Dixie_Amazon

Thank you for the informative post! My one year goal is 50 pounds. I have lost 46 pounds in 46 months and am scheduled for removal tomorrow.

@@Dixie_Amazon - that's fantastic - congratulations!! I just (finally) passed the 50 pound mark and couldn't be happier!! :-D I'd like to lose another 20-40 but for now I am thrilled with the results ... the balloon was definitely the right decision for me. Good luck with your removal - I hope all goes well. Cheers!

@@Sai - thank you so much! And congratulations on your weight loss!! :-D That's impressive. It's a journey ... we all may take different paths to get there, but the destination is the same. :-) Cheers!

I am getting Reshape balloon out tomorrow. I have lost 46 pounds. I am very pleased with my results.

Thank you for the informative post! My one year goal is 50 pounds. I have lost 46 pounds in 46 months and am scheduled for removal tomorrow.

Good afternoon! I had the Orbera gastric balloon removed a couple of weeks ago and so far, so good! I know I was very curious about what to expect (both in terms of having the balloon and then later getting it removed), so I thought I would share some of my thoughts and experiences with you here.
RESULTS
I lost 47.8 pounds while I had the balloon. I was shooting for 40 but hoping for 50. Considering that during the time I had the balloon I got married, went on a honeymoon, was surprised with a couple of showers before, hosted a reunion of sorts, hosted a baby shower, traveled for work several times and to visit extended family, and attended a number of other business/social events, I really can't complain. :-) The balloon definitely helped in all of those situations however it does not get all of the credit. It is important to keep in mind that the balloon is just a tool - careful planning and diligence is required in order for it to be successful. You also have to make conscious decisions about when to "cheat" - and be OK with that - and when it's not worth it.
REMOVAL
Separate the nausea that most people experience when the balloon is inserted, I (like many people) found the removal to be harder on me physically. I had a sore throat for several days (I did not with insertion) and felt kinda sore and crummy in general. Not terribly bad, but not 100%. I definitely recommend taking the day of removal off of work and, if possible, at least one day after - if not two. (For insertion I recommend at least 3-4 days off, including insertion day, if not an entire week). I actually went back to work the day after removal and I was OK, but I would have preferred another day off. Again, it's not the same miserable/nauseous feeling that many people have with insertion, it's more like a sore and under the weather feeling.
PREP
I didn't get a lot of great guidance from my doctor's office about getting ready for removal, but I read and heard a lot of advice from places like this. I did Clear Liquids the day before, full fluids the day before that, and a combination of soft foods and full fluids the two days before that (with the exception of one regular meal, due to a previous engagement). My doctor was happy to hear that, and it seemed to work well, as my stomach was devoid of solid foods. I was ravenous on clear fluids but sipped on Bariatric Choice berry throughout the day (tastes like Kool-Aid) and warm broth that night (which was very comforting).
food AFTER
I was ready to get back to regular foods pretty quickly, but eased into it a bit, just to be safe. I really just wanted things like milkshakes right after, given my sore throat. I even had a smidge of an upset tummy, so I was longing for things to calm that. Within a few days I was eating and feeling back to normal.
FAMISHED?
I have heard/read so much speculation about whether or not you'll be hungry all of the time after the balloon is removed, since all of the space that it once took up is now vacant. Personally, it was not an issue for me at all. Yes, I was hungry right after the procedure, but that's because I had been fasting for a few days - lol!! I am a believer that your brain can be retrained during the six months that you have the balloon IF you take the process seriously and are very deliberate about what you eat and when. (In many ways, the brain has more influence on hunger than the stomach does.) I have not been hungry all of the time or felt like my stomach is empty. In fact, I would say that my hunger pangs are fairly normal. I have not gone on or been tempted to go on binges. I am making just as many deliberate choices now as I did before. The balloon was the jump start that I needed, and it put me back on track ... and I have been able to stay on track even without the balloon.
WHAT NOW?
I made an appointment with a nutritionist (not at my surgeon's office) a few days before the balloon was removed. She created a plan for me that I am working on now, and I chat with her weekly to ensure that I stay on track. This was an important step for me to keep things moving in the right direction, and to ultimately reach my goals. (I also considered the Rise app ... which I may try at some point.) One thing I know is that I need accountability, so whether I am working with a nutritionist, a doctor, Weight Watchers, a friend an app or whatever, I will be ensured greater success with an accountability partner than if I just trudge through on my own.
SUCCESS!!
I have continued to lose since the balloon was removed and - including the weight that I lost BEFORE, DURING and AFTER the balloon - I am now down ~ 111 pounds. :-) I would like to lose about 39 more and am confident that I can do it. I am excited about what the future holds!
RECOMMEND??
I have been asked by several people if I would recommend the balloon to others. That's difficult to answer, because I would hate to be the person who recommended it someone, only for them to struggle with it (because not every experience is the same). So let me say this ... I recommend it with a number of caveats.
First and foremost, you have to go into it with your eyes wide open, knowing the pros and cons and the fact that each journey is unique. You could have great experiences, you could have terrible ones. You could lose a lot (I have heard as much as 77 pounds) and you could lose nothing (I've heard that too) ... heck, you could even gain if you don't do everything that you're supposed to do. You could get miserably sick and not get sick at all. I've heard just about everything, including kidney failure and early removal. It's a crap shoot, and you have to be prepared for any outcome ... including catastrophic ones. As with many things in life, you have to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. So do your homework, stock up on essentials and be ready for anything.
Further, I once again have to stress that the balloon is only a tool - not a solution. You still have to count calories, watch your Protein and get exercise, making healthy choices all along the way. If you don't do even one of those things, you will not have optimal results.
Lastly, and more importantly, you have to be gentle on yourself. Don't be so rigid that you feel depressed and deprived the entire time. That's no way to live and it's not sustainable long-term. Allow yourself to indulge occasionally but do it consciously, and graciously accept the consequences (for example, I only gained a pound on my honeymoon ... I was not upset about it, I was THRILLED that I was able to have that much fun and indulge as much as I did, and only gain a pound in the process!). You will have ups and downs. You will plateau. You may not lose anything at first ... you may not lose anything at the end. That's OK. Just be diligent and give it time, and be thankful that you're being HEALTHY even if you're not losing. As they say, we didn't gain it all overnight ... we're not going to lose it that fast, either. This is about the long-haul and truly embracing lifestyle changes that will keep you healthy and happy once the balloon is removed.
I hope that helps. Please feel free to reach out with any questions. I will pop back in from time to time to let you know how it's going and hopefully to be a resource to others on their journeys to good health. :-) Cheers!!

