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I've also struggled with low Vit D and needed prescription strength supplements to help out. It's not uncommon in people who don't get a lot of sun exposure (can also happen more in vegetarians, non-milk drinkers, and obese people). Since I'm currently obese, live in the Pacific NW AND have very sun sensitive skin (I can burn in 5 minutes, sunblock or not!) I have trouble with keeping my levels up. The supplements are easy to take and very effective. Symptoms can vary, but can include fatigue or muscle fatigue and bone pain. Extreme cases of Vit D deficiency are called rickets and can lead to softened bones and skeletal problems and is especially dangerous in kids (it's why Vit D is added to milk). Realistically, though, many people never exhibit symptoms and are only diagnosed after blood testing. I was one of those. Never knew I had it and never felt different after taking the supplements. Hope that help!

I am vege and so is my nut. I have bariatric vegetarianism papers. Let me know Ifyou want them. Message me. Sent from my iPhone using VST

thank you for your responses! i appreciate it very much! i was just curious if it was even possible.. that is/was a big deciding factor of even getting the surgery for me lol of course i'm not against anybody eating meat or whatever else that they like, i just am more attracted to the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. hemp is indeed a very good one. you can also eat almonds and stuff like that.. plus they have protein shakes and all kinds of other stuff. i just didn't know if the stomach could tolerate it after surgery or how all that works i'm a newbie to this.. so.. forgive my ignorance. lol that's why i'm here afterall! to learn! my doctor keeps telling me i'm a candidate for surgery & reminding me of my pending doom and demise if i don't lose my weight.. figured i'd join here & see what others are saying & see their experiences before i jump the gun & do something i'll regret later...

I've been toying with the idea of becoming vegan or at least a fexitarian (someone who eats meat very occasionally). I think I want to keep it simple the 1st year and just lose the weight I need to lose (hopefully hit goal within 12 months). I wonder if being sleeved will help with a switch to vegetarianism. Being hungry is what always stopped me before.

Vegetarian or not.. Lapband or not.. Protein is super important Quinoa, barley Beans, lentils, legumes Tofu Peanuts, almonds, cashews, Tempeh Here's a good article http://vegetarian.about.com/od/healthnutrition/tp/protein.htm

I've seen vegetarians succeed. However, I do know of a vegan who failed miserably because he refused to eat dairy or eggs. Of course he made excuses and blamed it on other things but in reality it was because he couldn't get enough Protein in and was eating too many carbs. As long as you can drink 2 whey Protein shakes a day that will give you almost all or all of your protein requirements for the day. Then you can just eat veggies the rest of the day.

Hello ladies and gents, fellow bariatric patients, I'm currently scheduled for a revision from the gastric sleeve to the gastric by-pass on July 26th. I was hoping there were some people on these forums who might have gone through similar experiences so they would be able to tell me what to expect. Here's a background on my surgical journey... I had the gastric sleeve done in 2013 with a preoperative weight of 276lbs (I am female, 5'5") and for the first three months everything went textbook well, healing-wise, weight loss wise- everything. Then, suddenly the weight loss trudged on very slowly and I began having issues digesting. Specifically, terrible GERD, stomach pain, vomiting, horrific constipation, onsets of feeling extremely faint and heart palpitations. This continues on for the remainder of a year until my doctor (who claimed all of this was normal) ordered a barium swallow test. The test showed slow gastric emptying and pyloric spasms which would explain the stomach pain and vomiting. We ordered two different endoscopies with two different doctors who concluded everything was otherwise normal. My surgeon encouraged me to simply exercise more and continue high Protein, high Fiber, low carbohydrate dieting- which I did. Fast forward two frustrating years I ended up having a thirty three pound regain, from my lowest weight of 203lbs. I was vomiting at least 4-5 times a week and unable to handle most meats (especially beef), noodles and many "rich" or "thick" foods. I was forced to eat mainly carbs since it seemed to be the only thing I could keep down. Today, I've since become a full blown vegetarian weighing around 212lbs and struggling to get my digestion and weight under control. I'm sick of having to go into the bathroom in a public restaurant in front of family and friends because I couldn't handle a dish. I have horrible heartburn, constipation and I vomit LESS (maybe once every week or so) but only because I avoid the foods that seem to trigger it. I have low self-confidence and feel like I've somehow failed to make myself healthier. I have a new surgeon who suggested a revision, which he explained should improve upon my digestion and help me lose additional weight. He also preformed another endoscopy and found that the gastric sleeve did not shape correctly... I'm afraid this surgery. It is a new surgeon, a more invasive procedure, a deeply more "body altering" decision. All of these things leave me feeling rather anxious as what to expect. I don't want something to go wrong with this procedure too and I don't want to feel like I made the wrong decision... again. But I feel MISERABLE now. I know it cant go on this way... Has anyone else been through similar symptoms before? Had a revision from sleeve to bypass? Have any advice? Sent from my Nexus 5X using the BariatricPal App

WTG girls! I'm hoping this vegetarian diet kickstarts my weight loss again, so we'll see!

