Gastric Balloon - Able to still eat loads!

Z

Zoton

New member
Hello.

I had a balloon placed about a week ago. Other than initial cramps and difficulty sleeping on anything other than my left side, I had no problems and did not vomit at all. However, I am now getting increasingly concerned as it seems that there is no limit to what I can eat. Today I had a jacket potato and 3/4 tin of beans and did not feel full at all.

I understand that I probably have some issues with my perception of what 'full' is (otherwise I wouldn't be the weight I am!) but I am really worried that I have just paid quite a lot of money for what could just amount to dietician support and reliance on willpower....

Does anyone else have any experience of this?

Xx
 
I'd certainly talk to your doctor about it. Did they give you some kind of info. book/pamplet that explains what to expect after the surgery?
 
Hi, thanks for the reply.

Have got a whole booklet about what to expect - but most of it seems to hinge on my having felt sick for this first week.

Have a good support team so will check with them I guess.
 
hi i am also in the same boat had mine nearly two weeks ago in india and although im feeling sickly and not much sleep i did get a advice to follow a low fat diet but i to can eat as usual any advice would be welcome please
 
I know this thread is from a few months back but I wanted to reply. I had the balloon in one week ago and Ive been sick and cramping all week. The fact that you guys say that you had little nausea and are able to eat what you want makes me wonder if you had the procedure done correctly! I am on semi-solids now and even having half a banana I am full and get some cramps. Ive been on liquids for a week and not felt hungry. Anyway not sure if you are still on these boards or not but I wonder how you got on in the end.
 
Hello. Thanks for the reply - I hope that you're getting on ok with your balloon now.

With regards to my situation - when I was originally concerned I spoke to the balloon company as to whether I needed investigating. Apparently some people are just able to tolerate the balloon and able to overeat - it's called 'outeating the balloon'. I think the fact that I had the balloon put in with no sedation shows that I just have a very tolerant gag reflex and so am unlikely to be sick whatever I put down there!

However, when I really listen to my body, I am able to recognise that the balloon makes me feel full more quickly. If I overeat, then I feel uncomfortable a couple of hours later (plus have some interesting eggy burps!). Obviously this means that I am still vulnerable to overeating, especially emotionally, and have to exercise willpower at all times. But guess this is the same for most people!

Have lost a stone so far, and am starting exercise now so watch this space!
 
OMG insertion without the balloon! that makes me want to gag just thinking about it :) you are brave. do you feel the balloon at all? Im doing much better although most mornings I wake up uncomfortable and can feel the balloon. Im finding I have to make myself eat, which is interesting as normally I love to eat. but I seem to have lost interest and some of it is being nervous that it will bring on cramping. its been an interesting experience!
 
I can feel the balloon if I eat certain foods - like porridge (am now on phase two of my balloon plan and allowed new foods!). Also, one of my friends felt my stomach and could bounce the balloon with her hand. Made me feel a bit queasy though, so wouldn't recommend it.

I think that I'm the same as you and much less interested in food generally. However, I hadn't factored in just how much of my eating issues are due to emotional factors and boredom so am surprised when I want to eat chocolate, even though I know I'm not hungry and not really craving it. So am going to have some hypnotherapy to see if that helps...
 
so when you wake up in the morning you cant feel it? I feel like I can feel it, moving around at the top of my stomach, sort of waves of feeling. Ive been really sick today, keep vomiting, which surprised me as its been week and a half and I felt good yesterday. but I hear the vomiting can last 3 weeks at the beginning.
 
also forgot to reply, Im an emotional eater too....but havent felt like anything this last week and a half, i guess as im still healing and sick.

for me when I finally lose the weight I feel that I wont overeat again, as I will look back at what Ive been through this week!

ive heard hypotherapy works well, let me know if you go for it
 
Hello again!

Well, have had my first hypnotherapy session and it went really well! I went to a coffee shop yesterday and (for the first time ever) didn't feel the need to buy a muffin or something similar!

Have another session next week so hoping for good results.

Xx
 
yes Im just over 2 weeks and feel a lot better! still have my moments though, Im finding out what I can eat and not.

so how long have you had the balloon and how much have you lost?
 
i am a stone down

Hi all quick update 2nd weigh in today lost 6lb and thats my first stone gone in 2 weeks made up. i am eating lots of soup which fills me up. Feeling better now as well.
 
Wow! Great weight loss! Well done!

To answer sictoronto's question - I've had the balloon in since the last week of November. So far, I've lost 18 pounds, but was a bit naughty over Christmas (chocolate) which meant I went off track with the weight loss a bit. Am aiming to lose 3 1/2 - 4 stones in total. Depends on what I look and feel like when I get closer!

Am feeling very inspired by everyone's posting on this forum.

Xx
 
alcohol

has anyone tried wine with their balloon in i love a glass but been scared to try i have terrible heartburn so i guess it wont help it.
 
Hi from newcomer, Marpic
I had my balloon inserted on 27th Jan, & lost 2k in first week, but this week I'm not so sick and getting hungry all the time, & have put back 1k. I panicked and called my doctor, who suggested to try eating 1/2 serves to see if still hungry, but I was still hungry! She said that my stomach initially closes in around the balloon, but eventually relaxes so I can eat more. But today I felt full again after a small bowl of porridge for breakfast, then had a glass of water and felt really stuffed! So I think the balloon is working again - at least I don't crave stodge - cakes or bread anymore. Has anyone else experienced this?
 
Hi Marpic!

With regards to your post - I have pretty well the same problems! Initially it really freaked me out, mainly as I have a friend with a gastric band and so I expected to be the same as her (i.e. that I'd be physically unable to eat too much and would be sick if I did). So when I could eat a lot I thought 'OMG, it's failed'. But after speaking to my dietician/counsellor I realised that although I CAN eat too much, I don't feel the need to. Does that make sense?

So anyway, I have settled in to the routine now. I limit what I eat in one sitting by using small plates, weighing things etc. I'm not always 'full' when I finish but I leave it and normally feel satisfied in less than half an hour. To help with the emotional eating side of things I've had some hypnotherapy. This seems to be working really well. I've also started working out.

I think that, for people like you and I, it initially seems annoying that the balloon isn't performing as well as other people's balloons - and it's frustrating (and really hard at times) to rely on willpower alone to stop overeating. However, I also think that if you can use the balloon as an adjunct to weight loss and to developing better eating habits, then there won't be the rebound weight gain when the balloon is taken out.

Hope that the above helps a bit. Best of luck! Xx :)
 
Hi Zoton
thanks for your reply. It now seems like some days I feel full and don't need to eat much, while other days, like today, I am constantly hungry (physical hunger, not emotional hunger) and need to eat more, but I'm trying to stick to 3 meals a day on my hungry days, with no snacks and drinking a glass of water after meals to fill up. Also I have discovered that certain meals are more satisfying, like porridge and soup (not together!). I still have no desire for sweet or stodgy food, which I used to like before, so that's a bonus. I don't think I'm going to lose weight as quickly as I thought I would, but that's OK, as long as I'm still losing, and, as you say, I might be able to keep it off easier once the balloon is out. Also, it's summer down under, and at 44c in the shade, I don't feel much like eating anyway, but have to watch the "liquids" (wine, champagne, etc.)
 
I find I get very full very easily myself. I feel like Im eating so much less than normal, but the weight loss is slow. I lost a large amount the first few weeks (9 pounds) but then the week after was half a pound and then I think a pound this week. still Im happy its going down slowly and I was never about to do that with dieting. Id love to know how much others lost week to week from week 1.
 
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