Wayward Traveler

@@michelleg46 - don't fret. :-) from about day 4 to day 10 or so I was famished. I was always hungry enough to eat more but I was afraid I would throw up, so I white knuckled through it. Eventually that went away. I don't know if I was getting used to the lower calories or accustomed to the balloon, but either way I started getting full more easily. As time has gone on, that is even more so true. I too can eat just about anything. I have not had a negative reaction to anything. I just can't eat as much as I used to be able to. Having said that, please remember that the balloon is just a tool - not a solution . It still requires work. I strongly suggest tracking ALL of your calories and Protein. Did your doctor give you calorie and protein targets? If so, if you focus on hitting those, you WILL lose weight - balloon or not. And if you get as much protein per calorie as possible, that will increase your feeling of fullness, making you feel better ... and will ensure that you're losing fat, not muscle. To sum it up, hang in there and stay the course. Your body is still adjusting. So give it a little more time and hopefully you will feel better about everything soon. :-) Good luck!!

Best of luck to you with your surgery - wishing you great success!! :-)

@@Sailor Doom - P.S. I hope you've been able to keep pills down at this point, If not, try to at least get the anti-nausea meds down ... that alone will probably make you feel a lot better. Good luck!!

@Sailor Doom - After day two, things really started to improve for me ... hopefully they will for you too. And after a week I was almost back to normal. Just remember - popsicles are your friend. Well, at least they were mine, and they are open to new friendships. :-) Best wishes and thanks for the kind words ... my hope is to provide people with a little more help, information and support than I had, so hopefully I've been able to do just that. Cheers!!

I was also given liquid Tylenol 3 for pain, but I didn't need it (is that what Emend is for? I didn't get that, but I had the others). I was given prescription Prilosec (not sure why - it's the same dose as OTC) and was told to take it twice a day. Two thumbs up for the patch!! :-) And make sure that you get plenty if IV fluids before you head home.

@@jansluv - this may sound crazy but have you thought about eating more? I was averaging 1200 calories and 60-80 g of Protein when I went to see my regular doctor, and she told me that I needed more. She was concerned that I was losing muscle instead of fat, and that I was not eating enough for energy or satiety. So I increased to 1500-1600 calories and 80-100 g of protein (and she thought I could do even more than that, but that's where I am for the moment). Sure enough, my weight loss picked up and I felt better. It's important to note that I'm tall and have a lot to lose, so my numbers may not be the magic numbers for someone else, but they are at least food for thought. If you have not tested your BMR/RMR you might want to consider that to hone in on the ideal numbers for you. Or there are formulas that you can do online which will give you a general idea, however my experience has shown that they are not precise (but they are better than nothing). If nothing else, a little extra protein might help move the needle. Regardless, congratulations to you on your success, inside and out. Best wishes on the rest of your journey! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Once again I am fascinated by how different all of our experiences are - both with our providers and with our bodies. You would think the provider part would be fairly standardized, but it's clearly not ... every scenario seems to be a little bit different. And the differences in our reactions to the procedure just go to show that we are all unique individuals. :-) Not only have I not had issues with reflux (which I fully expected since I have a hiatal hernia), but I actually eat pretty late every day without a problem. I started out trying to eat an early dinner since so many people do have problems with that, but life dictated otherwise ... fortunately, I've been ok. And then there's the weight loss piece - one person lost 77 pounds in six months, another nothing and most everyone else someplace in between. A lot of people stop losing after 2-3 months ... I will be curious to see if I do. I hope not but even if I do, I'm happy for what I have lost, and think that it was worth it. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had to have labs in advance. Don't know if that was more for baseline stats (like cholesterol and glucose) or if it was for anesthesia, but they checked all sorts of stuff. I hate to say it, but I'm surprised how little support I've gotten from the doctor and nutritionist (and I've heard others say the same). I expected more ... but I found most of the info that I used to prep online myself. I did tell them that at my last visit, and the asked me to forward what I've found (for example, the booklets that I've posted elsewhere in this forum). I was one of their first patients so it sounds like they're still learning too. Having said that, they were all over the meds. The doctor answered my questions before I asked them and had a list of everything that he was prescribing to me, which addressed everything that I had read here. That was the most important thing to me, so it was a huge relief. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Welcome to my world! I felt the same way. I did a lot of research, read just about everything related to the balloon here and asked a lot of questions ... primarily because I didn't get a ton of info from my doctor's office. So I know exactly how you're feeling. I don't recall where I read about the wedge pillow or if I just made that leap based on being told that you might need to be propped up due to gastric reflux, but I definitely was not told by my doctor to get one. Regardless, I bought one in advance, just to be safe (it was not expensive so it seemed like a reasonable investment). I ordered it on Amazon (love Prime!), along with other supplies. In hindsight do I think it was a necessity? No ... but it didn't hurt. It ends up that I didn't need it for reflux at all, but somehow it made that first week more comfortable (I don't use it anymore, but it was a bit of a challenge to get comfortable at first). Having said that, some people do have reflux, and I'm guessing it would have been very helpful to them. Don't worry - you'll be fine, and you're doing the right thing by stocking up. Most importantly, make sure that you have all of the meds that you need. That's more than half the battle right there. Best wishes! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I just passed seven weeks. Things are going well - I feel good and do not seem to be sensitive to any foods (although it took me a couple of weeks to get there). My weight loss goals are on track, although I am hearing that people who are further out than I am I either stopped losing weight or it has slowed down quite a bit. I hope that's not the case for me, but we shall see. In the meantime I'm really focusing on getting the optimal amount of calories and Protein for me ... so far, so good. I now need to focus on exercise more ... once I get into the groove of doing that, hopefully that will keep my weight loss moving along. Fingers crossed! :-)

