Doctor said being vegan will kill me and if I wanna be healthy then I need to eat meat again :(

[happywifehappylife]

Hi everyone 21f here, posted this on the main vegan subreddit and got recommended to ask for some advice here ! So here’s the original post:

I recently went to the doctors as I keep fainting and I suspected i might be anaemic. This is mainly a vent post because I was really upset after visit to doctors but I also need advice. Sorry this is long ! ;;[sup];;[/sup]

For context, I had an ED as a child and this basically ended when I was allowed to become vegetarian at 12/13 years old. I switched to dairy free milk around age 15 and went full vegan for a year, but after that I went back to eating small amounts of dairy and egg in chocolate and cakes. I never had any health issues during this time and even though I was still slightly underweight according to bmi, i had a balanced diet and I felt healthy.

Since meeting my bf who is vegan for a few years I decided to be more strict w myself and fully became vegan at the start of 2023. But for the past few months, I frequently get light headed and sometimes this results in me fainting. I have lost weight and I just feel weak and tired almost all the time.

Anyway, The doctor thinks I am anaemic and worked out that the fainting episodes usually happens once a month around when I get my period. He said my vegan diet is the reason I’m fainting. I said in response “my boyfriend is vegan and he doesn’t faint.” Then the doctor said, “but does your boyfriend lose a large amount of blood every month?”. He basically said that women shouldn’t be vegan but men can

I asked him about iron supplements and he answered by saying that if a smoker came to him with chest pain and breathing difficulties he wouldn’t give them an inhaler, he said quitting smoking is the answer because that is the cause of the problem. He started lecturing me saying that this is serious stuff and if I don’t start eating meat it could kill me.

I’m just really upset after this whole thing, I know I never want to eat meat or dairy again, the thought of it makes me feel sick. Now my family is getting worried and keep pushing me to eat meat and it’s stressing me out.
I guess just looking for advice if anyone else here is anaemic or had similar experience how do you get enough iron ? How do you stay healthy ?

I also want to gain weight so any recommend for that will be useful too thank you

Edit: thank you so much everyone for all the support & advice ! The doctor didn’t help me at all so I’m really grateful for everyone’s reccomends, there are so many things I want to look into and try out now ! For everyone asking, I am getting my bloods tested on Thursday, it hasn’t been confirmed if I am anaemic or not but the doctor suggested it is highly likely that I am. I am also meeting with another doctor on Thursday who I will get a 2nd opinion from, and I will also ask about working with a dietician/ nutritionist.

 

[davecave]

@happywifehappylife Hi OP, I read through the comments and looked at what you suggested you typically eat in a day. I think it sounds like you aren't eating enough food overall. I have dealt with anemia myself (heavy periods) and while I am not an RD I do have a masters degree in nutrition and work in public health nutrition. If you want some specific diet advice and next steps while you are waiting for your doctors visits and referral to a dietitian, please DM me, and I would be happy to help.

 

[happywifehappylife]

@davecave Just messaged you ! Thank you so much

 

[dawn16]

@happywifehappylife Just here to say that when I was anemic and omnivorous, my doctors recommended supplements. Now that I'm anemic and vegan, they recommend I start eating meat again.

 

[looseleeroy]

@dawn16 This is an important point, OP.

The doctor wasn't really supporting you; they were pushing their point of view. However, I can understand why. You went to a doctor and told them you're doing something that may be quite harmful to your health (fainting is no joke). You could fall and hurt yourself badly.

It's also important not to fall into the trap of thinking that because other vegans don't faint then you just have to "try harder" at being vegan.

We each have different health requirements, and it's important that you come to understand your own body's requirements, especially if you have a history with an ED.

The doctor may well be right and you're anaemic. Maybe you also have more trouble getting and retaining iron than others. Or maybe if you just increase iron-rich foods, the problem will be solved.

The important thing is to get your nutrition on track, because fainting can be dangerous for you.

