NurseJenn422

So I'm a week down and have lost 4 kilos (8.8 pounds). I'm very happy with that. It's been an interesting week. I can't feel my balloon, have no nausea, no reflux and I wouldn't know it was there!
Strangely, I feel hungry. Not head hunger or cravings but hungry. I wasn't expecting that but I'm so determined to lose the weight that I'm sticking to the program anyway!!!!

Hi Everyone!!
New to this forum. I too am interested in Orbera. I have y first consultation tomorrow morning. I have been on the thin side all my life until 3 yrs ago. I had a terrible divorce and started nursing school. In those three years i went from 148 lb to 204lb. I have tried everything but I quit it all bc I want to see results fast as I am so use to seeing before. I hope this procedure will kick start my good habits again. I would love to hear any success stories.

Hi all - today was my last day! I had the balloon removed this morning and it was a piece of cake - took 15 minutes.
That being said, I ended up 6-months, 77 lbs lost...in my mind a very successful procedure. It was very up and down the last 2 months, but I was able to maintain.
I've been cycling and now with the turn of the weather starting on a walk 5-miles one day, ride 20-miles the next. The key for me is to try and burn 1,000 calories a day. In May I'm doing the 73-mile ride to Montauk!
Hope everyone else is doing well
-C
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Thanks to both of you for your replies. I have my 1-week follow up with the dietitian tomorrow afternoon. I'm going to have to have a hard conversation with them about my symptoms. My medications are: zofran for nausea, promethazine suppositories for nausea, and reglan that speeds up digestion and helps with acid reflux. I also take Nexium for acid reflux. Our program is also a 12 month program, like yours.
Thanks for your support! I'll try not to whine so much in the future!

Hello all, I know it's been a while since I posted but since I started this thread I figured I'd update you all, as I'm having the balloon removed next month (6-month mark).
I'm now 72 lbs down, suit size 58 to 48, jean size from 48 to 34 and feeling like I can hit 85 lbs lost by the date it's out. It's been an amazing, lesson teaching experience. I'm just starting Weight Watchers as I think it's the best chance for me to continue towards my goal and lose the extra 50 I need to. I would absolutely do it again if I was offered the chance but would much rather that I am not paying out of pocket. Lol. Good luck to everyone.

Make sure you get all the prescriptions the dr. gives you filled. Use the anti-nausea medicine right away, as soon as the nausea starts. I did stock up on Propel (zero calories) and greek yogurt. eggs, and string cheese. I start my day with a Pure Protein shake made with unsweetened almond milk. I went on solid food about 36 hrs after the balloon was put in. Some people don't start solid foods for a week, But my dr. said to eat when I was ready. I also got chicken salad and tuna salad to eat but that was week 2.
Good luck !!

Hello! I had the balloon inserted on 3/22. It had not been an easy 3 weeks but I'm still surviving and down 13 pounds.
The one thing I wish I would have done is start a stool softener before or right at balloon insertion. Constipation is very common and I wasn't prepared. An over the counter pill is fine.
Good luck to you!
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I selected the ReShape balloon because of the safety factor and that it is supposedly more comfortable in the long run.
I had mine installed 04/28/2016. I am doing well but still in search of some energy.

Is it worth it ... wow ... that's a big question and one that only you can really answer. For me it has been worth it, but that's just me. Fortunately I have not struggled as much as some others. My procedure was on a Wed AM, I threw up at midnight that night, and then at 8am and 10am the next morning. That's it. By the next day (Fri) I was well on the road to recovery. I even went to a restaurant that Sun and ordered Soup, and was back to work Mon. After two weeks I was pretty much back to normal. But some people are sick for weeks and even months.
The problem is that you don't know how it will effect you before you do it so it's a gamble. And you really have to be prepared for the possibility that it's going to be miserable. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. If you can't get your head around that, then it might not be best option for you. I personally got my head around it by reading the clinical trial results. It addresses all of the different side effects and how many people got them on the first few days, the first week, the first month, etc.. Long story short, most people were only miserable for a few days, so the odds were that I'd be OK after a week or two, and that was good enough for me. But that's just me ... you need to decide for yourself. :-)
I hope that helps. Wishing you well, whatever you decide. And if you need any support, please don't hesitate to reach out. Cheers!

I had the balloon placed 8 days ago. I was vomiting pretty often for the first 3 days and nights but finally stopped. This week I have felt weak but no more nausea. It does get better, but those first few days were rough!