As a vegetarian your carbs are going to be higher. As long as they are coming from complex carbs like beans and veg., don't worry about it. It's the simple, processed, white carbs like Pasta, rice, flour etc... that you need to watch. It's one of the reasons why I'm not doing breads or crackers until I hit goal. If you want to follow me I'm on Myfitnesspal as Milaxx.

Yes, you absolutely should join them. If you are part of the meal planning, try to have a dish that you can eat. Then just serve yourself what you can have. Don't make a big deal out of it. You will be banded for life. The less issue you make of it, then less your family and friends will. You just have different eating habits. Like a vegetarian, or someone who is allergic to peanuts. When we go to friends' homes for dinner, I never say anything about my band. I just choose from what is available. If that means I have a meal of lettuce and potatoes, I have a meal of lettuce and potatoes. Since they are all supportive, I think they will want to include dishes you can eat. Even if you have to have a separate Protein, you can still have side dishes with them. They'd feel much worse if you were in another room or just sitting there without a plate (imho). Even if you just have a small plate with a serving of a tiny side dish, you are still taking part in the meal ritual. Just be very, very careful when eating with a group. It's very easy to get distracted and forget to take small bites and chew thoroughly. Being on soft foods, you probably won't get stuck, but it's never too early to start working on those good habits.

Hi Alex, I have been hosting the food and Nutrition section for Sleevers and have been thinking it might be good to reorganize the sections a bit. In particular, it's really hard to find recipes unless you already know they are there. I think we have a powerful resource with all of the recipes people have shared. I also wonder if we could consider combining the Sleeve and RNY ones since the needs are so similar. Too soon? Anyway here is a first draft of what might work. Food and Nutrition - contains posts and sub forums like currently Pre-op Diets and Questions Post-op Diets and Questions Protein, Vitamins, and supplements Recipe Sharing - contains only sub forums By Post-surgery Phase - contains only sub-forums liquids (stage 1) Purée (stage 2) Soft (stage 3) Regular foods (stage 4) Special Needs - posts and sub-forums Non-dairy Vegetarian, vegan, raw foods Gluten-free Other special needs I wonder if we could use tags or something to mark things as mains, sides, Breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc. maybe in the future there is some recipe database app we could integrate with. What do you think? I'd be happy to slowly tackle organizing the current catch-all recipe sharing area if so.

I'll be 4 weeks post op but hope to have a sprout! Love them and a bit of roast parsnip, I'm vegetarian too, haven't decided on our main yet. Just made the mince pies and some shortbread, they're smelling amazing! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

When my husband had his RNYGB, he was advised to drink nothing but Protein shakes two weeks before surgery, and Clear liquids two days before. When I did the nutrition consult for a gastric sleeve, I was told "Follow South Beach" minus the carbs. Now, my surgeon for my RNYGB said "Vegetarian diet, with Protein Shakes." I understand liver shrinking--I just don't get all the different ways folks are doing it. Is this something that is actually standardized, or is a matter of personal preference on the part of the surgeon?

Oops..sorry.. vegan-ish doesn't equal vegetarian. My bad. Double oops.. no counting! Lol!

Hello I just found this forum. I was banded over 1 1/2 years ago. I have lost 100+ lbs so far. I know after reading I lost that much weight you will be surprised to hear that I have had to struggle with this band. Especially since I have another 75 lbs to lose. It took forever to get restriction. Finally after my 9th fill felt that I was restricted enough. I think I might go for a fill in January. Just a little tweek. Recently (I know I should done this all along) I started an exercise routine. I workout 90 minutes, 5 days a week. I do cardio on the treadmill, I weight train, and I stretch. I love the stretching. It feels so relaxing. Since I have started this routine two months ago I have lost 24 pounds and 14 1/2 inches. I cannot stop talking about the importance of working out. On a more personal note. I am a single mom of a 23 year old daughter. She was the center of my universe. Now that she is grown and graduated college, I have been focusing on myself. She is my biggest cheerleader and support. She is sort of a health nut (which I'm thankful for) she is a vegetarian and she's a runner. She is very much into eating healthy and natural. I am trying to listen to her. She tells me to start making my food homemade at home. Alot of the stuff at the stores is full of chemicals and preservatives. Anyway, I'm just glad she's not following my "fat" foot steps. I work as an accounting manager ( I hate my job). My life consists of working and working out. Who has time for much else??? I thought of dating but I keep waiting to lose more weight. Also, let's face it I'm scared. Dating scares the crap out of me. I have a best friend that had lap band surgery 3 years ago. Unfortunately, she had complications at the beginning of the year and she lost her band. Due to scarring they couldn't replace her band. The worse part is that she has already gained back 100 lbs. I feel so bad for her. Also, I am afraid that something like that could happen to me. I have been trying to convince her to consider a revision. we will see what she decides. Well that's about all. That's me in a nutshell.

