Non-surgical weight loss
Gastric Balloon In Ireland
A soft balloon in your stomach helps smaller meals feel like enough, for a full year. With our dietitians and Dr Loy’s team beside you all the way, the new habits have time to stick. No surgery, no cuts, and you go home the same day.
Lose up to 20% of your body weight in the first year.
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Dr John LoyOne of Ireland’s most experienced gastric balloon specialists looks after you, from your first assessment to your last appointment. Meet Dr Loy
Award winningWhatClinic Patient Service Award, 2025
AccreditedIreland’s first internationally accredited private hospitalInternationally accredited Irish private hospital
Gastric Balloon At A Glance
A soft balloon helps smaller meals feel like enough, with a full year of support around you.
- Weight lossup to20%
Of your body weight in the first year, with the balloon and your support team.
- Balloon in place12months
A full year of help with portions, then it is removed the same way it went in.
- Placement20minutes
Through the mouth with a thin camera. No cuts, no stitches, no scars.
- SedationLight
Light sedation, not a general anaesthetic, so you wake up quickly.
- Hospital staySame day
A day case at Auralia Private Hospital in Dublin. You go home that afternoon.
- Back to work2 to 3days
After placement, for most people, while your stomach gets used to the balloon.
Self-sealing valve
Filled with saline
Thin placement tubeWhat Is A Gastric Balloon?
A gastric balloon, also called a stomach balloon, weight loss balloon or intragastric balloon, is a soft silicone balloon that sits in your stomach for up to a year. It helps smaller meals feel like enough while you build eating habits that last.
It is placed through the mouth with a thin camera, filled with sterile saline to about the size of a grapefruit, and removed the same way. There is no surgery, nothing is cut or stapled, and you go home the same day.
At Auralia, Dr John Loy places and removes your balloon at Auralia Private Hospital in Dublin, and our team supports you from home for the whole year.
A usual plateWith the balloon
Drag the handle to compare
Smaller meals, fuller for longer
How It Helps
Once it is in place, the balloon takes up part of your stomach. You feel full much sooner and stay full for longer, so a smaller plate feels like enough, without fighting hunger all day.
With a gastric balloon
Smaller meals feel like enoughSatisfied with less, and fewer snacks between meals
No surgery, no scarsPlaced and removed through the mouth
Home the same dayPlacement and removal are day cases
Nothing permanentYour stomach keeps its shape
Because it stays in for 12 months
Time for habits to stickA full year to make new routines your own
Up to 20% weight lossOf your body weight in the first year
How The Gastric Balloon Works
From the day it is placed to the day it comes out. Nothing is cut, and you go home the same day each time.
Scroll, or click a step, to follow the balloon
Placed through the mouth.
For this endoscopic gastric balloon procedure, Dr Loy passes a thin camera through your mouth into your stomach under light sedation and places the soft, empty balloon. There is no cut anywhere.
- No cuts
- Light sedation
- Day case
Filled with saline.
The balloon is filled with sterile saline until it is about the size of a grapefruit, then the camera is removed. You rest for a short while and go home the same day.
- Sterile saline
- About the size of a grapefruit
- Home the same day
You feel full sooner.
Smaller portions now feel like enough, and that is what helps the weight come off. Your dietitian, the classes and the Auralia app help you turn it into habits that last.
Emptied, then removed.
The balloon is emptied and taken out through your mouth with a thin camera, in the same short day-case procedure. Nothing is left behind.
- Through the mouth
- Day case
- No cuts
Who Is The Gastric Balloon For?
Adults who want real help to lose weight, without surgery. If any of these sound like you, it is worth a free assessment.
You have tried the diets
The weight comes off, then creeps back. The balloon makes smaller meals feel natural for a whole year, long enough for new habits to stick.
You want help without surgery
Nothing is cut or stapled. The balloon is placed through the mouth in about 20 minutes, and you go home the same day.
You like a clear plan
One programme, one price and a clear end date, with dietitian support for the whole 12 months.
Your BMI is 27 to 50
This is the BMI range for the balloon, but the most successful BMI is usually around 27 to 35. Above 35, it may still suit you: our team will discuss it with you or possibly recommend an alternative option.
See What Your Year Could Look Like
Your weight shows what losing up to 20% could mean. Add your height to see your BMI too.
