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Oh no, I'm so sorry you went through all that mess and drama!!! My prayer for you is a complete healing hon. The 30 lbs added while in the hospital has to do with all the fluids and meds they pumped you up with, so it doesn't count. 😊 I'm learning and going vegetarian. I've decided that I won't be cutting cheese out just yet, but I'm due time. But I did find a "cheese" sauce on Pinterest that is vegan. It's worth a try...I'll be trying t sometime and seeing if my kids could even tell the difference. I'll post the link here. I've even been researching on Dr Garth Davis, who is a bariatric surgeon and a vegan. He has his patients on vegetarian/vegan diets. Also wrote a book called Proteinaholic that I've been trying to find. My half priced bookstore didn't have it. Anyway, it's quite interesting. Been going plant based since before surgery, but finally kicking it off here for the most part. What I should have said in the beginning...WELCOME BATTY'S MOM!!!! 😊 We post quite regularly here and we keep each other encouraged and going. We're here for you! Glad to have ya on board.

Hi there, I ended up having it at the end of March so i'm only a few months out now. It was different than i expected. The procedure itself was quite easy and I had a quick recovery. I was more affected by the lack of energy the first week or so because of so little food than the procedure itself so a positive reaction. I've lost about 8kg in total - much less than i was expecting as i'm sure you can imagine. I was expecting it to similar to the gastric sleeve in terms of restriction etc but i have found i am able to eat much larger quantities than i expected - not so much as to be super full but not as small as the gastric sleeve by any means. I have also found the hunger pains are more like stomach cramping - which i can deal with - but it is a different sensation for sure. For me, i think my expectations were about that of the sleeve which it is not. I also didn't feel as though i had much support from my doctor as he was new at doing this procedure. I would have liked to speak with other people who had had the procedure for example or hear from their experiences. That being said, i do have some restriction in quantity compared to before. When i eat with other people, there is no way they can tell - i just get fuller a bit quicker - i eat about 75% of what i did before. In other words it's less but not a lot less. I have also felt more cramping when i eat meat or chicken so i am opting for more vegetarian choices - not a big deal but perhaps worth mentioning. I also don't get cramping with things like bread which is of course more carbohydrate than meat or proteins which is not ideal - it is just softer on my stomach to digest. If asked i would do it again and i heard that it is only supposed to last 2 years so i would do it again in 2 years (with another doctor and hopefully at a lower price). If you have any other questions, i would be happy to answer! Best of luck to you!

Just wanted to say I'm a new member, who had my surgery this past May 15th. I won't lie the surgery landed me in ICU and I have had a horrible time. Which includes, living on Oxygen for 6 weeks, Blood transfusion, that may have done something really bad to me, and I am continuing to see an oncologist and hematologist again this Friday. The kicker for me is when I left the hospital, due to all the drama, they had actually added over 30 pounds to me, I weighed 372 pounds when I entered at 340. That scared the heck out of me, but in 10 days I was back to 340 and have been losing rather steadily since (with a current stall) I joined this group because I need help with Vegetarian recipes. I want to go vegan but I want sauces and "cheese" and am horrible at making those things. I feel like being vegetarian I am eating way too much cheese to get the protein. (should point out I can't keep down any form of powder protein or shake down, so has to come through food). Any suggestions and support is greatly appreciated.

I'm a strict vegetarian but mostly plant [emoji271] based diet as I don't eat dairy or cheese. But I do have the ocasional egg. Aka_ET HW-220 Pre-op 194.3 RNY SD June 16th 2017 CW-188 GW-140 HT 5' 3" [emoji120][emoji878][emoji1272] "You may see me struggle but you will never see me quit"

Practice eating like a DS patient for the next couple months. 120g protein, handfuls of vitamins, etc. (Ok, well, be careful not to take too many vitamins, but check out the requirements). For 1, you'll probably knock off a few pounds. For 2, you can see just how nuts the requirements are. Most of us here wouldn't panic about carrying 30 extra pounds. This is normal and expected. Weight can and does fluctuate post op... it's all a journey in which we all have to keep working at it (forever). Even a torn meniscus should heal, allowing more exercise over time. Exercise does make you hungry, so be sure to fill up on... Salad? Eggs? Something like that. Spend your money on a pool membership, counseling, better food.. whatever. I don't know what you eat, but the downfalls of many vegetarians are sugar and white flour. Make sure those are completely cut out of your diet. Many people undergo surgery, expecting a "magic fix". It doesn't work that way. Yes, the pounds melt off effortlessly at first. And then they stop, almost always before you want them to. The rest is up to you. A DS is more likely to kill you over time via malnourishment, especially because you are a vegetarian. 30 extra pounds isn't dangerous. This surgery IS. The very fact that you are willing to dive headlong into a very dangerous situation, all in pursuit of becoming thin (not health)... I'd be willing to bet you have an eating disorder. Please get some professional help.

