POSE Surgery

[kayekaye]

Hey everyone, just checking in. It's been a month and a couple weeks since surgery. I'm down about 24 lbs now. Weight loss stalled for a couple weeks and now it's picking back up again. I'm eating about 50% less than what I used to but to be honest, I'm not making the right food choices. Trying today to be better and hoping to stay around or just under 1000 calories a day with most of it being from protein and veggies.

I have an addiction to the coffee flavored Monster Energy drinks and drink 2 of those a day. If any of you like cold coffee and have found a protein drink with that type of consistency rather than the thick shake type drinks, please let me know. I'd really love to switch off of these Java Monsters, that eats up 400 calories a day full of sugar and carbs and minimal protein. Hope everyone is doing ok!!

Toots, how are you girly?????

 

[juliagulia]

Bariatriceating.com has a shake called believe and it's like a cold Starbucks coffee. Only 110 calories and yummy. It could help cut your cal in half

 

[Thinkingman]

Well, i have been 100% compliant this week and lost nothing.:cry:...very frustrated as expected something gone at the end of week two + liquids only.
All i have had are soups, yoghurt and s/f jelly and drinks.
Did anyone else experience this? Were ny cals too low 500-700 a day? I have been horribly tired.:sigh:
Hoping for a scales shift soon.....
Tootsx

I've noticed that when I diet well, I notice the difference about two or three weeks later. I think it takes that long for your body to adjust and change.

 

[Supper boy]

Pose or not Pose

I've noticed that when I diet well, I notice the difference about two or three weeks later. I think it takes that long for your body to adjust and change.

Hi, i am new to this forum and have not yet seen a surgeon, but read the entire thread on POSE. Could you guys give me more feedback about your experiences curbing your appetites and dealing with hunger? I feel that I could cheat after op as I am greedy and eat compulsively. Weight loss is meant to be a consequence but what I would like to know is if the procedure helped you to limit your food intake.
Thanks for honest feedback.
Marcelo

 

[Thinkingman]

The POSE has helped me to reduce my food intake by about 20%. However, don't think you'll magically stop desiring the bad stuff. You'll be asked to go on a 2 week liquid diet, followed by a week of mushy food.

I lost a stone from this, but once I went back to normal food my weight loss massively slowed down. After about 6 weeks I decided to go on a diet, I replaced a meal with a milkshake and yogurt. I've been doing this for about 5 months and have have lost a total of 3 stones. Also ensuring that I purposefully eat less to help my stomach get smaller, this led me to be hungry throughout the day for a couple of weeks but I just got on with it. I've been trying to reduce the bad stuff and eat it much less frequently. The fact is, if you spent several thousand pounds, gone through a liquid and mushy food diet, you will be able to motivate yourself.

Good luck.

 

[Toots1]

Hi there
Good going Kayekaye
As of 3rd August I too was down 24 lbs - feels good! I came home yesterday after being away and have stayed the same which amazed me as I felt I was eating far too much - I think it is now apparent how much less I eat due to the procedure - If that is the quantity I need to eat to maintain then I am going to be fine!
But - now back to shifting the lbs....I have about another 21lbs as a minimum that I would like to lose. 28-35 would be fabulous, over time, so my choices have to now be more realistic rather than holiday choices where I was drinking more juices, eating more rice, crackers, and yes some chocolate/sweets etc
thanks for your reply Thinkingman - I saw the lbs shift after about 2 weeks, a relief as it was hard work for no visible reward for a while which was downheartening -I think I may try your lunch idea for a couple of weeks to reboot my system after time off.

