At Batash Medical in Rego Park, NY, we understand that medical weight loss is sometimes necessary to save a life. The underlying principle of weight loss is simple: consume fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its weight based on your height, weight and activity level. However, underlying psychological or physiological conditions can make this nearly impossible. Let’s take a look at who qualifies for Orbera, a life-saving medical weight loss device.

Who Qualifies for Orbera?

As a good general rule of thumb, you are considered a good candidate for weight loss with Orbera if you have a BMI of at least 30. For the best chance of qualifying for this medical device, you should have a BMI of no greater than 40. However, exceptions are made for individuals with significant weight-related health issues and a lower BMI.

For example, you may be considered a good candidate for this medical-assisted weight loss method if you have a BMI of 27 and suffer from type 2 diabetes. Here’s a closer look at who may qualify for this device:

Those With Type 2 Diabetes

If you have type 2 diabetes and a significant amount of weight to lose, you may be the perfect candidate for the insertion of this medical device. Diabetes is a life-altering condition. It requires you to watch your sugar intake like a hawk and inject insulin if you do not have an implant to deliver insulin to you automatically when you need it.

Losing weight with this gastric balloon can improve your insulin resistance and reverse your type 2 diabetes. This can prevent a number of potential medical consequences, including the loss of limbs and renal failure.

Those Who Diet Without Results

As stated previously, certain medical conditions can make losing weight without medical intervention virtually impossible. If you have tried seemingly every diet in existence but you cannot lose weight successfully, you may need this medical device to lose weight and save your life.

Those Who Want to Lose Large Amounts of Weight Rapidly

You may also be considered a good candidate for this gastric balloon if you want to lose a lot of weight quickly. Many people who want to lose a lot of weight rapidly have an urgent medical need to lose excess weight, such as a very high risk of a heart attack or stroke. However, you can also qualify for this device if you want to look better for your daughter’s wedding that is coming up quickly or a high school reunion.

Those With a Positive State of Mind

To qualify for this device, it is very important that you have a positive state of mind. You should not consider undergoing Orbera implantation because you hate your body. You should approach it from an angle of self-love. You know that you deserve to have a healthier, more attractive body. You want to improve your health so you can enjoy all of the incredible opportunities that life has to offer you.

It is also important that you want this procedure for yourself and not anybody else. Your health and sense of self-worth are the only two things that matter. You should not consider undergoing this procedure if you only want to look more attractive to keep your partner. If someone is considering leaving you, he or she is not right for you.

Those Who Have Hypertension

As stated previously, you may need a pre-existing obesity-related condition to qualify for this medical device if you have a BMI that is under 30. Hypertension is a medical condition that affects 68 million Americans. This works out to one out of every three adults in the country and a frightening 20% of people with this condition are not aware that they have it.

Hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure is greater than 140/90 and considered severe when blood pressure is greater than 180/120. If you have been diagnosed with this condition, you may be the perfect candidate for a gastric balloon. Weight loss can lower your blood pressure and prevent you from having a heart attack or stroke.

Those Who Are Ready to Change Their Lives

Even if you have a BMI of 30 to 40 and you need this balloon to save your life, you still need to be committed to a lifestyle change to qualify to receive this device. During the first month post-op, your diet will be extremely restricted. If you don’t feel confident that you can stick to the required diet, you will not qualify as a candidate for this device. Here’s what you can expect your diet to look like in the first month after your procedure.