Have some. Carbs are constantly listed as the devil, but you shouldn't cut out whole food groups. Corn and actually potatoes that aren't fried aren't that bad. If you look at vegetarians and vegans, all I know are healthy, they aren't obese or so, and get their protein.

I am really having a tough time making this decision, and I could really use some advice maybe from some vets or people that started out with a lower BMI (like 32). I would really appreciate any input you can offer! Thanks so much! I was sleeved in Mexico in Dec 2014 with a bmi of about 32, at 5'3" and 182 pounds. I thought I had found the miracle cure! I Lost about 30 pounds (out of the 50 that I wanted to lose) in the first four moths, and had to work hard for about another year to keep it off. Then I tore my meniscus in June of 2016, and was unable to do my walks/hikes, and have since put back on 15 of the original 30 that I lost. So probably not really worth it for me, in the long run. I have put a deposit down for DS in Mexico in July, but I'm scared, and my husband is not supportive, especially since I'm only 30-35 pounds overweight. I'm not even sure that DS would get me where I want to be. Also, I'm a vegetarian, so I think the protein might be difficult for me. Please, any advice with any of these issues (low BmI, sleeve failure, vegetarian) would be so helpful! Tell me to go for it or tell me it won't get me where I want to be. Anything! Thank you so much for your support!

I'm a vegetarian. If you need any suggestions, let me know!

Any vegetarian or pescatarian recipe options?

HOWDY - Internet Pals, My name is Sherry and I have decided to blog my Journey with Weight Loss Surgery. I’m not the greatest at wording stuff, but will do my bestest *wink* Here is a recap up to now. My actual weight history started 21 years ago with the birth of my first daughter. I gained quite a bit and just never lost it. It crept up over the next 21 years. I did have two more children but they were both boys and well I was sick the whole time and actually lost weight with them. J I do have multiple issues including – Fibromyalgia – DJD – Diverticulosis – Borderline hypertension – Borderline Diabetic – Hypothyroidism and chronic anal fissures. I was constantly on the work out roller coaster. I’d work out and then the next day I would hurt so bad I’d miss a few days. So walking was about it for now for exercise. Till the weight gets down. Many of these will be much better if not cured by weight loss. I’m looking forward to less pain. Oh man am I. Any hoo - I was introduced to bariatric surgery about 5 years ago and was like, “No Way. I can do this on my own.” So I did try. Of course right after that, I was inspired, and I did lose 45 lbs. with Somersizing, but only to gain it all back. Plus some of course. I have tried so many diets. Atkins, Somersizing (which was my most successful), Juicing, Vegan, Vegetarian, and so many more. All leading to a small amount of loss just to gain it all back, with its little side package. Always a side package. (that would be lovely extra you always gain back with what you lost) - So I’ve slowly over the last 5 years hit my max weight of 315. I was shocked and just gave up. But then stuff started getting pretty bad. My low back pain was getting worse, plus now I had numbness going down my right leg. Couldn’t sleep due to hip, shoulder and back pain. Shoulders were horrible and my anal fissure went on high alert and has been for about 2 years now. I had to do something so I started going to docs to get myself taken care of. I had a new sleep study to make sure my pressure was good – it was upped from 10 to 16. Colonoscopy to make sure all was okay there. Just the anal fissure and internal hemorrhoids, no cancer or anything like that. Yay! Then I had my low back evaluated. Bad Bad. Denerative Disk disease in lower back…and pretty badly. This was the doc who referred me to the Weight Loss Center at Centennial here in Nashville. And so the journey began. I called the Center and a week later they called and got my information. They returned my call a few days later saying my insurance required a couple of things before approving. A pre-op Nutritional eval and a Psych eval. These were taken care of within the next two weeks. Then they sent my information off to the insurance. Within the week I was approved. Then we scheduled my first consult with the doc. Went well. Then I received my surgery date. Boom Bam Boom. So now I’m three weeks pre-op and today I started my liquid diet. I have started this three weeks pre-op due to I have a very fatty liver and edema. I’m required to do two weeks but added another week to make sure things are good and down. We want no problems – nope nope. I attached the liquid diet the doc gave me below, in case you wanted to check it out. The crossed out stuff is stuff I don’t like or wont use. Not big on flavored water. But who knows after this that might change. Heard taste and stuff change after WLS. Well I'm off for now. Thanks for coming along on my journey and I’ll post often to let you know how all is doing. Blessing to you all on your own journeys and would love to hear from you. GrInS Sherry

