If you are struggling to lose weight but exercise and dietary restrictions don’t have that positive impact on your life as you thought they might, let our multidisciplinary team introduce you to the ORBERA intragastric balloon system. This non-surgical, non-invasive, and most importantly, not permanent treatment will help you lose up to three times more weight compared to diet and exercise. Our highly regarded staff of doctors, dieticians, and therapists from the Marina Weight Management Center will guide you through this life-changing program that will provide drastic positive results to your health and make you develop healthy habits to enjoy for a long time.
The ORBERA Intragastric Balloon System is a two-stage or a 12-month weight management program that helps you shed a substantial amount of weight. During the first 6 months, a gastric balloon is inserted into your stomach, which occupies most of the space in your stomach, allowing you to make healthy dietary modifications and achieve portion control.
ORBERA has been approved by the FDA and is the safest, long-standing, non-surgical means of losing weight. As the deflated gastric balloon is passed into the stomach through your mouth, no incisions are required. Once it reaches the stomach, it is inflated with saline solution and can move freely in your stomach. You will be advised to follow a specific diet and exercise program throughout the span of 12 months. In addition to achieving weight loss, you can learn to maintain a healthy weight for the long term.
ORBERA Intragastric Balloon System is indicated as a weight management program for obese adults with a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 40 kg/m2 who were unable to achieve weight loss through other means of weight loss such as dietary restrictions and exercise.
ORBERA for Brides to Be
The ORBERA intragastric balloon system is ideal if you have struggled with your weight and need several months to change your habits and get back on track. ORBERA is a good choice especially if you want to lose weight before a one-time event, such as a wedding. Using the intragastric balloon can help suppress appetite and make it easier to adhere to prescribed diets, helping you become accustomed to eating smaller portions of food. The balloon has to be removed after six months, so it should not be viewed as a long-term fix. Long-term weight loss depends entirely on the patient’s diet and lifestyle choices.
ORBERA & Fertility
ORBERA balloon patients are also likely to see improvements in the treatment of obesity-related infertility. Being overweight and having infertility issues are strongly associated, and weight loss can result in improvements in fecundity in obese women. While studies are limited, one of the broadest was a retrospective study of 27 intragastric balloon patients who presented with the diagnosis of infertility. 15 of these 27 women, who had tried unsuccessfully to become pregnant before weight management, became pregnant after using the ORBERA balloon. The pregnancies occurred without complications and resulted in live births. Therefore, the ORBERA Intragastric Balloon System may be effective if you are overweight, have infertility issues, and wish to become pregnant.
The placement of an ORBERA Intragastric Balloon involves a simple, 30-minute long out-patient procedure in which the deflated balloon is inserted through your mouth into your stomach.
Then, with the help of a syringe, the balloon is filled with a safe saline solution until it expands to the size of a grape.
You will feel comfortable during the procedure as you will be under mild sedation.
This is a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure and you can return home the same day.
The ORBERA Gastric Balloon remains in your stomach for about 6 months after which it is removed.
The removal of the ORBERA Intragastric Balloon is an endoscopic, non-surgical procedure. Through the endoscope, a needle instrument is passed down into your stomach to burst the balloon. With the help of suction tubing, the fluid is emptied from the balloon. The balloon is then held with a wire grasper and slowly withdrawn through your esophagus into the mouth from where it is removed.
ORBERA Intragastric balloon poses the risk of some complications such as obstruction in the bowel if it remains in your stomach for more than 6 months. Other complications that may occur due to the use of ORBERA include the risks involved in the endoscopic procedure and the medications used during the procedure. Potential complications that may result with ORBERA gastric balloon include the following:
You can expect three times more weight loss with ORBERA gastric balloon placement when compared to diet and exercise.
Although you may experience nausea and vomiting during the initial days after placement of the gastric balloon, this will disappear within 1-2 weeks.
Your doctor will suggest certain medications that can help you with these symptoms. You will be able to shed a major amount of those extra pounds you have tried losing within the first few months of placement of the ORBERA Intragastric Balloon.
The results you derive also depend on how well you change your eating habits and sustain your efforts to be active.