Weight-loss Balloon Programme with Pall Mall.
The Pall Mall Allurion Balloon helps patients to lose an average 10-15% of their body weight in approximately 4 months. Some of our patients have lost over 5 stone with the balloon!
Unlike diets and exercises, the Pall Mall Allurion balloon gives patients multi-disciplinary support from experts during the weight-loss journey – expert surgeon, dietician, nurse and patient coordinator.
Once the balloon is inserted, you’ll begin to lose weight as it will:
- Help you feel fuller for longer
- Make you feel fuller quicker with smaller portions
- Slow down your digestion so you feel less hungry
- Reduce your food intake by filling the empty space in your stomach.
The balloon helps reduce hunger and cravings and helps break the habit of snacking throughout the day and encourage smaller portions at mealtimes.
Losing weight is not easy. Not only do you need the right tools and support on your side, very often diet and exercise alone are just not enough to achieve significant weight loss results.
Because of the physical placement of the balloon and the support you get from our surgeon, nurse and dietician - on average patients lose nearly 2.5 times more weight loss than a lifestyle change program alone.
Clinical studies have shown 95% of weight-loss from the Allurion Balloon is sustained at 12 months.
Reasons for having the Allurion Weight Loss Balloon
- Free Consultation
- Back to work in 3-4 days
- Long term Sustainable Results
- Day case
- 15 Minute Balloon Placement
I’ve lost 3 stones in 6 months. I’m thrilled with my results so far. I feel so much more confident - so much happier and it’s really changed my life for the better.
Caroline Eardley, Pall Mall Weight Loss Balloon Patient
What can you expect on your Pall Mall weight loss journey?
The Allurion Balloon is the first gastric balloon that requires no surgery, endoscopy, or anaesthesia for placement or removal.
Our private hospital in Newton-Le-Willows where your procedure will be carried out, has the latest, state-of-the-art facilities, industry-leading diagnostics and a high level of hygiene and patient care.
Step 1 - Free of Charge Assessment and Consultation
The first step on your journey is to meet with one of our expert Surgeons, Dr Bassi or Dr Bonner. During your free of charge consultation, you'll get the opportunity to discuss the placement in detail and talk about your weight loss goals.
The Surgeon will take your medical history to determine whether the weight loss balloon is right for you and what outcome you can expect.
During your consultation, our Surgeon will:
- Discuss your goals and expectations
- Describe the benefits and risks of the balloon
- Conduct a thorough examination and investigate your medical history
- Answer any and all questions you may have
- Confirm whether or not the Allurion Balloon is the optimum weight loss treatment for you
Throughout the consultation process you’ll also be supported by one of our Patient Coordinators who can guide you through your journey.
Should you wish to proceed further, our Coordinator will be able to give you prices and dates for the procedure. There’s no waiting lists at Pall Mall and we can book the insertion date within the same month, often sooner!
Step 2 - Preparing for the Balloon Insertion
Before the balloon insertion, you’ll be booked in for a pre-operative assessment with one of our lovely nurses. This is a short appointment in which we’ll ask you a few more medical questions and provide you with a few key details prior to the placement date – such as what time to arrive, what to eat in advance, etc. Your physician will conduct a thorough exam and investigate your medical history to confirm that the Allurion Balloon is right for you.
Step 3 - Balloon Placement Day
As placement day approaches , you may be feeling excited, nervous or a combination of both. Our team is here to support you every step of the way. The Pall Mall Allurion Balloon doesn’t need any surgery, anaesthesia or endoscopy.
The whole placement takes less than 60 minutes and you can drive home the same day.
It's a really simple procedure - especially when compared to the alternatives:
- The placement takes place during a 15-minute clinic visit.
- It's the only weight loss procedure that involves no endoscopy or anaesthesia for placement or removal.
- The Consultant will ask you to swallow a small capsule (slightly bigger than a standard tablet) containing the deflated Balloon attached to a catheter
- Once the Balloon is confirmed to be in your stomach via x-ray, the Balloon is filled with water through the catheter. (Don’t worry – there’s extremely low doses of radiation in the x-ray and our consultant will go over this in advance)
- A second x-ray takes place to ensure the Balloon is filled correctly.
After approximately 16 weeks, the Balloon deflates and passes naturally. You don't need to come back for another clinic visit or procedure.
And, by the time the balloon passes, you’ll have developed new food preferences, adjusted to smaller portion sizes, and developed a new understanding of your body which leads to real results, not endless yo-yo-ing.