I'm glad you posted this. I'm 3 weeks post op today and not very hungry yet but my nut told me I need to focus on meals and teaching my protein goal. Sometimes I'm taking nausea meds just to try to get something more in between meals. I certainly don't want my hair to fall out or lose muscle but I'm not a big meat eater, I was even vegetarian for a few years and an getting real sick of meat, the protein shakes seem too "milky". IDK. I think I just need a little more time to adjust. I'm afraid that whenI go for 6 wk appt she's going to be upset that I didn't meet my goals. I don't think I met these protein and fluid goals before surgery though either. Sent from my SM-N920T using BariatricPal mobile app

Meat and chicken still hard to digest at 2 years post op. I prefer fish if having solid protein as other proteins can be so uncomfortable in stomach. I find I eat mainly vegetarian meals with protein as a side thing. I do have protein shakes and yogurt to keep protein levels up. I've read that many people eat protein and veggies as meals but I find that difficult to stick to as so uncomfortable and if I eat too much of anything it can lead to vomiting.

I want to thank all of you for your honest responses. A big reason I want a reversible procedure is because I'm vegetarian, but would like to eat a vegan diet, and not be so reliant on protein. I came across Joel Fuhrman's book (The End of Dieting) and am even more convinced of a plant-based eating plan. Most of all, I know I have to change my relationship to eating. To Berry78 - Well done on your weight loss, and thank you for the encouragement! I hear what you're saying - I have heard of lapband complications, but compared to the sleeve and bypass, it has the least problems statistically (and there can be problems with ALL procedures). I would be able to get assistance for the gastric balloon whether in the USA or the other country, but I don't know if my insurance in the USA would cover a procedure done in another country, if something went wrong - will ask my surgery team. To catwoman7 - First of all, congrats on your stellar results! Another doctor also said he'd be wary of a newer procedure, although the gastric balloon has been used for years in other countries. And my surgeon in the USA is phasing out the lapband, although he's done many hundreds of them and had good results. To MowryRocks - Congratulations on your success! I can get the balloon done in the USA city where I live as well. The thing is I can't afford it here - but my insurance will pay for the lapband, sleeve or bypass. To Mountaingal - Great work on keeping up your weight loss! I understand that gastric plication is also not covered by insurance, but am encouraged since it is reversible. What are its side-effects? To sammy246 - thanks for sharing your opinion. What would be your pick? I recently went to a bariatric support group where 90% had the sleeve done, and although all had significant weight loss, they were all battling with keeping it off. Again, many thanks - I appreciate your help!

I love how positive you ways are, Alex! For me, I'm training to do a Tough Mudder type run with my three teenagers. I'm also committed to two vegetarian meals a week, as one of my kids is a vegetarian and we are learning to cook vegetarian meals together.

After about 9 weeks, I am finally cooking again. Made egg salad for breakfast and this Thai Red Curry Stew for the rest of the day. It is a vegetarian recipe, but I loaded it with baked chicken breast and thighs. Very, very tasty. Really been craving some veggies! https://cookieandkate.com/2015/thai-red-curry-recipe/

Being a vegan or vegetarian is not for everybody. I tried it once for four months and I found myself more and more tired. I also used to juice, and besides the cost of getting the fruits and veggies needed to juice, plus the fact that I didn't feel any better, it turned out to not be for me. It's great that it works for you though. Congratulations on finding the lifestyle change for you!

They never show up until they have regained 75% of their weight. Every flipping time. The one vegetarian that used to post here that was sleeved around the time I was never got goal or anywhere remotely close. I don't think they ever even lost 50% of excess weight. Prove us wrong carb people, prove us wrong. I'm rooting for for you.

Putting other ingredients in with the meat will help. Tuna=tuna salad, instead of a hamburger patty, make a meatball (usually has breadcrumbs, eggs, etc.. might have to switch breadcrumbs for something else if bread is a no go for you) Sauces, gravies, and the like will help. Dark meat poultry has more fat inside the meat, so does much better than the breast. [For someone else, these add-ins might make the meat a slider. So if you need your protein to be restrictive, these are the solutions to avoid. ] If these don't work, you may just have to become a vegetarian!

