How Do I Stomach These Shakes?

I'm on the second (about to be third when I finally got to bed) day of my pre-op diet. I've been doing okay with the whole not eating thing. But I'm supposed to be downing three shakes a day. I managed to get in 1 yesterday, and 2/3rds of 1 today. I know this is bad. I know I need to be drinking all three. But how? I don't feel overwhelmingly hungry, and the strawberry and banana are both unbearably gross. The chocolate tastes okay, but it's like trying to drink cake batter. A few tastes is okay, but even after mixing with 16oz of water, this is just so thick and sweet.

As per Doctor's Orders I'm using Champion Nutrition Ultramet, 41g Protein meal replacement powders. I was required to buy them from my surgeon, and was told I could not get anything different. So I'm at a loss. I have a feeling if my pre-surgery stats aren't up to par, I won't be able to get surgery and it'll get delayed, and ugh. 

So I need tips on how to get through the two weeks until my surgery. How do I make these shakes edible?

Ugh!  I'm sorry.  : (

Some of us use coffee or chai tea with vanilla or chocolate protein powder. Make a thick cool protein slurry with the powder and a little 1/2 & 1/2 (forget the water, not that important), top off the shaker cup or huge mug with hot coffee or brewed chai tea. You want to keep the protein cool, so mix it first and pour the hot brew on top slowly and stir lightly.

--gina

I'll have to try this without milk or creamer, since they're on the no-no list until post-op, but I'll give it a go! Hopefully it'll help.

I put my protein in the coffee as well. My dietician said it would be fine to mix it with the hot liquid as long as it is not clumping because no one wants to drink a chunk. I do 2 scoops into decaff coffee and mix it well. Oh with vanilla protein powder. It tastes like coffee with creamer to me.

I had Dr Greenbaum as well and remember those shakes! Ugh! To me they were slimey and I just couldn't gag them down. I ended up throwing most of them out and I am not a waster! They were BAD! I just did the best I could with another brand and it worked out just fine. Good luck with your upcoming surgery!

Erin

??

These doctors that require you to buy drinks only from them seem a bit shady to me. It's like they have you cornered - "You want to have this surgery, right? Good then you'll buy these crappy overpriced drinks from us, or no surgery" 

If Gina's suggestions don't help you might try to mix it with 4- 8 oz water so it is easier to hold your nose and chug.

If you had more time I would say look around for something you like that was equivalent but bearable and just not say.
I believe some of these pre-op diets that get that particular about products are just lazy and maybe shady as someone else
commented.

Do you have a specific reason to think that some of your pre-surgery stats are questionable? While this will push up your available protein
for the healing process I'm not sure it has any other benefit aside from the other one of it being all liquid. My Doctor gave me a list of 6 or 7 products 
I could use for the pre-op liquid diet including Boost Glucose Control and Atkins shakes.

Good luck - two weeks can seem like an eternity but it will be here before you know it.

Pete

I thought the whole idea of having to buy a certain product at a markup directly from them was shady/greedy, but it was something I had decided to live with, but now that I've actually had their shakes, I'm thinking they're a bunch of sadists lol. 

I don't particularly think my stats are questionable, but I'm worried my vitamins levels might be off before surgery? I'm assuming they check those? Maybe they don't. I'm waiting for my vites in the mail as we speak, so I was kind of relying on these shakes for that added boost.

I like thinking about time in weird ways. For example, day three is half over so that means I'm about a quarter of the way done with this diet, which sounds great!
I'm always turning negatives into positives like that, it's a special talent lol.

I'll be happy as long as my surgery doesn't get delayed. Two weeks is nothing, but I'd hate to have to re-do this diet or anything.

I don't usually advocate not following ers orders,but yeah he is getting a kickback from making patients use them. Why else would he be so adamant? There are many shakes with just as good of stats. 

You might get some samples and try to find something you can tolerate better. Jay Robb brand is not as thick and not as sweet. Also put a quarter teaspoon cocoa powder I the choc and it will tone down the sweet. The nectar line is also. to as thick and while still sweet,the cocoa helps there too.

you are going to get light headed and feel terrible if you don't get something in.

trust me, there is no way your surgeon will know from looking at your insides that you didn't use his shakes. And anyway,he is just a man,not God,Kwim?

gl