KING 5 HealthLink / NBC , KING 4:35 PM. PDT June 28, 2017
Swallowing a large pill with an inflatable balloon helps take up space in patients stomach which over time and with exercise and diet promotes weight loss.
Eric Wilson hopes a pill will get him get rid of what he calls his "dad bod."
He's referring to the 20-30 extra pounds he wants gone.
So today, he's swallowing a pill filled with a balloon meant to keep him feeling full, so he eats less.
"I've always kind of fallen off the bandwagon, if you will, so this is kind of more a little long term motivation for me," said Eric.
Doctor Sachin Kukreja says the entire procedure requires three balloons swallowed two weeks apart. The balloons are filled with nitrogen gas, and they stay in the stomach for six months.
"Here's the first balloon that we put in two weeks ago. And here's the second balloon that we put in today. After six months, we do an upper endoscopy where we put the patient in twilight anesthesia and drop the end of the scope, we pop the balloon and pull them out," said bariatric surgeon Dr. Sachin Kukreja.
The procedure is for someone considered moderately overweight.
Eric says he's already lost 10 pounds. He tells his friends that combined with diet and exercise, the balloons could be key to losing that dad bod."
The balloon system is not covered by insurance, costs between $6,000-$7,000 and should be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise.
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