Gastric Balloon Surgery

Although it is called gastric balloon surgery, there is no surgical removal, repair, or cutting involved in this procedure. The type of  balloon dictates the option of sedation or swallowing a pill size balloon. The orbera balloon has a thin tube is inserted through the mouth, carrying the silicone balloon to the stomach. Once in the stomach, we fill it with a saline solution, and the tube is then removed through the mouth. This low-risk process usually takes less than thirty minutes, and most people go home the same day.

The Allurion balloon is done with the patient completely awake and the Allurion™ Balloon is placed during a short clinic appointment, taking approximately 20 minutes with the support and guidance of a specialist doctor. Patients are guided to swallow the capsule with a glass of water, without the need for an anaesthetic or surgery. If you have difficulty swallowing the capsule, the doctor can assist by gently feeding the balloon through the mouth and into the stomach using special device called a stylet.

After you have swallowed the capsule, an X-ray is taken to make sure the balloon is located correctly in your stomach and it will then be inflated with 500mls of fluid. Another X-ray is taken to make sure the balloon is fully inflated and located properly within the stomach. The clinic team will monitor you for a short period before allowing you to return home the same day.

After approximately 16 weeks in the stomach, a valve on the balloon opens allowing the fluid in the balloon to empty so that the deflated balloon can be passed naturally into the toilet. Some patients may experience vomiting to expel the balloon. In rare occasions endoscopic or surgical removal is needed.

Temporary and removable

Another benefit is that this procedure, unlike others, has no permanent change on your gastric system. The balloon is also completely removable, so if you are uncomfortable after a few days or weeks, we can remove it immediately, at your request.

1.Don’t do it alone... Find your support team

Success in changing habits and behaviours is a team effort – from engaging well with your clinic’s coaching and support team through to enlisting support, and to sharing your achievements with your friends and family. Although sometimes even our nearest and dearest can sabotage our diet and lifestyle goals without even realising it, they can also be our most reliable support network. They will help you to reach your goals if you talk to them and involve them in your journey.

You can also ask us for a gastric balloon support buddy – someone else who is having a gastric balloon at a similar time, so that the two of you can support each other and swap tips and advice along the way.

2. Be clear with your goals

Mapping out exactly what you want to achieve and why helps you to stay focused. It might be getting into a favourite dress, reducing the pain in your knees or reducing need for medications to manage conditions like type 2 diabetes.

Whatever it is, share it with your team and hatch a plan for how to get there. The more detailed and specific your action plan, the more likely it is you will do it and stick with it.

For most people, reaching a goal is addictive as it provides you with an immense sense of achievement.

3. Set both short-term and longer-term goals

For example, a short-term goal might be to swap your mid-afternoon snack for a piece of fruit each day this week, whereas your longer-term goal might be to lose 10-12 kilos over the next 4 months. This means that when you achieve your goal, you can then set further targets, helping you to make constant progress.

Think of your goals as your destination, it’s where you want to be within a set timeframe.

4. Change your habits- Link up with our Habits Coach!

A critical goal of the 16-week placement period is to form new habits. Habit forming occurs when you repeat an action consistently over time. This helps something to become automatic or second nature, meaning it doesn’t feel hard to continue it over time.

The simpler an action is, the more likely it will become a habit. Examples include always having a chopped apple on top of cereal or always ordering an additional side salad when eating out, so you can fill up on this and eat less of the other options.

5. Eat healthier food

You may need to change some of your daily habits. You may also need to change some things in your environment like in your home or your place of work, your snacking, cooking methods or your exercise routine.

You don’t need to make huge changes to eat healthier. And you don’t have to change all your habits at the same time. It’s best to set small goals and change your habits a little bit at a time. Over time, small changes will make a big difference to your health and will help you maintain your weight loss.

6. Plan ahead

Planning ahead is a key part of staying on track. You can choose whether to do this each day or each week. Plan what meals you will have, what snacks, and the timings and amounts. This will allow you to prepare some meals in advance to make things easier.

Make sure you have the foods or ingredients at home that you’ll need, making you less vulnerable to poorer choices if and when you get hungry.

7. Track your progress

Keep track of your food choices, activity levels, weight and body fat on a frequent basis. This will help you to see your changes over time and understand if and where things feel harder so you can solve any problems with your team.

There are also several tools to help you track your progress, including the Allurion connected scale to measure your weight and body fat, communication apps to stay in touch with your team, and even a good old-fashioned diary for those who prefer pen and paper.

8. Track your emotions

This is important and can help you identify reasons other than hunger that lead to eating. This might be boredom, sadness or stress. Understanding your triggers can help you put plans in place for managing these emotions in a healthier way.

Make a list of distraction techniques for when boredom strikes and also soothing activities that you can do when you feel a craving coming on.

9. Don’t forget to reward yourself and celebrate

We all need treats and rewards, or else we end up feeling deprived and neglected, which makes us want to give up. Many of us use food and drink for these rewards, which can slow down our weight-loss progress.

Make a list of non-food rewards you can use for each victory and milestone reached. This can be as simple as a magazine you love or something more special like a holiday.

10. Keep it simple

The simpler the plan, the higher the likelihood of success. Nothing is written in stone. Individualise and simplify what works best for you.