Supperboy - I have really benefitted from this procedure; I saw my GP about 5-6 wks after it was done and she was amazed. I agree with thinkingman however, it will not change your desire to eat bad stuff - I could graze all day on rubbish if I wanted to - what it HAS done for me is taught me about my real hunger v boredom/emotion led hunger and listening to my body. When I saw my surgeon, I walked away having booked to have a band put in, but I changed back to POSE as I cannot bear being sick or the thought of food being stuck, I also had sat with BMI of 32 for years and my dr recommended not having a band if a 'gentler' option was available - I spke at great length with her about my food habits etc prior to surgery.
You do still get hungry, but eating slowly and following the protien 1st, vegetables/salad 2nd and carbs if any space left rule does cut your intake. You will have seen mixed experiences on this forum and it is a huge decision so do speak with drs/surgeons....mine was amazing and was honest re sucess rates and longitudinal data which is not available for POSE - he decribed it as a 'guiding hand' to remind you about what you should eat.
If you have any specific questions, I aam happy to answer

Tootsx

 

[Supper boy]

Honest feedback

The POSE has helped me to reduce my food intake by about 20%. However, don't think you'll magically stop desiring the bad stuff. You'll be asked to go on a 2 week liquid diet, followed by a week of mushy food.

I lost a stone from this, but once I went back to normal food my weight loss massively slowed down. After about 6 weeks I decided to go on a diet, I replaced a meal with a milkshake and yogurt. I've been doing this for about 5 months and have have lost a total of 3 stones. Also ensuring that I purposefully eat less to help my stomach get smaller, this led me to be hungry throughout the day for a couple of weeks but I just got on with it. I've been trying to reduce the bad stuff and eat it much less frequently. The fact is, if you spent several thousand pounds, gone through a liquid and mushy food diet, you will be able to motivate yourself.

Good luck.

Thanks for your feedback, well understood that it is willpower that makes the change. I am happy to eat the good stuff i/o bad. I like salads, vegetables and low GI foods combined with meat/fish and cheese. What makes me fat is the quantity. My terrible problem is eating normally during the day and then eat too much in the evenings when I go home. I own a restaurant, so it is easy to control my food intake at lunch time as you just order what is good and the portion comes as it would to a customer. but at home I lose control and my stomach seems to have no bottom. I graze at 6-6:30pm, then have dinner, then cheese & wine or pud and chocs- the whole lot. I only stop when I am full and it is watching TV that I normally have all this food. A couple of hours later I go to bed and many times return for a last peep through the fridge. I know breaking this routine would need an effort, but if my stomach would be smaller I was hoping to avoid the extra food intake. Could you tell me if there is a time when you feel that you are full after eating or is it just a sensation of hunger permanently? I hate that sensation... Marcelo

 

[Supper boy]

Toots,
Thanks for your feedback. I have an appointment to Dr Byrne of Spire Southampton on 14/09. I will discuss both options- POSE and Band. I need to find a xolution that makes me full after eating and avoid going back to the frustration of feeling comfortable overeating. There is a new procedure called Abiliti- a pacemaker attached to the stomach that send impulses to your brains to tell you are full as soon as you start eating.
Will update you guys once I had my consultation.
Thanks for your supoort,

 

[Toots1]

No worries
Mr Byrne was my surgeon--fantastic surgeon & person in general.
I have overeaten a couple of times.....first time i did i was sick- not nice, other times i have felt as if i have a stitch, you can overeat, but my experience is that you soon know about it! Each time, mine was from eating too quickly.
You do still get hungry- from what i have read, this is the same with the band. I am not so hungry so much----my issue was eating huge amounts and overeating at the first twinge of hunger and that has definitely changed ; i feel like a child having been weaned and have had to relearn what hunger and feeling properly full really feels like.
If honest, i sometimes wish i had opted for a band as i think my loss may have been steadier and studies show a more 'guaranteed' loss due to so much data available; it is a risk having a new procedure; but i have to say i am happy with POSE due to no incision, food getting stuck etc & realising this is a change for life, not a short term magic solution where i would suddenly have my dream BMI- i am very impatient and was a bit unrealistic re my expectations!!
Good luck with your apt and dont hesitate to ask if you have any queries.
Tootsx

 

[scottt]

Hi
I don't mean to put a downer on all the positives you have heard on this site,but i feel no different than before i had the procedure and wish i had had a band .I know 3 others who are the same .My appetite is no less .I lost a stone through liquids only for the first 2 weeks and that is where i am at right now over 3 months later .I just thought you should hear both sides .I wish i had gone for the band as i know several people who have been very sucsessful with that operation .

