Question:
i have a question about boost drinks

hi my surgeon wants us to drink 3 boosts a day for 3 weeks. My problem with that is two things 1)they have alot of fat and sugar in them and not much protein and 2) they are sooo expensive i figured it would cost me $150 for those 3 weeks worth of boost. I was thinking of buying a powdered protein and drinking that instead i can get a months worth for 1/3 the price. Do you think it would hurt to do that?? Any info is appreciated. Oh im also looking for an angel to guide me through the process thanks    — cinamoni (posted on July 10, 2003)

July 10, 2003
Did he tell you why?? The doctors I work for recommend Boost to alot of our patients that have problems keeping weight on. It has alot of sugars. I would ask the surgeon why Boost. If it is because of "fatty liver" then you should be able to do high protein.....very low carbs to help with the liver. Boost dosn't seem like a good choice to me!!!!
   — jennap

July 10, 2003
hi original poster here...no problems keeping weight on lol ...in his instruction book it says 3 cans a day for 3 weeks...i think ill ask him next visit if it has to be boost or will a protein shake work
   — cinamoni

July 10, 2003
I'm with you on the powdered protein drink. Some are very high in protein...much better than any of the store bought kind and with less fat and sugar. You'd probably be better off money-wise and protein/fat/sugar-wise. The doctors do the operation, but they haven't really experienced the real eating. I have found this website is the best for finding out this kind of information ... from people who actually experience everything. Good luck!
   — Betty Todd

July 11, 2003
I was critically ill a few years ago (long before my WLS) and they used Boost to make me gain weight while in the hospital recovering. So just a huge "ditto" on the protein shakes. If you can print out some nutritional infor to take in to the doctor from different drinks you can make your point really quickly.
   — kultgirl

July 12, 2003
Boost is what they want me to give my 85 y/o dad to gain wt. I can't even bring myself to do that, cuz he surely doesn't need that wt to be fat. He gets real protein drinks, made with water. He loves apple. While at the ASBS conference, I noticed that many docs do not know the difference, OR they think of "protein drinks" as weight gainers, but Boost as healthy. LOL! I'm naturaly going to come down on the side of real protein drinks made with water or other sugar free beverage over a weight gainer. There's enough sugar in a Boost to put me on my lips for an hour.
   — vitalady

July 16, 2003
boost is indeed used as a weight gainer by adding them to supplement already full meals, not as a replacement for solid food. However, read the sugar content. I was allowed 2 grams per serving and Boost has way more. My friend used Boost from day 1 post op and has lost 120+ pounds in a little over a year and is in awesome shape. However she does not dump on sugar. I wonder if the high sugar content from the beginning stopped her from having the dumping syndrome like I do.
   — **willow**