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I am starting to think I need to become a vegetarian! Thank you for your comments. I am booked in to see the consultant this evening but since I wrote this, I am less worried as I have been on liquids for a few days and it seems to have calmed down, so fingers crossed it is just a tightening as you said KateP. Thank you again, you really helped.

I think the blood sugar concerns are valid for many people but I am neither diabetic nor pre-diabetic. My glucose has never been high- even at 285lbs. I've also never had high cholesterol, and my blood pressure is consistently 100/80 or 90/70- which is odd for someone my size but my Dr. attributes this to my vegetarian diet even with my sugar binges 5-6 times a week. I won't need an apple every day but I am most likely going to allow myself 2-3 per week at this point. They make me full and because I have ulcerative colitis, I need some of that Fiber to "keep me going". Pre-op is really low on fiber. I am going to go ahead & notify the nutritionist at my Dr.'s office that this is what I've decided to do. Oh and I've lost 8lbs since Sunday! I'm not worried about an apple derailing my progress.

I'm on a bleak 2 week pre-op which only allows 3 Protein shakes, Jello, one serving of veggie Soup, and green vegetables. I'm a vegetarian and am used to eating a lot of fruit...this is day 2 and I'm already losing my mind. Anyone know why they don't let you do apples or berries? Is having an apple every few days going to be a real problem?

My weight has been the one thing I can't really control in life. I come from a long line of tall, big-boned giants in my family. (Seriously, my dad is a non-athlete and needed a knee replacement the size of a football player's.) I am 5'9 and have always had long legs and curves, even at my highest weight. I developed earlier than other girls when I was in my teens, and owned a size 12 (Between 165-185 lbs) until my sophomore year in college. I've always loved my body and felt that it was beautiful even if I was more voluptuous than other girls in school. During college I ate more. I discovered that beer and wine were good. (You know, before you realized they contained boat loads of empty calories?) My sleep patterns changed and the stress of tests, papers and social life added up-- and so did the pounds. By the time I graduated I was larger (Size 18-20, 240-260 lbs) but still had my curves. Dieting became more of a priority now, but the dieting almost made it worse. I would lose weight, regain. Cut carbs, try intuitive eating, then go to a doctor, go to the gym and try to get on a new plan, try the South Beach Diet, Eat Vegetarian... you get it? Right? I felt like my energy was sucked up with trying to lose the pounds and it was discouraging thinking about it. I worked hard at my career while still trying to work out and eat less carbs. I was supervised by a doctor, personal trainer and nutritionist-- but somehow I just couldn't stop the lose and regain cycle I had started. Every time I stepped on the scale, I was more than 20 lbs heavier than the last time. I wore nice clothes to the office, but as my weight creeped higher and higher-- my heels got lower and lower-- because my sitting and walking posture were losing strength. I felt my muscles weaken and it was weird for me. (By this time, I was about 300-320 lbs.) I added more time in the gym to help keep me active and to prevent myself from becoming completely glued to my office chair or in meetings. I gave up alcohol and only drank water.For a year and a half before my wedding, I worked out 4-5 days a week (cardio and strength). My diet was balanced, (whole grain, lean meats, vegetables, occasional treats) but between working out, going to work 40-55 hours a week-- I ate way more when I came home. Not out of stress, but because I felt HUNGRY. No fast foods, no crazy fried foods-- just balanced meals choices... but HUGE portions. I ended up losing 5 pounds in a year and a half for my wedding. Then gaining 15 while on my honeymoon-- my highest weight. (376 lbs.) So let's fast forward to today: I am a successful professional in marketing. I have competitive skills and work well with others. I am able to look people in the eye with the same confidence I have always had. I love myself, and I love my life. I just want to be a winner of my own health, too. I am working out in the gym still, eating a balanced diet, now reducing my portions and I weighed in today at 358 lbs. I am currently at a size high 24 and low 26. I still wear heels to work, but low ones. I am at a point where I can walk up and down stairs, quickly through hallways and to my car with a bit of a heavy breath-- but still doable. My chair is snugger than I would like it to be, but it works. I pass on the endless parade of employee birthday cakes, but still participate in the celebrations. My struggle now is trying to control the urge to eat at night and keep my calories in check. It's hard. It's hard not to be tired after work. It's hard to be as focused on my duties, be a leader and ensure I take care of my body with the proper nutrients and exercise it needs. I have some aches that I didn't have before. My lower back gets tight and my joints crack more. This is a new development and one of the reasons I am moving forward with the VSG surgery. Working out IS HARDER at this weight, and it still feels like I am not getting anywhere. However, I am staying positive no matter what. I have decided that I am going to take control and apply this tool (the VSG, is a tool-- not a cure-all) to my gym routine and eat like my nutritionist instructs. Protein, small amounts, stay away from those starchy carbs. I only drink water and iced coffee with a little light cream in the morning. I am already learning to love my scale and thinking of it as a unit of measurement. (The same way I would measure success at work.) I can still be my big-boned, tall self at work-- I just need some help and taking these next steps will help me do that. Anyone else struggle with the weight and work? (In the office or at home?) I'd love to hear about it. I will continue to write more. The good, the bad and the UGLY It's here we can all share these experiences and learn from each other.

