looking for help before my surgery

i'm looking for as much help as possible....I'm so nervous! I have my last weigh in Feb 13 then they'll set the date, i'll be getting the sleeve. I'm 33 year old female, i have crohns disease and had my entire thyroid removed. I'm 100% vegan so i'm looking for opinions on whats the bast way for the intake on supplements....i heard there are patches that you can put on your arm...ive gone to 2 classes to get educated but i just feel like i'm going into this very blind! 

 

id love to get any and all feedback!!

There is very mixed reviews about using the patch. I think the only "guaranteed" way of getting your vits is through pills. HOWEVER, the only way to know if your suppliments will/are working is to get regular blood work. Here are a lot of people that use the patch and are fine.

(I take pills-adjusted over time with blood work ).

I have been on the patch vitamins for a year, and so far so good with blood labs. I don't take all my vitamins that way- my multi and my calcium... Calcium needs to not be taken all at one time, and I always seemed to be forgetting some doses... so this was a better alternative. I put them on a t night and sleep with them on...I put them on my chest... just need to put them somewhere without hair...

Are you planning on staying 100% vegan after surgery? Getting your protein in, especially in the beginning will be a challenge. While the recommended protein is 60-80g most people find they lose better on higher amounts...

my boyfriend has been vegan for 14 years. I do plan on staying vegan because I've felt so much better with my crohns. A friend of mine told me about the patches and they seem like a great idea. 

One vegan protein shake contains 20g and we substitute with veggies and other natural foods as well. 

 

 

I do know of some 100% vegan supplements that just came on the market.  Like all things vegan they aren't at bargain prices, but they are supposed to be 10x more absorbed than the average vitamin by way of liposome absorption.  

I would love to look into them if you wouldn't mind sending me a link? I don't mind paying if they do the job. My health is worth it...thank you for the help 

Please post any info you have about vegan vitamins. I've done lots of research and only found a few that are vegan especially for right after surgery when you can't swallow whole pills.  

I'm a sleever coming up somewheres near my year and a half point post op.

 

Not a vegan, but I am at the point where I eat salads and greens frequently.  Relieved to reach this point, too.  Kale salads with some tasty stuff thrown in  is a lifesaver.

I'd think that if I were to go 100% vegan I'd need to employ a juicer/blender of some type in order to get all the nutrition in.  Eating a sizable amount of salad takes forever for me now.

I've never tried patch vitamins......in fact the only patch type products I've ever used were for motion sickness (worked great) and the nicotine patch (worked great as long as I chewed the gum, too.....quit smoking 15 years ago).    My NUT advised against the vitamin patches.  I have zero experience with them.

While on the subject of NUTs.......your condition and your vegan eats will require some careful planning and adjustment....you'll be reliant on some very specific products, I'd assume, in the early days especially.

My NUT in my bariatric center would not be much help here with things this specific.  Any and all advice she's given me directly or posted at large on our centers private FB page is very generic and cookie cutter.  

I'd strongly advise you to seek out very specific advisor-NUT for your support.  I'm sure they are out there....doesn't even have to be local.  

Wishing you great results and confidence in making positive changes.

It's so odd the lack of information they don't tell you! My last weigh in is tomorrow! I'm so nervous!! I found some great vegan protein shakes and my goal is to be 100% raw vegan at some point. 

Ive been eating all natural all organic vegan food and haven't lost a pound which is scary. I'm worried the surgery isn't going to help

Are you tracking your calories too? Some vegan foods can be very high calorie. Good luck tomorrow!