 

[LyndaB]

Hi
I don't mean to put a downer on all the positives you have heard on this site,but i feel no different than before i had the procedure and wish i had had a band .I know 3 others who are the same .My appetite is no less .I lost a stone through liquids only for the first 2 weeks and that is where i am at right now over 3 months later .I just thought you should hear both sides .I wish i had gone for the band as i know several people who have been very sucsessful with that operation .

Hi,

I would endorse what Scottt/Liz says. My appetite has reverted to pre-procedure and I can eat just as much as before. It's a complicated issue; you have to recognise the difference between the type of 'hunger' you are experiencing, feelings, the food choices you make and will-power also plays a part in this. POSE is the procedure used when BMI is at the lower range of obesity (think it's somewhere between 30 - 40) - the option of banding etc., from my experience, does not appear to be offered unless the BMI is above.
There are some success stories but I'm not one of them.

Lynda

 

[kayekaye]

Hey everyone. Just popping in. It's been a little crazy lately with niece getting married and stuff. I have managed to drop 30 lbs now and am now under 200 lbs for the first time since 2008! I'm ecstatic. I have been through a stall, overeaten a few times but never got sick, started losing again at an agonizingly slow pace but it's because of the foods and drinks that I consume. I still can't eat more than about 50% of what I did before surgery. If I would just choose the right foods I probably could be at 40 or more lbs gone by now. I'm 1/3 of the way to my goal. Hoping to lose another 25 lbs before Thanksgiving and looking to add exercise in soon to aid in that. Still very satisfied and thankful for the procedure. I do have days where I wish I had just went on and had the sleeve, I think I could have been more than halfway to my goal by now but would I be as happy? I don't know the answer to that because I'm pretty doggone happy without having to deal with pain or vomiting and being able to eat a lot less but not just a few bites like sleevers do. I guess I choose, most of the time, to be thankful for the less drastic tool I've been given.

 

[Toots1]

Great job KayeKaye 30lbs !! Well done !! and bye bye to the 200lbs.
That is a fantastic loss - you must be thrilled

I'm not quite there yet....I too need to rethink some food choices I am making at present ; but am eating over 1/3 less than usual.

I'm sure you will make your thanksgiving goal; I would like to lose another stone by then - I have 20 lbs to get to 'healthy bmi' and 30 to reach my goal....hopefully by Xmas

I hope you are able to get some new slimline clothes to celebrate
Toots x

 

[shamp00]

Hi everyone. I'm booked into the Leeds Spire to have POSE in 3 weeks time. I've read all the posts in this massive thread and found it really useful so thank you all for the trouble you've gone to to share your experiences.

A couple of questions I have that I'd be interested to know your thoughts about...

(1) how quickly did you start eating "normal" meals? I don't want people to generally know I've had the procedure but have no problem at all saying I'm on a diet and limiting my portion size... but if friends want me to go with them to a restaurant a couple of weeks after the procedure would I be able to eat stuff or would I still need to be on soft / liquidised food at that stage?

(2) how quickly after surgery did you start exercising? I go to the gym once a week and I cycle quite a bit - I'm wondering if I'll initially feel too week from a lack of calories?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jean13]

Hi,

I would endorse what Scottt/Liz says. My appetite has reverted to pre-procedure and I can eat just as much as before. It's a complicated issue; you have to recognise the difference between the type of 'hunger' you are experiencing, feelings, the food choices you make and will-power also plays a part in this. POSE is the procedure used when BMI is at the lower range of obesity (think it's somewhere

between 30 - 40) - the option of banding etc., from my experience, does not appear to be offered unless the BMI is above.
There are some success stories but I'm not one of them.

Lynda

My Neice is having the pose tomorrow so I will join this thread and let you know how she is doing good bad whatever, good luck to everyone.

Jean

 

[GiggirlNY]

Hello all POSE surgery subjects. I am contemplating having the surgery in the USA. This means I will have to travel to another state in order to have this procedure since it is not available yet where I am.
I have a few concerns about being so far from home. I will stay at the surgery site area for a week but then will need to go back home. Did those who had the POSE procedure feel they could continue recovering from the surgery with minimal supervision such as being at the actual doctors office? Do you think I can handle the rest of recovery and the proceeding maintenance on my own. I know I will be able to have as much contact as I want with the medical facility via phone. Will I need more than that?
Also- the sore throat after surgery, is it truly severe? How long did it take to heal?
Any advice here would be appreciated. I am really grateful for this site to be able to ask real people their experiences.