I'm trying to get perspective on the big picture of 2013. I started the year at 155, which has been my weight give or take 3# since about 10 mo post-op. In March I found out I was pregnant. I debated having my band adjusted early because I couldn't imagine the discomfort of doing it with a distended belly. My OB didn't think I should adjust it at all, but I wanted to ask a band surgeon. I moved 500 miles from the city I had my surgery in, so I had to find a new dr. She agreed that we should let it out and so we took 2cc. I had a couple weeks of ridiculous indiscretion when I realized I could eat more than a bite of hamburger. I wasn't junking out on bad food, but portion sizes were not modest. At any rate, I realize that started a really negative spiral. I miscarried in May and had my band retightened the second week of June. I'd put on 10 pounds between March and June. Since then I have been back to much more proper habits, but my weight is still gradually coming back. I'm hovering around 170 in spite of moderate portions and a primarily vegetarian/whole food, mostly home cooked diet. I spent all of Nov and Dec being all the more hyper vigilant. I indulged in desserts 2-3 times. Had a few extra glasses of wine than normal and still saw the scale creep up 3 pounds. I don't know if this sounds absurd or not, but I'm wondering if my indiscretions of spring have permanently reset something. The other concern is that this dr used a different technique for accessing my port and I can't help wondering if something went wrong quietly. Since my refill in June I have made a serious effort to moderate portions and such but I am hungrier than I used to be and things that used to get stuck don't anymore (like bread...but I'm still not eating it often, just experimenting because of the confusion). Any insight? Other than weight gain I can't say there are any other "symptoms" of something serious.

Hello everyone! Just wondering if there are any other lacto-vegetarians out there? And what kind of foods are you eating post-op?

Are you eating foods that tend to be sliders on those over eating days? Carbs like Pasta, potatoes and the like don't keep you full very long. Make sure you start your meal with a Protein. chicken, turkey, Beans or soy if you are a vegetarian. Are you getting all your Water in? I've said this before on here, the thirst mechanism is very weak in lots of people and we mistake it for hunger so we eat. So if you feel hungry, drink something first, then reassess in 30 minutes whether you are hungry.

