Stomach Balloon for Easy Weight Loss?

Proper eating habits and exercise is the healthy and energizing way to lose weight, but when this doesn't work, some people look elsewhere. Diet pills have been around for awhile, along with surgeries, such as gastric bypass and even stomach stapling, but with some risks.

For a time now, some European doctors have been looking at a new and maybe even less-drastic procedure to help patients lose weight. It's called the stomach balloon!

What is the stomach balloon?

It's an actual balloon that takes up space in the stomach, and due to the feeling of fullness that the balloon creates, it helps to slow down eating. It's too big to slip down into the digestive tract, and it also does not change the shape of the stomach.

Behavior therapy first!

Patients first receive some eating behavior therapy and learn new healthier and more nutritious eating habits!

An easy and quick method!

The whole procedure takes less than twenty minutes. It's an attempt to slow down the the emptying of the stomach and give the patient a feeling of fullness. First an endoscopic camera is inserted down the throat and into the stomach, to search out the correct placement position. Then an uninflated silicon balloon is positioned. It is filled with about a pint of saline solution. The saline is then dyed with a methylene blue color solution, so that any possible leak could be detected. A valve closes off the now-round balloon, disconnects it, and finally, the tiny tube is removed as easily as it was inserted. The whole simple procedure takes less than twenty minutes, and it's done!

Balloon Removal!

While the inflated balloon is still in place, and over an approximate six-month period, the patient can lose up to 40 pounds. The balloon is then removed as simply as the placement. First the endoscopic tube goes back down the throat and into the stomach again. The balloon is peirced and the saline is then drawed out through the tube. The now-empty balloon is easily removed.
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After the six-month period and the balloon removal, some records have shown that about one-third of the patients lose weight, one-third will lose and then gain some of it back, and another one-third will gain all of it back.

Some researchers believe this method of weight loss is encouraging, although the long-term effects are unknown. Some of the bad side effects are stomach cramps and nausea. Anyone pondering this method of weight loss should do plenty of research before! Read up on stories of people that have had the procedure. Ask lots of questions: What bad side effects might be encountered, what the actual balloon placement was like, was it bad, was it good? Write your questions down and ask the doctor? Be sure!

Sources:

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11097310 (2006)