Balloon in Austin TX

twins2016 · April 23, 2016

Has anyone had a gastric balloon placed in Austin? Where did u go? How much was it? I am having a heck of a time finding a place that does it locally

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Wayward Traveler · April 25, 2016

I got mine on the east coast. Have you tried looking at the Orbera or ReShape websites? Or have you considered traveling for it? Good luck!

twins2016 · April 25, 2016

Thanks! I *think* I've found a couple of places but thier reviews aren't good. I may travel to another city (hadn't thought about that). Can I drive myself after the procedure? How do you like it so far?

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Wayward Traveler · April 25, 2016

Thanks! I *think* I've found a couple of places but thier reviews aren't good. I may travel to another city (hadn't thought about that). Can I drive myself after the procedure? How do you like it so far?

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You certainly could not drive the day of ... you might be able to drive in a day or two, it just depends on how you react to it and whether or not you are taking narcotics (I think they recommend that you stay over for at least two nights if you are traveling for the procedure). I had the procedure first thing on a Wednesday morning and drove myself about 25 minutes away for an (unrelated) doctor's appointment that Friday. I felt OK to do that, although I am not sure I would have wanted to drive a lot farther (mostly because I was still a bit queasy and the bumpiness of the drive made that a little worse).

I like it so far. From what I've read and people I've talked to, I think I've had kind of an average experience (i.e. after three days I felt pretty good, but some people were not sick at all and others seem to be sick a lot more / a lot longer). I also seem to be losing somewhere in the middle - after about a month I've lost almost 20 pounds, and I've heard of people losing more and less in that amount of time. To sum it up, I am satisfied with how I am feeling and how things are progressing. Having said that, please note that it's neither magic nor effortless. I am tracking calories and Protein, taking meds, making smart choices, etc.. The balloon is just a tool to help with the process.

Please feel free to reach out if you'd like to be pointed to any additional resources or if you need any tips. I had a hard time finding a lot of information in advance so if I can make it easier for others, I am happy to do so. :-) Good luck!