Glad to hear that you're doing well, and so glad that you're keeping everything down ... I was not as lucky the first 48 hours. However I never had cramping ... funny how everyone's experiences are so different! Sounds like you're doing all of the right things. Keep up the great work and keep us posted!

Good luck!! I hope all goes well and you're on the road to recovery in short order. :-) You're certainly well prepared, which is half the battle. Please do keep us posted - we'll be thinking about ya!!

I don't know about you, but I tend to research things to death. The more I research gastric balloons, the more resources I find. In addition to the Orbera and Re-Shape websites, I have found information about what to eat and when, beneficial medications, clinical trial results (the side effects sections are particularly helpful), videos from people who got balloons, etc.. I thought I would share some of that info here in order to expedite the research process for others. Please note that none of this info is from my doctor, and I am not endorsing any of it or vouching for its accuracy. I am just passing my research along in the hopes that it helps someone else process all of their options and/or helps them adjustment to the balloon. Are you aware of other balloon resources out there? If so, please post them here ... I'd love to see them and I am sure that others would, too. Thank you!! :-) http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf14/P140008d.pdf http://www.coloradoweightlosssurgery.com/files/2014/10/Rose-Intragastric-Balloon-Handbook_pgs.pdf http://www.drpaulfroomes.com.au/pdfs/orbera/obera-tips-for-healthy-weightloss.pdf http://www.drpaulfroomes.com.au/pdfs/orbera/obera-food-guidelines-poster.pdf https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/your-diet-following-a-intra-gastric-balloon-placement.pdf https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTTptbNzAPGIyaeph2-Ok8w https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAtCsXt4lOv_JusALuvDJRA

Oh well I guess you can disregard my previous post since you answered it here. :-) Glad to hear it's going well - best wishes with the rest of your journey!

Hi! How long has it been for you, and how's it going? Cheers! :-)

It's been seven weeks since my balloon placement and I'm feeling very settled in. My body has adjusted to the feeling of the balloon, I am not nauseous, I've figured out what seem to be effective calorie/protein goals for me, I have not had negative reactions to any types of food and I am able to exercise (but I need to do it a lot more). So I've got four months of hard work to go to get the most that I possibly can out of this experience, and I am committed to doing it. However, since I feel like I'm almost in auto-pilot at this point, I am already starting to think about what's next. For those of you who have had the balloon removed, how is it going? Is it easier or harder than before/during the balloon? Are you still losing? Has the weight started to return? I am curious what I should expect and how I should prepare ... thank you! @@islesdriveforfive @@jeff636

Hello again! I was just thinking further about stomach size (and whether or not it shrinks), as I am feeling fuller as time goes by (but not uncomfortably so). I goggled it and found some interesting stuff. Here are two articles ... they are not totally in alignment and I have no idea which is more accurate (if either), but they are food for thought, nonetheless (no pun intended ). http://www.webmd.com/women/features/stomach-problems (read #2) http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/does-dieting-actually-make-your-stomach-shrink-180955521/?no-ist

It's funny ... I seriously don't think I had had a popsicle in decades, but I lived on them for the first three days post-procedure, and they're now my go-to treat - lol! I don't remember them being so refreshing and satisfying, but I've really grown to appreciate them. And when I'm really feeling crazy, I splurge with a 45 calorie / 1 g Protein creamsicle - woo hoo! Oh and I second you on the fiber supplements - I wish someone had told me to take them just before/after the procedure. From what I've heard, a lot of people echo that sentiment.

I'm so sorry to hear that - that sounds awful. :-( Have you talked to your doctor and/or nutritionist? If not, you should do so right away - hopefully they will have some helpful advice. I honestly don't know if the stomach shrinks, but I can tell you that my fullness levels have changed over time. After the first few days of nausea, I was REALLY hungry for like a week, but I was afraid to eat too much (I didn't want to throw up again). Then I was fine for about a month - not hungry, not full. Now I am starting to feel fuller. So I don't know if the stomach actually shrinks, or if you body/brain just adjusts. But I definitely notice a difference. You might want to try Protein /meal replacement drinks and soft protein-rich foods (ex: Greek yogurt, eggs, etc.) to ensure that you're getting some decent nutrition until you talk to your doctor. That all might go down better than solid foods, and have an easier time working its way around the balloon. And maybe even things like Gatorade to help with hydration. Good luck - I hope you feel better soon!

