Question:
Trying to find a supplement I can handle, this is what I come up with

I am 12 days post op, full and clear liquids, and my surgeon wants me on protein supplements to equal 60 grams. I have tried Problend 55, Proscore 100, Cheramino, none of which agree with me. carnation instant and boost gave me some protein but had too much sugar. I got some vita4life and they are agreeing with me OK, but the taste is a little to pungent for me. So what I did was add 2 packets (60 grams)to 2 quarts of crystal lite rasberry ice tea. It tastes reall good. Does anyone see any problem with me taking my protein in that way as long as I drink that whole thing in one day? Does protein lose its effectiveness if taken over several hours?    — claire C. (posted on October 23, 2000)

October 23, 2000
Claire, great question! I swear I was just about to post a question about pre-mixing protein for the day, and you beat me to it! I am going to be returning to work soon, and I am absolutely terrible about eating in the a.m. (I am usually not hungry until noon or so), so I want to mix about 1/2 gallon of my protein drink in the morning so I can just pour it in a water bottle and have it on the way to work. I just don't know if the protein stays viable over the course of a day or so when its been mixed. I have heard that your body won't assimilate more than 30 grams at a time, so if that is true, you should be fine taking your drink in over the course of a day - as long as the protein doesn't break down in the refrigerator. I'll be watching for answers with you, Claire!
   — Allie B.

October 23, 2000
Goodmorning, I just saw a post that said to mix the sugarfree chocolate carnation instant breakfast with Soy milk .... The milk & sugar mix is what always made me crash! or dump.... By the way, yesterday was my 3 year anniversary of my gastric bypass! Trust in knowing that this process is not easy, but it is worth it. You also may want to try Designer Protein. Have Fun! Mary Anne
   — Mary Anne M.

October 23, 2000
There's nothing wrong with mixing your protein with Crystal Light, as far as I know. In fact, I do the same. But I would be concerned about stretching it out with 2 quarts. I don't know about the others you mentioned, but according to an e-mail I received from the Vita4Life people, once you open one of their packages, the protein starts to lose potency over the next few hours. So if you take all day to drink the 2 quarts, then it's not helping you. If you want, I will foward the e-mail to you that I got from Vita4Life when I asked them similar questions. I had the same problem starting out, and I just kept experimenting until I found something I could tolerate. Good luck!
   — Paula G.

October 23, 2000
Maybe you could mix up your protein drink the way you like it, then freeze it in single servings. Sip as they defrost.
   — Linda B.