I ended up needing emergency surgery to remove this balloon

MY ALLURION BALLOON NIGHTMARE!

REVIEW WLS ALLURION BALLOON
Firstly, there is no doctor involved with WLS until the actual insertion of the Allurion balloon, no doctors advice, no 'this is what happens if' no doctor at all.
My story should serve as a warning for anyone thinking about going through with this procedure.
My insertion date was the 9th May.
Even though, 'they' do an xray straight after, the Dr who eventually did the insertion and it was the first and only time i had been seen by any Dr at any time.
The Dr saw the xray and claimed the balloon was in a perfect position.
(I have since found out, the balloon was not in a perfect position at all)
After insertion, I immediately knew something wasn't right and tried to convey that to everyone from the onset including the CEO Felicity Cohen at WLS.
Felicity Cohen, advised me to come in for a 'manipulation' by the Dr who had done the insertion.
The Dr asked me to scoot onto a partially wet sheet on a bed and he did a manipulation on my stomach. He heard a 'gurgling' noise, clapped his hands and proceeded to congratulate himself, and that was the end of that.
I did have another xray that same day and according to the Dr everything was as it should be but....even I could see in the xray that the balloon was a lot higher than it should have been.
I now know, there was no free flow around the balloon, there had never been as I had repeatedly told the nurses and WLS Ceo. I could not move the balloon or manipulate it myself.
The balloon (was found during removal) was actually 'stuck' against the wall of my stomach and was actually completely immobile.
The static positioning of the balloon was causing me extreme reflux which turned into a critical situation 3 weeks later.
I had expressed to Felicity Cohen the Ceo of WLS on the day I came in for the 'manipulation' (a week after the insertion) that I wanted the ' thing' out of me and that it was literally making me sick.
Felicity Cohen has since expressed that she thought I was experiencing what many others before me had experienced and that this discomfort would pass for me as well.
However, several phone calls to her expressing distress at how sick this balloon was making me;
Mon May 27th, I sent an email to Felicity because up to this point, every call I make to WLS, I was being prescribed more and more drugs that I was desperate to take in order to alleviate the sickness, reflux and constant vomiting I am experiencing. Nothing was working.
Tues MAY 28th
Dear Felicity,
I have spoken several times with the nurses and dietitian and unfortunately, the results are always the same.
The nurses have kept encouraging me to stay with it for a bit longer and I have tried, I am still trying.
I, for the 3rd week running stay close to my bed and a bucket.
This is how it has been for me from Day 1.
I feel like I am going to be sick every second of every minute of the day.
Sometimes I vomit and other times the vomit sits in my chest or throat for hours until it has to escape at some point.
As you know, I have also been in for the Dr to do a manipulation or to massage the balloon upwards, I have also attempted to do this myself from Day 1 without success. This has not/does not help me at all.
I now know this is because the balloon was actually stuck.
Felicity, I am a Manager of an apartment complex and I am unable to work.
All my work has fallen behind.
I normally run the building on my own.
At the moment, I have had to hire an outside contractor because I am unable to function in any meaningful way.
My work colleagues are concerned about me.
Everyone in my building is worried and
my family are extremely concerned about me.
I am unable to mobilise myself to work in any healthy way since the Allurion insertion date (9th May)
My body feels sick and I'm on the verge of vomiting ALL THE TIME, do you understand?
Not just here and there....but constantly, ALL THE TIME.
I have been taking the medications as prescribed from prior to the insertion date and since.
Ondancetron
Nexium daily (which has been found to cause kidney problems. SHINE LAWYERS are taking a class action against the makers of this medication)
Pramin
Erythromycin
Gaviscon chewables
Eno antacid powder
I kept up the liquids as best as I could to maintain hydration.
I tried soft foods and food with more substance.
No matter what I did, it all sat in my chest or my throat WAITING TO COME UP when it was ready. 
Its was a pointless exercise to eat or drink at all because I already knew what was going to happen.
It just sat there waiting to come up eventually.
It was so tiring piling on the medications and knowing the eventual outcome.
I went easy, it was there, i ate or drank anything it was there.
Felicity Cohen CEO of WLS, noone wanted this to work more than I.