Haha! No - I'm neither. I was reading the meds list from my doc and transcribing it because I was asked for the drug names. :-) I didn't remember the specific names before doing that ... that's why my previous post was so generic - lol! And if I was a sales person I would push Orbera. But when people ask whether to do a balloon or sleeve or whatever, I always tell them to weigh all of the input and do what's best for them - I would NEVER tell someone to get the balloon. I don't think it's for everyone ... Just like WLS was not for me. It's a very personal decision. Besides, I would feel terrible if I told someone they should do it and then they had a bad experience. I'm also careful to say that just because I didn't need a med does not mean someone else won't. I've read everything I can find on the balloon and one thing is clear - every experience is different. So better to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. What you're seeing in my posts is the fact that I'm VERY analytical ... Which is a nice way of saying OCD - lol! :-D I research things to death. A friend says that he thinks I do a comparative spreadsheet before I will even purchasing an appliance - ha!! The challenge for me was the fact that I had a hard time finding balloon info before getting mine inserted. That's a real issue for someone who likes to have all sorts of data inputs before making a decision. So now I try to be a resource for others, so they can have all of the info that they need. Hopefully it helps. Just like people like you helped me. Ironically I had a follow up appointment with my nutritionist yesterday, and she had a similar reaction. Rather than giving me a lot of information she just asked me a lot of questions about my experience. She wanted to know what was working well and what was not, and what I was reading/hearing elsewhere. The conversation seemed backwards, but she admits that she just doesn't know much about Orbera - she's still learning and trying to figure out how to best support their balloon patients. So I guess I'm her Guinea pig. :-) Cheers!

Hey! Just looked at my meds. Yes - I had levsin for spasms too (but thankfully didn't need it - have heard that the spasms can be pretty miserable). Ativan was for anxiety and Tylenol 3 was for pain (the latter was in liquid form, but again, didn't need either - however have heard of people needing both). I also has the scopolamine patch before (that seems to make a huge difference for most folks - myself included), decadron and PPI via IV before (I think zofran was in there too), lots of zofran after, and I still take prescription Prilosec twice a day. Oh and another bag or two of IV fluids after to prevent dehydration. Good luck!! :-)

I was also given anti-anxiety and pain meds but did not need them. Regardless, I was happy to have them, just in case. Is one of your meds for stomach spasms? I was given something for that too, but did not need it. However some people suffer from spasms pretty badly, so you might want something for that, as well, just to be safe. I mostly just needed to nausea meds, and needed them for several days. I still take PPIs ... that seems to be true for pretty much everyone. A lot of people seem to struggle with constipation (at least at first), so I would recommend a stool softener, as well. One thing I read even recommended to start taking them before the procedure. Good luck!

Wise to stay away from the full (not clear) Protein drinks just yet - I think that's too much too soon. I certainly could not have done it, but you really listen to whatever your body is telling you. I bought the clear isopure zero carb RTDs for post procedure, but I could not even stomach those. If you can, that's great!! I know a lot of people do well with them. Hopefully Popsicles will help. They were easy for me to stomach and omething about the coolness going down made me feel better too. Glad you are experimenting with how to get comfortable, and that trying your left side has helped. Funny you were told your right - that's the first time I heard that. Again, do whatever feels best for you. Propping yourself up a bit may help too. Sorry you're having so much trouble with the vomiting. That sucks. I did it 3 times in less than a 12 hour span and then I was fine - hopefully it will pass quickly for you too. If nothing else, most people seem to feel a lot better on day three so hang in there ... one more sleep til you're there!! :-)

P.S. The headache could also be slight dehydration so make sure you're getting as much Water as you can stomach. When I felt like I could not take anymore Fluid, that's where the ice, Popsicles and even Jello really helped. Ironically, since then Popsicles have become my go-to sweet treat. :-) Before then I don't think I had had one for like 30 years - lol!! I would not even worry about sugar-free Popsicles and jello at first. Your caloric intake is so low that first week that I figured the sugar and 40 calories per Popsicle, for example, were keeping me from getting weak and shaky (as long as your stomach can tolerate the sugar). Good luck!!

That's interesting - I thought I had read that you had to sleep on your left ... and that's the only side I could sleep on for about a week. My right side and my back made me more nauseous. I'd say do whatever makes you feel better ... you will know pretty much immediately when you try. If headaches or other pain persist, you might want to ask for liquid Tylenol 3. That's what I was given. I was told to take children's liquid Tylenol if I needed less relief so that was a good move on your part. :-) I've heard that if you're uncomfortable, the downward dog yoga position helps. I've never had to do it but I've read that several places. Were you given a patch for nausea? If not, you might want to ask for one immediately. That seems to have helped most people a lot. Ice and Popsicles also made me feel better the first couple of days. Hang in there - it does get better! Reach via the forum or private messages if you need anything at all. Best wishes!!