Step 4 - Post-Insertion
After placement of your balloon, you will be able to go home straight away. A smart scale will connect you with your doctor and will allow him/her to track your progress, provide real-time advice and support, helping you stay on track. The balloon will create a feeling of fullness, allowing you to eat less without the hunger that accompanies most diets. The food you do eat stays in your stomach longer, reinforcing the feeling of fullness and enabling you to skip snacks between meals.
When combined with diet and lifestyle changes, the Allurion Balloon Programme can lead to meaningful weight loss: following 16 weeks of therapy, patients lose 15 kgs on average. Health benefits include improved glycemic control, lower cholesterol and blood pressure and higher reported quality of life.
During the four month programme you will have access to advice from a dietitian; who will be on hand to discuss what you should be eating throughout the programme to make sure that you aren't compromising your results.
More than just a Balloon: Weight Loss supported by Expert Dieticians
The Pall Mall Weight Loss programme is more than just a balloon. It is a programme designed to help you on a weight loss journey – supported by our surgeon, dietician, nurse and patient coordinator. The balloon is simply the catalyst to start the journey.
As such, before the balloon placement you’ll be booked in for a Dietician appointment (which is included in the price of the treatment).
We work with a specialist weight loss Dietician, Kirsty, who has years of experience working with the balloon. During this consultation, Kirsty will share some actionable nutrition strategies to follow within the first week after placement and will talk through what you can do to maximise the weight loss achieved during the programme.
To help you on your journey, included in your package is 3 further Dietician video consultations with Kirsty, who will be tracking your progress! Each consultation is an opportunity for Kirsty to support you and guide your lifestyle changes and make sure you're getting the most out of the balloon. She’ll also provide you with some bespoke diet plans for your weight loss journey!
Step 5 - Aftercare
- Dedicated Cosmetic Patient Coordinator to contact if you have any question prior to surgery
- Dedicated Patient Care team to contact if you have any issues up to 2 years post insertion.
- 6 month Pre and Post Operative care from the Surgeon, Nurse and Dietician
- 24/7 access to on call nurse
Post-Insertion Advice - Managing symptoms
Nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting
It is usual to suffer with nausea, abdominal pain and in some instances, vomiting for the first few days following balloon placement. This occurs because the stomach is not used to having the balloon in place. You will be given medication to help settle these symptoms.
Here is some advice to help with these symptoms:
- Try to move around, even if you do not feel like it, as it will help with the transit of food from the stomach to the gut.
- Ensure that meal proportions are small
- Remember to drink throughout the day but avoid drinking during meals
- Take your time when eating, chew your foods well or eat soft foods.
- If you are struggling to keep fluids down after the first seven days, please contact our nurse.
Abdominal Cramps Only
If you are only having abdominal cramping without nausea or vomiting you may benefit from progressing on to a solid / semi-solid diet a little earlier, as often these are hunger pangs, settle by having more solids.
Constipation
Make sure to stay well-hydrated and include some fibre-rich foods on your diet- found in fruits, vegetables, beans, pulses and whole grains. It is normal to experience some constipation during the first week, this often settles down once you return to solid foods, increase fluids and gradually become more active.
Reflux or heartburn
You will be given antacid medication for the entire four months to help this. Try to avoid eating too late or having heavy carbonated or caffeinated drinks that can increase reflux.If reflux or heartburn continues take to our nurses who can possibly increase your antacid medication for a short time.
FAQ’s
What happens after the balloon has passed?
After the Allurion Balloon passes, the Allurion Programme and the related support from your healthcare team continues for one month. At the end of the Allurion Programme, you should continue your healthy lifestyle habits. One clinical study showed that 95% of the average weight loss with the Allurion Balloon was sustained at 1-year follow-up.
How is the balloon removed?
After approximately 16 weeks inside your stomach, a time-activated release valve will open, allowing the balloon to empty and pass naturally through the gastrointestinal tract without the need for a removal procedure.*
*In rare cases, the Allurion Balloon may require endoscopic or surgical intervention for removal.
How much weight can be lost with Allurion?
After approximately 16 weeks of the Allurion Program, multiple clinical studies have demonstrated that patients lose on average 10–15% of their total body weight. If you still want to lose more weight, a second Balloon can be placed after completing the first program.
Is it easy to swallow?
Nearly 100% of people succeed in swallowing the Allurion Balloon. If you have trouble swallowing the capsule on your own, your doctor can assist you by gently stiffening the catheter with a thin wire.
