NEED ADVICE

STARTED MY JOURNEY TO RESEARCH WLS LAST AUGUST. I AM NOW HAPPY TO SAY I AM SCHEDULED ON JULY 2ND. DR. ARANOW IS MY SURGEON. MY INSURANCE APPROVED MY SURGERY IN ONE DAY! DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ABOUT PROTEIN DRINK PREFERENCES? ANY ADVICE WHAT HELPED POST OP? GOOD LUCK TO ALL AND THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! JOANIE

Hi Joanie, I am newly post-op, but I can tell you about the protein drinks. Buy some samples, you can get them online from Susan Maria's website, bariatriceating.com, or from vitalady.com. I got a whole bunch because I heard taste preferences change after surgery. I also bought some Ensure. It turns out I don't really like any of them! I am drinking Atkins Advantage shakes, they have 20g of protein per can. These I like. My tastes have definitely changed! Before surgery I LOVED coffee. Last week I made my favorite flavor, put in my sweet and low and some fat free milk, and tried it. Yuck!! I thought I would I can't believe it, but it's true. It's good though because now I won't be drinking coffee in place of healthier water or protein drinks. So, I suggest just buy the sample sizes to try after surgery, then you can order larger supplies when you know what you like. Good luck! Anne

Hi Joanie! Congratulations on your approval and upcoming visit, the journey is long but very worthwhile! Immediately post-op I lived on Chicken Broth (not the horrid canned stuff, but flavorful homemade). I also preferred the non-milky protein drinks. My favorite is ISOPURE Zero Carb glass bottle drinks. 20 oz bottle has 40gms of protein and they come in yummy flavors (I get mine at the Vitamin Shoppe). Later on I started having a protein shake for breakfast. My favorite is Carb Solutions (best price by far at Walmart). I'd love to do the Atkins shakes, but they're awfully high in fat. Drink plenty of fluids as a post-op and follow your surgeons advise to the letter and you'll do great!!!! Hugs, Carla

Hi Joanie, I am a newly post op myself but have enjoyed the Whey protien powder shake mixed with lactaid milk with a drop of sugar free strawberry flavor in it. Another way to make it taste good is soy chochlate flavor milk mixed with the shake and it's like drinking choc milk! There are many ways to change it around so it is not so boring. I tried the juice protien drinks from GNC but they were harder to get down. It's all experiemental and try different things but remember to keep drinking them, they are VERY important. Good luck! Robin T

Definitely try the ISOPURE drinks which can be bought at any GNC. They are more expensive, but 10 times tastier and you don't have to deal with mixing anything. I still drink 1/2 bottle/day now and I am 4 mos post op. Each 20 oz bottle has 40g of pure protein. I wish I had found these in my earlier post op days. I tried several powdered drinks back then and the one I liked the best was Real Meals. I found they mixed with Lactaid milk much better than others I tried. I also keep a container of BeneProtein (a tasteless protein powder) on hand to try to supplement some food items with additional protein when I think I need to. Good Luck!! Lyn

Lyn, Where did you find the Beneprotein? Dee