I am wondering if there are other vegetarians/vegans who are getting or have gotten sleeved? I was sleeved 04/18/2016 and found the process a little more difficult because I am a vegetarian. I am also a nurse and thought that it would be a good research project. I would love some input and anything that I use would be kept anonymous. The direction that I am heading with this is to provide a guide for pre and post op vegetarian eating with the gastric sleeve.

Feel free to answer me on this board and I will give you contact information. Maybe this can benefit someone you know who is getting the sleeve and is having trouble knowing what they can and cannot eat.

Micah

Hi Micah,

There is a vegetarian/vegan group somewhere on this site. I was almost vegan (ate cheese but no other dairy) when I had the sleeve on 4 april 2016. For the first 6 weeks I drank milk to reach required Protein levels, plus lots of parmesan cheese. I am first week on solids now and have dropped the milk but still eating dairy for protein, eg yoghurt, cottage cheese, cheddar and eggs. I hope in time I can move back to an almost dairy free state and then finally a vegan lifestyle. I have had to make compromise in order to give my body the best chance at healing. No complications or sickness at all but I only get 40g protein when I should have 60g protein a day. Introducing tofu, lentils, Beans etc into my diet now.

I am getting there. I recently watched Forks Over Knives, and came away disgusted. My grandpa was a farmer, and even though I knew that our meat and dairy does not really come from family subsistence farms anymore, I had my head in the sand about the brutality it takes to get meat and eggs to the table. My goal is to get to where I don't eat (or wear) anything that comes from a creature with a mother and a face.

This is a total upheaval of the way I have eaten all my life and seems to be bariatric heresy. But I am learning about plant based Proteins and how to get my Protein requirements from those. My new diet includes more Beans, spinach, and nuts. The next step will be to experiment with tofu, that thing which I hate. There must be some creative tasty ways to make it taste like something.

I had never peeked in on the vegan/vegetarian forum, but I think it's time.

Micah, I had the gastric bypass and eat a predominantly vegan diet... though I do occasionally still have some lean chicken and dairy. My surgeon (Garth Davis) advocates a mostly vegetarian/vegan diet... and recently wrote a book call proteinaholic. If you're on facebook, I'd recommend liking his page, and also joining the WLS Vegetarian group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1646059515642538/

Yes, follow Garth Davis, the bariatric surgeon. I do, he is heavily onto the vegetarian/vegan thing. I am quite close to vegetarianism. Influence of a lot of vegetarians I work with (some do eat chicken, they are from different Indian states, so I don't think it has to do with that).

Usually I become either a vegan or vegetarian since I'm no longer eating any red meats after my surgery last year.

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I have been a vegetarian for 20 years now and just had the sleeve on 4/21. I'm lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means I eat eggs and dairy, but no meat, animal broths, Gelatin, etc.

Eventually, I'd like to become vegan, but right now I really need eggs and cheese (not big into milk) to meet my Protein needs. I try to get free range and local when I can to ease my conscience lol. Even with those my nutritionist was trying to get me to add fish, which I refused. We compromised on Beans since my program insists on protein only for the first few months. We aren't supposed to have vegetables until 3-5 months in, which is hard for me. But no other veggies besides beans and the soy/TVP in my veggie "meats".

So far I've had a great recovery. I started solid foods a few days ago and everything is going down fine and I'm losing weight steadily. As long as I include cheese and dairy, I'm meeting all my protein goals and haven't had any complications (not even nausea). My surgeon says I'm having a textbook perfect recovery.

Edited June 1, 201610 yr by PixelToph

I am interested in plant based Protein shakes. Any recommendations? Prefer to have brands with no hemp.

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A Little More Explanation....

I really didn't think that anyone would reply so I kept my statement brief. I wanted to add a little more about my thoughts and why I am doing what I am doing. Thanks so much for all your replies. I noticed when I was starting my pre-surgery diet, it was a low carbohydrate diet. I had not tried this in years since I have been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for 7-8 years. Before vegetarianism, I actually lost quite a bit of weight on the low carbohydrate diet. I started doing some research on "creative" ways to do my pre-surgery diet and still maintain the vegetarian status. Unfortunately, this seemed to rule out a LOT of food which left me with basically, shakes and vegetable broth, and the rare sugar free Popsicle. I ordered some sugar-free vegetarian Gelatin, only to find out that that had a lot of carbs as well! I would like to set up a questionnaire for those willing to answer questions. All on an anonymous basis! My email is micahsvsg@gmail.com.

Again, thanks for the input and insight. I have learned a lot. I joined the facebook group and plan to post there as well.

By-the-way, Elle09, I use Isopure. It is supposed to be flavorless. It isn't bad. I actually mix it with an Atkins strawberry shake in the morning after my run. I was sleeved on 04/18 and haven't been very hungry so, this allows me 40 g of Protein at one time. I find that if you freeze it a bit, it tastes like ice cream (or to me it does). Later, I usually drink a GNC vanilla bean shake which has 25 g of protein. Both are vegetarian.

Micah

Edited June 2, 201610 yr by MicahD

@@MicahD Thank you for info.

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Yes, follow Garth Davis, the bariatric surgeon. I do, he is heavily onto the vegetarian/vegan thing. I am quite close to vegetarianism. Influence of a lot of vegetarians I work with (some do eat chicken, they are from different Indian states, so I don't think it has to do with that).

I had surgery with a member of Garth Davis' team here in Houston, TX And they promote a vegan diet. I'm glad I've found others out there!

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I AM A VEGAN

There are more than you think.

I'm so jealous of anyone sleeved by Garth Davis.. I follow him on facebook and I wish I could call him up sometimes with questions. I've been vegetarian/sometimes pescetarian for 3 years. I was just sleeved 3/28. My experience so far has been great. I absolutely endorse a plant based diet

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I've been a lacto-ovo vegetarian since I was 16 (a long time ago, lol), and am trying to get approval for sleeve surgery. I'm so glad I found this forum!

I am a fan of Dr. Davis also. I eat a lot of Beans and peas. I do eggs too.