Are you a vegetarian??

Stacey didn't say she was vegan, she said she is vegetarian. They are not one in the same. I used to be vegetarian but never could go all the way to veganism. I like cheese too much, it's a weakness.

Hi Stacey, I am 3 weeks post-op and 8 years ovo-lacto vegetarian. My favorite veg-friendly Protein shake is VHP (very high protein), you can find it at Bariatrix.com. It is 35 grams of protein so you are halfway to your daily goal with just one shake. I also mix unjury with lowfat chocolate milk at night. Both brands are Gelatin free. As for non-shake meals, I just added in creamy Soups that I buy at Whole Foods, and I love the Campbell gold label tomato basil soup that comes in a carton, you should be able to find that in any grocery store. Just watch out for the soups that sneak in the chicken broth! As for your hospital tray, tell the nurses to note your chart that you are veg and also ask the dietary person who delivers the tray what kind of broth they brought. All hospital will have veg broth so you should be ok. Of course, you can't have the Jello that will also be brought on the tray but I hear that there are Kosher markets that carry gelatin-free gelatin. You can also eat smooth yogurt and the better brands are getting better about excluding gelatin. Hope this helps, good luck!

I dated a guy who was a vegan - man, I had no idea how many things we sort of take for granted that they don't touch. E.g. I tried to put Skittles in his easter basket one year. (BTW to no one in particular, eggs are considered "modern" vegetarian, fish is not). But anyway -- since you eat fish, which is very high in Protein and lean, I don't think you'll have much troubles. Nori is fairly high in protein, legumes, etc. Why not just tell your surgeon you don't eat some meats including chicken, and ask him to replace it with vegetable broth or something?

Well I have had my second half for 23 years... so the dating part isn't applicable for me! I can say that in real life everyday situations people are NOW: dieting, losing weight, working out, lactose intolerant, gluten free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Paleo, Low Carb, etc... so it is a normal thing. If you don't know someone well enough to divulge your surgery, then don't mention it. By about 2 months you will be able to sit with a wisely chosen plate of food and pick at it, and eat the protein and no one would be the wiser. No explanation will be necessary. People pay FAR LESS attention to what you are eating than you might think. If you really do get questioned, it is very simple to say you "had a late lunch" or whatever... there is no need to feel like you are lying or hiding something from someone you don't know that well.

My husband got diverticulosis in 2012 and is diabetic, so all the vomiting (crazy! Like 24 hours nonstop where he couldn't catch a breath to puke again!) REALLY made an impact on us (could have stroked out with sugars all over the place). He needs to be on a low(er) carb diet due to diabetes and avoid sugars and carbs, but like you has to balance it all out. This is just HIS situation, FWIW, I went to the dietician with him (after he vomited a week almost a week nonstop and lost 30 lbs in a week! Seriously, he looked like the Auschwitz pics when he got home -- face totally sunken and shriveled.) Anyway, I digress, his dietician recommended kefir every day for the high probiotic count, Greek yogurt for yet more Probiotics, and she said they don't know WHAT causes diverticulitis/diverticulosis, that there was a study done on cadavers and, basically, everyone has the diverticula inherent in their body, but they don't know exactly what triggers some people to flare up and others to have no issues. My husband LOVES nuts and apples (fruit with skins,) and many other so-called no-nos. His dietician said she's a big believer in if it hurts/causes vomiting/cramping/diarrhea/etc., stop. She doesn't discount anecdotal evidence of people saying things like popcorn or nuts do them in, but she said give them a try slowly, one at a time, and see what causes problems. Well, like most guys, he didn't adjust his diet at all in terms of removing items, but he faithfully starts EVERY DAY with kefir and 2-4x a week has a really high quality Greek yogurt. It's been almost 4 years and he's had zero issues. So, again, I'm no dietician, but those were the guidelines given to him by his NUT who specializes in diabetes. Also, again, anecdotally, my brother-in-law is from Poland, where they eat tons of cabbage and pickled vegetables. Ever since coming to the States, my BIL has had TERRIBLE GI issues. My sister makes her own kefir and has started cooking the Old World way with all the cabbage/pickled food he is used to, and voila, his GI issues are GONE. Kimchee (sp?) is a pickled Korean cabbage, I believe, and it's getting tons of great buzz for GI digestion stuff, too. I cringe, but my old boyfriend loved the stuff. Again, maybe adding some of these probiotics will aid you? I forget who is on here is a vegetarian, maybe JamieLogical? But anyway, there's a couple vets who are vegetarians, and they are making the legumes work for them in terms of Protein. Maybe pick their brain, or start a vegetarian thread? Good luck! Hope your NUT gets back to you quicker.

