HELP! Feeling a little lost right now...

So I am ordering sample protein packs from Vitalady and I am so lost! I have heard Champion brand is good and something about Isoflex?! I am more a chocolate, vanilla, and coffee girl but I would be willing to try fruity flavors (just not a lot). What ones would you suggest for someone right after surgery? I really want to start my protein as early as my body will allow it.

Also what do you all suggest directly after surgery. I know sip sip sip theory and I have EN’s drinking guide. When can I start incorporating different fluids? What type of fluids? I have a general idea of chicken broth w/low sodium and sugar free apple juice. Other than that I am completely blank. Any suggestions would be ideal!

 

UGG! Trying to get this all taken care of before I head to SLC on the 15^th of December.

 You'll get a lot of info about what to add, and when, at the class that you will take on Dec. 16th.

Lisa

Try IDS MultiPro vanilla-cinnamon, Syntrax Nectar chocolate and cappuccino.  Clears, I like diet cranberry juice and water with fresh squeezed lime juice sweetened with Splenda or Truvia.

--gina

I suggest not buying too much of any one thing before surgery.  Your tastes might change some.

My favorite protein powders are Champion chocolate and the IDS Cinnamon / Vanilla.  

After surgery, you will have to find whatever works for you with fluids.  In the first few weeks you'll have to trust me that it's harder than it sounds, but it does get better.  The challenge is that your stomach is swollen, and you're tired, and you can only get in a few sips at a time.  You literally have to force yourself to drink, drink, drink 64+ ounces, one sip at a time, every day.

You will find what works for you.  Experiment with different temperatures, some people for example dont tolerate cold drinks but do fine with warm.  Others prefer room temperature.  You will figure out what works for you.

Ideas:
Diet Snapple
Crystal Light
Water (although many find this too harsh).  I couldnt drink plain water until about 6 months
Chicken broth
Peppermint tea
Herbal teas - warm or iced

I would say don't bother with the fruity flavors to much if you aren't really into them. I ordered several fruity protein shakes from vitalady and hated them all. I'm a chocolate girl so i dont know what i was thinking:) 

Are you lactose intolerant now? I was kinda before surgery now its full blown. Even the Champion with low lactose makes me so nauseous. I love the Champion and tried it again 2 days ago and it is still a no go:( Ive been drinking egg protein, which im not a fan of but ya gotta do what ya gotta do:) Just don't do to much to soon...i have a problem with this since recovery is going well so far but i really have to slow down and get things into perspective.

Do you have to do liquids before surgery? I did and recommend G2. It does have a 7g carbs and sugars per serving but i was so lethargic that this helped get me thru. I only had 1 12oz btl per day, no over doing it:)

 

Your tastes will change after surgery, so don't waste money on buying a lot of protein samples either. Also the temperature of the liquid might bother you too. I couldn't stand anything too cold-it had to be warm or room temperature. I used sf Jello, sf popsicles, warm chicken or beef broth, and lots of water. Your surgeon should give you a list of food/liquid do's and don'ts.

But ensuring your body is in top shape as possible prior to surgery is a good thing and protein shakes would help healing immediately post-op. I would still say drink protein shakes now, pre-op, as much as possible so testing samples is a good idea.

--g

Regarding samples: Just order a bunch and try 'em out.

What is sugar free apple juice? There is no such thing. Apple juice is used to treat low blood sugar.

As long as it's clear fluids you just try them and see what sits. For everything else, you follow your surgeon's orders for progression. Do you do herbal teas now? You might consider a few of those. Ginger tea was my friend for a while, until Mr. EN did me a nice favor one evening and brewed me a cup with two bags and steeped for a lot longer than I told him to. OWIE. Thus ended my love affair with ginger tea. Peppermint worked, and some other mixed blend thing that I've since forgotten. I drank a little black tea too, but not much. It was too acidic at first.

Miso worked well for me, as did chicken broth. I did some kind of flavored water, I think Propel, for a while. Thankfully I didn't get the aversion to plain water that many people report.

Another thing I tried, but didn't real like, was that True Lemon or True Orange stuff. It's a bit of powder you add for flavor, about the size of a sweetener pouch. There is now a line of similar flavoring thingies out there in little bottles. You add the flavor by the drop until you get the strength you want. That's probably a really useful thing. Look for them near the drink mixes at the supermarket.

The health food place, uh, Real Foods?....has some flavor pack things for water as well. You might look around and see what they have.

Maybe you mean "low sugar" or "no sugar added"  apple juice.  I added water to the juice.  Also try Crystal Light diluted to suit you.  Iced tea or hot tea.  Different temps of liquids may appeal to you.  You will just have to discover what you like.  It may even differ at different times of the day or night.

I have been a coffee drinker all my life but absolutely hated it after surgery.  Couldn't drink it for at least 6 mo. after surgery but now I'm back to drinking it again.

Remember that the confusing first few months after surgery won't last forever.  You will find a new normal.

I'm a month post-op as of last Wednesday.  I didn't have a problem with clear fluids at all... any:  water, crystal light, decaffeinated coffee or tea, propel2, chicken & beef broth, sugar free jello, etc.  You will probably be on those strictly only a day or two or three.  Full liquids would be the next step that would include protein drinks, creamy soups, basically non-clear liquids.   I would recommend that you stay away from drinks with caffein until your stomach has healed, at least.  Caffein is a diuretic as well as an irritant so avoid it.  I would also stay away from fruit juices as they have too much sugar, added sugar or not.  Stick to sugar free drinks like Crystal Light, Propel 2, Fruit2o, water, decaf tea and coffee. 

I purchased several samples of protein pre-surgery to try and found several so I ordered more in prep for post-surgery.  Pre-surgery I was not at all lactose intolerant.  Now I am.  I can no longer handle low or no fat dairy products (heavy cream is ok and Lactaid milk is ok) but, that also affected my ability to handle whey protein products (isolate and concentrate).  So, all the protein I purchased pre-surgery no longer works for me.  I had to give it all away.  FYI, as compared to other people who are lactose intolerant, I don't get the nausea, just a huge amount of gas and diarrhea.   I purchased a soy protein product but, that  isn't working for me either.  Next will be egg protein but, I hesitate to buy it because I am currently doing pretty well at eating enough protein in my meals and snacks.  If I don't have to do the protein shakes, great!  Bottom line, I recommend you buy a few in the flavors you now like to try them and if you like them, buy some for after surgery but not alot.  See how you take to the whey post surgery and go from there.

Follow your doctors recommendations on diet progression but, keep in mind that nutritionists/dieticians will give you good info but that it's primarily geared toward RNY.  I have found through this site that the DS diet is different.  Check past posts for additional information and the links of newbies on this site.