Orbera Gastric Balloon
Conveniently located to serve the areas of Marin, San Francisco, Sonoma and Napa
Lose 3x more weight than diet & exercise alone!
The Orbera gastric balloon is a non-surgical weight loss procedure to help patients better regulate their dietary intake. Throughout our lives, our weight fluctuates. For some, the older they get, the harder it becomes to lower the number on the scale. For many, weight loss may have always been a struggle. If you ask any health and wellness guru for guidance, they usually point to diet and exercise as the only options to lose weight. While there is no denying diet and exercise are essential for a happy, healthy life, some people can’t effectively regulate their diet and reach their goal weight. For those patients, we offer a health and wellness program combined with the Orbera gastric balloon for optimal results. By pairing the weight loss program and interventional weight loss balloon, our patients typically lose 2-3x more weight than diet and exercise alone. Our Orbera Weight Loss Program is one of the most successful in the country. Take the first step towards a healthier you by scheduling a personal consultation at our Marin County offices. Here, we’ll assess your weight loss goals and recommend the best approach for your desired results. If you would like to speak with our friendly staff, don’t hesitate to call us at (415) 384-9787.
Prioritizing your health seems like a no-brainer, but do we do it? Only sometimes. Imagine losing 30 lbs. What would a confident new you feel like? How easy would it be to keep up with your kids? Or play an extra round of golf? Or look forward to bikini time at the pool in Cabo?
PSS introduced the Health and Wellness program with gastric balloons to fill the needs of patients who come to us desiring surgery but are not ready for it. They are too heavy to get the results they want.*
*Results May Vary
The Struggles of Losing Weight
Different seasons of life bring about different struggles. For many, remaining at a healthy, stable weight is a struggle that persists from season to season. Initially, people begin a weight loss journey and see the pounds shed from their bodies. It sure isn’t easy. But as they eat healthier and work out more often, the lost weight creates a positive feedback loop that inspires them to stay on track. As they integrate new daily habits, the number on the scale keeps falling. But, over time, the weight loss slows, eventually ceasing altogether. Typically, when people hit this plateau, they haven’t reached their goal weight yet. They continue eating healthy and working out, trying to maintain their momentum, but the number on the scale stays unrelentingly the same. As the pounds creep back on, they might get discouraged, give up, and lean into old eating habits with renewed enthusiasm. Eventually, all the lost weight piles back on, bringing some extra pounds too. In 29 long-term weight loss studies, researchers found that more than 50% of the lost weight was regained within two years, and more than 80% was regained after five years.[1] This is often the story for many of our clients.
Not All Fat Is Bad
Now, we can’t blame this all on fat. Adipose tissue (fat) plays a vital role in our body’s physiology to support our metabolism and fuel our muscles. Without proper adipose tissue, our body is susceptible to serious health conditions like insulin resistance and diabetes.[2] But, too much fat tissue can result in just as severe health conditions like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.[3] So, finding the right amount of body fat is important when investigating weight loss methods.
Our Expert Approach
We know it takes about four to six weeks to change a bad habit to a good one. Why is that important? We occasionally need a hand in the first part of the weight loss journey to change habits and get us through.* For this reason, we introduced the gastric balloon concept to our practice.
The balloon is a temporary intervention, literally. It sits in the stomach and occupies space, preventing overeating.* While developing healthier eating habits, this device helps keep you on the straight and narrow, feeling good but full, with smaller amounts of food.*
New exercise and eating habits are the only answer to sustained weight loss and stabilization. Gastric balloons are a temporary help to solve a “lifestyle” problem.* These balloons are placed without surgery and removed just as easily.* They can be uncomfortable initially, but that feeling typically disappears within the first week.*
*Results May Vary
A Roadmap To Long-Term Weight Loss
As you decide to lose weight and lighten your life, we will be with you every step of the way.
Drs. Poulos and Hvistendahl will consult with you on the proper choice for your balloon.
As an aesthetic surgery practice, we are here to make you look good and feel good.* If your goal is to Reshape Your Life, we also offer you a 10% discount on any surgery for a year after your balloon program. Those who come to us with a desire for a Mommy Makeover or Tummy Tuck may be disappointed when the doctors recommend a weight loss program before reshaping with surgery. This recommendation is for your health and wellbeing. We want your surgery to be effective, transformative, and ultimately to allow you to achieve your goal; a healthier, more fit, shapelier, and happier you.*
*Results May Vary
Please get in touch with us so we can walk you through your choices and begin your health and wellness journey.
