protein shakes Nutritionist Visit FREAKED me out :-(

[PinkBubble 5]

So...I am still a newbie to the sight and navigating my way around but I honestly need some encouragement right now.

I saw the NUT for the first time today and it was scary as HE—for me. I guess I was not really mentally prepared for some of the things she said about post surgery life and I am hoping that she was exaggerating at least a little.

First off, I LOVE Water and I drink it all day. I feel perpetually thirsty and almost panic if I come to the bottom of an empty water bottle without having a full replacement in the other hand. (This may have something to do with the fact that I live in the desert and you need LOTS of Water to survive.) So, when the NUT said that I would likely spend the rest of my life feeling thirsty and wanting more because the pouch is so small that you never feel like you can drink enough, it worried me. – Is that true? Can you really not get enough to drink? Are you always thirsty?

Second: and we are still kind of on the topic of water. Is anybody able to sip fluids with meals? How does the food not get stuck on the way down without water? I can get used to not drinking if I really have to; I guess I am just a little bummed by it.

Third: and this could unfortunately end up being a surgery deal breaker for me … I don’t drink shakes, smoothies, drink mixes or anything like that at all because I typically gag on them. I just don’t like the texture/thickness or general taste of things like that and I really don’t like sugary sweet stuff. I much prefer salty things. The sugar free pudding tastes like eating a creamy packet of sweet and low to me. Bad. According to my NUT if I do not learn to drink the Meal Replacements and shake type things I will die of malnutrition because it is impossible to get enough Protein post-surgery without them. I was distraught and kind of freaking out so my surgery scheduler gave me one of their samples to try which I will have tomorrow for Breakfast. The choices were strawberry, banana or chocolate. All sweet!…So…Who has suggestions for Protein and/or Meal Replacement options that are not disgustingly sweet or thick? I am hoping that some of you have had similar issues with gagging on gross stuff and have found alternatives or options that might work.

About me: I NEED this surgery. My obesity related health issues are out of control and I am so tired all the time that I feel like I am pulling a car behind me everytime I move. I SUCK at dieting and self control. Not to mention all of the selfish "beauty related" reasons.

Please help ya’ll because I am feeling really down right now :-(

[Shrinkingmom 218]

I am 14 months out and no, I am not thirsty all the time. I have to keep my routine to remember to drink what I should. If you love drink as much as you say, you will be fine. It will be just learning to sip instead of guzzle. No you cannot drink when you eat. That will not work if you want to get the amount of Protein and nutrition in that you are supposed to and no, I have never had food get stuck. It is easy to do once you get use to it. Some people on here are going to say that they drink when they eat and it doesn't hurt them.... All surgeons I have heard of say no to drinking while eating and they are the experts. If you aren't going to do what they tell you to do then don't go through with this. As far as the shakes and protein supplements, I can't help you there except to say that I used cocoa powder and regular packets of koolaid to flavor my shakes to cut the sweetness down. I don't know what you can do about the consistency though. Maybe someone else can help you on that. Since this freaked you out, you maybe should talk to her a couple more times and get some questions answered before the date of your surgery. There are a lot of changes to make and you have to be willing to make them. One thing I know is that if you keep doing what you are doing, you are going to get the same results. That is not harsh but a word of wisdom from experience! It took me years to get to the point of doing this and it was wasted time! I am sooooooooo happy now and I feel awesome. My life is no longer passing me by while I sit on the sidelines! Good luck with your decision!!

[Montereygrl 104]

I use unsweetened almond milk in mine, gives it and better texture and taste. You will need to have high volume of Protein. So if you can't find it in something you like try proti Jell-O shots, they have a good amount of protein. Good luck to you.

[Richard Foor 655]

Well I personally drink about 128 oz a day and don not feel constantly thirsty, for that matter i usually drink the first 96 oz before 4 p.m. so that i only need 32 oz while i'm working since i work 4 to 12 shift for an ambulance, so i would not say i feel constantly thirsty since i am satisfied with my Water. As to question 2 the reason for not drinking while eating is so the food doesn't go through to fast making you hungry again, it is a hard thing to get used to but personally i don't even miss drinking while eating anymore. On number 3 the need for Protein shake/drinks is only in the first couple weeks until you get back to eating food, so i think it is really poor to say someone would die of malnutrition if they don't like shakes, Personally after transitioning to solid food i didn't drink any Protein Shakes for a very long time, i only started again recently because i am trying to build muscle now. There are unflavored protein powders available that can be mixed in anything. There are also some protein powders that taste like coffee and chicken Soup, so there are other options available, and i'm sure you will get many other recommendations on here. Good Luck.