Thank you Tes! I am not a vegetarian--but your "substitute" recipes sound gooood. Not sleeved yet- but starting a week of pre-op dieting tomorrow.

I am a vegetarian and was probably eating about half as much Protein pre-op as I am now. I have a few bits of advice that helped me get down my protein during the first week or two (it gets easier): 1) Find a premade Protein shake that you really like. A lot of people recommend Premiere (available at costco and elsewhere) or Muscle Milk Light. Look for one that has around 150-180 calories with 20 g of protein or so and not super-high in carbs (maybe 10 g or fewer). If it seems too thick for you, put it in a shaker and add a little almond milk or skim milk--maybe just an ounce or two. Shake it gently (since you don't want a ton of extra air right now)--and put it in a pretty glass. Now is the time to break out those wine glasses you never use. :-) I have never thought of myself as a chocolate lover, but I seem to like the chocolate shakes the best bc they seem to hide the protein flavor the most. You can also go to GNC or Vitamin Shoppe and try individual ready-made shakes (or the dry shake packets that you add liquid to and blenderize--I use a Vitamix but there's also the Magic Bullet and an imitation Magic Bullet at WalMart that a lot of people like). 2) Get a good unflavored protein like unjury, which you can order online. Use about a scoop in a Soup. I found some Soups I really like called Imagine. They are organic and the carbs are decent (60 calories and 10 carbs in cream of brocc--and it's REAL food--not like the Campbell's stuff). Make a little slurry with some almond or skim milk with the unflavored protein and add to hot soup. It will cool it off a little but this way the Protein powder won't clump like it would if you put it in before heating. You can barely taste the protein powder. 3) Make a little slurry of almond or skim milk with the flavored protein powder of your choice. Add to Fage greek yogurt (thinned out if you are still on purees). My favorite combo is chocolate with some PB2 and one splenda (PB2 is a powdered Peanut Butter with the fat removed). 4) Make hot chocolate! This got me thru my first week. We bought diet Swiss Miss hot cocoa. I would make the hot cocoa with almond or soy milk (you can use skim if aren't lactose intolerant) and then make a slurry of chocolate, unflavored or vanilla protein powder--just 1/8 or 1/4 cup of additional milk for the slurry--and then add to the warm hot cocoa. My husband would make it for me by mixing everything at once and heating for 1 min 40 sec in our microwave (all vary in power--ours is pretty strong). Just be careful using that method b/c if you heat most protein powder too long it will be come a solidified spongy mess. But he figured out a good amount and it would be just warm enough. The warm drink was easier for me to get down than cold ones at first--opens up your esophagus from what I've heard. 5) For clear Protein drinks, I would try drinking them when they are more room temp and less ice cold. These aren't my thing but I was on full liquids right away. If I were on clear, I would try them. I have some in my fridge that I really need to drink...the other things are just so tasty, though. Good luck!!!!!!

So just to clear things up, 'm not a vegan. Vegans don't eat any animal products - I eat eggs and consume dairy. However, I was concerned about this exact thing, so before I even called a surgeon, I did a lot of reading around the internet, and it is absolutely possible to get that much protein as a vegetarian or even a vegan. In fact there are several successful vegan/vegetarian bandsters on these boards. My problem is getting the protein with only a few carbohydrates, because the best veg sources of protein also have carb (Beans and tofu, for example). My surgeon only requires his patients to get 50g of protein per day post-op. That is definitely doable for a vegetarian. I'm not worried about the post-op at all (or not any more than anyone else) but the pre-op diet is really stressing me out. You said you're a big meat eater. What kind of meat are you eating? I've always heard that you can't really eat meat that much after the band due to the requirement that your food become mush as you chew. My aunt has a band and she hasn't been able to eat red meat in years. I've also read that many people can no longer eat chicken after banding. What does that leave? Fish? lunchmeat?

Protein makes me gassy as well. I think it is fairly normal. It does not keep me from eating it. Drinking protein is so much easier for me. Have you tried isopure drinks? One bottle is 40 grams of protein and 48 oz of fluids. So I can kill two birds with one stone. You have to find protein my friend. It is your new world. Not easy. But you will be able to do it. If you continue I would check with NUT. Some forms if vegetarian protein as not as hard. Maybe you can have that.