Gastric Balloon in Turkey

A gastric balloon is a non-surgical weight-loss procedure in which a soft silicone balloon is placed in your stomach and filled, so you feel full sooner and eat less. In Turkey it is typically performed as a 20-30 minute endoscopic day-case, starts from around £1,800, and needs only a 2-3 day stay. It is best suited to people with a BMI of roughly 27-40 who want a temporary, reversible tool to support lifestyle change, not a permanent surgical solution.

A gastric balloon is a soft, durable silicone balloon that sits inside the stomach to take up space, so you reach comfortable fullness on smaller portions. Most balloons are placed during a short endoscopy and filled with sterile saline (some are filled with gas, and one type is a swallowable capsule that needs no sedation). It is a temporary, fully reversible device that is removed after a set period, usually 6 or 12 months depending on the model.

Unlike gastric sleeve or bypass surgery, no part of the stomach or intestine is cut, stapled or permanently altered. The balloon is intended as a structured "reset" that makes portion control easier while you build new eating and activity habits, ideally with dietitian support so the results last after the balloon is removed.

For a fluid-filled balloon, you are lightly sedated and a thin endoscope is passed through the mouth into the stomach. The deflated balloon is positioned, then filled with sterile saline (often with a blue dye that would tint your urine if it ever leaked, acting as an early-warning sign). The whole placement usually takes 20-30 minutes and you go home the same day or after one night. A swallowable capsule balloon is taken with water under X-ray guidance and inflated through a thin tube, with no endoscopy or sedation.

The balloon reduces the stomach's working volume and slows how quickly it empties, so hunger signals are dampened and you feel satisfied sooner. Combined with a calorie-controlled diet and a supervised aftercare plan, this typically helps drive steady weight loss over the months the balloon is in place. At the end of the programme, fluid balloons are deflated and removed by a second short endoscopy; some gas and capsule balloons deflate and pass naturally.

• Non-surgical, reversible endoscopic procedure, placed in about 20-30 minutes
• Best suited to a BMI of roughly 27-40 as a temporary weight-loss tool
• Balloon stays in for 6 or 12 months, then removed or passed naturally
• Includes dietitian-led aftercare so habits outlast the balloon
• Coordinated by an independent facilitator at accredited Turkish clinics

1. 01

   Online assessment

   You share your height, weight, BMI, medical history and any reflux or prior stomach surgery. Unal arranges a remote review with the clinic team to confirm a balloon is appropriate and which type suits you.

2. 02

   Plan and quote

   You receive a clear written plan, balloon type, included dietitian follow-up and an all-in price with no hidden extras. You pay the accredited clinic directly, never Unal.

3. 03

   Arrival and pre-checks

   On arrival in Turkey you have a consultation, baseline bloods and any needed scans. The team confirms you are fit and reviews the fasting instructions before placement.

4. 04

   Balloon placement

   The balloon is placed endoscopically under light sedation in about 20-30 minutes, or swallowed as a capsule without sedation. You are observed for a few hours afterwards.

5. 05

   Recovery and diet start

   You rest for 2-3 days while your stomach adjusts, progressing from liquids to soft foods with anti-nausea and anti-reflux medication and a dietitian's guidance.

6. 06

   Structured aftercare

   Back home you follow a supervised diet and activity plan with scheduled check-ins, and a clear pathway for balloon removal at the end of the programme.

A gastric balloon may suit you if you have a BMI of roughly 27-40, have struggled to lose weight with diet alone, and want a temporary, non-surgical tool while you change your habits, or need to lose weight before another operation. It can also be a step for people who are not ready for, or do not qualify for, bariatric surgery. It is generally not suitable if you have a large hiatus hernia, significant or untreated acid reflux, previous stomach or oesophageal surgery, stomach ulcers, certain bleeding or inflammatory bowel conditions, if you are pregnant or planning pregnancy soon, or if you cannot commit to the dietary changes and follow-up the balloon requires. A proper medical assessment, including your history and sometimes an endoscopy, decides suitability.

• Non-surgical and fully reversible, with no cutting or stapling of the stomach
• Short 20-30 minute placement and a typical 2-3 day stay in Turkey
• Helps with portion control by creating earlier, longer-lasting fullness
• Lower cost and faster recovery than gastric sleeve or bypass
• Can be used to lose weight before other planned surgery
• Includes dietitian-led aftercare to help habits outlast the balloon

The first 3-5 days are the most uncomfortable: nausea, cramping and a sense of fullness are common while your stomach adapts to the balloon. Clinics manage this with anti-sickness and anti-reflux medication, and a staged diet that moves from clear fluids to soft foods over roughly two weeks. Most people feel substantially better within a week and return to normal activity quickly, which is why a 2-3 day stay in Turkey is usually enough before flying home.

Longer term, the balloon stays in for 6 or 12 months depending on the type. Throughout that time you follow a supervised eating and activity plan with regular check-ins, ideally with a dietitian, so the weight loss is steady and sustainable. At the end of the programme the balloon is removed (a quick endoscopy for fluid balloons) and the focus shifts to maintaining your new habits to protect your results.

Results vary from person to person, but many people lose a meaningful proportion of their excess weight over the months the balloon is in place, with the best outcomes when the balloon is paired with consistent diet and exercise changes. The balloon is a tool, not a cure: weight can be regained after removal if old habits return, so the dietitian-led aftercare and your own commitment are what make results last. No clinic can guarantee a specific amount of weight loss, and honest programmes set realistic, individualised expectations.

Turkey combines internationally accredited endoscopy units and experienced bariatric teams with prices well below the UK and US, with gastric balloon packages often a fraction of private fees back home, typically from around £1,800. Unal Cakar is an independent facilitator and patient advocate, not a clinic: he vets and coordinates accredited partner hospitals, arranges your assessment, translations, transfers and aftercare, and is sponsored by those hospitals so his guidance stays free to you. You only ever pay the clinic directly, with a transparent written plan and no hidden costs.