Retake control of your weight .....and your life
There is another way to lose weight without surgery or slimming aids.
Are diets or slimming drugs not working for you?
If you are one of the thousands of people who have tried dieting the ‘traditional’ way or have been seduced by so-called ‘alternative’ weight-loss schemes without success, then you may need help of a different kind.
It’s a fact that diets alone rarely change long-term eating habits. Many people find themselves in a cycle of losing and gaining weight, as they switch from one failed diet to another – the so-called yo-yo effect. Others may resort to slimming drugs or diet suppressants, but even then unpleasant side effects can make it difficult to stay the course.
The simple truth is, that most people find it extremely difficult to maintain a rigorous dietary regime over the long term, especially when the foods they can eat may not be particularly appetising!
There is another option for people who want to lose weight but don’t want or qualify for more drastic measures like surgery.
Is the balloon right for me?
To qualify for the intragastric balloon you must be:
- At least 18 years old
- Obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 27*
- Ready to comply with a professional medically supervised programme
*you can work out your own BMI by using the following calculation: Your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters. Kg/m2 = BMI - Check your BMI here
Use of the intragastric balloon is not advised in people with a BMI of less than 27, unless accompanied by other health problems associated with obesity that would be expected to improve with weight loss, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Certain medical conditions may also preclude patients from receiving the balloon. Further information is available by contacting us on 01633 815900.
How is the gastric balloon inserted?
The soft, silicone balloon is designed to sit in your stomach for six months. The deflated balloon is attached to a soft tube and is passed through your mouth, into your stomach during a simple 15-20 minute procedure called endoscopy. You will be midly sedated while the balloon is inserted and filled with saline to the appropriate volume.
It’s the weight of the saline that gives the balloon the appropriate ‘presence’ to give you a feeling of fullness.
The tube is then removed through your mouth leaving the inflated balloon in your stomach.
Removal after six months is just as simple. A tube is passed through your mouth into your stomach and the balloon deflated. The deflated balloon is then pulled back out through your mouth again. Patients can be discharged home again within a matter of hours. Most people need little, if any, time off work.
How much weight could I expect to lose?
Patients participating in the programme can expect to have significant weight-loss in the first six months. The amount of weight you lose and how long you maintain that weight-loss depends on how well you adopt long-term lifestyle changes related to eating and exercise.
The following results were achieved in two large published clinical studies using one of the available intragastric balloon systems.
Brazilian study, 2004
323 patients: average weight loss after
6months: 15 kg
European study, 2005
2.515 patients: average weight loss after
6 months: 20 kg
How important is the weight-loss education?
The follow-up programme is critical to success with the intragastric balloon and in learning new lifestyle skills. Your doctor, dietitian, and/or other experts will play important roles in evaluating your needs to create a programme that’s right for you.
Your appointment schedule will be decided with your team. However, it is critical that you attend all meetings. Your success with the Intragastric Balloon Programme will depend on how committed you are to learning from your support team and adopting the principles of good health into your daily life.
Experience shows that those who regularly attend the scheduled follow-up meetings have the best short and long-term results.
Welcome to the intragastric balloon programme
The intragastric balloon is a simple tool that is designed to give you the extra help you need to adjust to a healthier lifestyle.
The programme is made up of two important parts:
1: The Intragastric Balloon
The intragastric balloon is a soft, saline-filled silicone balloon that is placed in the stomach for six months. The balloon is designed to partially fill your stomach giving you a feeling of fullness. In medical terms this is called satiety. It will not only make you feel less hungry, but feel fuller more quickly after small meals.
2: Weight-loss Education
The intragastric balloon is only part of the solution; it cannot work without your commitment and the support of a supervisory medical team. They will help design a programme to help you successfully reach and maintain your weight-loss goals. While learning, you will be motivated by your success and more easily turn these principles into habits that will serve you the rest of your life.
Benefits of the Intragastric Balloon Programme
- Proven to deliver better weight-loss than with diet alone
- Simple non-surgical procedure
- Does not require long-term drug therapy
- Helps create and maintain a feeling of fullness
- Makes it easier to adopt changes to your eating habits and lifestyle
The Health of the Nation
As our portions become larger and our way of life more sedentary, we are eating more and exercising less. The natural consequence of this trend is now seen in what many healthcare professionals call the obesity epidemic. It’s a fact that European obesity rates have tripled in the last 20 years which, if nothing is done, will mean that nearly 1 in 5 people will be affected by 2010.
Many countries now face a major healthcare crisis. The link between obesity and serious health conditions, including death, is clear. Diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and hypertension are all closely correlated with obesity and are also increasing, straining healthcare budgets. The more overweight we are, the worse the problems become.
Dietary advice of every kind is also on the rise, but diets alone rarely change long-term eating habits and many schemes have not delivered the anticipated successful weight loss and long-term results they continually promise. Thousands of moderately obese people clearly need more help that cannot be provided with drug therapy or dietary advice alone. Such alternative solutions must combine the best of today’s medical technology with proven principles for healthy lifestyle change.
Lose weight , gain life
If you would like to discuss the gastric balloon procedure with one of specialist consultants, you can make a free, no obligation appointment by contacting Nucleus Healthcare on 01633 815900.
Interest free payment plans available, please ask for details,conditions apply.
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