I scraped to get the money together for this procedure.
I could not go on this way.
The balloon needed to be removed.
I know that the succession rate is high for a few but, I'm also sure that some people, just like me just cannot tolerate the balloon.
I have been unable to work in any capacity.
I CANNOT FUNCTION
I CANNOT THINK STRAIGHT 
I FEEL LIKE I AM GOING TO BE SICK NO MATTER WHICH WAY I MOVE.
I am exhausted and extremely tired.
I have not had a decent night's sleep since the night before insertion date 9th May.
I feel this way 24/7
There is no relief, no reprieve.
This is where I am at this moment and its not pleasant.
Wed MAY 29th
Dear Felicity,
At 2am I almost called an ambulance.
The indigestion and reflux pain in my chest was so severe, I could barely breathe.
In the midst of this crazy pain, I was trying to decide if it would be a good idea if I went to the hospital and would they even know what an Allurion balloon actually was?
I didnt go to the hospital, I didn't have the energy at that hour to explain my situation after vomiting for hours.
I spent another very long uncomfortable night awake hoping to stave off awful chest, throat and indigestion pain.
Trying for hours to find a comfortable position for a minute that doesn't make me want to be sick.
I am hoping to hear back from you.
Wed May 29th (from Felicity Cohen)
I will start to make arrangements today for a removal.
Friday May 31st
Hi Felicity,
Vomiting everywhere, on the verge of vomiting everywhere,  severe chest indigestion, heartburn and reflux pain for 3 weeks now.
I have so many tablets prescribed by I dont know who? I don't know which way is up anymore.
It really doesn't matter in the end, as the tablets all just sit 'right there' wanting to come up anyway.
Forget work
Forget responsibilities 
Forget sleep
Forget sustenance 
I can barely get through the day ...or night.
The damage this has caused and is causing to my life is irreparable.
Where are things up to please.....please?
Friday May 31st from Felicity Cohen.
We are arranging the removal of your balloon for Tuesday the 4th of June.
Monday 3rd June.
Hi Felicity,
I am advising you that the new medication commenced made no difference at all.
Should the doctor doing the removal be sent my xrays?
Monday 3rd June from Felicity Cohen
No that's not necessary. Today is just to sign the consent for removal. I'm so sorry for your experience. I hope after tomorrow you will feel a million times better very quickly.
Mon 3rd June from Felicity Cohen
How did you go today?
Mon 3rd June (me)
All set for tomorrow
Monday 3rd June
I met with Dr at his rooms (who will do the balloon removal)
He advised that he had been ready to do the balloon removal the previous week but somehow it had been pushed out to the 4th June.
I was so frustrated and upset to hear that and when I mentioned this to you Felicity you stated that this conversation between you and the Dr never happened.
I don't know what to make of it. Why did he even say that to me at all?
The Dr assured me that he would take care of everything the next day (Tuesday June 4th) and that there would be nothing for me to worry about.
I did express to him that I literally felt full up to my neck with vomit and that it wasnt going to be pretty.
He assured me again that all would be fine and said he'd see me in the morning at the hospital.
Tues 4th June
I arrived at the hospital at 6am as instructed.
I dont recall very much from the time I was admitted, however I do remember, the procedure was suddenly over.
There was chaos surrounding me, many people all looking concerned and me crying that my back was in excruciating pain.
My throat, ribs, lungs and back were all in unbearable pain and I was in ICU.
I had aspirated into my lungs during the procedure and my stomach liquids and all the vomit i had in my body had ended up in my lungs.
I was now fighting for my life with an oxygen mask on, needles coming from every direction and monitored constantly for blood pressure, sats and temperature.
My heart rate was through the roof and breathing in or out was a trial.
I had pneumonia and it was now my new threat.
How had I come from a gastric balloon insertion to ICU?
I had tried to do something NON INVASIVE for myself only to end up almost dying as a result.
There's much more to the story.
I have now seen and read so much about WLS and Felicity Cohen, it's Ceo.
I didn't know about any of the controversies prior to commencing my journey with WLS and Felicity Cohen but I know a lot more now.
I like so many others, tried to get a refund for my Allurion balloon procedure but like so many others, I have been denied. There has been no contact made to me since.