Low carb isn't keto and keto isn't low carb. People keep mixing up the terms and they are not the same thing. A post-op diet is low carb, not keto. Almost all bariatric diets post-op are low carb and low fat (which is kind of impossible). The reason so many people fail at Keto is because they don't understand what it is or how it works. You have to set your macros and control the ratios carefully. If you aren't you are just low carbing, which is fine, but it isn't Keto. Unless you are vegetarian/vegan, you are going to low carb for the rest of your life anyway if you are eating properly in the right order. If you have plate of food, you are supposed to eat your protein FIRST. First means ALONE not alternating bites with other foods, FIRST. If you have your proper portion of protein 3-4 ounces, and you finish that, THEN eat your veggies/carbs, you will be lucky to get an ounce of those items in. The protein is going to make you full by eating it first. People don't follow these directions, they eat alternating bites. They don't measure and weigh their portions. If you eat your veggies alternating bites with your protein, you can eat a lot more food, and you won't feel as full and you will not get all your protein in. This is why I eat my veggies separate at snacks so I can get enough veggies in while meeting my protein goals. If I didn't eat my veggies separate, I would never eat any, because 3 to 4 ounces of protein fills me up. On a typical day I eat 4 cups of spinach. That is pretty much the sum of my carbs, and it is barely 4 carbs, the rest of my carbs are from half and half. If I have broccoli instead I might hit 6 carbs in broccoli and even that is a stretch because broccoli is more filling and I can't eat as much of it as I can of spinach. If you are eating protein and green veggies, it is basically impossible not to low carb.

Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Memorial Day from BariatricPal! The day is officially the chance to remember those who died serving in the country’s armed forces, but it also serves as a long weekend, and the first unofficial day of summer. Most of us experience Memorial Day as some combination of all three of those purposes. It is also a chance to get your weight loss on track or keep the momentum going. Start here! • Your Memorial Day Barbecue – A Weight Loss Blast • Build a Better Burger • Your Summer Start: The Time Is Right! Use the newsletter for ideas and motivation, and have a wonderful day with friends or family. Keep up the healthy fight, and feel free to visit BariatricPal to talk on the forums anytime, and visit The BariatricPal Store for the best deals on great-tasting bariatric products. Thanks for your support, and see you around! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Your Memorial Day Barbecue – A Weight Loss Blast Memorial Day is a welcome holiday for so many of us, and a chance to hang out with friends outdoors for the first time in a while. Make sure to not to let enjoying your friends’ company get in the way of your weight loss goals, though. Your Memorial Day picnic or grill can be healthy and fun. The Barbecue Cheat Sheet You get to choose what the start to the outdoor grilling season means for your health. It can be an absolute disaster if you go traditional and do not pay attention. On the other hand, the grill and a picnic offer all kinds of opportunities for healthy, filling choices. You can have fun, eat well, and lose weight on this day! Skip the Bad… Keep an eye out for the worst of the worst, and replace them with lower-calorie, lower-carb, or higher-protein choices that fit into your WLS diet. These culprits can make you regret the day’s indulgences. • Potato salad with 300 calories per cup. • Baked beans with a day’s worth of sodium and sugar in a cup. • Fried chicken, with half a day’s worth of fat in a piece. • Flag cake, frosted brownies, and red, white, and blue pies. …And Go for the Good Eating right at the picnic can be both easy and delicious. You do not have to work hard to create gourmet dishes, or be stuck with tasteless choices that leave you feeling hungry. Here are some quick ideas for sides and desserts to pass around, dieting or not. • Pasta salad with Protein Pasta and Low-Carb Italian Dressing. • Broccoli salad with Greek yogurt, walnuts, red onions, sweetener, and pepper. • Vegetarian Sloppy Joe as a topping for burgers. • Soft-baked Protein Brownies or Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies. • Key Lime Tarts. Burn It Off Now and Later Bring a volleyball, beach ball, or soccer ball to pass around. Grab a friend or a relative and go for a walk. Or, hop into a 5k run/walk. If you are not quite in shape to do one now, check the calendar and sign up for one on July 4 or Labor Day. There are sure to be plenty of choices in your city or in a nearby city, and committing yourself now will help motivate you to train. Bonus points for choosing to walk for charity! Build a Better Burger That beef burger or frank in a bun seems so natural when you are grilling, but you are not doing yourself any favors. Fatty beef gives you unneeded calories and artery-clogging fat, while a hot dog is typically a source of cancer-causing nitrates. That bun adds refined starches, and toppings such as bacon, chili, and mayo can come together to create a package that has more calories than you should get in a day…not to mention a source of a stomachache or worse for WLS patients. You can easily build a better burger with more nutrients and fewer carbs and calories as the old go-tos. They can be so tasty and easy to prepare that everyone else at the picnic wants the healthy version, too! Where’s the Beef? The beef is not in your new healthy burger, but who cares? Choose another star of the show! What about… • Turkey burger, either plain or seasoned with Italian seasonings, soy or teriyaki sauce, or Low-Calorie Italian Dressing. • Soy crumbles with Low-Carb Pasta Sauce in Asian, Garlic and Herb, or Tex Mex flavors. • Portabello mushrooms. • Frozen, ready-to-cook, salmon, black bean, or soy burgers. Top It Off You can pile on the character without piling on the guilt. Try these substitutions. • Sweet and Sour Slaw for regular coleslaw. • Fat-free cheese for full-fat. A slice can have as little as 25 calories, and melt so nicely! • Avocado or guacamole for mayo. • Protein Potato Chips for fried chips (some of us just love a little crunch in the burger…). Lettuce, tomatoes, and any other vegetable is always a “go,” and grilled mushrooms and onions are satisfying choices. Keep toppings and spreads light, and luckily classics like mustard and low-sugar ketchup work well. Wrap the Package A regular bun spread with butter or mayo can add 300 calories and the potential for dumping syndrome, without much benefit in terms of protein or other nutrients. Why bother? Instead, go for a minimum of extra calories with a naked burger or a burger wrapped in a leaf of lettuce, and plan to use a knife and fork to eat it. If you are in maintenance mode or are allowed to eat healthy grains, have a low-calorie, high-fiber whole grain bun – or half of one for an open burger. Grilled eggplant is another option if you have a knife and fork handy. Your Summer Start: The Time Is Right! Any new season is a chance for a fresh start. Memorial Day is no different. Summer is unofficially here, so take advantage! What are your goals for this season? Where do you want to be on Labor Day? Take Stock of Your Situation Sit down and be honest with yourself. Where are you now, and where do you want to be? What do you need to do to get there? It could be that… • You are doing great with your WLS diet and you just need to keep up the good as you lose weight. • Your weight loss has stalled, and you need to get back to weighing food and tracking it to get back on the weight loss path. • You are ready to get started on your WLS journey, and you need to schedule your surgery. • You are not sure how to lose weight for good, and need to find out more about WLS to decide whether it is the right choice for you. Reach Out for Help No matter where you are and where you are going, you can find help. The BariatricPal forums are filled with helpful members who can give you support and advice at any stage of your journey. You can phone a surgeon and schedule a consultation to learn more, or ask your doctor for recommendations on whom to ask. Your journey is in your hands! This summer can be the best of your life, and you have the power to make it happen. Give yourself a good start on Memorial Day, and let the momentum carry you through. Stop by the BariatricPal forums whenever you need a lift, and see how well you can do this summer!

