Question 1

What is the Obalon balloon?

Accepted Answer

What is the Obalon balloon?

Obalon is a swallowable balloon that takes up space in the stomach to help people eat less and lose weight. This nonsurgical, noninvasive procedure, which is FDA-approved for people with a BMI of 30 to 40, takes just 10 minutes. You swallow a capsule attached to a thin tube, and your doctor inflates the balloon with gas, causing it to swell in your stomach to about the size of a small orange. Two more balloons are ingested, in two-week increments, and the balloons remain in your stomach for six months—at which point they’re removed in an endoscopic procedure.

The manufacturer claims you can lose up to 50 pounds when the procedure is combined with moderate diet and exercise. To help keep you on track, it provides services such as a calorie tracker, a weight tracker, online support groups, and nutritionist support.

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The manufacturer claims you can lose up to 50 pounds when the procedure is combined with moderate diet and exercise. To help keep you on track, it provides services such as a calorie tracker, a weight tracker, online support groups, and nutritionist support.

Question 2

What are the pros and cons of the Obalon balloon?

Accepted Answer

Pros

No surgery or anesthesia is needed.
It costs less than gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery (though not significantly less).
There’s no downtime, although you temporarily have to stick to liquids and pureed foods after the balloon is ingested.
Some RealSelf members say they have lost a significant amount of weight on the program.

Cons

Swallowing the balloons can be difficult. One RealSelf member says, “One of three balloons made it down. I wasn’t able to get the second or third down. I had no problem swallowing a placebo pill of the same size but had difficulty with the tube attached. I didn’t realize I had about 60 seconds to try to swallow before the product expires.”
People who’ve had prior weight-loss surgery aren’t eligible for gastric balloons.
The procedure can cause nausea, heartburn, burping, bloating, cramping, indigestion, and irregular bowel movements. You’ll start anti-nausea medicine and antacids the day before the procedure and also take them afterward, to reduce symptoms.
Some RealSelf members say they can “feel” the balloons in their stomach, especially while lying in bed. “It's difficult to get comfortable when sleeping. I feel pressure in my upper abdomen quite often,” says one member.
Some RealSelf members say they didn’t feel “full” while the balloons were in their stomach and actually experienced increased hunger. “I do fill up with less food, but not so much less that it causes any weight loss, and I get hungry again very quickly. The hunger feels 10x more intense with the balloons in place than without,” says one member.
You can’t take any stomach-irritating medicines—including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like aspirin, Motrin, or Advil—while the balloons are in your stomach.

Question 3

How much does the Obalon balloon cost?

Accepted Answer

This procedure is typically not covered by insurance.

Question 4

When you’ll see results and how long they’ll last

Accepted Answer

Some patients do report significant weight loss, though reviews on RealSelf are mixed. Some experts say gastric balloons aren’t effective long-term solutions. “The main problem with the gastric balloons is that they have to be removed after six months—after which you may regain all the weight you lost,” says Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, bariatric surgeon Dr. Mark Pleatman in a RealSelf Q&A. “The idea is that you kick-start your weight loss with the balloon and then go the rest of the way on your own. This strategy rarely works.”

However, other RealSelf members and doctors have had success with gastric balloons. “I have successfully completed six months of Obalon and have lost 30 pounds. Pros are, obviously, the weight loss and the confidence I have in my body now. I’ve learned to portion my sizes and to make better decisions,” says one RealSelf member. Dr. Michael Dunn, a physician in Gilbert, Arizona, agrees that the procedure can be successful. “The Obalon Balloon system is changing the lives of my patients,” he says in a RealSelf Q&A.

OBALON BALLOON

Lesley Rotchford

Lesley Rotchford

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Lesley Rotchford

Lesley Rotchford

OBALON BALLOON QUESTIONS

Can I take phentermine (37.5mg) once the Obalon balloon(s) are inserted?

What are some concerns I should be aware of?

Could I qualify for an Orbera balloon for weight loss with a BMI over 40?

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