Traditional methods of weight control may make it look like a tedious and painful experience. Keeping one’s weight in check is crucial, as it helps avoid lifestyle diseases and other complications. Weight loss is an important aspect of healthy living and it should be easy and painless. Avané clinic offers the Allurion Gastric balloon treatment. This is a novel method of weight control, that is gaining popularity all across the world. Avané clinic is the pioneer clinic in Kenya, that brings this treatment near you. We offer it at affordable costs and promise you an effective treatment plan.
Allurion gastric balloons are balloons that are swallowed and help you keep your weight in check. These balloons are used to reduce the space in your stomach, thus reducing the amount of food you can take. The balloons induce satiety, which is the feeling of fullness. Furthermore, the balloons delay gastric emptying from the stomach. This limits the frequency and amount of food one eats. The treatment is non-invasive and non-surgical. It requires no anaesthesia or hospitalization. This helps one to lose weight without surgery or using unorthodox measures. The Allurion balloons ensure that weight loss is painless and easy.
The Allurion balloons are made of biodegradable material, thus having no harm to your body. They are placed in the stomach by swallowing a pill, containing the deflated balloon. Unlike other such methods, the Allurion balloon placement does not require an endoscopic medical procedure. This is the first of its type and thus, promises a better working and easier weight loss journey.
One of the things that make Allurion balloon treatment stand out is its integration with technology. This is important in keeping track of the progress. The Allurion programme involves balloons, an AI integration with mobile app support, a stopwatch, a weigh scale and a combination of health tracker devices. This is made possible through the Allurion Virtual Care Suite. It allows our doctors to follow up on your weight loss journey, as the balloon is connected to the AI program. The doctors can follow up on the real-time progress, check the weight and make suggestions on the way forward.
At Avané clinic, we go the extra mile in recommending dietary advice for our clients. In line with this, we schedule sessions for our clients with nutritional experts. We use this as a complement to the Allurion program, to achieve a trifactor effect. It consists of the balloons, the Allurion Virtual Care Suite and the nutritional experts. The nutritionists advise you on what to eat and how to manage through the program. They will also help you find the right proportions and customize your meal plans. Thanks to the Allurion VCS, your nutritionist can also access your program. This allows them to monitor, manage and make modifications to the plan to help you achieve the most effective results.
The procedure.
The program begins with a mandatory consultation with one of our doctors. Here the doctors will discuss your concerns and address them regarding your weight loss. The doctor may enquire about the programs you have taken so far and evaluate how effective they have been. Moreover, he also checks into your medical history and asks about your diet and lifestyle. He will then discuss with you the Allurion balloon program. The doctor explains what it is, how it’s done and what will be expected from you. Our doctors have performed this procedure countless times before, and thus have a massive knowledge of the procedure and experience. If you settle on having the Allurion balloons, then the doctor then books you in for the procedure.
The procedure takes place at the doctor’s office, in a 20 minutes outpatient visit. The balloon is placed into your stomach by swallowing a capsule pill that contains the deflated balloon. The balloon is small and easy to swallow. For patients who might have difficulties swallowing the pill, our doctors will use a thin wire(stylet) to help guide the pill into the stomach. The pill has a small tube attached to it and connected to the balloon. After this, a first X-ray is conducted to confirm that the pill is in the stomach. The balloon is then filled with about 550ml of medical water through the tube or catheter attached to the pill. Once the balloon is filled up, a second X-ray is conducted to ensure the balloon is filled adequately. The X-ray also confirms that the balloon is in the right position in the stomach. The catheter is then removed and you are good to go.
After the procedure, you might experience slight discomfort as you adjust to having the Allurion balloons in your stomach. Most people can return to normal activities after one or two days. Some people have reported feeling nauseous, abdominal cramping and vomiting occasionally. These are however temporary effects and doctors manage them easily by prescribing some medications. The nutritionist will recommend the foods to eat before and immediately after the procedure. These are however not different foods from what you usually take.
As seen the procedure is simple and involves no endoscopy, no anaesthesia, no surgery and no hospitalization. The procedure also takes roughly 20 minutes at most. It also has no downtime and no recovery time. Additionally, the procedure is safe and FDA– approved. Our team conducts it so easily and flawlessly that you won’t even feel the slightest discomfort, leave alone any pain. The balloons do not require any medical removal. On the contrary, they have a time-bound valve that lets the water out of the balloon after the recommended 16-20 weeks of having the balloons. The water is released into the stomach, and the balloon is excreted naturally.
Allurion balloons are extremely effective. They stay in the stomach for approximately 16-20 weeks. At the end, studies have shown that our patients have lost between 10%-15% of their body weight. Moreover, they have adjusted to eating standards and considerable amounts of food. The dietary advice and sessions with the nutritionist also help you find the right foods to eat in moderation. Through the mobile application and scale integration, all stakeholders can keep track of the journey in real-time, and make contributions to better the experiences. In addition, our partnership with our clients continues even after the balloons have deflated and passed out.
The balloons are made of polyurethane, which is a durable material. This means they cannot burst into your stomach. You can thus feel free to try physical exercise and other activities to complement the weight loss program. Despite the Allurion balloons being very effective, the results of the Allurion program are however not permanent. They have to be maintained. This is achieved through our continued partnership, good nutritional practices and exercises. A second Allurion balloon program can be arranged should you require one. Consult with your doctor and discuss this possibility.
At Avane clinic, we value our clients’ lives. We have taken it as our responsibility to ensure that we help you achieve healthy living. In addition, we work with you to realise your weight loss goals. The Allurion balloon program works best for this. It requires no surgery, no hospitalization, no anaesthesia, no cuts and incisions and is painless. The procedure helps you lose weight while feeling full. It also helps you arrive at a healthy nutritional plan and we ensure you get what works best for you. We are located at the Yaya centre in Nairobi and are accessible at any time. Visit us here and consult with Dr Pancholi and his team of experts. You could also contact us to book an appointment for Allurion balloon treatment or our other cosmetic and medical services.
