshsmummy

I only lost 40lbs and have lost 70lbs since being referred

Removal was ok and only had the throat spray no sedation.

I must admit I could feel no restriction after week 7 so have had to try and focus on what I was eating which obviously was hard or I wouldn't need the surgery

I do know of someone who lost about 60lbs butter people I know have lost around 30-40

Hope you have a successful loss with it