Farro and Dried Cranberry Soup with Kale - a nice creamy and tangy soup for fall with a grain Protein. Lots of vegetarian options here! http://soup-a-woman.blogspot.com/2012/11/procrastination-soup-farro-and-dried.html

No sushi...I cannot tolerate rice.... Chinese and Thai take-out is a favorite food for me...although I stopped eating meat, and breaded and fried things such as general tso's chicken are not very band friendly for me...too hard and rough. Low mein and similar are out because I cannot tolerate the noodles - (pasta) But there is a lot of chicken, fish and vegetarian choices....What I do bring home, I will dissect and pick out the things I can eat, mix it with 1 spoonful of rice, (can hardly tell it's there) and wind up throwing 50% of it away..and with that I am still unable to finish it and save it for the next day. I also like Chow mein, because that is green vegetables and cooked soft. again no rice. And I usually get a Soup, but that goes in the fridge for later. You are one month post-op, and although it's good to hear what other people can or cannot eat, everyone is a little different because everyone's band is adjusted differently. There is much I could eat when I was one month out, than what I can eat today...it's a learning curve people have to discover for themselves, unfortunately through some stuck episodes... I think I know where I'm stopping on the way home from work tonight.

Um... those purple labeled Optimum Nutrition powders are Weight Gainers for people who are trying to maintain a calorie surplus. People who lift heavy and lift often will use them. Bariatric patients should assiduously avoid them. In the beginning, everything will taste so funky. If you have a Vitamin Shoppe store near you, they have a wonderful policy of letting you bring back any powder/supplement that you do not like for a full in store credit. I had a woman at that store that I talked to frequently and I was upfront about being recently sleeved. She was familiar with the taste buds profile changing, thus never even batted an eye when I returned several things. I ended up with UMP protein in the beginning. After things became more normal, Optimum Nutrition Whey concentrate is my favorite. The best protein in regards to bio-availability is whey. Isolate or concentrate doesn't really matter. If you are vegetarian, soy is the best you can do. But it is a distant 2nd to whey. Collagen is worthless for soft tissue repair (muscle, skin, etc...) but may be helpful for hair, nails, and joints. Typical sources for collagen protein are your bone broths and some protein "shots" in funky fruit flavors, and pork rinds. The best protein however, is the one that you can and will use.

You are eating more on the vegan style which means no diary or animal products. I am vegetarian so I do dairy products but no meat,fish however I love premier protein shakes. Now to answer your question you will have yo rely on vegetables, beans and go to a health food store and ask for non dairy protein shakes, non dairy cheese which I Love hope this help

Don't be discouraged!! I will be getting my sleeve done tomorrow and I have found a plethora of products to fulfill the Protein requirements. whey protein is good, legumes, almond milk, etc. I am also a vegetarian, and I think as such you really need to put a plan in place along with a strong commitment to hitting those requirments.

Justa waitin' only have 3 days to go before surgery. I'm having all kinds of feelings. No doubts or fears really just hopes that everything goes okay and that i never have a slip or erosion. I would like to keep my band (gertrude) forever. I am looking forward to the trip to san diego then mexico. Never have been out west at all. Never have flown on a large jet before. I'm sitting in seat 13A on the flights from home to chicago! THat's my lucky number... The large jets don't have a 13th seat... well i don't have alot to say. Started liquids this am doing okay with that i'v e had Unjury chicken noodle soup, sf jello, and unjury unflavored in water and crystal light to drink. Haven't cheated. haven't had the urge to yet. My husband is grilling chicken wings right now,(don't like them) he had mercy on me and fixed something i don't really like. I'm a vegetarian about 90% of the time. Plan on being a full-time vegetarian now that i'm being banded. I'll write more on the trip to let you know how Mexico/San Diego goes...Thanks for reading my jumbled thoughts...

I am almost a vegetarian. I used to live a veggie lifestyle but gave it up to get fat. I am finding that I can't stand much meat at all. Chewing steak to a paste is gross and revolting and I just don't want it anymore. If I wanted baby food I'd buy baby food. (Gahhh) As you know the one big issue you get from dead critter is Protein. One protein = 23 amino acids. You can get the required amino acids from a variety of veggies vs. one piece of meat. As long as you eat a good variety you should be good to go. Most of the time the people that don't get full on fruits & veggies are simply used to getting full on meat. If you are already good to go on a veggie diet you shouldn't have a problem being banded. Do you eat any fish at all? Or are you a strict, full time vegetarian? For some reason chewing fish bandster style isn't as revolting to me as chewing meat bandster style. I'm quite sure eventually I'll give up fish completely, it's coming soon. In the meantime, I do like Orange Roughy.

