8th day after DS surgery, protein help needed

Early on, savory was also much easier for me to stomach than sweet.

I found an easy way to increase my protein intake was to stir unflavored whey protein isolate (I used Allmax) into different types of broth. I used turkey, chicken and beef broth as well as some Asian soup bases (ie: tom yum and miso). I doctored them up with seasonings and/or a few pieces of green onion or mushrooms, sometimes adding a few drops of sesame oil and soy sauce.

Or, if you prefer, just add unflavored protein powder to the soup you're already enjoying. Either way, it's a great way to get both your fluid and protein in.

When you use unflavored protein powder, it's easy to experiment with new flavor combos.

Tricia

Thank you, Tricia!

I can't stand scrambled eggs at any time, they always seemed rubbery to me. I started with over easy eggs and homemade chicken soup with all the solids strained out. I also used Premier protein drinks which I buy from Costco online. I don't have a membership and even with paying the fee for non members, it's usually still cheaper than Walmart or Sams FYI. The first 2 weeks though I mostly just drank water. Good luck

Thank you! Though, it's the Premier drinks that taste too sweet to me.

I understand the overly sweet aversion, especially early on.  It does get better.  One thing I did was add plain Greek yogurt and water to the shakes to tone it down.  You can also add herbs to Greek yogurt for a not sweet protein kick that goes down easier - I added curry.

Isopure waters are 40 grams per bottle and the orange flavor is the least sweet. Add a few mashed up berries or lemon slices (just don't eat them!) To cut the sweet down more. The Isopure is expensive but it does help at first.  

I echo my siblings of the knife and say "it does get better."   Expect the first three months to be pretty rough though.  A constant quest to fulfill your body's needs with only rare successes.  And when you succeed and find something perfect?  The next day it won't work.  But all things pass and soon you will be on to the super fun stage of "how much smaller am I now?"

Some surgeons recommend that you should get a g of protein for every day out of surgery until you start averaging around 100 a day.  So, the first month just worry about getting 30 g or protein, second month 60, etc.   I had a swallowing complication and so I went with this advice and I had great labs.  

Also, I couldn't handle any of the powders at first.  The pre-mixed brands "Oh yeah" and Muscle Milk were doable for the first month.  Then I found that I could handle BEEF isolate protein, but not whey isolate.  So I used a lot of Musclemeds Carnivor for the first six months.  Then I could handle anything for a while, the consensus on another site was that Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard, Rocky Road might be the best out there.   Unfortunately, now at almost ten months, I'm back to having some issues with whey protein.  I tried just getting my protein from food but could really only average around 85 g a day; not enough.  I stalled my weight loss pretty dramatically.  So, I started on one Muscle Milk a day and will probably go through the whole range of them again before I'm done. 

Just keep tying different things.  Eggs still don't work for me.  Sausages seem to be the safest.  You will hit your stride soon.

Heh. Scrambled eggs.  I remember that experiment. It was a while before I realized egg salad was my friend and sunny side up eggs were OK with me.  

I use the Optimum Nutrition 100% whey made with water. Early on I just did the vanilla and chocolate to switch on.  At 2 years I do a sweet protein shake (syntrax nectar, maybe once a week). I could get by without the shakes at this point but I just find it easier to do breakfast as a double scoop shake and know that I started the day off well.

I know Docs are all different but I think the protein goals of 30gms at the end of 30 days, 60 at the end of 60, and 90 at the end of 90 were easier for me.  I got to 90 a lot quicker but there was less pressure to get there using these guidelines.

Stomach size is the big limitation as far as I am concerned. I was at 3 months and could only take in 3oz at a meal so I needed the protein shakes at that point.

Good luck,

Pete

Ricotta cheese and egg custard were my answers to high protein.