STILL STRUGGLING WITH PROTEIN....

I am 6 wks post op today and I really have a time getting in all my protein. I am to the point where the milk based proteins shakes are nauseating to me. Lately I have just been drinking plain milk. But sometimes that is hard too. Does anybody have any suggestions to help?? I am afraid that if I don't start getting the right amount in EVERY day I am going to get sick. PLEASE HELP!!!!

HI MELISSA . I HAD MY WLS ON THE 12TH OF JULY AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROTEIN DRINK IN OVER 4 WEEKS I CANT DEAL WITH ANY OF THE PROTEIN DRINKS OR BARS . SO I TRY AND GET MY PROTEIN FROM FOOD .. SARA

I am at the same point. But if you dont get in the 70+ then you will be in big trouble. How are you able to take in that much via food now Sara? I am going to try what someone else posted by blending in yogurt with my vanilla shake hopefully that will make it easier. Sue 273/261/224/150

Try different types of shakes - the only one I can stand is Nectar which is fruit flavored. Some people don't like it, but I love it. I suggest going to www.bariatriceating.com and ordering their sampler pack. It has a nice selection that included Nectar. GNC also carries a pre-mix fruit flavored drink Isopure One.

Hi Melissa, I was having the same problem. I HATE the milk based stuff. I finally tried Isopure. It is a 20 oz bottle of kool-aid like drink that has 40 grams of protein. It doesn't taste bad. I have to admit that I probably wouldn't drink it just for fun but it is good enough that I don't complain about it. The bottle is big so I like to pour myself a 5 oz glass in the morning and just sip on it. Then around noon I pour myself about 10 oz to sip on in the afternoon and then the last 5 oz for the evening. It really has eased my mind about not getting enough protein. There are several flavors. The mango is TERRIBLE!!!!! The grape frost and the apple are the best in my opinion. The alpine punch isn't bad either. The only was that was gross was the mango. Good luck! Shellie

Hi--my surgery date was the same as yours. I was going through exactly the same problem with protein. I ordered about 16 samples of protein mixes hoping I would find one I "loved". But it did NOT happen. They ALL made me nauseous. I could NOT get in enough with food so I was slowly getting weaker and weaker until a friend just sat me down and read me the "riot act". She didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, but I think just the fact that she cared enough to be honest with me kind of shook me into reality. I HAVE to get enough protein. So-----I chose one that I don't LOVE but can tolerate. It is NOT a milk based, but a fruity one--. Instead of mixing it with 8 oz. of water, I mix it with 4 oz. I can almost drink this down in two or three sips. It goes down fast and I'm finished. I do this 2 or 3 times a day and it's DONE!! I think of it as taking my "medicine". Don't want to but MUST!!! WE DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE!!!!!WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR PROTEIN!!!! I will tell you that after only 3 days of doing this I feel 100 % better!!More energy, more stamina. Good luck.

Melissa I am having the same problem. I have found the Isopure from GNC the orange is great if I throw in a tsp or 2 of the crystal light sunrise orange drink mix. I couldn't stand the aftertaste before. I also like the nectar roadside lemonade. and fuzzy navel. I will have to try mixing it with 4 oz of H2O instead of 8 just to take my medicine. I looked up protein pills and found one. I have a call out to the nutrisionist to see how reasonable they would be. I will repost after she calls me back. (I would much rather take a pill or shot than drink the horrid stuff) but like someone said in a reply--it's not an option we have to... Later. Lori M

Melissa, Another solution is to get unflavored protein powder and put it in Crystal Light or SF Kool Aid. I do this frequently. I also like the fuzzy navel nectar. I am doing okay with my protein, but now I am having a problem getting in enough water. I am working on that. Linda