Heres a good bean dip recipe: Ingredients: Olive Oil Fat Free Refried Beans Black Beans Chopped Onion Chopped green and red pepper Tomatoes Salsa (if you want) Reduced Fat Shredded cheese Tofu (or you can substitute some lean meat) Avocado Brown the tofu (or meat...I'm a vegetarian so I don't add meat), onions, peppers and tomatoes in a large skillet until the veggies are floppy and the Protein is cooked (if you're using tofu, it will brown a little on the sides). Add the black beans and refried beans (drain some of the liquid from the black beans first). Add some salsa if desired. Stir everything together over heat until it is mixed. Top with the shredded cheese. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Serve the bean dip over the avocado and enjoy! This is great because you can portion it into 1 cup (or 3/4s cup or whatever) servings and freeze it. For mushies, you can just throw the whole dip into the blender to make sure everything is super mushy. You can also puree the avocado (so its like a guacamole consistency) and eat it on the side. Great source of protein, complex carbs and healthy fat (in the avocado)!

I felt hungry, after the test to make sure there were no leaks a few sips of Soup and apple sauce and i was happy. I too didn't need any pain meds (used gasx for 3 days though - THAT was not a joyful feeling *l*). I am 30 days out now (down about 24 pounds). I "nibble" throughout the day - I only want a few bites or rather NEED only a few bites.I am back to eating normal foods but finding as time goes on I just eat because i have a knawing in my stomach and I walk 1 hr - 2 hrs a day on my treadmill (i break it up into 3-4 sessions). I juice 2x a day and it takes me all day to finish off 2 glasses. I did have "head" hunger the first week while on Clear liquids. I was drinking a cup of broth every hour it seemed. I don't like processed foods so I did without the Jello and Protein shakes. But I am doing well on vegetarian fare. Since I can eat Beans now and I do the green smoothies and juices I feel much better. Good Journey! Dominga

Tomorrow is my three year anniversary of going vegetarian. Best. Choice. Ever. My Protein sources are mainly organic dairy, Morningstar veggie burgers, lentils, Beans, tofu and nuts. I find lots of great information at nomeatathlete.com . I haven't had a Protein shake since the first month I was banded (Dec 2010) and I've done great. Did a triathlon last month and a training for a half marathon. I also really like Brendan Brazier's books but have a hard time doing vegan AND raw. At some point, I hope to switch over to vegan but for now I'm healthy, losing fat and feeling good.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I have been finding that I hardly eat red meat anymore since being banded. I find it too hard to swallow. I ordered a steak last night, first time in weeks, and barely touched it. Two swallows and forget it. And it was not that tough either. Just wasn't worth it. So, I may be very interested in what others have to say because I may just go over 100%

Hello to everyone who reads my post!! My name is Mikki, and I am a newbie to the VSG surgery. I first met my doctor 2 years ago, and I had thought that knowing this surgery would be the final straw, that I would do soemthing to get my weight in order. Finally, as of January 2014, I have found the mental strength to take control of my life. I changed my habits and started to adopt a vegetarian (transitioning to Vegan) lifestyle. I have never felt better, and I have noticed the weight is coming off on its own now. I have also started to deal with my internal struggles, which has also helped tremendously! Now, for the question: Is it possible to live a vegan lifestyle post-op? The nurse advised me that I would need to drink ideal Protein for two weeks before my surgery. Is there a vegan option out there instead? If any of you veterans have any links, or another post in the forum that offers advice or tips, I would LOVE it if you would reply to my post. I am a bit afraid (knowing the worst case scenario outcome), and am trying to breathe and relax and know that I am doing the best thing I possible can for my body and my life. I would really enjoy meeting some friends and a support group of people experiencing the same thing I am, or who would like to be there to hold my hand throughout this journey! Thank you for reading! Mikki

