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The Pros and Cons of a Choosing a Gastric Balloon

Gastric_BalloonA lot of people are turning to surgical procedures in order to resolve their problems with being overweight. Medical procedures and technology are improving on an almost daily basis and most insurance companies now cover weight loss surgery subject to certain criteria. But even if the insurance company does not cover the surgery, it is now far more affordable. A lot of people who are overweight find it impossible to get rid of it, even if they do attempt to eat healthier and move more. There are also people who use the gastric balloon as a way to give them a helping hand at losing weight. Either way, if you are thinking about having weight loss surgery, you need to be fully aware of both the pros and cons of having such a procedure completed.

Pros and Cons of Weight Loss Surgery

For over 15 years now, weight loss surgery has been proven to benefit people who suffer from being overweight. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has released guidelines to state that having a gastric balloon can be beneficial for people who have a BMI (body mass index) of at least 30, although they will generally suggest co-morbidity has to be present if the BMI is below 35.

The greatest benefit of having this type of surgery is that weight loss will almost inevitably occur. However, other benefits also exist. These include:

  • The fact that the gastric balloon is a minimally invasive, which means there are also very few risks associated with it. The recovery time is also much shorter, meaning people can return to their daily lives quicker.
  • Using a gastric balloon means that no changes are made to the anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract or the stomach.

Additionally, the statistics in terms of results on co-morbidity and other health conditions are also very positive:

  • 60% of people fully resolve their type 2 diabetes.
  • 75% of patients can stop taking high blood pressure medication.
  • 90% of patients resolve their fertility issues.
  • 75% of patients see their cholesterol levels drop back down to healthy, which means they are at lower risk of developing heart disease.
  • The risk of death due to obesity is reduced by 50%.

This sounds tremendous, which it is, but it is also important to be realistic about the risks. No medical procedure is 100% safe, after all. Associated risks include:

  • Ineffectiveness of the balloon in 0.26% of cases.
  • Erosion in 0.5% of cases.
  • Problems with insertion in 1.15% of cases.

In reality, however, these risks are minimal. However, they do exist and only you can decide whether the benefits outweigh these risks. This is why it is so important that you have proper consultations with a weight loss expert about the possibilities that are out there and what is most suited to you. This is also why weight loss surgery of any kind will generally only be offered to those people who have already tried every other avenue.

If you have any questions, please ask below!