What To Know About a Stomach Balloon

Forest Hills Gastroenterology and Dr. Azeem Khan can provide many therapies for many health problems…including obesity. If you have obesity, you know how (emotionally, physically, and mentally) devastating it can be to live with it. Thankfully, we can provide a stomach balloon in New York City & Forest Hills, NY, to help you out: here’s what you need to know about this process.

What Is a Balloon?

If you struggle with obesity and need to lose weight quickly, a balloon may help you. They’re two connected saline-filled balloons in your stomach for six months. While there, they take up room inside your gut and make it impossible for you to overeat: you’ll feel fuller with each meal.

It’s considered a noninvasive weight solution that can temporarily limit your food intake and help you lose weight quickly. At Forest Hills Gastroenterology, Dr. Khan knows how to insert a stomach balloon for residents of New York City & Forest Hills, NY, and can ensure you get the support you need.

When To Consider It

Designed to be a noninvasive treatment, ballooning is done without incisions or cuts and is done in under 20 minutes. This outpatient procedure is something you can do on your lunch break, though there is a little recovery time necessary (it varies based on each person). That said, talking with us first is important: not everyone benefits from treatment. You should get it if you:

• Have a BMI between 30-40 (obesity)
• Struggle to lose weight through diet and exercise
• Worry about permanent weight loss solutions 
• Can’t receive extensive stomach surgery

What To Expect

We’ll prepare you during this procedure by talking about what happens first. There are a few appointments before your insertion, so you’ll feel comfortable on your procedure day. Don’t worry — we’re here to provide the help you need. Once you’re ready, this process follows these steps:

1. Preparing the balloons for insertion while you wait in a comfortable chair 
2. Sedating you gently to calm your nerves and make this process much easier
3. Carefully inserting the balloons into your mouth and working them down your throat
4. Removing the balloons after six months so that you can get back to your normal life 

When you’re done, you must maintain a healthy eating pattern — with exercise — to maintain your weight. In this way, it’s designed as a (temporary) weight-loss plan that can ensure you get started.

Lose Weight Today

If you’re struggling with weight loss and nothing seems to work, call our team at Forest Hills Gastroenterology in New York City & Forest Hills, NY. Dr. Khan can help insert a stomach balloon into your stomach to help you lose weight. Call for more information at (718) 268-0418 for the office in Forest Hills, NY, and (718) 971-1340 for the office in Elmhurst, NY.