 

[eastbruce]

Just curious, where are you now- not in the USA?

Recovery from the procedure is easy and quick. You have to follow some steps, such as liquids, soft foods etc. in order to let your anchor spots heal, but you won't even feel where they are as they cause no pain or even a funny feeling. The sore throat lasts 2 or 3 days and really the first day is the worst.
Just so you know - the reason they tell you to expect a loss of approximately 30%-40% of excess weight is because the effect of the anchors does not last more than a few months, mine lasted about 6 months. Some people found they did not even last that long.
Researching the other procedures available will give you confidence that you are choosing the right one for your situation.

 

[shamp00]

GiggirlNY I had my POSE procedure done 5 days ago (the day before your post) and I can confirm that the sore throat, which was very much like any sore throat you may get from time to time went after 3 days. My stomach feels slightly bloated at the moment, which is discomfort rather than pain, but other than that I feel pretty much OK. I live by myself, and have had no real problems since - I feel drowsy at times (which I think is the effect of dramatically less calorie intake!) but I feel fine to drive / have gone back to work etc.

The only thing I would say is that I'm not sure I'd want to take a long journey right now (although I'm not up to a week yet) - mainly because I don't want to be doing anything uncomfortable - I'd suggest you try and be flexible about when you travel just in case.

As for not being near the hospital afterwards, I don't think that should matter too much. Although I live in the same town as the hospital where I had the surgery, the surgeon said that I should phone if I had any questions and and dietician said I should email so it wouldn't have mattered where I was.

I've started a blog talking about my procedure but I don't think I can post a link to it here because I haven't been around long enough, but if you search for pose weight loss journey blog on google you should find it.

In reference to what eastbruce says about the anchors losing their effect, I'm sure he is right, however what my surgeon said is that you need to see this very much as a tool. You will still be able to eat the wrong things if you wish, and if you do then you will re-stretch the stomach. However by having had POSE he suggested it will be easier to stick to sensible size portions for a good few months, and that once you have trained yourself to eat properly you will understand how to make that continue to work. I know that in theory you could do that with diet alone, but by having pose you can revert to eating sensible food rather than a strict diet (eg not maxing out on protein) and work more on portion sizes - that also means you can eat the full range of food so you wont' get bored like you would on a diet.

It's early days for me and I hope it works. There are no long term stats with this procedure, but I am hoping that if I can maintain seeing it as a tool, and can keep understanding how to work with it, then hopefully it will make a massive difference to my life.

 

[GiggirlNY]

Just curious, where are you now- not in the USA?

Recovery from the procedure is easy and quick. You have to follow some steps, such as liquids, soft foods etc. in order to let your anchor spots heal, but you won't even feel where they are as they cause no pain or even a funny feeling. The sore throat lasts 2 or 3 days and really the first day is the worst.
Just so you know - the reason they tell you to expect a loss of approximately 30%-40% of excess weight is because the effect of the anchors does not last more than a few months, mine lasted about 6 months. Some people found they did not even last that long.
Researching the other procedures available will give you confidence that you are choosing the right one for your situation.

Thank you for replying eastbruce. I do live in the United States but I am in a State that does not offer POSE yet. I would have to travel to Louisiana or Florida in order to get the procedure done.

 

[GiggirlNY]

ShampOO...congratulations! And thank you for replying. I understand the 'tool' concept with the POSE surgery. It may be too early for you to say but I read that the surgery does make one feel more satiated, less hungry, after meals. It is one thing to have the stomach smaller but I wonder if I would still have the ravenous desire for the same size meals I had been accustomed to eating? I am prepared to lower my daily calories. But when I went on diets in the past I would take in an appropriate amount of calories (say 1,500 cal a day) but feel so extremely hungry. Does this abate some after the POSE?