Rejecting Protein Supplements...?!

Hi! I'm new here and checking in as I'm 4wks post op and really struggling with my protein supplements all of a sudden. I was doing well and intaking 2 premier protein shakes a day and then all of a sudden started rejecting them with diarrhea and bad cramps and wretching. So I tried protein powder and the same reactions are happening. I'm having to rely on only food protein at this stage which means my daily intake is ranging between 35-50g a day. Anyone else experiencing this kind of rejection and/or finding a solution in time?

What are you mixing your protein powder with? Have you tried water or almond milk? If you are mixing it with milk you may be lactose intolerant. RNY often causes lactose intolerance because you have less lactase after RNY, which is needed to digest lactose.

Thanks Laura. I did mix the powder with milk, but havent had any trouble drinking milk on it's own or soaking cereal in milk. Hmmmm... Maybe you're right though and I need a different combo, will try with water next.

There are different kinds of protein as well. If it's whey that's bothering you, casein and egg protein powders are good quality too.

At about 3 weeks after surgery I found out I was lactose intolerant. So I had to opt for either whey protein isolate- it has no lactose or plant based proteins which are a little lower in protein content. I found Amazing Grass that has a peanut butter flavor that I really liked. Talk to your Dr or program and they can give you something for the cramps. Sorry you are going through this it is no fun.

Hey, there. Hope you don't mind me chiming in (I'm a VSGer), but protein supplementation is top of mind for me, as I can't get all my protein from food either at this stage.

If you are indeed lactose intolerant, but want to use milk with your shakes (or on its own) try Fairlife milk. It's lactose-free milk with that is low-carb/high-protein. The skim variety (they also have full, 2%, and 1%) has 13g of protein/6g of sugar/80 cals per serving. To me, that seems like a pretty good calorie to protein ratio. As far as the sugar, the 6g is within acceptability for me--no idea if it is for you as an RNYer. Anyway, I've used it to mix with isopure whey isolate shakes and it has helped me achieve protein goals with one shake per day + food. I'm sorry that you're having this sudden, difficult issue. But I'm sure that there are alternatives that you can switch to that will help. Best of luck!!

Thanks for all of your input, everyone. I've checked in with my body and am realizing that you are all VERY right that this feels like a lactose intolerance at this point. Strangely only to milk though, yogurt and cheese are fine. Thanks for helping me to see what was happening. Glad to have some answers so I can make the necessary changes and hopefully start feeling better!!

I'm lactose intolerant and can eat cheese and yogurt. The Lactose gets used up during the process of making them so I have no issues eating them. Milk sends me right to the bathroom. Be aware that whey concentrate contains lactose. Whey isolate does not. Check your protein label. A lot of protein powders contain a mix of both and can cause issues.