Medical Treatment
Medication
Though not the only option for weight loss, they are used in conjunction with diet and therapy or even in surgery. There are many kinds of medications that are suggested for weight loss, which will depend on diagnosing the severity and cause of obesity.
Saxenda injections are helpful for adults and adolescents to lose weight. It is an FDA-approved injection that helps to lose weight in patients with grade 1 obesity or at least one co-morbidity like hypertension or diabetes along with being overweight or obese.
This injection, along with a balanced or low-calorie diet and exercise, gives promising results. This injection helps to lose weight for people with diabetes; however, it does not cure diabetes.
Saxenda in the form of an injection is easy to use and the most popular among all available forms.
It mimics a hormone called GLP in our intestines, which signals to the brain that we have eaten enough and are full. This injection also has beta hormone, which normalizes blood sugars. There are certain types of medications that can be taken orally, which are known to improve the body’s metabolism. However, they don’t show many promising results and are not used in today’s era.
Benefits:
- It is a conservative method of losing weight
- The procedure has no downtime, and the side effects are minimal
Gastric Balloon
The gastric balloon has also recently gained popularity, which is entirely safe and does not require any anesthesia with regards to insertion or removal. It is chosen for patients who have failed to lose weight through diet and exercise and are not fit for surgery due to health reasons or the unavailability of recovery time. Gastric Balloon weight loss is one of the latest technologies in bariatric surgery.
How is it placed?
There are different kinds of gastric balloons available. The one that fits your case the best is selected. It comes as a capsule; all you must do is swallow it. A radiograph is done to confirm the presence of the capsule. Now the capsule is inflated with a special liquid. Another radiograph confirms the proper placement of the balloon. The entire procedure takes about fifteen minutes.
When to return to regular activity?
There is no downtime in this procedure. One can return to their routine immediately. However, some discomfort, like nausea and vomiting, is expected. It can be managed well with oral medications.
How much weight may one lose post-gastric balloon?
Patients may lose up to 10 to 15 percent of their extra body weight. However, the amount of weight lost depends on how you manage your diet and lifestyle throughout your life. You must follow the diet plan given to you by our Choose to Lose team. Losing weight is a lifestyle choice, and how much weight is lost is subjective to one’s circumstances.
Do we need to remove the Gastric balloon surgically?
No, almost all balloons deflate and come out through the anal opening after 3 to 4 months.