No I havent but my god it would be weird. Espeically with a saline filled balloon instead of an air one it would be pulling gs all around your stomach. Makes me quezy just thinking about it!

I have a screening/physical appointment on Monday and I've filled out tons of questionnaires for the medical office doing the clinical trial. I'm definately feeling much better about things...excited, really.

Dopotter when will you know if you are in the proper trial and will get the balloon?

Will1984 when is your insertion?

and Gloria can you let me know how much you lost roughly week to week?

Well, I've passed the physical screening, EKG, bloodwork, and psychological exam. I still have the upper GI on the 24th and the gastric emptying test on the 25th. Assuming I pass both of those, then I will find out on March 4th, hopefully. If I am in the group getting the balloon, I will have the procedure on March 12.
In the meantime, I already have to log all my food and steps per day (using a pedometer). I've been really, really good until lunch today, and I totally pigged out on Mexican food. But, I won't let it "weigh" me down. In a few minutes, I am going for a walk and after work, to the gym to work out. In the past I've found that a caloric slurge once in a while kid of resets my metabolism and often the scale goes down. However, I know that with the balloon, gorging myself on enchiladas will be a very very bad, if not impossible, idea.
I am keeping a blog. I'll see if I am able to put a link on my profile.
Rachel

Hello,
I am really looking for some advise. I am having my balloon fitted on the 11th March. I notice there are a number of mixed opinions on here, which I would expect to see, but one person seems to have had a very bad experience. I am very frightened about having it done but feel I am mentally ready as well as physcially and I have passed all that. I just wanted to get peoples views on the journey and how sucessful the weight loss was after having the balloon out. I notice some people have lost up to 5 stone in the 6 months and thats amazing! I am looking to loss 6stone 10lb to bring me down to my ideal weight, which I know I probably cant do in the six/eight months...But any help or suggestions would be fantastic
Thank you lots in advance
Cornishgal x

Ive lost 13 pounds in a little over a month, so thats almost a stone. a lot of that was from the liquid diet the first week and all the nausea and vomiting. I think a steady 1-2 pounds per week is achievable. thing is you have to want to work at it, someone can sit there drinking high calorie milkshakes all day then say the balloon didnt work. its very good for making you feel full with little food. also I find its good that I cannot drink pop (makes you way too gassy and you burp all the time) and cannot eat restaurant meals (that was always my downfall when dieting, my willpower could not stop me eating large meals) so those 2 things in itself will help me finally lose the weight.

Hi quick update i had my 4th weigh in today,all together i have lost 23lb so i am happy with that. Still suffering with sickness though and tried alcohol which didnt go down too well. Keep up the good work everyone.

I know a guy who knows a guy that had a sister who got a gastric balloon put inside of her to help her lose weight, but before they did the surgery, the doctor twisted the balloon into the shape of a dinosaur and wished her a happy birthday. I don't think they were doing it right.

Hey that's great news! Is that just in four weeks? x

I was just thinking the other day, what is it like to have the hiccups with a gastric balloon?

hiccups are no different than without the balloon, I had them yesterday!!
burps on the other hand are worse with the balloon as there seems to be way more gas in my stomach, and when you burp you get this gross gassy taste in your mouth!! and they can last a while, I never have burped so much!!

Can Anyone advise what are the best things to eat throughout this. I do not eat fish or meat. So I feel it's going to be a little hard to find things to eat. Please could someone help, in how to make this a success after the 6-8 months, as there are a few people on here that say it doesn't, which I just don't understand, as surely this can't NOT work?? I am worried as it is costing me alot of money, which I am having to borrow, so this is my last chance.
Thanks in advance x

I've been told to stick to a minimum of 55grams of protein (will be harder if you don't eat meat), and to be sure that all fruits and veggies are peeled/skinned. I've been told to avoid high gas producing foods like cabbage and broccoli. I've also been told that dairy after the first few days in the form of yogurt especially is great. Supposedly, I should be cutting my meal size at least in half. I also (after the first week) will need to make sure I am getting an absolute minimum of 900 calories per day but less than 1300. I think this will be hard to do if I'm eating so little.
Who knows...I may not even be getting the balloon. If I do, though, I feel very fortunate that all the expenses are being paid by the research company doing the clinical trial. (In fact, they are actually paying me $1400 to be a participant in the study, but I would have done it without payment for sure).

I Tina, hope you're still on here after your great success. I am having mine fitted on Weds and I live just along the valley.
Any help would be gratefully received.
D

Im a very fussy eater so have been finding it hard what to eat too. honestly im eating more or less the same just about half the portions. Icant drink pop as it makes you burp and gassy and I avoid large restaurant meals as they just come up again, so both those things are helping with the weight loss. Ive lost just over 16 pounds since the beginning of january. I could probably do better if I chose even healthier meals, but Im fussy and dont like salad or veggies. I didnt have a good week this week and ate a lot of fast foods and usually would gain, but I lost almost half a pound. Ive never been able to diet before so the balloon for me is amazing.