Advice for Protein Drinks for a Beginner

Hello!

I met with my NUT last week for the first time in preparation for my RNY in the near future.  She suggested the NECTAR brand and mentioned the variety of fruit flavored ones that NECTAR makes. Luckily, I only purchased a couple samples pack - Caribbean Cooler and Strawberry Kiwi yesterday.  I decided to try my first one today - while my hubby and son had lunch. I made the Caribbean Cooler packet - 1 oz size of powder mixed with 16 oz of water (package indicated 8-16 oz of water to full packet serving). Had a couple - maybe 8 SUN CHIPS from the bag hubby and son included with their lunch.  With those chips and probably -- no more then 4 swallows of the Nectar Protein Drink .......  boy did I start feeling full? ..... but thinking more so sick as I did step into the bathroom finding myself vomiting it back up along with the chips (sorry tmi).  Now I'm worried - what if I can't do Protein Drinks period?  Don't even have the RNY surgery date set yet.  Was the problem that I mixed it with water - and perhaps I should try milk.....  or make sure I drink that alone with no other food with it?  I will plan to make a call in to NUT tomorrow for her suggestions  .... BUT would love to hear from you as well =)   The remaining 15 oz is make in the Fridge for now.  I still feel gaggie yet... scary!  Thanks!!

Do you have any allergies? Maybe you're allergic to whey. Try again later when you feel better, maybe you already had a stomach bug & the drink made it feel worse?. Get better soon. 

My only suggestion is to only get samples. After my RNY my taste buds changed and didn't like what I had purchased before my surgery. 

I don't know what could have made you feel ill. 

Good luck!

Could it have been the smell? Some protein drinks are stinky!! I know some Some smells are enough to make me sick. I would say NO to mixing that particular kind of drink with milk. If you are going to drink protein drinks, you should have them as meal replacement, and not an accompaniment. Gets you into the habit. 

I'm one of the few post-ops here who can't stand the Nectar...I'd rather drink toile****er. The stuff I tried looked like murky lake water and didn't taste or smell any better either. Isopure fruit flavored protein drinks are almost as disgusting, but I could manage to drink the Alpine Punch flavor as long as it was diluted a little...and had Mio added...lol. 

I second the advice to get sample packs from different companies. I've heard good things about Unjury, but never tried it. 

You definitely don't want to mix the fruit nectar powders with milk. Based on reports from those who have tried it, it is pretty disgusting.

lt shouldn't make any difference right now whether you eat food with it or not (although after surgery you obviously won't be able to do so), so I would be surprised if having chips with it made you sick. The only thing I can think of is that the protein drinks, even though they look like a Crystal Light type of drink, are thicker in consistency, so perhaps it was a matter of drinking it too quickly...?  It is also possible that it just didn't agree with you.

I would try drinking the next one more slowly.

I wouldn't worry about not being able to tolerate ANY protein drink post-op just based on tjsi experience. What you can and cannot tolerate now (or what you think tastes good or gross now) may be very different than what you can tolerate or think tastes good after surgery.  Also, there are literally hundreds of different protein drinks (powders or ready-to-drink) out there, so you will be able to find something that you can tolerate.

Get as many samples as you can so you don't waste money on a large tub of something that you cannot drink.

Lora

Trying one flavor and worrying that you can't tolerate all protein drinks is throwing the baby out with the bath water. I couldn't stand the Nectar fruit flavors, although my husband loved them. Same with the Premier shakes. Unjury Chocolate Splendor is by far the best I've tried, but I know some people on here don't like it. Get some sample packs of some different brands. I also found out Unjury has a guarantee -- they'll take back any packets or containers (opened or unopened) for a refund or exchange. Once I was back to solid food, I sent back all my unused Unflavored and Chicken Soup ones to exchange for Chocolate Splendor, which I still have for breakfast every morning.

You could try Active liquid protein that is what I have been using. I just couldn't handle the powered stuff for every drink.

I felt the exact same way before surgery...gagging on protein drinks. I've found out that there is a specific taste to the whey that I can taste in some drinks and it is overpowering and nasty. However, I found that in the syntrax nectar green apple and fuzzy navel I can't taste the whey (if that makes sense). I tried many of the syntrax flavors and those were my favorite that I have used several times a day for the last 5 months since surgery.

i would suggest mixing it in 8 oz or less of water...do not try milk especially for the fruity flavors. I always do 4 oz and an ice cube to keep it cold, in a shaker bottle with a flip top cap (helps if you cant handle the smell). I mix it by hand with a fork, because I found that with just shaking it up with the wire ball that comes in the shaker bottle leaves it pretty chunky. doing 16 oz of a protein drink is overwhelming after surgery, so keep the water to a minimum!

I liked the GNC Ultra and/or No Carb powders;  there's chocolate, and vanilla I know for certain, and you can get small containers.  If you don't like them you can get your money back.

Keep trying!  The protein drinks are really helpful for getting the protein requirements in, especially when you're early post-op.

It is very personal taste, and your taste will change back and forth over this journey. Trial and error. Some people find it helps to drink it from a cup with a lid to help with the smell. I never found a Nectar I liked. I hate Isopure too. Yet many people love them. My favorites are Click and Fit Frappe (coffee flavored), the Inspire brand Pumpkin, and Peanut Butter Cookie (Bariatriceating.com), Bodylogix Natural Whey, vanilla and chocolate. GNC sells it but I can buy it cheaper at Walgreens, grass-fed and uses Stevia if that is important to you. Ready Made I like Premier Chocolate. My doc's guidelines were 20-30g protein once made (I try to make sure it is close to 30), no more than 5g sugar in the powder, and no more than about 200 calories once made. At both GNC and Vitamin Shoppe you can return something within 30 days if you don't like it. Vitamin Shoppe only gives you a credit but the one by me does price match their own internet price and they have a much bigger selection. The Company that makes the Quest bars everyone likes, just came out with protein powder that I have been hearing good things about, they carry that at Vitamin Shoppe too.