If you’re looking for help losing weight, Dr. Azeem Khan at Forest Hills Gastroenterology in New York City and Forest Hills, NY, offers the weight loss balloon procedure.
Guide to the Weight Loss Balloon Procedure
Losing weight isn’t as easy as it sounds. It takes work, and it can be difficult to muster the willpower to keep it up. Many people start strong but eventually wear down.
A weight loss balloon or intragastric balloon provides an avenue to help you stay on track. Below, Dr. Khan and the team at Forest Hills Gastroenterology in New York City and Forest Hills, NY, explain the procedure itself, as well as how to enhance and maintain your results.
Understanding the Intragastric Balloon Process
The stomach has a certain amount of space. When we’re hungry, we want to fill it, but not all of us fill it completely. And even those who do can keep excess weight off by staying active, but not everyone lives an active lifestyle. Additionally, excess weight can make physical activity difficult.
An intragastric balloon addresses one of these issues, which can help in the other areas. It limits the space you have to fit food in the stomach. In short, you feel full faster, so you eat less.
You’ll be given medication that helps you relax and numbs your throat. The balloon is inserted into the stomach using an endoscope or a long but flexible tube with a camera. The camera is used to ensure that nothing should prevent balloon placement, such as any damage to the esophagus or stomach.
Once inserted, the balloon is filled with a saline solution or, in some cases, gas, through the use of the endoscope and a catheter. As it’s filled, it sinks to the bottom of the stomach and slows down the emptying process.
After your procedure, you’ll follow a soft diet for some time until your stomach adapts. The balloon is removed six months later, at which point most patients have dropped a significant amount of weight.
Enhancing and Maintaining Your Results
This procedure is intended to help you lose weight, but it’s not a long-term solution in and of itself. Once removed, you could easily go back to pre-procedure habits if you have taken other steps while the balloon is in place. The key to shedding and keeping weight off – even with the balloon procedure – is improving your diet, exercising, and adjusting your habits.
Learn more about the weight loss balloon by calling (718) 459-8460 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Khan at Forest Hills Gastroenterology of New York City and Forest Hills, NY.