I'm having a gastric balloon procedure next week

Are you willing to try a vegan diet before taking that drastic step?

I've not had any procedure, but work in the medical field and I've heard many horror stories. The two people I know personally who've had it have been hospitalized with sepsis more than twice since the surgery due to ruptures. One person I know of can no longer eat and has a permanent feeding tube and almost died. There are many risks, ones they may not tell you about. If you can lose weight any other way, I would try that.

What is sepsis?

R3, It's septic shock, a your body responding to a massive infection that goes to your blood. It can kill you.

My Gawd!

My frau friend got it and she flew to Guam due to the ballon

I know that this might sound like an insane idea, but why not stick to a healthy diet and exercise instead of a surgical procedure?

Getting a gastric balloon to lose weight is a bit like having your hands amputated to quit smoking. Are you addicted to food? Have you exhausted all other methods to lose weight?

I realize that I might sound judgemental, but I don’t like surgeries and I would do anything to avoid them.

Why would you choose the gastric balloon over methods with much better success rates & less potential of side effects. Example the Gastric Sleeve.

R7 I have friends who are doctors they all say if you should avoid any surgery if possible unless it is the only option left.

"Getting a gastric balloon to lose weight is a bit like having your hands amputated to quit smoking"

That's a brilliant simile, R7!

I had a gastric balloon inserted into my scrotum. And then I died.

My sister had a gastric band fitted and while I'm not sure any of us were prepared for the major changes involved in her lifestyle (throwing up after meals on a regular basis, having to cut out food such as bread, rice, pasta etc, getting the majority of her nutrition in liquid form), the weight loss has been dramatic and life-changing.

Pig!

My friend got the gastric band as a 40 year old and proceeded to stretch out her stomach again. It was a completely useless procedure.

After she got control of her eating, she lost the weight. The band never did anything beneficial, just the usual side effects already discussed.

Some people on this thread don't seem to know what a gastric balloon is...

I don't know what a gastric balloon is, r15. A FB frau I went to HS with had a gastric sleeve. She lost a dramatic amount of weight - in her face, neck, chest, arms and torso but her lower half is still enormous. No joke, her ass and upper thighs are about three feet wide. She's shaped like a giant Hershey's kiss.

OP, if you are morbidly obese, have exhausted every other option, including intensive therapy, and the surgery is the only chance to possibly prolong your life, go for it.

R16 made me laugh out loud. !

Now, I want a Hershey's Kiss.

Go to a therapist. Get your eating under control, find out why you are addicted to food. Cut out the carbs. They are like heroin to some people and are the culprit in all weight issues.

Good luck, fattie.

^

This is the shit that is so creepy on this board.

Make sure and see FIVE WEEKS IN A GASTRIC BALLOON while you can. And, oh---can I have all your food?

Enjoy!

Eat as if you already had the surgery. Problem solved.

R24 is right. Also, and I can't stress this enough, try intermittent fasting. Google Dr. Jason Fung. I lost a fuckton of weight doing water fasting and I was absolutely unable to lose weight prior, no matter what I did. Gastric surgery is a invasive procedure. High mortality rate. Do anything but that. Best wishes!

R16 is a Hershey shill.

R25 is right- intermittent fasting is great. It is great for basically all matters (health, weight, longevity). Fung, DeLauer and a host of others can be found on youtube.

Try the mono diet like just eat plain baked potatoes for six weeks. Helps you to gain a "don't give a shit" attitude about food and you'll stop eating for fun and comfort.

Musical interlude

If the OP is insulin resistant, and my take the OP may very well be, the WORST thing to eat is anything with starches/carbs. That can plant you right into type 2 diabetes.

R29 thanks for the laugh and memories!. Back in the 80's my next door neighbor did clown drag and had a clever number rigged up to this song!

OP, does the hospital where you are having the surgery offer pre- and post-op cognitive behavioral therapy? Your overeating is a psychological issue.