Pat Hall

So close to the 60 lbs. lost mark.... I'm feeling great since my May 1 surgery. Clothes fitting nice and loose, people at work saying "whoa!" Still struggling a bit with hydration. I've been trying to find the perfect protein shake and I invite you to join me on my journey thus far. I'm going to rate them in order for worst to best. This is my opinion only and reflects only what I've tried thus far. I'm not affiliated with any protein powder corps but if someone wants to throw some cash my way for an endorsement, I won't say no. Be advised I don't mix the shakes with anything...just 7-8 oz of cool, clear water. Worst - Avoid at All Costs - Bodytech Whey Protein Isolate. They should call this, "aftertaste with a hint of flavor." I got the Melted Marshmallow and Cookies & Cream flavors in the 1.5 lb tubs. I choked the C&C down but couldn't stomach the marshmallow. Vitamin Shoppe did me a solid and let me exchange the opened tub back for store credit. Your Mileage May Vary - Ghost: The gimmick with Ghost is that they put a little of the flavored stuff in with the mix. That means the Oreo flavor I bought had a few Oreos mixed up in the powder. Not so many that it makes the protein/sugars mix per serving bad, but enough to effect the flavor and make you feel like you're having a forbidden treat. But hang on. For me, the shake (even with just water) was super sweet. Plus, the Oreo bits clump together and make for a chewy gooey swig. Ghost was too much for my newly cut stomach and made me nauseous. Now that I'm a few months past surgery, I can tolerate it somewhat better but it still isn't my favorite in consistency or stomach tolerance. Middle of the Road - Gold Standard: This powder never upset my stomach, mixes well, and is a good mid-range price point. There is a bit of aftertaste but it's not a deal breaker. Flavors are kind of forgettable. Double Rich Chocolate and Cinnamon Roll are safe bets. Getting Better - ISO100: This is a little more expensive than the choices below, you get fewer servings per dollar. You get what you pay for though. This powder mixes up nice and the flavors are pretty good. The Dunkin Glazed Donut was great! Gourmet Chocolate was also a cut above. Best so Far - Transparent Labs: Figures it would be the most expensive brand right? But this powder has been great on my poor stomach. The selling point here is that it's a minimalist powder, there are only 4-5 ingredients compared to the long list of additives you'll see in some of the cheaper brands. No stomach upset at all with this. Flavors are also subdued but pleasant. I've had the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and Salted Caramel. Nice taste, not overwhelming. When it's shake time I think to myself, "Ah, this will be nice." rather than "Oh good grief...yeah, let's go choke it down." Ones I Want to Try: If any of you have tried these brands, I'd love to get your take before I shell out money: - Ryse - Gorilla Mode - Clean Simple Eats

I'm only losing a pound a week now myself...docs say not to worry about it, these things go in cycles...and to up my physical activity. (grumble). Don't get discouraged. You are the heart of the May Surgeries board. Keep the posts coming.

Surgery was on May 1. Deep into the puree diet. 2 protein shakes a day and I mix up the meals with scrambled eggs, zero sugar yogurt, tuna fish, chicken salad, broth, cream soups, refried beans. Anywhere from a 1/4 to 1/2 cup, I'm learning how to listen to my body and when I feel full. Going back to work the first week of June. Hydration is still a chore but if I focus I can keep the right amount flowing. Once or twice I've had an urge to nap after my noon meal but no pain, nausea or anything like that. Feeling great!

18 days post surgery and I'm feeling great. I'm excited to start mushies this week but not as excited as I thought I'd be. This week I added zero fat yogurt, pudding, and creamy soups to the menu, thinking I'd just be snarfing them down. Nope. Anything more than a quarter cup and I start to feel my throat seize. I'm becoming more food apathetic but I'll still add eggs and tuna. Down 40!

