Top Medics Poland Orbera balloon

I flew to ?ód?, Poland with Top Medics to get my gastric balloon fitted. I stayed in a local hotel called Hotel Campagnile which I do recommend due the persistent stench of drains throughout the hotel, which let me tell you, if you are already feeling nauseous is not a good combo.
I organised my transfers from airport to hotel to hospitals etc through top medics for approx £100.
My doctor dr Kowalczyk was great and straightforward, but the nurse was amazing. Her name is Usina (i’m 100% sure that is not how you spell her name, but Polish names are tough to spell !) and quite frankly made the entire situation amazing for me. A great girl who looked after me and generally seemed to care about my wellbeing. I could not have asked for a better nurse. She deserves a pay rise!
So I had G.A for the balloon insertion. As soon as I woke up I was very, very, very uncomfortable. That first night was a nightmare. I could not sit or lay down and consequently I spent that first first night pacing up and down my smelly drained infused hotel room wondering what the hell i’d gone and done to myself. The hotel staff had also put me in a room under the hotel sign which was lit up like a Xmas tree all night so I was pacing in a smell floodlit room too! However, I did get to vomit ???? a lot to break up my pacing. Each time I thought my intestines might make an appearance. Until getting this procedure, I had vomited about 10 times in my entire life. No one ever believes me when I tell them this, but it’s true. I m more of the other end kinda girl when i’m Ill. Anyways, my point is, I’m a pro vomitter now.
The next day I went in to get IV at the hospital. I felt like death warmed up. No sleep, no food, no fluids etc. The IV helped and I on return to the hotel I managed to change my hotel room. The new room still smelt like rotten drains and also came with a persistent buzzing noise from one of the lights, but at least it was away from the main road and the nighttime lit up sign. I d paid for the whole week and was far too ill to move hotels, anyway. I just had to stick it out. But let me tell you, that week was hell. Not for the faint hearted. I was sick all the time and I found it very difficult to lie down, so I had to sleep sitting up... that’s if I could sleep. I had bought some soup and water with me but most of that ended up coming up. By the end of that first week I was ready to get the damn thing out, I was so weak, ill, tired and in a foreign country that suddenly seemed oh so very foreign and i just wanted to go home. Luckily the amazing Natasza from top medics (that woman is amazing, will answer all you concerns and follow up on you) managed to get me into the hospital for some final IVs before I got my flight home.The lovely Usina gave me the good stuff (except for an extreme quite scary reaction I had to the potassium: very clammy, mental confusion, heart rate all over the place) and I managed to get two delayed planes home without puking up everywhere. Result.
After I got home everything began to settle, exactly how the doctor predicted. I have lost 12 pounds in two and half weeks. Basically I have gone from 75 kilos to just under 70. I find I have to be very careful what I eat and it’s vital I eat very slowly. My calorie intake is very low and I m still quite weak. I need to increase my protein. I m still too weak to go to the gym, but slowly but surely I m getting better. I am a teacher and I live alone so a combination of Easter holidays and not being responsible for anyone else has probably made things easier for me. I seriously take my hat of to those who return to work, gym and look after kids after gong through this!
Will keep you updated on my progress if you are interested. Engoy the rest of your Sunday.

So far so good, I ‘m down to 67 kilos from 75 with very little effort. I do get hungry but I can’t eat too much as the ballon keeps me full. I haven’t been sick in weeks and I feel fine. I can still feel the balloon if I m lying on my back say, but it’s not a problem. I have had no issues with heartburn and hardly took any of the medication provided. I didn’t feel I needed it. I am doing no exercise as yet due to work and upcoming exams, so I have been completely sedentary and yet still the weight is slowly coming off. I plan to change this once I sit my final exam in the first week of June.

I am down to 61 kilos and feel so much more confident. I’m still having issues keeping certain foods down and my calorie intake is still very low. Probably too low if i’m being honest. I have become sensitive to bad smells too. Everything makes me gag or retch, it’s very embarrassing, but I figure I will go back to normal once the balloon is out. My target goal is 56-57 kilos.wish me luck! I will post photos soon.