Obalon, the gastric balloon without surgery

Many people reading the news that I report on cases of severe obese who have lost weight without bariatric surgery , ask me if it is true that you can lose so many pounds without some surgical help. Obviously yes. It depends on the case and the success rates are low, but there is no obstacle to a massive weight loss, and the fact that you are obese does not mean that you cannot lose more than a hundred kilos with the diet.
But above all: bariatric surgery is not for everyone. Many people who have lost weight with diet and motorcycles despite starting from a serious and disabling obesity (I will never forget the case of this woman who lost weight starting to move her legs with a bicycle without handlebars)they were not within the parameters that doctors consider safe for bariatric surgery. Unfortunately, to be able to operate, it is necessary to fall within a series of parameters, for example to have sufficient and satisfactory overall health , but also to have an overweight that falls within a minimum value of Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35, having tried for at least two total years of losing weight without success on a diet prescribed by a professional, making yourself available for five successive years of check-ups and so on.

In addition, bariatric surgery is not risk-free and may not be conclusive. Now you know why many people try other avenues than surgery! Having said that, for some time, however, bariatric surgery has not been the only option for those with a lot of extra pounds. Even those who are 30 or 50 kilos overweight can have “mechanical” but non-surgical help through Obalon . Obalon is a type of gastric balloon that inserts into the stomach without surgery.
In reality, the procedure does not involve the insertion of a single balloon, but of three or more balloons on average obviously under medical supervision.
How does it work? The Obalon balloon is swallowed in the form of a tablet by the patient, which practically swallows it when deflated. A mouth tube then intercepts it and inflates it with gas in a procedure without anesthesia. The balloon occupies a small portion of the stomach, and depending on the patient’s response to the first insertion, doctors consider introducing more balloons in the following weeks.
What does Obalon do? By occupying a portion of the stomach, the sense of satiety increases. You fill up first, and if a balloon doesn’t fill up enough, you can use three or four. The patient begins to eat less and to feel very full right away. In twelve weeks of treatment, patients lost eight percent of their body weight according to two clinical studies. Of course, not much if you think that the total can be to lose 10 or 12 kilos in 12 weeks, or 3 months, but the surgery is associated with a more balanced diet, and the idea is that the removal of the balloons (obtained by endoscopy and with sedation), the patient automatically learns to eat less and thus continues to lose weight. To find out more: