At the Harley Street Hair Clinic, we offer the revolutionary non surgical gastric band pill, also known as the Ellipse Balloon. The gastric band pill is a weight loss aid that works over a three – four month period to help temporarily reduce the size of the stomach and therefore, limit the amount of food a person can eat.
What is the gastric band pill?
The non-surgical gastric band pill is a non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical soft balloon that is placed into the stomach that can be used to help aid weight loss. Alongside a balanced diet the balloon can help achieve weight loss and improve your health.
How does the gastric band pill work?
The gastric pill is attached to a piece of medical string and swallowed by the patient, the capsule contains a deflated balloon along with a thin tube. An x-ray is then taken to ensure the pill has settled into the correct part of the stomach. The balloon is then filled with 550ml of liquid. Over a 16 week period the balloon will empty and pass naturally and your stomach will return to its normal size.
By reducing the size of the stomach you are able to eat the food you want, however, you will get fuller much quicker. This means you’ll be eating smaller portions of food than you usually would.
How does the gastric pill differ to a gastric band?
A traditional gastric band has to be placed and removed with a surgical procedure. The gastric band pill is typically placed during an outpatient visit and your appointment should last around 30 minutes.
Is the gastric band pill right for me?
If your body mass index (BMI) is over 27 the gastric band pill could help you achieve long-term weight loss. A gastric band pill can over time help the management of other medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The gastric band pill could be a good procedure for those who are considered too overweight to undergo surgery.
Are there any dietary restrictions?
Following approval from your physician, there are no dietary restrictions. However, to maximise your weight loss and comfort, the nutritionist will make recommendations which are tailored to each patient.
How much weight can I lose with the gastric band pill?
The results of the gastric band pill differ for each person, however, a recent clinical study found that on average, after 16 weeks patients lose on average between 13-15KG.
What are the benefits of the gastric band pill?
A successful gastric band pill procedure will allow a person to achieve long-term weight loss. Long-term weight loss can also improve obesity-related health problems including; diabetes, mobility, hypertension and self-esteem.
The gastric band pill procedure does not involve surgery and it can be done in an outpatients appointment, this means it is minimally invasive and does not interrupt your daily life.
Are there any alternatives to the gastric band pill?
There are other surgical options such as a traditional gastric band surgery, gastric balloon and sleeve gastrectomy. Most of these options involve surgical procedures that tend to involve a hospital stay. A gastric band pill has fewer complications in installation and there is a lower risk of surgical complications.
What is the procedure for getting the gastric band pill?
- Firstly, you’ll visit us for a no-obligation consultation. This is where we will discuss the procedure in full and what you can expect. We will take this consultation as a chance to find out any medical concerns you may have and can tell you what results you can expect from the gastric band.
- You’ll then return to the clinic where you will swallow the pill and have your x-ray. This can take anywhere from 20 minutes – 1 hour.
- Once we are happy your pill has landed correctly in the stomach the balloon will be filled with 550ml of liquid, and you can then leave the clinic
- There is no need to return to the clinic to have the balloon removed, the balloon will empty and pass naturally over the course of 16 weeks
Is it easy to swallow the Elipse Balloon?
Most people are able to swallow the balloon without an issue, the balloon is inside a capsule to make it easy to swallow. If you do have difficulty swallowing you can be assisted by your physician, who can guide the balloon into place.
How is the Elipse Balloon removed?
Once you have swallowed the capsule, a soft balloon is placed into the stomach and filled with fluid. After approximately 16 weeks inside the stomach, a time-activated release valve on the balloon will open. This allowed it to empty and pass naturally though the gastrointestinal tract without the need for a removal process.
How much does the gastric band pill cost?
The cost of the gastric band pill is £4,000 this cost includes your initial consultation, the procedure day and a follow up appointment after 2 months.
What is the aftercare and side effects like for the gastric bad pill?
Most people are able to return to normal activity straight after the gastric band pill. Occasionally, some people may experience nausea, abdominal cramping, and occasionally vomiting.
The Harley Street Hair Clinic will be offering the gastric band pill from April 12th, if you would like to book in for a consultation, please contact us today.
