Hey all this is for the toronto western patients

1. Nope each box has I think 7 servings of a single flavour. So calculate 4 servings a day times however many days you have to be on it. They will tell you how many boxes you need. You decide how many of each flavour you need. Truth, first week I only got through two avday, second week, two to three (servings) daily. Never 4! But I'm severly lactose intolerant and these are milk based

Ohhhhhh ok, that makes more sense. I am lactose sensitive so thanks for that heads up.

I would definitely take Lacteeze with them. Also- head's up on protein AFTER the surgery! Make sure you get one that is NOT-whey based if you're lactose intolerant. I was always pretty severe lactose-intolerant but after the surgery (keeping in mind,I'm just a week post-op) it ratched up big time. I had really severe reaction to the proteins recommended (Premier - ready made) and Kaizam - powder) - it was not pretty LOL

Did some research and found the following at Costco (I ordered online - free delivery, delivered within two days)- which meets TWH criteria in terms of grams per serving of protein (21 g) and carbs (7 g of carb MINUS 5 gm of fiber = 2 g of carbs) - called LeanFit Complete Green Organic Organic Protein Powder. It was ordered Sunday, delivered Tuesday morning. So, far, sitting well albeit I had to break each serving into two as I found drinking one at a time was too much (and keeping in mind I added frozen fruit, 0% skim milk, 1/4 cup 0% sugarless lactose-free Liberte yoghurt) - all pureed to a milkshake like consistency - delish!

I even had a reaction to cream of chicken (duly strained as instructed)- where milk products come sixth in the list so negligible.

You may not find yourself so sensitive - this is just in case you start feeling ill after them!

Ow wow that is great to know I will def look into that and budget for it. Please keep me updated on how you are doing.Anything else you experience please feel free to let me k kw if you want. How are you feeling a week post op?, how was your hospital stay?

Everyone at TWH was super great, informative, really nice and very supportive. I had my surgery at 11 a.m. Tuesday, was up in my room my 4. I have a really rough time with general anaesthetic - always have - so was pretty nauseous but they were totally on top of it- and fed me stuff through the IV (you have an IV put in before surgery and it stays until you get discharged), before it got really bad. It took me ages and ages to wake up (always does)- but they were constantly checking in on me. As soon as I was able,I started sipping the water ... they provide these little plastic medicine cups. Kept on sipping... right through the night when I would wake up. Both day and night nurses were AMAZING (Jocyln and Martha- thank you!)- early, early morning I was awake and Martha, night nurse unhooked me enough to go to washroom - no issues. She was also impressed LOL -because when she came to check on me I was sitting on the edge of the bed doing the deep breathing they recommend in the My Surgery book they send you before surgery. About 10 zillion doctors and interns (all great) checked in between 7 and 9 and I, along with everyone else who had surgery Tuesday was discharged by around midday!

Now it is almost 10 days! Hard to believe. I had a rough first week (for issues mentioned before - allergic to pain meds, but in all honesty, the tylenol did the trick)- took gravol the first four or so days and didn't really try to eat until the Friday when between then and Saturday I discovered how violently I react to whey protein! By Sunday stopped drinking it, ordered my plant-based protein and stuck to very runny oatmeal (YUM), water and a little jello. By Tuesday my protein was there and I started drinking it - learned after the first one better to break up into two servings (I made it like a smoothie, vanilla protein powder, frozen unsweetened fruit, 1/4 cup 0% greek yogurt (lactose free) and ice and a dollop of lactose-free milk - Since then trying to get two of those in a day and haven't quite got there but drink three shakes approximatley a day (keeping in mind, 2 shakes is ONE serving broken up)- have oatmeal once a day - and just tried some sugarfree pudding but not sitting well so will stick to jello if I want something.

My energy levels are improving albeit I'm grateful I'm retired and will rest a couple times a day once I get stuff done.

All in all, not a bad experience at all - albeit in the early stages right now!

Sorry I just got your response, that is amazing thank you for all that information. Where you awake or alsleep alot of the time you were there?. Did you take stuff to do while you were in bed and not walken around?

Truthfully, it was SO quick when all was said and done. Registered at 8 a.m., had meetings with nurse and surgeon, went into surgery around 12:30- was back up in my room around 4. Anaesthic ALWAYS reacts weird with me and I have a VERY hard time waking up from it. So I was "awake" but would drift off again.. told my husband who was with me to go back to the hotel as I knew I would doze and wake a dozen times! I began drinking (out of medicine cups)- within a couple of hours and made a consistent effort to do so throughout the night. I had neither the wits nor desire to do anything except sleep and concentrate on drinking water when awake! I also started doing the deep breathing exercises they recommend (it's in the My Surgery binder they send you) by around 5 in the morning. At that point, nurse helped unhook me and I went to the bathroom (no issues peeing!)- then back and concentrating between breathing exercises (sitting on the side of the bed), dozing and drinking water and very diluted apple juice! Surgeon and team were in around 7 a.m., said everything went well etc. All in all, about three doctors were in and out - just quick visits. By mid-morning I was back and forth to the bathroom. Hear a lot of people complaining about gas, I was burping but only that! And no major discomfort. Your incisions are tender and stomach a bit achey simply because anything in your abdomen you feel. By noon was in a meeting with nurse who sent over what we should be doing (everyone who had been operated on either the same day or day before)- then we got our discharge papers and that was it! Outta there!

Didn't use ANYTHING i thought I would need! You wear double hospital gowns, are hooked up to an IV until they release you to get dressed and go to the meeting. I would recommend chapstick! Your lips get very dry!

any more questions, feel free to ask!