Candidates
Patients who respond well to Orbera are typically those who:
- Have tried to lose weight before with little to no success
- Have realistic expectations as to what Orbera can do
- Are willing and interested in changing their eating habits before and after Orbera
- Are willing to meet with us for the next 12 months for health and wellness check-ups
- Have experienced life-long struggles managing their weight
- Are eager to see how we can help them lose 3x more weight than diet and exercise alone!
About The Experts at PSS
Opening in 2007, Plastic Surgery Specialists (PSS) has grown to include multiple board-certified surgeons and a team of over 20 medical practitioners. With our surgical cosmetic solutions, newly added MedSpa, and weight loss specialties, we proudly serve Marin County with the best care and services possible. Over the years, our practice has gained a reputation for giving our patients their desired cosmetic appearance while informing and educating them throughout the process. And we are excited to bring those same qualities to your initial consultation. We understand weight loss is a deeply personal journey with a rollercoaster of hills and valleys. At PSS, we are proud and committed to helping you leave our care feeling and looking better than you arrived.
Personal Consultation
We will conduct a brief physical examination and a new patient intake interview to begin your initial consultation. Your physical examination will help us note where you are on your weight loss journey and what might be a comfortable, resting weight to aim towards. The new patient intake interview will answer our questions about your optimal physical appearance. Many patients have additional goals alongside a target weight. Some dream of seeing their abdominal muscles. Others desire to fit into that old pair of skinny jeans. Whatever your individual goals, we are here to help and guide you through this journey. Before your consultation, check out our page detailing our weight loss program. Don’t hesitate to ask during your visits if you still have questions.
Preparation
After we approve you for the Orbera gastric balloon, we will give you a list of preparatory steps to follow between your consultation and your Orbera procedure. These instructions will include:
- Come to your procedure with an empty stomach.
- Fill all prescriptions beforehand.
- Designate a caregiver to drive you home. While Orbera is performed in-office and only requires mild sedation, you will not be fit to drive yourself home following the procedure.
Procedure
We will begin your procedure by giving you the appropriate sedation. Next, we will use an endoscope to position the Orbera gastric balloon inside your stomach. We then fill the balloon with a purified saline solution. After we remove the endoscope, the balloon sits in the middle of your stomach. This is a fairly quick procedure, so you will be able to go home and rest pretty soon after.
Keeping You On Course
We will meet with you over the next six months to check how you’ve acclimated to the Orbera balloon. It may take a few days until you can introduce exercise. The balloon won’t feel painful but may feel a little awkward. This feeling will subside over the coming days.
After Your Six-Month Balloon Insertion:
At the end of your six-month program, we schedule the Orbera balloon removal. Long-term lifestyle changes will help you lead a healthier, lighter life and achieve long-term goals. Surgical procedures to tighten lax skin from weight loss are offered at a discounted rate to reshape and tighten your new, thinner shape.
*Results May Vary
How to Find Us
Plastic Surgery Specialists is known throughout the Bay Area for our excellence and expertise. Choose your area below to get accurate, easy-to-follow directions to our center.
FAQ
What is an Orbera gastric balloon?
The Orbera gastric balloon is a weight loss solution that satiates hunger quicker, causing the patient to eat less and slow down digestion, thereby losing weight. When compared to hunger and exercise, Orbera helps patients lose 2-3x more weight!
References
- Hall, K. D., & Kahan, S. (2018). Maintenance of Lost Weight and Long-Term Management of Obesity. The Medical clinics of North America, 102(1), 183–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012
- Garg A. (2011). Clinical review#: Lipodystrophies: genetic and acquired body fat disorders. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 96(11), 3313–3325. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2011-1159
- Ohlson, L. O., Larsson, B., Svärdsudd, K., Welin, L., Eriksson, H., Wilhelmsen, L., Björntorp, P., & Tibblin, G. (1985). The influence of body fat distribution on the incidence of diabetes mellitus. 13.5 years of follow-up of the participants in the study of men born in 1913. Diabetes, 34(10), 1055–1058. https://doi.org/10.2337/diab.34.10.1055