• The First 48 Hours After Your Procedure
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• In the first 48 hours following your procedure, you should consume only clear liquids that do not contain any caffeine. Hydration at this point in your recovery is absolutely critical and soda, tea and coffee can dehydrate you. During this time, you should only consume water, low-sodium broth and plain gelatin.
• Three to Seven Days After Your Procedure
  Three to seven days after your procedure, you are free to consume any liquids you please. We strongly recommend that you consume filling liquids that are packed in protein, such as skim milk and low-fat drinkable yogurt. If you like the taste, go for drinkable Greek or Icelandic yogurt as these types of drinkable yogurt are much higher in protein and lower in sugar than traditional drinkable yogurt.
  You may also drink strained soups, protein shakes and diluted caffeinated beverages. For example, you may have a glass of iced tea or coffee mixed with fat-free milk. You may also enjoy fruit juice at this point after your procedure. However, you should make your own juice at home and strain the pulp out of it so you’re not consuming any added sugar or solids.
• The Second Week After Your Procedure
  In the second week following your procedure, you may eat food with a little more substance. For example, you may consume low-fat smoothies made with yogurt, ice, fruit juice and very well-blended fruits and veggies. You may also consume pureed soups, pureed fruits and vegetables and baby food.
  Before you knock the idea of eating baby food, give a couple of brands a try. Bambinos makes “baby food” with an unbelievable number of flavor profiles, including halibut, stew, pasta, salmon bisque, chicken and filet mignon. In fact, they create smooth, nutrient-dense options designed specifically for individuals who undergo bariatric surgery.
• The Third Week After Your Procedure
  The third week after your procedure will be the easiest week so far. At this point during your recovery process, you are free to eat soft, solid foods. For example, you may have boiled eggs or oatmeal for breakfast. Then, you are free to have hummus for lunch. For dinner, you can eat canned meats or tofu. Just remember to eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. When you start to feel full, stop eating. If you feel hungry later, you can eat another small portion.
• The Fourth Week After Your Procedure
  You can start to eat solid foods four weeks after your procedure. For example, you may have soft or hard-boiled eggs. You may also start to eat fresh fruits and veggies, no matter how crunchy they are. At this point during your recovery, you are also free to eat grilled, baked or steamed lean meats and salad with light, vinegar-based dressings. However, it is extremely important that you take this part of your recovery slowly.
  Maintain your diet of soft foods, pureed foods and liquids and add one solid food to your diet at a time. For example, eat a soft fruit, like a mango, peach or kiwi in addition to your smoothie. If you feel comfortable eating that fruit for breakfast, grill up a lean meat, like turkey or tilapia to eat for lunch. For dinner, you may choose to eat a very light spinach and vinegar salad. The next day, you may eat a spinach salad with grilled lean meat.

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Who Doesn’t Qualify for This Medical Device?

Remember, the best candidate for medical weight loss with this device has a BMI between 30 and 40. Although the implantation of this gastric balloon takes only 20 minutes and does not require an overnight hospital stay, the procedure is not considered safe for individuals with a BMI greater than 59.9. Here’s a closer look at who do not qualify for this medical device.Those Who Have Undergone a GI Procedure

Unfortunately, you could be an otherwise perfect candidate for this device but if you have had a GI procedure in the past, you will not qualify for this medical device. For example, you will be disqualified as a candidate for this medical device if you have undergone a procedure to remove esophageal cancer, a cholecystectomy or an appendectomy.

Those Who Aren’t Willing to Put in Work After the Procedure

You will also be disqualified from the implantation of this device if you are not willing to put in hard work once the device is put into place. The first month following your procedure will be difficult as you follow a strict diet. However, the work does not stop there.

Unlike traditional bariatric procedures, you are allowed to drink alcohol with the gastric balloon in place. You will need a significant amount of willpower to only drink alcohol in moderation when it fits into your caloric budget for the day if you are used to drinking frequently. You will also need to exercise after your procedure for the best results. People who undergo this procedure lose 3.1 times more weight than people who do not but you need to work hard to see those results.

Those Who Are Planning a Pregnancy in the Near Future

Another factor that will disqualify you from receiving this device is plans to become pregnant in the near future. If you are pregnant or will be trying to become pregnant within six months of implantation, you will not be considered a good candidate. We strongly recommend that you talk to your OBGYN if you meet all of the qualifications of a good candidate for this procedure and are considering pregnancy.

Those With Certain Stomach Conditions

When you come in for your evaluation, we will review your medical history thoroughly to ensure that you are healthy enough for this device to be implanted. If you have any stomach issues, such as ulcers, you will not be considered a good candidate for the implantation of this gastric balloon.

Take the First Step in Restoring Your Health Today

Weight loss is hard. For some, it is impossible without significant medical intervention. For others, weight loss may be possible, but significant measures must be taken for health reasons. If you have a BMI between 30 and 40, you may need Orbera to improve your health drastically and rapidly. To find out if you’re a good candidate for this life-saving procedure, contact us today at Batash Medical in Rego Park, NY.

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