Linda - We are doing the exact same thing I LOVE the fuzzy navel nectar mixed with Orange CL!! This is the best drink I have had since the surgery. If I am not having the above mentioned drink I have CL with unflavored protein powder in it. No matter what, I have a minimum of 70 grams a day just from the protein powder and then usually another 20- 30 grams of protein from the foods I eat. Enjoy, Nancy

ok I'm just going to post information I found on the internet every month Susan Maria post thoughts and information call this months rant http://store.bariatriceating.com/july2005.html I just had the privilege of spending a week attending the American Society for Bariatric Surgery annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Engaging in casual conversation with the top surgeons in this field, discussing vitamins, protein, calcium, and compliance issues was an opportunity that I won't soon forget. I was as excited to meet some of the 'famous' surgeons as I would be if Mick Jagger stepped up to my pink and black BariatricEating.com booth. Now... why this is a rant! These surgeons cannot fathom that after they save our lives that we have the audacity to be picky about nutrition! The way many of them see it is that we are NOT living up to our part of the deal. They perform life altering surgery to save us from a certain early death from morbid obesity, their office staff does battle with our insurance company to pony up tens of thousands of dollars to pay for our surgery as it is surely the only means by which we will survive, yet we are lackadaisical about putting a small pile of vitamins and minerals into our body every day, and are boldly noncompliant with protein requirements. The docs are even more incredulous about our pickiness with protein. When I would give them a taste of Vanilla Very Berry or Fuzzy Navel, their eyes would have a twinkle and they would love the taste but they would question as to why this was even an issue. It is cut and dry with the surgeons; they think it is a given that we do what we are supposed to do. These are no-nonsense men and women; when something is broken, they fix it. Some of them could not believe the letters and stories I related to them and had no idea that noncompliance was so widespread. Here is a message from your surgeon... Pick up the protein drink, the calcium, and the multivitamins and take them. There is no negotiating, there is no looking for a compromise, and there are no valid complaints about graininess, taste, or smell. Pick up the glass and drink the protein. Chew the tablets. Swallow that mouthful of calcium or vitamins. Period. We saved your life on that operating table, now do what you are supposed to do to maintain the health we have worked to give back to you. Fortunately there are drinks that taste good but as I have said before; if in order to be sitting here in size 10 jeans I had to drink a glass of toile****er every morning, I would gladly do it. In fact, if I had to drink a glass of water from my neighbor's toilet every day I would do it. Why is this so difficult to comprehend for some of you? Do you take the label morbid obesity so lightly that you don't think you have to perform certain tasks, that you have a responsibility as a post op. Look up the meaning of MORBID. That should be enough to scare you. Why would anyone not do what they were told when given a new lease of life with so few strings attached? I used to think that making pre-ops jump through hoops for weight loss to qualify for surgery was cruel but I have changed my mind after a year of speaking to thousands of pre and post ops. With so many people facing insurance rejection, how can we make sure that the ones who will not hold up the end of the bargain are put at the end of the line for approval? I think that strict compliance goals are a great way to weed out the disobedient. If you can't lose 10% of your body weight before surgery, you don't deserve to have it. If you can't stop smoking, you don't deserve this procedure. If you can't manage to choke down vitamins, calcium, B-12 and protein; too bad, let someone have the surgery that will. We all can mange to stick to a program short term. We are all experts at losing weight. We just can't keep it off; which is where the surgery comes in. It gives us the means of control we lack. As you can tell, this is NOT the week to write me an email and tell me that you cant 'tolerate' the taste of your protein, or that you cant 'tolerate' your chewables or your stomach feels 'icky' when you drink your protein. I have little lenience for weakness and whining. It will take a long time before I allow much room for the helplessness that I so often hear. I can't stand the word 'tolerate'... it is pure baloney. About 3 years ago I read a 'tough love' essay by an OH member named Leilani, and one line in particular resonates in my head; 'If this surgery doesn't slap a backbone in you, nothing will', as it is so true! Just do what you are supposed to do. Figure it out and make it happen. Thank goodness we have products that make it easier to stick with the program but the bottom line is that it shouldn't even matter. Ciao, Susan Maria