If your body is telling you to become a vegetarian, listen!! but I doubt you could limit carbs. That would be very very difficult on a veggie or vegan diet.

I realize this post is several years old and I'm not sure if you still use this app, but I love your post. Thank you so much. I am vegetarian and, as I ready myself for surgery, I am having some difficulty finding the "right" kinds of proteins to add to my diet. Your post is really helpful. Thank you. Transitioning from lapband to bypass on June 12! HW: 402, CW: 314, GW 185

I'm vegetarian and am wondering if there are other vegetarians or vegans out there? I've been working with a nutritionist to come up with a diet that includes the proper amount of protein and amino acids, while also being meat free. It would be great if there were others out there like me! Please forgive me if there's a way to search forums to see if this question has already been asked. I'm new here and still figuring things out. Transitioning from lapband to bypass on June 12! HW: 402, CW: 314, GW 185

Hi all. I'm close to the 1 year mark for surgery. I'm at my goal weight and I'm working on my stretch goal (which has to do with fitness but will result in a few more lbs gone). Since surgery I've eliminated some foods (no fries since June of last year!) and I typically hit my protein and carb goals. I've had great success but I find myself craving fruits and veggies and I don't have room for them. Two of my children are vegetarians and I've been giving serious thought of eliminating red meat, chicken from my diet. Much of my protein intake now is not animal-based so it would not be a huge stretch. I would love to hear from anyone who is at gw and has a plant-based diet. I'm looking at ways to figure out the transition as well as how to limit carbs...and cook for a blended family (omnivores and vegetarians!). I do cook now for the family but definitely could expand my menu.

We eat mostly chicken, turkey, and fish. Probably 70% of the members of my church are vegetarians/vegans with the other 30% eating chicken/fish. I don't know if I will ever be completely off meat, but I rarely eat processed foods anymore. I haven't been to a McDonald's in probably 3 years except for a coffee. The problem I have had Is that I need the fats in my diet because too many carbs always spiked my blood sugar. Going forward I will have to see what works and what doesn't. I have lots of good recipes also I can share later on when we are on regular foods.