What Could Change For You With The Gastric Balloon
It was never really about a number on the scales. It is about feeling like yourself again, in the everyday moments that matter to you.
Food
- Before
- Thinking about food all day
- A year on
- Satisfied after a smaller lunch, with the next snack no longer calling you
Routine
- Before
- Starting again every Monday
- A year on
- A routine that carries on, even after a hard day
Energy
- Before
- Too tired by the end of the day
- A year on
- Energy left for a walk after work, or a kick-about with the kids
Moving
- Before
- Taking the lift, every time
- A year on
- Taking the stairs without a second thought
Gastric Balloon Or Weight Loss Medication
Both help with hunger, and neither involves surgery. This is where they really differ.
12-Month Balloon
How it helps: It takes up room in your stomach, so a smaller meal fills you up
Your routine: One placement, then nothing to take or remember day to day
How long: A set 12 months, with a clear end date
When it ends: The habits you built over the year stay with you
Support: A dietitian, classes and a 24/7 line for the whole year, included
Cost: One price for the year, support and removal included
Weight Loss Medication
How it helps: It acts on the hormones that control your appetite
Your routine: A dose you give yourself every week
How long: Usually ongoing, with no set end
When it ends: Appetite usually comes back, and the weight often returns
Support: Depends on who prescribes it
Cost: A prescription to pay every month, for as long as you take it
How it helps
It takes up room in your stomach, so a smaller meal fills you up
It acts on the hormones that control your appetite
Your routine
One placement, then nothing to take or remember day to day
A dose you give yourself every week
How long
A set 12 months, with a clear end date
Usually ongoing, with no set end
When it ends
The habits you built over the year stay with you
Appetite usually comes back, and the weight often returns
Support
A dietitian, classes and a 24/7 line for the whole year, included
Depends on who prescribes it
Cost
One price for the year, support and removal included
A prescription to pay every month, for as long as you take it
One placement for the whole year, instead of 52 weekly doses.
Not sure which is right for you?
At your free assessment Dr Loy will tell you honestly, even if the answer is a different option.
Almost 3,000 procedures
- Fellow, Royal College of SurgeonsFRCS
- Education Lead, BOMSSBOMSS
- Honorary Senior Lecturer, Queen Mary UniversityQueen Mary Lecturer
Your gastric balloon doctor
Dr John Loy
Dr Loy leads the weight loss team at Auralia and is one of Ireland’s most experienced gastric balloon specialists, with almost 3,000 procedures performed. Originally from Antrim, he worked in New York and London before bringing his experience home, and he now works full-time at Auralia. He is also the Education Lead of BOMSS, the UK obesity specialist society.
He assesses your situation
Dr Loy meets you at your free assessment, in person in Dublin or online, to look at your situation before anything goes ahead.
He is there all year
The same team places your balloon, follows your progress and removes it. All of your care and support is here in Ireland, with no travelling abroad.
Trustpilot reviews
Care, In Our Patients’ Words
The honest consultation…
A concise summary of process and procedure. The best part was the honesty that the baloon is an aid only. If one snacks a lot, the success will not be as good. The backup of nutrionist is vital but involves work, there are no miracles. I found the consultation excellent.
From First Email to Recovery, Simply Exceptional !
Mr. Loy was outstanding. He took the time to explain everything clearly, discuss options in detail I felt confident and comfortable before moving forward. His expertise and calm manner made a huge difference.
In Good Hands
The whole experience from beginning to end was excellent, all the staff were very professional, well informed and immediately put me at my ease. The after care was amazing too and I really felt like I was in good hands from my very first appointment right up to my post procedure follow up appointments.
I couldn't recommend enough
I couldn't recommend enough, the nursing staff are all so kind and attentive and really check in making sure you're ok after your procedure. They're really helpful, helping with getting some water, food, going through aftercare and medication.
Highly recommend Auralia
After much research in Ireland and UK, narrowing my options down to 3 clinics I went with Auralia and am delighted I made this decision. I am thoroughly impressed with the entire experience at Auralia … Every step was handled with professionalism, efficiency, and genuine care.
From the very first engagement with…
From the very first engagement with Auralia it was very professional and the care throughout the process was second to none.
Just an incredible experience…
Just an incredible experience throughout! … just made feel like you are literally the only patient there.
