Gastric Balloon Hi

[melissa82]

Hi I'm a newbie, due to get the gastric balloon fitted this Friday (19th July) excited but nervous. I'm so desparate to lose weigh I just really can't wait to get going.
How's it worked for people? What do you guys eat with it??
I'm getting it in on Friday And back at work Monday, is that enough recovery? Xxx

 

[tiili]

Hi Melissa,

I haven't had mine yet (will be fitted on July 30th) but just wanted to say hi and welcome. I think it may be a bit tight to be back at work on Monday, most people I've spoken to were very nauseous for about a week after insertion. I've taken a full week off work to be on the safe side.

You might be one of the lucky ones who can tolerate it really well though, you never know...

 

[femfrankie]

Hi I'm a newbie, due to get the gastric balloon fitted this Friday (19th July) excited but nervous. I'm so desparate to lose weigh I just really can't wait to get going.
How's it worked for people? What do you guys eat with it??
I'm getting it in on Friday And back at work Monday, is that enough recovery? Xxx

Hi and welcome Melissa .
As long as you remember that the balloon is a tool and you are prepared to put in a bit of effort it does work. I would make a start in getting into good habits now before you have it inserted. Like all WLS it needs the person with it to play by the rules. Recognise where you are making bad food choices and why. You need to be honest with yourself here. For me it was not eating regular, eating totally the wrong things, I am worse if stressed, and i ate way too large portions. To rectify this i now eat 6 smaller meals throughout the day, I avoid carbs concentrating on lean protein first and then my veggies, Instead of the two packets of maltesers I used to wolf down when stressed I now try and focus on making myself active & now I eat my meals off a side plate using smaller utensils. These are just an example of the lifetime changes that you may have to make... Your triggers may very well be different to mine but the fact remains that you will need to recognise that changes have to happen for the balloon to work. You don't say what type of balloon you are having but either way the idea is he same.. You retrain your head how to eat healthily in the time that you have it in place and carry those thoughts on once you have it removed

Okay lecture over .. I was just over a week before I felt okay again and honestly don't think I would have been ready to go back to work before that. You may be different but it seems to be about a week for most folks. In that week I lived off NAS jelly, slimma soups, milk & water. I was told by my team to eat normal foods after this but I didn't reckon on the gastric reflux that I was to suffer quite badly with... I was a sufferer before but the balloon just aggravated it big style. As a result my diet is really quite bland but chances are that you will be just fine once the balloon settles in..I'm just an oddball lol
I am due to have mine removed in the next couple of weeks as I have had it since February. In that time I have lost 58lbs (26kg).
I wish you the same success hun Good luck x

 

[melissa82]

Thank you for all your advice
It's the 6 month balloon I will be having .
I've been living carb free for last couple of weeks and lost 20lbs from that but prior I was doing slimming world and lost 2 stone from that.
Carbs are my downfall so I came to the confusion if I stay off them completely I don't try and sneak a little bit extra lol

I'm excited but nervous and just want to get in and cracking )
What sorts of foods work well with the balloon? What should I definatley stay clear of, apart from the obv bad foods?

I'm self employed I have a beauty salon so I can't afford to have any longer off so I will just have to cope lol

Ohhhh dear I'm worried now xxx

 

[femfrankie]

Thank you for all your advice
It's the 6 month balloon I will be having .
I've been living carb free for last couple of weeks and lost 20lbs from that but prior I was doing slimming world and lost 2 stone from that.
Carbs are my downfall so I came to the confusion if I stay off them completely I don't try and sneak a little bit extra lol

I'm excited but nervous and just want to get in and cracking )
What sorts of foods work well with the balloon? What should I definatley stay clear of, apart from the obv bad foods?

I'm self employed I have a beauty salon so I can't afford to have any longer off so I will just have to cope lol

Ohhhh dear I'm worried now xxx

Great stuff Melissa. I lost nearly 4 st prior to the balloon and it really does help if your brain is in the right gear before you do start ballooning ... Pardon the pun hehe
Ok the obvious ones aside avoid anything that is liable to stick to the balloon. Pasta is best avoided because of this but because its big on carbs its best avoided anyway. Any kind of fizzy juice is a no no. For some reason I have real problems with porridge, spinach and beef. No matter how well I chew you can guarantee I will be quite sick a few hours down the line after eating them. Anything with a slightly higher fat content also sets me off but I don't know if this is a kick off from the reflux I suffer or purely just because i am ballooned. Avoid anything that could potentially irritate the tummy lining. NAISDs for example are best avoided at all costs. Chicken and fish really work well with the balloon
Hope this helps Melissa & good luck x

 

[melissa82]

Thanks femfrankie

I had no clue things could stick to the balloon (I'm blonde) and to be fair all the knowledge I have is from google lol the rsh didn't really supply me with that much info.
I opted just for the balloon as I didn't think the bypass would be suitable in my situation.
I'd be happy to just get a kick start and change my eating habits the keep it up after.
I'm a very big girl at now 26stone, what is the average loss when working with the balloon?
Thank you for all advice it's greatly appreciated x

 

[femfrankie]

At the start of my journey I weighed 27 & half stone with a BMI of 68 (I'm 5ft 3in). Average loss I was told was 2-3st. I have been told by my team I'm their top loser by a very long shot, whatever that is, having lost 4st 2lb with the balloon. My eating habits have indeed changed but because of the health issues i suffer I am going on to have the bypass once it is removed but I will carry those good habits onto and into the next stage... For life really.

 

[tiili]

I will aim to break your balloon record Frankie

 

[femfrankie]

Brilliant!! ... Go get it hun

 

[melissa82]

Me too hehe x

 

[mamalishious]

Me too hehe x

Did u break her record then?