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My surgeon has his patients do one month of the post-op diet. I think I lost 2 pounds in the month. However, it was enough for the dietician to reccomend me for the surgery, which was good enoughfor me. I had my surgery December 8th, 2006 and I'm down about 40 pounds so far. I was interested when you said you are a vegetarian because since I have had the surgery I eat lots more veggies and very little meat. Meat does not agree with me at all since I had my surgery.And that's ok with me. Good luck to you with you upcoming surgery.

My surgery is scheduled for 2/28/11. Are there any vegetarian or vegan banders out there? I am slowly working my way back to being a vegetarian (was one for a few years back in the 70's - 80's) with the ultimatee goal of becoming vegan. Just wondering how it is working the band as a vegan....

I'm not a vegetarian but I have had a type of allergy testing done called delayed reaction where you might have a reaction a couple of days later. In this instance regular allergy testing or food elimination diets don't identify them. I'm trying to tough out the pre-op and post-op liquid diet with protein shakes, etc but feel terrible. I am sensitive to milk and milk products including whey, wheat, peanuts, and eggs. The only other things I can think of to eat in liquid stage would be maybe some pureed beans or tofu shakes. Any suggestions?

Hey Guys! Thanks so much for all the support and encouragment. Reading your responses really has helped. I began the process back in November and have done alot of research and have always felt really confident about the VSG but this morning I woke up in a panic. It is so wonderful to hear from people who have been there and can give me honest information. I wasnt sure how to quote you guys since I am new on here so I have responded to each of you below. Thanks again! Lissa, I began to try to detox myself off of caffeine and sodas as well and have been extremely successful although I was addicted to diet soft drinks. I have been 4 months without it. It was hard at first but not even an issue right now. As far as the sweets......ehhh not so much. Thanks for the suggestions to talk to someone about the emotional issues that I have with food. I know I have them! JoyV, Congrats on making it out of the Plus sizes! I cant wait to say the same!!!! Yeah, I live in Lima, Peru and they eat rice and french fries with everything. I cant imagine a world without them but I am so ready to live in that world! MeginNOLA, thanks so much for your comments. I am exactly the same way. I love to eat healthy food and have even thought that I could be a vegetarian because I love veggies so much. I just make stupid choices!!! Even when given healthy options I opt for the cheesy fatty bad one! Are you from New Orleans? I am actually from Shreveport, LA and lived for 15 years in Baton Rouge. Just spent a year in New Orleans going to the seminary there. I would love to keep in touch. Living in Peru right now but heading back to the US for Christmas! Amazon13: Good luck for your upcoming surgery. Yours is the day before mine! We will get fit together! Amykins, I am right there with you. I am so ready to NOT be a slave to sugar! I would much prefer a brownie to an outright meal. What is wrong with me??? Anyway, I will pray for you as you change your life too! We are in this together!!! Barisaxylady: I am ready for the change! Lets do this! And one other thing: I started exercising for an hour a day 9 days ago and I feel like I am starving all the time!!!! haha

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spike I know where you are comming from.. I'm not a vegetarian per say but I am sooooo freaking pickey about what type of meat I will eat it is crazy!! It is not the oh poor animal thing(NOT TO OFFEND ANYONE).. I just dont like the taste.. period.... Dont like fish at all(yes I did try it)... not a crazy fan of red meat either... Pork.. ehhhhh... I love chicken though.. and after reading some posts about ppl not being able to eat chicken has me worried for when I am ready to have a fill.. I too have a hard time finding Protein and can really tell when my body is lacking (my feet get swolen)... I have been trying some of the protein powders and OMG they are really icky... The injury is really not for me.. I orderd the sample pack 1 van/choc/strawb/unflavor... Scared to try the choc... LOL :faint: So far I seem to like the EAS Advantage Carb Control Choc Fudge.. Yummm.. about the same price as slimfast 15g prot/ 100 cal/ 0 sug and the main thing already mixed up... yea!! Let me know if you run across anything please!!! :help: TTFN Stephanie

My doc asked me this very question at my last check up... sign of vitamin deficiency... Do you take B12 right now? This is especially a problem for vegetarians....but others as well. This can cause brain damage, so get checked out ASAP!

Wow my surgery date is the same as yours. Really scared of failing as I am a vegetarian and have limited food options once my surgery is done.

Although not a vegetarian, I have started using TVP in my families food to boost the Protein, cut the cost, cut down on fat etc. I but the already flavored TVP (Taco) and add it to my ground beef after cooking-the seasoning serves to also season my ground beef. I started out small, but now we do 50/50. This works for tacos, Soups, spaghetti sauce whatever. My family is adults so they know it is in there, but even so they swear they can't tell any difference in taste or texture. I have also bought the sausage flavored and added it to soups, or spaghetti sauce. As for the PB2-I have only used it when i was doing shakes. I have never actually tried it as Peanut Butter, but I had better since I bought a 2 pound bag!! I have been thinking of making it up and mixing it half and half with real peanut butter.