Excellent service…
From the first contact with Auralia with my initial query to my first post-procedure consultation yesterday, this has been such a positive experience. All the staff without exception were lovely, supportive and friendly. … There was great aftercare, with phone calls in the days after and then my first post-procedure consultation.
Had the best experience…
Had the best experience between the reception staff to the nurses and surgeon, every one was so friendly and made me feel right at ease. The procedure was brilliant also, it was so quick and everything went perfect. I would highly recommend.
Included in your programme
Your Year With Auralia
The balloon makes smaller meals feel like enough. From day one, a team who knows you helps you turn that into habits that last, for the whole year. It is all part of your programme.
Months 1 to 3
Settling In
Your dietitian guides you from your first soft foods to smaller meals that satisfy you. Your classes, recipes and fitness sessions are in the app from day one.
Months 4 to 12
Making It Your Own
With your team beside you, the new way of eating and moving starts to feel like yours, not like a diet.
Month 12
Removal, And Beyond
Your balloon is removed in the same short day case, and your team helps you plan how to keep the weight off.
Before you start
Free Assessment With Dr Loy
Dr Loy checks the balloon is right for you and answers your questions. It is free, with no obligation.
Placement day
Home The Same Day
About 20 minutes at Auralia Private Hospital in Dublin. No surgery, no cuts.
Months 1 to 3
Settling In
Your dietitian guides you from your first soft foods to smaller meals that satisfy you. Your classes, recipes and fitness sessions are in the app from day one.
Months 4 to 12
Making It Your Own
With your team beside you, the new way of eating and moving starts to feel like yours, not like a diet.
Month 12
Removal, And Beyond
Your balloon is removed in the same short day case, and your team helps you plan how to keep the weight off.
Your support, from home
Support That Fits Your Everyday Life
From day one, the Auralia app brings your dietitian, classes, recipes and fitness sessions home with you. Real life still happens, with dinner to make, work to get through and a family to think about, and your support fits around all of it.
A Question Before Dinner
Not sure about a portion, or a food you love? Your dietitian is there to guide you, at your appointments from home and by message in between.
A Meal You Know How To Make
Recipes, meal plans and step-by-step cooking videos turn advice into tonight's dinner.
Help With The Habits Around Food
Nutrition and psychological support classes help you understand your eating patterns and practise changes that fit your life.
Movement That Fits Your Week
Fitness classes you can do at home. Connect your Fitbit or smartwatch to see your progress add up.
Day and night: a 24/7 line for any worry, all year.
The first days
Feeling Nervous?
That is completely normal. Here is what the first days are really like, and who is there for you.
“Will I feel sick?”
Feeling queasy at first is common. Your team explains how to manage it before you go home.
“What can I eat?”
Water and broth, then soft, easy food. Most people are back to their routine within a few days.
“Is anything permanent?”
No. When the balloon comes out, your stomach keeps its shape.
Worried at any point? Our patient care team and dietitian are a message away, and a 24/7 line is there for anything urgent.
Auralia Private Hospital
Your Care, Here In Ireland
Your gastric balloon is placed and removed at our own private hospital in Park West, Dublin. Everything else comes home with you.
- Since 2001
Caring for patients in Ireland for more than twenty years, at our own hospital in Dublin.
- Dublin or online
Have your assessment in person at the hospital, or online from home. Placement and removal happen in Dublin.
- Aftercare at home
Your follow-ups and your dietitian are here in Ireland for the whole year, with appointments online.
Your complete programme
Gastric Balloon Price And Cost In Ireland
One price for the whole 12-month programme, known from the start, with no hidden extras.
12-Month Gastric Balloon Programme
€4,950
All-inclusive. Removal included.
From €137 per monthover 36 months
Bringing your programme to €3,960.
Everything Included In Your Programme
Your treatment
- Your free assessment with Dr Loy, and your pre-procedure checks
- The 12-month gastric balloon itself
- A free replacement balloon if yours ruptures within 12 months
- Sedation, theatre and hospital fees
- Your specialist’s fees for placement and removal
- Placement and removal at Auralia Private Hospital, Dublin
Your aftercare
- Follow-up appointments and doctor reviews, as many as you need
- Your dietitian programme, with supplement guidance
- A patient care team, always there to help
- A 24/7 line to your doctor for emergencies
Your Auralia app, from day one
- Live and on-demand exercise, lifestyle and cooking classes
- Nutrition and psychological support classes
- Recipes and meal plans
- Fitbit and smartwatch tracking
Frequently Asked Questions
Which gastric balloon do you use?
