Surgery-Free Orbera Intragastric Balloon: How Does it Work?

Diets leave you hungry, and hunger makes you eat more, so the cycle of overeating and gaining weight seems unbreakable. You’ve tried to eat smaller portions and get more exercise, but hunger keeps creeping back, and you end up binging on unhealthy snacks.

We understand your frustration. At Metropolitan Gastroenterology Consultants in the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Darrien Gaston and our team specialize in gut issues and weight management, and we offer nonsurgical weight loss treatments to help you restore your health and vitality. 

Obesity is a disease, and we’re here to give you medical support to resolve the condition and lower your risk for weight-related health concerns, such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and joint pain. 

One of our most popular treatments is the Orbera™ Intragastric Balloon. Here’s how it works.

Get to know the Orbera Balloon

You may be familiar with bariatric surgeries that either staple off a section of your stomach or reroute it to prevent overeating. While the concept makes sense, surgery is a huge commitment that comes with risks and considerable downtime. 

The Orbera Balloon approaches the problem differently. It’s a nonsurgical, temporary, removable, reversible procedure that takes up space in your stomach, so you eat less.

Lose weight with Orbera in four easy steps

Losing weight with the Orbera Balloon is safe and simple. Dr. Gaston has been administering this treatment since 2016, just months after the system became available, so he’s not only a pioneer but also one of the most experienced physicians offering this innovative treatment. The procedure involves four easy steps.

1. Get the balloon

Once Dr. Gaston determines you’re a good candidate for the Orbera Balloon, he places the deflated balloon into your stomach through your mouth and esophagus. He then fills the balloon with a sterile saline solution until it’s about the size of a grapefruit. 

The procedure only takes about 20 minutes, and there’s no downtime other than waiting for the mild sedative to wear off in a couple of hours. 

2. Brain retraining

With the balloon in place, your appetite will diminish, you’ll feel full faster, and you’ll eat less — a great start to losing weight. But the Orbera balloon isn’t just a crutch to make you eat less; it’s an opportunity to retrain your brain and establish new attitudes about food. Without hunger getting in the way, you’re free to explore healthier foods and develop the habit of portion control.

But you’re not in it alone. Our team is here to educate and encourage you along the way. We partner with you, coaching you about nutrition, exercise, psychological barriers, stress, and lifestyle.

3. Balloon removal

After six months, it’s time for Dr. Gaston to remove the balloon. He simply reverses the process by siphoning the saline solution and removing the deflated balloon through your esophagus. Again, the procedure only takes about 20 minutes.

4. Ongoing support

Just as important as the active phase of Orbera Balloon treatment, this final phase locks in your new habits and ensures long-term success. We continue to support and coach you for the next six months for a total of 12 months under our expert supervision. 

Although individual results vary, studies show that Orbera can help you lose more than three times the weight you can lose through diet and exercise alone and can significantly improve your quality of life. 

Call us at 773-245-0347 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gaston and find out if you’re a good candidate for the Orbera Intragastric Balloon.