I am having mine removed in 2 weeks. Lost 27lbs. Not what I had hoped and very disappointed that the weight loss completely stopped after the 3rd month. (had a small loss last week, but I really focussed hard on keeping calories very low.) I too am an emotional eater, looking for comfort as I live with 4 teenagers! I also eat just for the sake of eating without really caring if I am hungry or not. I knew those things before the balloon, but the balloon did break those habits. Now, I just don't care if I eat or not. I have very few cravings and I am certainly not hungry ever (although I can eat way more than I should with this thing in my stomach.) I pray that when its removed I will be more aware of when and why I put food in my mouth.
I have actually asked my doctor to insert a NEW balloon when he takes this one out but he said all results point to the fact that weight loss slows down substantially after the first few months and I would be better off waiting a few months and then getting a new one. Not sure what I will do...but he also offered me appetite control meds for when the balloon is removed. I am really nervous about gaining the weight back, especially since it is still summer time and there are so many opportunities to eat poorly!

That's interesting ... and a good question. I have not had the exact same lessons. I do eat for hunger, but I also want to eat for comfort. I have to force myself to think of food a fuel and make eating decisions based on what's the best fuel for my body. It's not as fun but making it clinical like that somehow makes it easier. Also, I have not thrown up since the first 48 hours, so I have not learned the latter lesson either.
But I have learned (as I suspected) that losing weight is work no matter how you do it. I am very cognizant of what I put into my mouth. If I ate mindlessly, I think it would be easy to gain weight, despite the balloon. So while the balloon definitely helps, it's just a tool - not a solution. And what does that mean post-balloon? That the work will continue. Six months does not fix a battle that has lasted decades ... it just helps to keep you hyper-focused for a few months while you (hopefully) develop better habits.
Granted, I assumed this would all be the case going into the procedure, but now that's been confirmed. I'm still glad I did it - it was exactly what I needed, and was the best option for me.
Cheers! :-)

Had my balloon removed 2 days ago. I got to the surgery center at 11:30 am and walked out at 2pm. Quick and easy. My doctor forewarned me that they now recommend using a breathing tube during the removal to avoid any complications from inhaling any debris into the lungs which can be very dangerous, post op. I did not love the idea of the breathing tube, as I was not told this when I signed up for the balloon. But, it is what it is. I felt good after the procedure, a little groggy from anesthesia but no pain except a sore throat....until middle of the night when I woke up with extreme torso/neck aches - the deep tissue pain you get when you work out really hard. For two days every movement of my upper body was excruciating - turning over in bed was impossible. My doctor brushed it off as muscle spasms. But when I researched the internet, it seems that the muscle relaxant the anesthesiologist used before inserting the breathing tube, can have this post surgery effect. NOT FUN, and advil was useless. Oh well, just add it to the possible side effects of the balloon.
Also, and I do not know if this is a side effect of the balloon, but the doctor discovered a hiatal hernia when he removed the balloon. He never mentioned it when he inserted the balloon, so I can only deduce the balloon caused this new feature in my body!!! OK...will have to deal with that later in life I guess.
My wrap up of the balloon:
Yes it was worth it, if you have 50-60 pounds or less to lose and do not qualify for sleeve and have tried unsuccessfully to lose on your own, but you have to be motivated to work. You need to watch your food choices and you need to exercise. The weight doesn't just fall off on its own after the initial weight loss from reduced calories.
The good: I lost 32 pounds, going from a 35 BMI to a 29. Brought all my medical stats down to normal range (blood pressure, cholesterol, sleep apnea) and dropped 2 pant sizes. But more importantly, it taught me to be more thoughtful and strategic about my food choices. I still have 25 pounds left to go, on my own, but more than half way there is a great, empowering feeling! Very motivated!!
The bad (MY experience): Lots of gas (livable) that causes bloating and discomfort. Severe acid reflux the first 6 weeks that got under control once I increased omneprazole dosage. Woke up in the middle of the night, several times, with extreme throat pain from acid reflux. And lastly, I did not lose the big weight the first 2 weeks that everybody else experienced, so I was very discouraged during the time I felt the sickest. And finally the post balloon muscle pain I experienced is/was excruciating for 2+ days.
The not so bad: Over stuffed feeling after meals (the first 3 months.) Vomiting a few times, minimal, the first week. Nausea in the early am and late pm the first few weeks that is controllable, for me, with doctor prescribed meds. Nausea on long car rides (I guess because of the position of the balloon as I sat upright.)