Optifast, Gastric Balloons... Oh, no!

[Guest IsabelM]

Hello to all,

My first meeting with my surgeon isn't scheduled until January 19th, and I am still not 100% I want to get banded. Nevertheless, I met with my endocrinologist yesterday, and she strongly adviced me to go on Optifast to loose some weight prior to any surgical intervention. She also asked me to consider using a gastric balloon to help me loose weight before the operation.

I weighed in at 324 pounds (my highest weight ever: 346 pounds). Just 3 years ago, I weighed 210 pounds.

Have any of you out been able to stick to a liquid diet, such as Optifast, for a significant period of time? How did you do it? I've tried it before, but I've only been able to stick to it for a few hours (does that even count?) I just hope I can make it through today!

[banded_for_life 2]

I know there are some on the board that have. I never gave Optifast a try...I was busy trying every other thing on the market. What the heck is a gastric balloon...never heard of that. Best of luck on the Optifast..

[sleepyjean 0]

I'm no expert, as I'm pre-band as well, but it seems to me that your endocrinologist's advice is well and good, but she's not the surgeon. I'd either wait to talk to the surgeon, or else call his office and find out if they usually ask people to lose a certain amount of weight before the surgery. (Just tell them you are wanting a head start)

Personally, I would never go on Optifast unless I was sure that I was getting banded, because that's a setup for failure. If you go on Optifast and decide not to get banded, you'll probably gain the weight back, and then some. But if you do decide to get banded, and the surgeon does want you to lose weight, Optifast is an option.

the only thing I know about the gastric balloon is that it's insertion and/or removal has not been covered by any of my health insurance carriers. The balloon seems like the old/outdated approach to me. That was popular about 10-15 years ago, wasn't it?

[donali 57]

The big problem with both of those options is that they are temporary. As soon as the gastric balloon is removed, or you go back to eating solid foods after Optifast, any weight lost will more than likely come back on.

[the best me 6]

If I were getting banded, there's no way I'd get a balloon. I understand where the endocrinologist is going with losing some weight before surgery, but I'd refuse the balloon. Wait and see what your band doc says. Many bandsters with BMIs over 40 (is yours?) are required to do a liver-shrinking liquid diet for a week or more before band surgery. I'd imagine that would be less expensive than showing up at the Optifast door with your checkbook open. There are lots of liquid protien drinks on the market that would do you just fine for a few weeks. Check with your band doc before doing anything.

[Guest IsabelM]

Hello all,

Thanks for your replies. Here's what I've been able to find out about gastric balloons:

A gastric balloon is a water-filled balloon that's inserted into your stomach for up to six months. It is supposed to help make the stomach take in less food. From what I've been able to gather, it is approved in Europe. Canadanian researchers are currently experimenting with it as a non-surgical method for weight loss. It's never been used in the US.

It is definately temporary. The Dr. suggested it as pre-op prep. Nevertheless, I've decided to wait until I meet with the surgeon, or at least until I am sure I want to be banded!

[Iluvharleys 15]

I have tried so many different diets, and the same thing happens, I lose a ton but gain it back the minute I quit the diet. I would think that would happen with the two things you are researching too. If you aren't sure if the band is for you, by all means wait! The band is major surgery, and nothing to be taken lightly. Please, read everything you can on what ever you decide to do!

Good Luck!

[Alexra 0]

I did medifast for 5 months and it was very hard. My period stopped and my hair started really falling out. It took a year or so off of it to get back to normal. I personally wouldn't reccomend it to anyone. I think outside of the band the healthiest way to lose weight is weight watchers. Although that only worked for me short term, the band has been the best thing to happen to me.

[Dody 0]

Hello to all,

My first meeting with my surgeon isn't scheduled until January 19th, and I am still not 100% I want to get banded. Nevertheless, I met with my endocrinologist yesterday, and she strongly adviced me to go on Optifast to loose some weight prior to any surgical intervention. She also asked me to consider using a gastric balloon to help me loose weight before the operation.

I weighed in at 324 pounds (my highest weight ever: 346 pounds). Just 3 years ago, I weighed 210 pounds.

Have any of you out been able to stick to a liquid diet, such as Optifast, for a significant period of time? How did you do it? I've tried it before, but I've only been able to stick to it for a few hours (does that even count?) I just hope I can make it through today!

My dr. recommends either the lap banding or the gastric balloon. I googled it and got lots of info on it, but still decided on the lap band. I'm hoping I've made the right choice. I've heard that some people find the gastric balloon son uncomfortable that they have had it immediately removed. That's something I don't want to take a chance on.

The old balloons were Water filled and could often burst on over-eating. The new ones (and there are pictures on line) appear to be made of a plastic material. Go to some of the sites "gastric balloon" and you can find pictures of them. I have no idea how well they work.

[Alexandra 55]

Shortly before I was banded I got some terrible advice from an endocrinologist: He suggested I get the VBG surgery (vertical banded gastroplasty), which is really not even the "done" thing anymore--if it ever was--due to its high failure rate. I told him I'd decided on lapbanding, but he was insistent that VBG was the way to go. I thanked him and went on my merry way.

Moral of the story: don't take surgical advice from endocrinologists. As far as preop weight loss goes, you do what your surgeon tells you. Losing weight is always a good thing, but you should definitely wait until you're under a doctor's care before attempting anything like Optifast. I did it years ago for 12 weeks and Alexra's right, it's miserable.

[dolphin_dreams 0]

You've gotten some good advice from the others. I would definitely talk to a lap band surgeon before doing anything.

I was on Optifast for two weeks before surgery. It was required by my surgeon but believe it or not I'm glad I did it. Knowing that I would be having surgery(and having an incredible family) helped me stick with it. I feel like that it was much easier for me after surgery because I had gotten used to liquids and had already gone through some mental battles and had the right mind set.

Keep in mind that all doctors require different things before surgery. Good luck to you and keep us posted.