Help! Protein Woes!!

All, I need help. I totally understand how extremely important protein is and I am trying EVERYTHING to get my protein in. I never thought I was very picky but apparently I am. I tried several protein drinks pre- surgery and settled on Nectar but now I can not even stand it. I gag and can not get through a serving let alone two servings. The only thing I have found so far will break the bank- I can stomach Isopure liquid- but it is darn pricey. I purchased some unjury unflavored but tried it in my Crsystal Lite today and it SMELLED so bad I could not do it and was gagging in about two drinks. Please someone - help me- I HAVE to get my protein in and until I find a solution I am going broke buying Isopure! -Nan

Hi Nan you are a very new post op and your pouch is very tiny and picky. I went through so many different types of protein drinks and I finally was able to tolerate Release protein drink from GNC but it is very expensive. Are you still on clear liquids or pureed???? Try small amounts of the isopure at a time with some juice there is no way you can get the full amount of protein you need this early post op. Work on your water and try small amounts of food etc.. Day by day try to increase your protein don't make yourself sick trying to get it in and it will be trial and error with the protein drinks each of our bodies are uniquely different after weight loss surgery. Do you like cheese??? try cheese soup or string cheese. Sunflower nuts or cashews. But your too early for this. If you can tolerate milk add powdered milk to it that will increase the amount of protein in it. Have you tried sugar free carnation drink? Alot of people I have read drink this however I could not tolerate it. Try a soft poached egg or a scrammbled egg with melted cheese on it. I am not for sure what your dr has you on for a diet stage. Our dr was very strict clear liquids then pureed then advancing our diets. I hope I helped a little and I hope I didn't give you any bad advice. There are alot of people who have struggled. Did you post on the main message board?? If you continue to have problems talk with your dietician. Take care and good luck KIm

Can you drink milk? You can use 1 C skim milk, 1/3 C non-fat dry milk, and sugar free Nestle Quick to taste. Whir it around in a blender, add an ice cube or 2 and you have a high protein choc shake. I lived on that at first.

Nan, I couldn't tolerate the smell either & Isopure also made me feel really icky. I ended giving about 10 bottles of it away! Talk about breaking the bank. I found that I had to stay away from whey proteins to avoid the smell. Most of the protein shakes are made from whey so I drank flavored soy milk with soy protein powder added. I know what you're thinking, "Ick, soy milk!" but the flavored soy milk really isn't bad at all and the soy protein powder is almost tasteless. A bonus was that I was able to find a soy milk that had no sugar added, Soy Slender, so I didn't have to worry about dumping, which happened when I tried the Carnation shakes with milk, and soy protein is excellent for us women, especially premenopausal & menopausal women. I would buy chocolate & vanilla flavored soy milk and add 1 scoop of soy protein powder, bought at GNC, and would get around 20 grams of protein per cup of milk. I added a banana to the chocolate for a different flavor & strawberries, peaches, or raspberries to the vanilla. Put a few ice cubes in the blender & chrush them up & you have a healthy alternative to a milk shake. I even added tofu to it to make it thicker & add protein. Yogurt is also good mixed in it. It didn't take long & I was able to get in enough protein by eating & I gave up drinking my shakes but I recently discovered Starbuck's lowfat Mocha Frapachinos. I am hooked on them but don't like the amount of calories. As soon as I get to the Super Walmart that carries Soy Slender I am going to buy a carton of the chocolate & mix it with strong coffee & ice & I suspect I will have a fairly good substitute & one that is even higher in protein than the one Starbucks sells & definately less calories & sugar. Heck, I could probably even add a dollop of cool whip & it would look like the high fat drink that Starbucks sells. Try the soy shakes. It just might work for you. Dixie

I have found a few I like......but it was hard, and I wasted lots of money! I would order some samples of different flavors.....for me it is all about the smell too and NECTAR made me the taste was bad, but the smell coulda killed me I think.....it is so crazy, we all have such different taste......lol!!! It is important to get protein in, but it all comes with time......Take Care jesi My faves are Elite choclate mint....I make it with warm water and it taste like a yummy choclate mint hot cocoa!!! Great for this time of year

Hi Nan C It's been almost 3 years for me from this surgery. And I too am having problems with protein. I couldn't and still can't handle the protein shakes. I'm trying to eat hamburger and foods that have protein in them. I also have Irritable Bowel, so anytime and everytime I eat, I end up in the bathroom sometimes for an hour. A friend of mine at school had it done, (don't know when) and she is allergic to the Whey, and so they have been giving her the Protein shots. She said it's like one shot a month and she also gets her B12 shot. I'm thinking about also going that route and eating foods with protein. Take Care Lisa Young

Have you tried mixing your nectar with frozen fruit? That really helped me. It is more like a smoothie. I started with all kinds of different drinks and found I could handle the nectar as long as I put the fruit in. I also could handle the isopure with instant decafe coffee and a couple of ice cubes but that was me. I would go to vitalady.com and get different samples from her and try them out before spending so much on the big jugs. Also if you have a support group see if they will bring you a sample of what they are using to try. I got rid of the ones I couldn't stand by taking them to my support group and giving them away. At least someone was using my money instead of throwing it away. Just a couple of ideas. Give yourself time. What you can't tolerate now in a couple of months it may taste good to you. Your tastes will change. Good luck to you. Keep us informed on how you are doing. Cindy G.

Hey everyone- thank you so much for your ideas. I will give them a swing- pretty desparate because the Isopure is so pricey and I dont even like it but can tolerate it if I use a straw and dont smell it! I am trying to really step up protein in my foods. I add cheese and I can tolerate skim milk but the amounts of puree that I eat right now are just too small to give me too much protein- I strive for 7 grams but sometimes I am only getting 4 or 5 grams from food which over three meals is pretty pitiful! Dr. said I need 60 grams per day- 20 from food and 40 from protein supplement. Ugh- I really thought I had this issue nailed down pre-surgery!! Thanks again and wish me luck- I just keep telling myself- FIND A WAY or loose more hair later on! -Nan

Sorry for posting late, but here is the ONLY way I can tolerate protein... STRAWBERRY BANANA SHAKE (Thick) 1 Scoop EAS Premium Whey Vanilla Protein (walmart) (about 13.00 for a large container) 4 frozen SF strawberries 1/2 banana 7 ice cubes (counting ea as an oz.)...I have the moon shaped ones. 2 oz. COLD water splenda to taste (I like 3/4 packet) (can substitute water and ice with skim milk as long as your using about 8 oz. of fluid to mix. can add non fat dry milk for more calcium if need be.) Blend Well, Enjoy....I also used this in the morning and evening to take my supplements!! worked great. I now only do one a day...I'm almost 11 months out!!!! down 98lbs. since surgery, 19 before for a grand total of 117lbs. WOOHOO My favorite way of getting protein in, is by eating homemade beef jerky!! When I feel like snacking that is what I eat. Hope this helps...good luck to you, everybody has different taste-buds, and you will find something that works for you. Hugs, Debi 279/162/150??

There is a new product called BeneProtein by the makers of Benefiber that you can get at walgreens.com that isn't bad. Its only 10.99 a tub, and has free shipping. Also I HATE the nectar. But I found I can tolerate it if I mix it in Crystal Light (any flavor). I'm still on clear liquids and am doing 1 bottle of isopure and 1 scoop of nectar a day. next week I will start on carnation instant breakfasts made with double strength milk. Hope this helpsl Sheryl