We use the Orbera365™ gastric balloon, made by Boston Scientific, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies. The Orbera balloon has been used for more than 20 years, in over 80 countries, with more than 400,000 balloons placed worldwide. Orbera365 is designed to stay in place for up to 12 months, and it is placed and removed through the mouth.
How does the balloon help me lose weight?
The balloon takes up part of your stomach, so you feel full much sooner and smaller meals feel like enough. Food also leaves your stomach more slowly, so you stay satisfied for longer and snack less between meals. Alongside it, you have a full year of dietitian support to turn those smaller portions into habits that last.
What happens if the balloon ruptures?
If your balloon ruptures within 12 months of placement, we replace it with a new gastric balloon, free of charge.
How is the balloon placed?
You are given light sedation, and Dr Loy passes a thin camera through your mouth into your stomach. The empty balloon is placed and then filled with sterile saline until it is about the size of a grapefruit. It takes about 20 minutes, there is no cut anywhere, and you go home the same day, 1 to 2 hours after the procedure, with no overnight stay.
Will I be asleep?
You are given light sedation, so you are relaxed and comfortable. It is not a general anaesthetic. Afterwards you rest for a short while, and you go home the same day.
What is recovery like, and are there side effects?
For the first few days your stomach gets used to the balloon. Some people feel sick or have cramps, and your team explains how to manage those first days. You move from fluids to soft food, then on to smaller normal meals. Most people are back to their normal routine within a few days, and our 24/7 line is there if anything worries you.
How is the balloon removed?
After up to 12 months, the balloon is removed in a short procedure under light sedation. Dr Loy empties it using a thin camera and takes it out through your mouth, with no cut anywhere. It is a day case, so you go home the same day.
How much weight will I lose?
Studies have shown an average weight loss of 20% of your body weight in the first year. Many others have lost more than this though. How much you lose depends on how closely you follow your plan, and your dietitian supports you all the way.
Will the weight come back after removal?
The 12 months with the balloon are there to build habits, so smaller portions, better food choices and more movement become your normal routine. Before removal, you and your dietitian make a plan for keeping the weight off. You keep your habits and your plan after the balloon comes out.
What will I eat with the balloon?
Once your stomach has settled, you eat smaller, balanced meals of normal food. Recipes and meal plans, cooking lessons on video and nutrition classes are all included to help you. Your dietitian is there through appointments from home and unlimited messaging whenever you have a question.
Can I exercise with the balloon?
Yes. Once your stomach has settled in, moving more is an important part of your year. Fitness and exercise classes are included, and you can connect your Fitbit or smartwatch to the Auralia app to follow your steps, calories and results.
How much does it cost?
One all-inclusive price covers the whole year: your assessment and checks, the balloon, sedation, theatre and hospital fees, your specialist’s fees, placement and removal at Auralia Private Hospital in Dublin, follow-up appointments, your dietitian programme, the Auralia app and its classes, and a 24/7 line. You can also spread the cost with monthly finance.
Can I claim tax back?
In many cases, yes. The majority of gastric balloon procedures are placed for medical reasons, so most patients are eligible to claim 20% tax back, via Revenue.
Am I suitable?
The balloon is usually suitable for adults with a BMI of 27 to 50 who have tried other ways to lose weight. Dr Loy confirms whether it is right for you at your free assessment, and tells you honestly if a different option would suit you better. If you are not sure, our patient care team can talk it through with you on the phone.
What if a balloon is not the right fit for me?
A gastric balloon is a non-surgical option. Our team also offers weight loss surgery, including gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and MagDI. Your free assessment helps decide which option is right for you.
Where is it done?
Your balloon is placed and removed at Auralia Private Hospital in Park West, Dublin. Your free assessment is in person in Dublin, or online, whichever suits you best. Travelling from further away? Read our gastric balloon information for Cork patients or our gastric balloon information for Belfast patients.
Your next step
Start With A Free Assessment
Find out if a gastric balloon is right for you, with no obligation and no long waiting list.
Send Your Details
It takes about 30 seconds.
We Call You Back
A bariatric patient coordinator calls you to answer your questions and book your free assessment.
Meet Dr Loy
In person in Dublin, or online, free of charge. He looks at your own health and goals, and tells you honestly which option suits you best.