I don't believe so but I would confirm with your doctor.
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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.

I am now down 30 pounds. Memorial day I started walking about 3/4 of a mile a day, I am now up to 2.25 miles per day. I am thrilled with my results. This is the lowest I have been in about 16 years!

I am now down 30 pounds. Memorial day I started walking about 3/4 of a mile a day, I am now up to 2.25 miles per day. I am thrilled with my results. This is the lowest I have been in about 16 years!

My six months are up! My balloon will be removed tomorrow!!! I have lost 35 lbs.
Has anyone else had theirs removed? I have no idea how I will be feeling. I hope I don't feel as bad as when I had the procedure done!

I don't want to offend anyone or be overly negative. But I have some questions (aspire users this is your opportunity to educate me) and some opinions as well. First, most of us are RNY, VSG, lapband. These surgeries force us in the short term relearn how we eat and many of us use therapy long term to deal with what makes us overeat or binge eating. Please someone describe how this device changes you mentally? Only those who make the mental shift are successful long term. Also do you have a Nut and will that be a standard of care .... Without restriction how are you learning better eating habits? What happens when the device is removed? Many many on this board have lapband removed and usually gain their weight back. What is the rate of regain after it is removed? What do the 5 and 10 year studies show? Finally my opinions. It will be hard for traditional WLS patients to get excited about this after seeing what our lapband sisters and brothers have been through. FDA approval does not impress us. Time and success will! Finally be please aware that is does gross us out the thought seeing stomach contents and if we are feeling this way the general public is going to be even more shocked and grossed out. All WLS patients need a thick skin.... And aspire patients may need to be thicker than most.

The short version is I spent a long night in the E.R. with chest pain, dizziness, clamminess, nausea. Turns out to be inflammation of the cartilage that attaches your ribs to your sternum and spine. Painful, scary, but not dangerous. No cardiac involvement at all.
While I was there, I thought of you all. I was about to tell someone that if something happened, they had to come here and tell my peeps. Cuz y'all are my peeps. Just so you know.

@@gowalking
I turned my focus to.Race for the cure. Ran it today. More positive experiences to have in life than my little subdivision drama..lol

I am in the same boat, my pants are falling off me but can't quite fit into the smaller jeans I have yet. Well, I can get them on, but they look like leggings and are tight. I was having to walk around with one hand on my waistband at all times. We are low-income, so I can't afford to be buying new pants every time I drop a size. Also, my pants have an elastic waist with no belt loops, so belts were out.
Here's what I did: I bought a cheap set of suspenders from the thrift store. They were only $3 and I wear them under my shirt, so you can't see them at all. When I can fit my smaller pants, I'll switch and use them until I have to break out the suspenders again lol. Hopefully, I can minimize how often I have to buy new clothes until I reach my goal weight.

15 sine April 11

15 since April 28th. (My ticker refers to my weight when I went to the seminar)

MyFitnessPal

I think it is about maximizing room for food. I try, but I cannot do it. I try to keep the sips small.

I think it is about maximizing room for food. I try, but I cannot do it. I try to keep the sips small.

290 to 160

They turned you down? Thats actually strange to me, I thought it was something they gave to people that go on cruises and wasn't really a bid dose of medication. All I can say is that the potential side effects, IMHO, are nothing compared to the ridiculous nausea I had the first week.
I did not take anything extra for the reflux, except 1 or 2 times (Zantac 150). It helped, honestly - but I don't think they want you to take extra on top of what they give you. I have also felt that the Protonix is the driver of feeling good, because I missed it a few days along the way and I felt like the balloon was coming up out of my stomach, until I took it again.
On your other topics, what I'll say is that the team at NYBG has been nothing short of spectacular - they even started a weekly support group run by the nutritionist that everyone has very much enjoyed and participated in. That being said - the product itself should be forcing the doctors that are doing the procedure to run the 12-months (6-mos w balloon and 6-mos out) just like its a surgical procedure (psych, support groups, meal plans), because without it the procedure becomes just like a cosmetic procedure.
Good luck to you!
- C

I might also add that during the 5 months, I lost my father unexpectedly and went through a divorce - both things that would have normally have caused me to eat emotionally (and probably drink emotionally too), and it was enough for me to get past all that, get through the ups and downs and continue to lose weight. Just thought I'd add that to my story.

I hope my next husband is a geek too

I'm a big geek. Star Trek Star Wars doctor who
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