Suddenly starting to feel weird about my surgery..

Okay..I had my RNY surgery about a week ago today. I am having trouble getting in all my protein grams and I know I am early out and it takes time to work your way up to your goal. I just cannot stomach the shakes anymore like I was pre-op diet. Weird but I tried a different kind today and well eewww still gross..I had about half of it and threw the rest away. I am getting really nervous because I cannot just go out and buy all different kinds of stuff to try because I am not made of money. I have 5 different tubs in my cupboard and well two of them are not open yet. I have two more to try and see if I like them..however just lookin at them...make me not even want to try. I have no idea what to do. I am still trying and well I am praying to god I like something eventually. I am begining to think why did I have this surgery to begin with..because now I am scared I am going to be a failure because the protein intake is high and I am getting nervous I am not going to ever make it there. Has anyone else felt this way? Plus, i am also trying to get all my fluids in at the same time.

TOTALLY NORMAL. You aren't alone hunny! We've all been there!! In the beginning the though of protein shakes etc made me gag. But then I treated them like medicine - just do it. You need them to heal and get by. You WILL NOT get in all your protein and you WILL NOT get in all your fluids in the first week or 2 - as long as each day you are getting in more and more you are doing great!

Try having broths and yogurt instead of just protein shakes. I forget what all is included on full liquids but I believe that it is also pudding, yogurt, jello and ice pops. What about making a smoothie with fruit, yogurt and milk (or soy) in the blender then straining? There is no protein powder in it but you are getting protein from the yogurt and the milk. PLEASE check your full liquids list - I am going off memory and i could be thinking more pureed foods.

Hang in there - at first 3 weeks seems like an eternity but in the long run it is the blink of an eye. It helped me to think back to all my failed diets during this time. In the past I would live off of slim fast, cabbage soup or some other crazy item for a month at a time to loose weight - you are already a week down, go day by day - 7 down - 14 to go. Tomorrow is 1 day - you can do this!! If you push your pouch you will regret it (it could do medical damage or it could make you dump - which is very uncomfortable and not so good for the newly sewn pouch)

*Hugs* hang in there!

Liz

Thanks so much for the reply.makes me feel much better. I am hanging in there.

GNC has an unflavored protein powder for 9.99... I lived off that after surgery... I could mix with anything flavor wise... and would use sf instant carnation breakfast mix... if I couldn't deal with the protein powder that day... I got some extra in just the mix with milk...

I also learned that I couldn't drink a shake for breakfast... I had to eat 1/2 contain of pudding (in the cups) or yogurt... wait an hour and then I could deal with a shake... after not eating or drinking all night I couldn't stomach to much first thing in the morning...

Hey Denise!  You're not alone!  I'm having trouble getting in all the fluids and proteins too.  I'm concentrating on fluids, getting some protein in when I can.  Dr P said we have to stay hydrated, so fluids are more important.  Give your body some time to heal and adjust---your tastes may change.  I'm finding that some things I liked before just don't taste right yet, like plain water.  Try Shannon's idea of unflavored protein powder from GNC and try it in your soups and things.  I did that the other day and couldn't tell a difference.  You'll get there---be patient with yourself!!!  Liz is right---just take it one day at a time!!!  You can do it!!!!    Good luck!!!    

You are not alone.  I did not like any of the flavored protein shakes post-op.  I threw away a huge container of expensive crap as a result.  The AnyWhey I got at Barix worked best for me.  I still use it because I love to make my smoothies with yogurt, milk, berries and a scoop of the AnyWhey.  Plus, I can mix a scoop of it with sugar free Carnation Instant Breakfast, and fool myself into thinking I am drinking chocolate milk.

Get your Barix Bible out, and experiment with the recipes they have.  That's how I learned to use the AnyWhey. 

Don't forget, sugar free fudge pops, jello, popsicles, broth, and pudding.  You will be okay.  We have all been there.  Just take it one day at a time.  One hour at a time if you need to.  Before you know it, you will be a year out and giving the same advice to a new post-op patient.

Huggles,
Trish

Thanks I am going to be experimenting on new things and I did look at the receipes.

Yes, it's normal.  However....

something that Norm said to me early out was that "You don't have to like the protein shakes.  Nor do you have to want to like them.  You have to understand it is medicine, end of story, and get it in."  Not the most pleasant of thoughts, and definately not an easy thing to do.

You will be advancing through the food stages, and although will still need to supplement with shakes, you will be asked to rely on them less and less (Pupkova especially will want you to get most of your protein from food, not shakes)

So keep trying...a little more every day...and you will be ok

Pam

I agree with what everyone has said about it too.  I too had my tastes change after surgery and felt like he** for the first couple of weeks but it is essential to get that protein in!!!  I too remember posting that I had trouble getting the protein shakes down and was told pretty much the same thing you have seen posted here...you do not have to like them but you do have to drink them! 
Finally after much experimentation I found a combo that worked for me EAS Whey Protein Chocolate mixed in a glass of skim milk--mixed with a spoon like chocolate milk--I discovered the foam from blending all the shakes made it harder for me to drink....so I just spoon mixed it and drank it i!!  Did the same thing with the ones I bought from Barix but just used REALLY cold water and drank them that way....

You just got to do what is best for your healing and recovery and getting that protein in as much as you can is paramount!! You can do it!!!!

Much luv!
Laura

Denise,

Try buying the bullets and mixing them with SF koolaid or crystal light. It is a great way to get protein and water at the same time. The shakes gagged me too!

Good luck!!

Teresa