Im a lacto/ovo vegetarian, and get by fine. Lots of Beans, low fat cheese and dairy, meat substitutes... what do you eat now for protein? There are several other posts on this board that go into detail. I would google vegetarian protein sources, and see whats out there.

Hello Everyone! I just came across this thread and thought I would say hello. I am getting my band in a few days and will be a fellow July bandster! I am sooo excited!! I live in New Mexico and am going to Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver. If anyone has any friendly advice to pass on, I would much appreciate it. I have learned so much already by reading all the posts and things on here. It has been a big support. I am so glad there is something like this out there. The weight problem sucks and I am so glad to finally be getting a solution. I also have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which makes it hard for me to lose weight but soooo easy to gain it. I am hoping this will help with that as well. I would love to hear from anyone else that is going through the same thing! Right now I am in the midst of my pre-op diet and am sooo sick of Meat & Eggs I could scream!! I am really looking forward to the liquids after the surgery just so I don't have to eat any meat...blaaahhhh! After this, I just might become a vegetarian.

ok, so i'm beign banded monday morning and this weekend wait is killing me. too much idle time to let my mind wander and it's affecting my sleep (or lack thereof). doesn't anyone else post about their freak-out stage or am i alone on this? list of random ramblings: 1. must eat everything in sight before sunday morning. once awake i'll be on liquids until i reach the mushie stage. 2. i am terrified of the unknown me. my size is my identity (we'll leave it at that because it would take until monday to get into all my therapy history.) What will i look like at a normal weight? what kind of clothing style do i have? i've shopped so long and chose what I liked/fit me versus what i would choose if i could wear anything i wanted. (i'm leaning toward the LL Bean - eclectic yoga/herbalist look ). 3. i know i'm going to go through a HUGE food mourning stage. the hardest will be ice cream and sweets. fortunately, i like vegetarian cuisine and mediterranean foods. food is my friend, dammit. i'm very curious to see how i handle stress sans food. thank goddess i've learned to meditate! 4. mega afraid to say something stupid while under.:speechles my surgeon is rather hot! 5. not too worried about the dying on the table thing. however, i will be paranoid for a few days about slippage, erosion, gremins eating my band ( ), etc. i have a tendancy for the dramatic! Ok, now for some routine questions: 1. just how naked are you on the table? can you wear socks? were you able to get into jammies once in your room? 2. do you get a cath before anesthesia? 3. does the iv stay in overnight or just a few hours after surgery? thanks for reading this let alone answering any of my ramblings. aaaarggghhhhh.....i wish it were 6:00am monday morning!

Has anyone gone vegan or vegetarian after surgery?

I went in asking for bypass, and my surgeon talked me into VSG. So glad that he did. Two reasons: -I am a vegetarian so already have to be careful about nutrient absorption, especailly B12--and RNY as a malabsorptive procedure would have made that even more difficult; 2. -I wanted to be able to take NSAIDs, and while my surgeon allows RNY patients to do so with a PPI after a waiting period, I wanted to be able to take them more liberally if needed, and VSG allows you to do that (I will always take a gastric-protective med though)

I'm the same as you...three months out and still have trouble with chicken. My nut said to try the dark meat (forget the old diet rules). I've also tried the rotisserie chicken from the market, and when it's fresh, that seems to be good. But, grilled chicken...nope. The other thing that worked well and I really liked was vegetarian "chicken" patties. They're slightly breaded and crisp, so they taste like a crispy chicken patty, but that seems to be great and packed with protein. I'm also doing okay with beef, but don't really want to eat a lot of that. Even deli turkey I have to be careful with. But, we all find what works for us, right? My nut says if something doesn't work, give it a couple of weeks and try it again.

Fab, how about cottage cheese, yogurt and pureed vegetarian (I can't have meat yet) chili. Other more filling or substantial soups? Some on here also do mashed potatoes. Also hummus is good. Good luck, hope this helps a bit!

My doctor's clinic has two in-house nutritionists. I do think it's very helpful. I would have had no idea how to navigate meals and supplements without their guidance early on. The sleeve is just so different from anything else one has experienced prior. But, I would be very sure to find a nut that not only has sleeve specific experience, but vegetarian sleeve also. I am a "flexitarian" and used to eat 50 - 75% vegetarian. I found that very difficult to continue with the sleeve and Protein requirements of 75-80 grams a day. It can be done, but your options are limited. If you search on here, there have been threads in the past from veg sleevers that I'm sure would be helpful to you.

