Protein drinks = food or liquid?

I feel like this is a dumb question, since protein drinks are clearly DRINKS, but when we are told to not drink anything an hour before and a half hour after (or whatever combination your doctor has set), does that apply to protein drinks?  If I am having a protein drink at breakfast, does that mean no solid food within an hour of it?  If I have a protein drink at breakfast does that mean no water within an hour of it?  [Or both? No solid food and no water?]  I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to get my water in and I'm constantly thirsty!

Actually an excellent question!  But I don't know the answer.  But here is how I handle it.  I have a protein drink for breakfast on weekdays.  Since it is the only thing I have before I go to work, I do not have time to have anything before and it is at least 30 minutes before I am a t work, so I can have a cup of decaff coffee when I get in.  My NUT said to consider an 11 oz protein shake like 8 oz of liquid towards your daily goal of 64+ oz.

I was told that for the liquid stages, protein drinks were considered food. Once I got to real food again, I was to consider them liquids. So, once you get to solid food again, a protein drink becomes a "twofer", being both liquid and protein in one. But, I an a relatively anonymous person on the internet. Check with your doc to confirm this, or any other information you acquire and compare it all carefully. 

Liquids are liquids and go right through you, so you don't need to wait. :)

I asked this question at TWH before surgery.

 I was told to count them as liquid and to wait 1/2 an hour after them before eating food( when that stage occurred)

So they also count in your daily liquid amounts and they give you nutrition.

Every hospital is different though.