One week since my sleeve surgery. Some observations: Dehydration: They warned us this would be the biggest challenge and they weren't kidding! The doctors fixed a hiatal hernia they weren't expecting and they must have tightened it up pretty well. Drinking anything is a chore, and sometimes painful (though that is gradually going away). Seriously though, keeping a steady inflow of liquid takes mental focus. I'm getting better every day but hitting that 48oz minimum takes effort. What I'm Drinking: Vitamin Water Zero and Protein Shakes. I wish I had done more flavor profiling before surgery. My Gold Standard protein shakes are fine but the flavors are kind of meh. I'm so much of a cheapskate though, I'll stick with the Double Chocolate and Cinnamon Roll options until they run out. I liked the Unjury Cookies and Cream, but that brand is expensive and...again...cheapskate. How I'm feeling: No external pain. The core pain in my abdomen when moving around is largely gone...I only notice when I have to bend way down to pick up something. I won't say my energy is up, but I feel lighter. My feet aren't swollen. Clothes are fitting more easily. I'm going on progressively longer walks (but take along a bottle, the cotton mouth is real). Bleh: I hate ground up pills. The taste stays with me all. night. long. I can't wait to graduate to mushy foods! Never thought I'd be so excited for applesauce.

Cross your fingers that they don't have to fix a hiatal hernia during the operation. They'll do it if it needs doing but watch out, it will give you intermittent pain in your midsection. Woke me up twice last night until they gave me the good stuff. Docs say it shouldn't be a problem in a few days.

Surgery complete! It's now 12 hours since I went under. The surgery took 90 minutes, Docs said it went well. I started to come to about 2 hours after the surgery was done. According to my wife, I was a happy drunk. I really don't remember coming back to my room. As we speak, I'm hooked up to machines that are checking my pulseox, dripping fluids into me, and massaging my calves (which feels amazing). I've taken some walks around the floor. The first one hurt (level 5) the others were much easier (level 2) Not going to lie, my abdomen hurts. Any movement is uncomfortable since we use our core for everything. Not crippling pain just "yah! Hey that smarts!" I'm sipping water and chicken soup slowly. I knocked back 2oz of water like a whiskey shot just now. Mistake. I got bad heartburn from that. Sip sip sip. Hope to go home tomorrow. Thanks for the good vibes!

Tomorrow is the big day! May 1. May Day! On the liver shrinking diet, the first two days and the last two days were the hardest. The first two days, I was ravenous and it took every ounce of willpower I had not to eat. By day 3, it wasn't a big deal. My particular diet called for 3 shakes, 1 serving of protein mix soup, a protein bar, a banana (for the potassium), and up to 3 sugar free gelatines. Plus as much zero cal clear drink I could stand. By day 3, I LIVED for that banana and protein bar. These last two days with no solid food at all has been tough. My sense of smell has ramped up significantly. Everything smells fantastic! I'll provide an update after the procedure is finished and I'm lucid again. I'm somewhat nervous about the discomfort, but I'm sure I'll be able to weather it. Wish me luck!

@Zingor4 Hours??!! Is this like, right before your surgery? I've had two pre-op appointments, both took about 30 minutes. The first was with a nutritionist who went through the "no kidding" diet restrictions for the post op time and my blood work and the vitamins I'd need to order. She was even more insistent that there should be NO VITAMINS until 2 weeks post op. T The other appointment was with the regular surgical nurse who went through what to bring to the hospital (CPAP machine, etc.) and what not to bring (valuables, all my kids, etc.) whether I had any allergies to meds and my history of prior operations, anesthesia difficulties, whether I needed help with translation, etc. And I'm with you on the clothes. When do we pull the trigger on buying new stuff?

We won't like our preop shakes?? How come? I'm worried about that. I bought small canisters of Gold Standard shakes for the after shakes. I hope I can stomach them. Hah! I'll post my observations.

Operation is on May 1. I'm one week into the liquid diet. It's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. My doctor's nutritionists made a schedule (I always do better with a plan) and required me to buy Unjury products. I have the chicken soup and cookies and cream shakes. The shakes are actually pretty good. My sense of smell is through the roof. I wasn't expecting that. I can smell people cooking meat a mile away I swear! I get odd tightness and heat where the back of my head meets my neck. Is this the headaches I was warned about? I'm feeling good about the surgery. I'm already down a pants size after one week and am looking forward to sustaining gains through the next 12 months.