I make a lot of bean based soups because I'm vegetarian. I also made a really tasty, but not so pretty dreamed spinach soup. I used veg stock (either my own or low sodium Amy's), a container or premade Orgain organic protein drink (vanilla flavor). I pureed a can of low sodium whit beans with 2 cups of spinach and some roasted garlic. Mix it all together, salt & pepper to taste, a dash of cumin. If you want I you could add some chicken, but I don't eat chicken I added some shredded blanched spinach for garnish.

Girls, I know.......I have been battling getting back on track. I did start eating fruit instead of junk. That has helped my sweet tooth. Oh, I went to support last night. Dr. Davis' wife made a healthy pizza. She grilled two kinds of squash, peppers, onion, and eggplant. Then she chopped it up and put in on a whole wheat pizza crust slathered with roasted garlic hummus. she topped it with goat cheese. It was delicious. I will definitely make one. He wants us to go vegetarian. I am not there yet. I still like a steak twice a month, not to mention chicken. I am working on it. He said if all I ate was veggies , fruits, and nuts I wouldn't gain weight. I am not training for Iron Man triathlon like he is...... get real.

I think a lot of eating meat after surgery involves getting past the hurdle that it might hurt. I make sure that I have some kind of sauce/moisture for meat and that I cut it into small bites and chew well. My sleeve (Rex) still won't tolerate anything remotely spicy, but I can now eat almost any meat without issues. As Meg said, there are many alternatives for Protein without eating meat. We have quite a few vegetarian sleevers around here. I love to check their group for new ideas. I personally eat a lot of cheese to help boost my protein intake, and I like a babybel in the morning before my Vitamins so that I don't get nauseous. SleevedMom, if you're getting nauseous from just putting the meat in your mouth, do YOU think it's a head issue or do you get sick once you chew up and swallow the meat? If it's a head issue, it may be time for a chat with your nutritionist or doctor about whether you're really ready for meat. It might even be a good idea to talk to a therapist about the meat issue. If it's a physical issue, for instance your tummy gets upset when you eat meat, you may just need to eat more vegetarian for a while. I've seen people who have continued with only protein bars/shakes long-term, and they do lose weight. IME, though, those people are the ones who never transition back to "normal" life. My late friend's sister in law is one of those and the sister in law ends up in the ER regularly because of malnutrition and dehydration. The sister in law says it's "too hard" to get in her Water and to eat normal food. Each time she goes in the hospital, they work on getting her into a routine where she's eating regular food and drinking water. She will comply long enough to get out of the hospital, then she's right back to only eating protein bars and drinking very little. Personally, I think the woman now has anorexia or something similar. It is really important to try to transition to getting your protein from food, but you may need some softer Proteins and some guidance from a nutritionist or therapist to get to that point. I think that is a very natural reaction since we've had such restricted diets before and after surgery. Add in that none of us want to damage our new sleeves and leaks are a terrifying complication, and it's a wonder that any of us ever manage to transition back to "regular" food after surgery! Good luck!! Please let us know how it goes.

I am a vegetarian and have food allergies. Not all my friends are vegetarians. I almost always check menus before I go. it's just part of what I need to do in order not to get sick. I'm pretty good at it so I have a handful of restaurants I frequent that I know are safe, and I'm pretty good at talking to wait staff to make sure I get something safe to eat. For the most part it doesn't really complicate my life.

it doesn't hurt to try vegetarian sources for awhile. Just giving you an idea ❤️

Can you explain to us newbies what caused the vomiting and feeling? Im vegetarian and have a feeling eating salads and raw veggies is in my future....is the problem the raw? Is this a "at first" thing or are raw veggies something to cross off all together? Thank you! For me, pouch pain, vomiting, and foamies are all caused by the same things--swallowing food chunks that are too big, and eating too fast. Some sources say "chew for 22" meaning chew your bites of food 22 times before swallowing. Others say chew thirty times. For me, I have to start with a bite no larger than a teaspoon for solids like steak, and no more than a tablespoon size for soft foods like oatmeal. And I have to chew each bite until it's the consistency of pudding. Then I swallow it. Yes, steak "pudding"! As you might expect, this means I eat smaller amounts, and take a longer time doing it, than I used to before surgery. I believe that's how the gastric bypass surgery has helped me the most--the pouch pain, vomiting, and foamies have forced me to eat the way I was always supposed to. Small bites, chewed to "pudding" consistency. Oh, and always eating the Protein part of the meal first.

Milaxx on MFP *really* looking for vegetarian friends BTW - if you send a friend request please include a note letting me know you are from here.

I don't know what you'd need to take Vitamins for that you wouldn't want to take extra anyway. Other than B12 (which really we should all be taking regardless), you can get everything from plant sources. And that's if you're vegan. If you're just vegetarian, it's even less of a problem.