Hi everyone! I am brand new to bariatric surgery and have only just had my first consultation visit.

I am concerned that my food allergies are going to prove this journey even more difficult than it would be without them. My 2 food allergies are dairy and any and all sunflower products (seeds, oils, lecithin, etc.)

Does anyone else have "rare" food allergies and are coping just fine? Or is it actually going to be harder? My doctor says I should be okay because I will be working with the dietitian. I am just curious to see how others have been coping ?

Hi,

Welcome!

I also have a dairy and fish allergy so it was a bit harder for me to find a more varied diet. For the yogurt I was using Siggi's plant based yogurt but have since moved over to Kite Hill plant based greek yogurt. Less carbs, less calories and more protein. For my drinks I use Evolve mainly. I used to use Orgain and OWYN but I think those both have sunflower in them. Just make sure you read the labels and you will be fine.

Shouldn’t be too difficult. A dairy or lactose allergy is quite common & there are so many plant based dairy substitutes for cheese, milk, yoghurt, butter, etc. & plant based protein shakes available these days (thank you vegans) it should be easy. (Watch the coconut ones though as those I’ve seen often have a higher fat content.) The protein content may be something to be conscious of too but as your doctor said, your dietician should help you out with that. As for the sunflower seed products, which is more uncommon, you’ll probably just continue being vigilant with ingredient labels.

Actually some people develop a temporary lactose intolerance in the beginning & simply swap to plant based dairy products & shakes without compromising their weight loss.

For dairy, go with alternative milk (my favorite is unsweetened vanilla almond milk) but there's also cashew milk, hemp milk, soy milk, etc... Healthier and non dairy. Avoiding sunflower products actually isn't too hard at all, and being that you will have a dietician, you should be fine. I have a shellfish allergy, which sucks since I LOVE shrimp and lobster and crab legs. But all in all, it's not been an issue to eat around the food allergy and be compliant with my diet and feel full and satisfied.

Hi! I began having an allergy to milk, which passed step by step due to drinking it daily. It just disappeared. I don't know if it's possible, and maybe now I have a real health problem, but I still don't consult any doctor.?‍♂️