I spent in excess of $30,000
I paid for the Allurion procedure.
I couldn't work, so I had to pay a contractor to do my job. prior to, and after leaving ICU.
Hunderds of dollars transporting myself to appointments as I couldn't drive for fear of vomiting all over myself.
I had to catch taxis and Ubers holding a vomit bag close by wherever I went.
The cost of private ICU for 2 days and I don't have private health cover, (upwards of 10k for 2 days)
I moved to the public ICU as soon as I was mentally capable to make the decision to move.
The Drs contacted my children and they had to fly up to the Gold Coast from NSW, SA & VIC because they were told their mother MIGHT POSSIBLY NOT MAKE IT.
Upwards of approximately $30,000 is the money I have spent to date.
I only ever asked Felicity Cohen and WLS for a refund for the Allurion balloon procedure.
I was told to come in for some "counselling" and have heard nothing else since.
Counselling?, I never wanted to go anywhere near Felicity Cohen or WLS again.
There has been no mention, not even a whisper to this day about any refund to me.
I want you to know that my body was violated in more ways than I care to remember, yes it was medically and in the hospital, but it is something I should never have had to go through.
I think that trauma alone will live with me for the rest of my life.
I recall asking several Drs, nursing staff and even my children, if 'I was going to die?' because there were some moments when my world and my health situation became very dark.
The vomit buildup in my body was something that I had been trying to express to everyone and anyone who would listen to me since day one (9th May insertion date) including the CEO Felicity Cohen and the nurses at WLS.
At no time was I ever referred to a Dr at WLS except for the actual balloon insertion and the manipulation of the balloon.
I had expressed several times that I felt like the vomit was right up to my neck.
I had been either vomiting or swallowing or regurgitating vomit on a constant basis for over 3 weeks until the point of the balloons removal.
I do not have the capacity nor the strength to do my job and I still struggle to breathe.
I continue to pay a contractor to do my job as I have done since the insertion date (9th May)
I have boxes and boxes of medications that I purchased as instructed by Felicity Cohen and her staff trying to resolve issue after issue and piling on one poison after another.
Prior to the Allurion insertion my only healty issue was that I was a few kilos overweight.
After the insertion, I had never been so physically sick before in my life, I had never been in hospital except to give birth to 4 healthy children and I was not and had not been taking any medications whatsoever prior to this awful incident.
I am still shaky and unsure of myself to this day.
I have spent so much money on this Allurion balloon health issue.
These costs are all approx.
The gastric balloon and insertion cost $9000
Several dozen boxes of medications $700
Transport, taxis and ubers to appointments because I was unable to drive anywhere for fear of vomiting $700
Private Hospital stay for 2 days.
(I do not have private health cover so the cost is approx 5k per day) $10,000
Paying a contractor to fulfil my job obligations since the 9th May because i have been too sick to perform any duties myself $ incalculable.
I had to pay someone to pack up my whole house, then re pack a shipping container with everything that had packed. $2000
In the midst of all this insanity, my house sold and I had to pack everything up and place everything in storage. The legal process had gone too far for me to back out without losing several more thousands of $$.
Return airfares for my children called by the hospital to my bedside from VIC, SA and NSW $0 (my children would never ask to be reimbursed)
My children wanted to be there for their mother.
My adult children were actually traumatised by what they saw. They had NEVER seen their mother so ill, they were intilally told, I might not make it.)
Counselling and support was offered by Felicity Cohen at WLS
I have moved to another town, how is any counselling from people I have little respect for and obviously vice-versa going to help my situation?
I dont want anything further to do with WLS ever.
My calls and pleading with Felicity Cohen and WLS has left me traumatised.
The dreadful experience that happened to me from beginning to now has been literally gut wrenching.
I never in my nightmares ever thought that this is how my life would end up.
I never imagined that I could become completely debilitated by this experience.
Noone ever warned me that if I went through with an Allurion balloon insertion, this horrendous experience might even be a slight possibility.
Noone at any point ever said that to me or even hinted it EVER.

Woah! this is hectic. and most certainly has me thinking I might just eat less and do some exercise. I wish you the best in the future and thank you for sharing your experience