I honestly have been floating all day because I'm in such shock that I've been approved, if you have seen my previous postings about BS/CA then you know why. Needless to say, while I'm ecstatic about this, my nerves are on an all time high! I don't know what's come over me, I just suddenly feel nervous almost to a point where I want to back out. I'm asking myself "Are you SURE you want to do this???" Will I be another successful story? or will I fail? I am also afraid to tell my family (mom, dad, sisters) because I know they are against any wls as they live, GF, fat free, sugar free, vegetarian, lives....so they wonder why I cant as well. While my goal is to use this tool to eat better and get to a somewhat healthy weight, they don't get it. Also I still haven't gotten down to the final weight my Surgeon set my goal for before surgery. I explained to them on today that I was concerned about that and felt that I needed more time before scheduling the surgery but I was assured that I am fine as long as I haven't gained weight, they wont turn me away on surgery day. My date is set for June 16th, pre-op June 8th. Has anyone felt like this before, prior to surgery? I'm shaking as I typed this lol

I am having my surgery at the Northwest Weight Loss Surgery in Everett, WA. I am very excited and just a little nervous! I haven't really talked to the doctor about what pain meds I will be on. I guess I will ask when I have my pre-op appointment. I am a bit worried that the pain meds will make me nauseas without being able to eat solid foods. What was your experience with that? I did find a really good yogurt smoothie at costco! It is made by the same company that makes the Protein shakes. I will definitely stock up on vegetable broth (I'm also a vegetarian .

Congratulations, Deb! Have you tried unjury chicken soup? It is 90 calories, 0 fat, 0 carbs, and 21 g. Protein. It is actually not made with chicken, btw, in case you are vegetarian, but it tastes good! It has helped me get protein in when I can't do another shake. You can get it on their website, Unjury.com. Good luck!

I think this is harder than most people will admit to. I've lost 150 lbs and still have at least 70 to go. I am happy that I haven't gained weight. I will be 3 years out in November. I did the 5 day pouch reset. It semi-worked. I dropped 7 lbs in 5 days and regained some of that fullness feeling...like my sleeve actually still worked. It was a miserable 5 days. 6 months later I am still not back on track. I'm a vegetarian and got tired of my Protein choices. I can barely look at tofu and the premade items are so high in sodium. My portions are still small, but I think my body won't let go of any more weight because it's not getting the protein that it needs. I remember how hard things were in the beginning, but I kind of miss those days. Once you've let the carbs and sugar creep back in they're absolute hell to get rid of. You get headaches. You feel sick. I've realized that if I ever want to get down to where I want to be there is going to have to be a radical shift in my eating and activity. We started this journey for a reason. I am astounded at what I can do now vs. 150 lbs ago. I can only imagine what I'd be able to do at a more healthy weight. It's going to be hard. We have to be brutally honest with ourselves, recognize what we've already accomplished, seek support and really see this as a path of self-care. I wish you all the best, and know that you're not alone.

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I completely agree that you should see your primary doctor as soon as possible for some blood labs. That will let you know where you are deficient so the the doctor knows how to proceed. I am sorry to hear that you are not getting good follow-up care. I had follow-up visits at two weeks, one month, two months, three months, six months, one year, eighteen months, and my two-year visit is coming up in December. Hopefully your regular doctor can intervene for you and point you in the right direction. We see a vegan or vegetarian on the forum from time to time, and they have to be very clever about getting in their Protein. Until you get in for your appointment, you could investigate how vegans and vegetarians get their protein. I found the fruity clear Protein drinks (like Syntrax Nectars) easier to handle than the milky ones. Good luck. We don't want you to end up in the E R all dehydrated.