Can the Obalon® Balloon System Help Me Get Ready for Summer?

Summer is around the corner, and if you’re trying to get a beach-ready body, you might wonder if the Obalon® Balloon System can help. This nonsurgical treatment uses gastric balloons to help you retrain your body and brain to eat less and reach your weight-loss goals.

James J. Chao, MD, FACS, and our weight-loss team at OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare in San Diego, Encinitas, and Temecula, California, have extensive experience with the Obalon Balloon System. One of the most common questions we answer is, “How quickly can I lose weight with Obalon?”

To answer this question and give you the details you need about this FDA-approved weight-loss system, keep reading our informative guide.

Are you an Obalon System candidate?

Before diving into the ins and outs of how Obalon works and the rate at which you can expect to lose weight, it’s important to understand that Obalon isn’t for everyone. 

To determine if you’re a candidate, schedule a weight-loss consultation with Dr. Chao, who reviews your overall health and medical history as well as weight-loss history to give you personalized recommendations for reaching your goal.

Generally, adults (over 22 years) with a BMI between 30-40 or 30-100 pounds to lose are candidates for the Obalon Balloon System. In addition, the best candidates also:

• Have a history of struggling to lose weight 
• Are committed to making behavioral, dietary, and exercise changes to support weight loss
• Are in good overall health
• Are not and do not plan to become pregnant for the duration of Obalon treatment

In addition, patients who undergo the Obalon System should plan to live at around the same altitude as where the balloons are placed. If you have a move planned that will take you 4,000 feet above or 2,500 feet below this elevation, you must wait to have the balloons placed. 

It’s also important to consider the contraindications, which could mean you aren’t a good candidate for the Obalon System. For example, some issues that can preclude you from getting Obalon include but are not limited to:

• History of an eating disorder
• History of bariatric surgery or any procedure that affects the size/function of your digestive tract
• History of any GI disorder or disability

In addition, having taken any medication that irritates your digestive tract or having an active case of H. pylori means the Obalon System isn’t for you. 

How can the Obalon System help me lose weight? 

The Obalon Balloon System uses medical-grade balloons made of silicone rubber to take up space in your stomach, helping you feel fuller faster. Since you don’t eat as much, you shed excess pounds more quickly and easily. 

At the same time, the system trains your brain and body to eat smaller meals and snacks, helping you keep it off. Research shows that after the one-year mark without the balloons, Obalon patients keep off 89% of the weight lost.

There’s no surgery required. You simply swallow the gastric balloon while your provider checks that they’re in the correct position using an X-ray or other imaging tool. The entire appointment only takes about 10 minutes. 

Most patients swallow three medical-grade balloons at three separate appointments. However, your provider may recommend fewer balloons depending on your goals and current weight. 

The system is designed to leave the balloons in place for six months. However, you can have them removed at any time in under 20 minutes with a quick endoscopic procedure.

How quickly will I lose weight with Obalon?

The Obalon Balloon System doesn’t deliver overnight weight-loss results. Because the system changes your eating habits, most patients reach their optimal weight loss (30-50%) after a year as they continue to eat less and less.

That being said, the majority of your weight loss typically occurs in the first three to four months. And because you follow a liquid diet immediately following the balloon placement, most patients lose noticeable weight in the first few weeks. 

On average, you can expect to lose 10-15% of your body weight by the time your balloons are removed at the six-month point. Healthy eating and regular exercise can both speed weight loss and help you keep off the weight. 

In other words? If you start the Obalon System in spring, you’ll have noticeable weight-loss results this summer!

Get personalized weight-loss recommendations and information about whether the Obalon Balloon System is right for you by scheduling a consultation at OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare today.