LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Acadiana residents Angela Stansbury and Suzette Fowler are down a few pounds after putting balloons in their stomach.
“You definitely know something is in your stomach. It’s not uncomfortable but you are aware it’s there,” Fowler said.
Doctors place the balloons in the stomach with a scope. Then they inflate the balloons with sterile saline.
“We place two balloons into the stomach to take up space in the stomach help patients fill full more quickly and help speed up the weight loss process,” Dr. Eric Trawick said, with the Gastroenterology Clinic of Acadiana.
“For six months the balloons are in and then we follow you for an additional six months after that,” Dr. Jacob Karr said, with the Gastroenterology Clinic of Acadiana.
According to Dr. Karr and Dr. Trawick,
Fowler wanted the procedure after battling her weight for years.
“It’s been a struggle most of my adult life, fighting my weight. It’s something I’ve never given up on but it was been a struggle,” Fowler said.
For Stansbury, It was her health.
Stansbury suffered from neck and back pain, taking an average of 90 pain pills a month.
“That made me make up my mind. I’m 48 years old and this is just not right,” Stansbury said.
But she wasn’t seeing results right away.
“I was eating healthy but I wasn’t exercising. So I was like if I’m going to do this, I have to do it. I put myself through this procedure I’m not going to let it go away without any results,” Stansbury said.
Stansbury upped her exercise by walking. Before she averaged about 2,000 steps a day and sitting for 8 hours. Her new goal: to get up and get moving at 10,000 steps a day.
After 6 months with balloons and almost six months off, Stansbury has lost more than 50 pounds.
As for her 90 pain pills a month? She has now cut that in half.
“I’m still not there yet and that’s my goal is to be healthy,” Stansbury said.
Fowler says for her, she’s lost around 33 pounds since taking the balloons out.
“It motivates me. If I’ve lost weight, I’m a lot more motivated to exercise than I am if I haven’t lost weight and I’m heavier,” Fowler said.
Both Stansbury and Fowler said they’re thankful for the balloons, not because they were a quick fix, but because they were an extra aid in their weight loss journey.