 

[myers]

@dawn16 A lot of the supplements aren’t vegan to be fair. But some are I’m on vegan supplements for iron right now, and they’re better on my stomach (not a vegan just curious if it’s possible to be sustainable for me)

 

[spraywaltz]

@happywifehappylife I'm quite sure your doctor is either really old with outdated information, or really new with political views that make him hate vegans. Because the smoker reference is absolutely dumb.

I know plenty of meat eaters (female born) who have been told to eat supplements such as iron and B-vitamins. This is not only a "vegan" problem. And as a female you really should be eating supplements especially if you can't get it from your meals.

With the loss of weight and fainting it sounds like you are not eating enough and well balanced diet. You might want to make a week worth of food journal and post it here, I think the wonderful people of this subreddit will be able to help you more on where you are lacking.

 

[happywifehappylife]

@spraywaltz That sounds like a great idea ! I haven’t made a food diary since I was in recovery for my ED but I remember it helping me a lot back then so I could really get a full idea of what foods I need to eat more. Thank you for your reply !

 

[autumn16]

@happywifehappylife if your doctor found that you are iron deficient and didn't prescribe iron or put you on an iron supplement and instead insisted that you eat meat that sounds like malpractice to me. Did this doctor run a full blood panel? What are the exact problems? Are you anemic? Non-anemic iron deficiency?

If you are anemic or iron deficient, I hope you are currently on an iron supplement and taking it consistently. There's actually pretty good evidence that taking iron every other day is just as effective as taking it daily because after a big intake your body will stop absorbing it for a short period.

If it were me I would immediately start looking for another doctor. Millions of people in this world function just fine with plant food and in some cases supplements. I'm a male with iron deficiency and after a couple weeks of taking iron all my symptoms subsided (I'm still taking iron to be clear, just because there aren't any symptoms doesn't mean the problem is solved).

 

[hellptogheter]

@happywifehappylife The above is great advice, I use Cronometer as it shows the macro and micro nutrients you are getting from your food. I find this really helpful to see if there is anywhere I am lacking.

I know plenty of meat eaters who get iron infusions because they are deficient that doctor is clearly biased against vegans.

I got my blood tested and the doctor complimented me and said that I must eat an amazingly healthy diet because everything was great. I told him it was because of 7 years of being vegan and he said that actually my iron was in the low range of healthy so I need to eat steak now. Bloody ridiculous to switch like that. He just had a problem with vegan diets for no reason.

 

[spraywaltz]

@happywifehappylife Another idea is to ask someone to make you a week full of meal plan list and eat according to it. Or you can search one online and follow it for a week or two and see if your situation becomes better.

 

[stefnee]

@spraywaltz It's surprising how many doctors are still like this unfortunately. I've been to several in the last few years and they always jump to conclusions based on my diet even though my bloodwork is always fine.

 

[coindude123]

@spraywaltz The incidence of anemia is higher in vegans/vegetarians. Age doesn't change that. That some meat eaters are still anemic doesn't change that. She needs to accommodate for it.

 

[super14lds]

@happywifehappylife As a doctor I don't believe this at all. Women can be vegan but iron levels often do need to be monitored and supplemented, and every physician I've worked with knows this as well.

Some studies say women absorb better if taking iron every other day rather than daily btw

 

[yanawak]

@super14lds Switching to every other day for my iron supplements, thanks for this!

 

[dbellpreach]

@super14lds Wow. Wish I’d known this.

 

[knightoffaith]

@happywifehappylife I have a few uterine issues which mean I bleed a TON, and I’ve been vegan for two decades. I am a little anemic but I’ve been supplementing and it’s gotten better (blood test before and after to verify).

 

[dbellpreach]

@knightoffaith I feel your pain. The only normal cycle I had was following a D&C that was done to determine if the cause of heavy menstrual bleeding was due to malignancy. (It wasn’t.)

 

[knightoffaith]

@dbellpreach Uteruses are way too much trouble!!

 

[dbellpreach]

@knightoffaith LOL! So it would seem! It’s sad though when a woman’s body essentially goes against her.