[jandseakin 96]

Do you like cocoa? Unjury chocolate splendor mixed in warm milk tastes exactly like hot chocolate drink to me. It is the only one that is not overly sweet with no aftertaste. Also Unjury chicken Soup is good. Unflavored can be added to just about anything and is an additional Protein source. The liquid part of your diet is only for a week or two and then you can get the protein you need from eggs, cheese, meats, fish, etc etc. It is just a temporary situation for a very wonderful, permanent solution to obesity.

You can drink all the Water you want 1/2 hour before/after meals. I never feel thirsty. Hope this helps.

[kvlasy 195]

I use Protein shakes the consistence of milk. unjury chocolate splendor with skim milk in a Blender Bottle tastes like chocolate milk. There is also Isopure which is clear liquid and not a shake. You CAN do this - you just need to do some research and try samples of various Protein sources prior to surgery!

Also, I live in the desert and my nut was concerned this summer would be a huge challenge for me to stay hydrated. It wasn't. Most folks who love Water just need to adjust their rate of intake for a while until their capacity increases. I wish you every success!

[Catherine707 253]

I use a GNC unflavored whey Protein Powder to "fortify" greek yogurt and Soups. It packs about 30 grams of Protein in a scoop and adds creaminess without sweetness. I wasn't a fan of Protein Shakes before this process, but have learned to like them, the chocolate Premier Protein shake from costco is a good one, I don't think it is too sweet. If you avoid all shakes, you might have to work harder to get your protein in each day, but it can be done.

[Mrs.RRn 2,111]

1. Excessive thirst?? I don't this is quite as common as your NUT told you it is. I drink the recommended amount (64 oz/ day) and I usually don't feel thirsty beyond that. Actually, some days I feel like I'm drowning! Lol the only issue I have with thirst is after a workout reminding myself not to gulp Water, as that tends to hurt.

2. Not drinking with meals: Ok, I know some people break this rule, but its an important one, especially at the beginning. You want your food to stay in your belly as long as possible to feel fuller longer and (more importantly) give time to absorb nutrients. You get used to it. Just don't have the drink next to you- don't tempt yourself.

3. Unfortunately, I don't think you can get past the first couple months without Protein shakes. After that, you should be able to get enough from solid sources (with much work and planning, of course).

This surgery def comes with a lot of lifestyle changes. My advice to you would be to stick to your doctors plan in order to be sucessful and healthy.

[gmanbat 5,889]

the NUT said that I would likely spend the rest of my life feeling thirsty and wanting more because the pouch is so small that you never feel like you can drink enough,

Pure crappola....I work in the hot Florida sun all day and sweat constantly for hours. I drink six to seven small bottles of Water but don't feel like I can't drink enough. If I didn't get enough I would faint of heat stroke, trust me.

Is anybody able to sip fluids with meals? How does the food not get stuck on the way down without Water?

I sip a tiny bit with some dry stuff but not with moisture laden foods. If you chew slowly swallowing food is not a problem.

According to my NUT if I do not learn to drink the Meal Replacements and shake type things I will die of malnutrition because it is impossible to get enough Protein post-surgery without them.

Where did your NUT get her credentials...Marquis De Sade University?

Protein shakes are important at first because of the high density of protein and ease of getting in. Later on when you are on solid foods they are much less a factor. I only use them now as an after workout drink.

I just don’t like the texture/thickness or general taste of things like that and I really don’t like sugary sweet stuff.

I also didn't dig ultra-sweetness. I got unflavored Protein Powder and mixed Peanut Butter in it. There are flavorless protein formulas that mix in drinks that are hardly noticed.

[Justinh125 472]

I would strongly discourage you from drinking anything within about 5 minutes before or 30 minutes after a meal. Why? On Tuesday, at work, I accidentally forgot that rule, and drank some Water with my lunch. Then I had to run to the bathroom and vomit for about an hour afterwards because the Water just tossed the food out of the sleeve.

It's a hard habit to break, but as long as you sip slowly all day, you can stay hydrated. Just stay focused.

[cathycnyrs 85]

They make unflavored Protein that you can mix with anything, is it the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury? Someone help me out here. My NUT said mix it in Soup, Water, whatever. I don't plan on buying any because I found a shake I like. The others have already pointed out that the shakes are temporary. Usually 2 weeks before and a few weeks after, until you are getting the Protein from food. My NUT stresses to get rid of the shakes.< /p>

I also work in the heat and drink Water like crazy. My NUT assured me I would be fine. It works itself out. I used to drink 32 oz during a 1 hour workout and know that probably won't happen, so I've been trying to sip and workout without drinking so much - playing around with it. I think sometimes I drank more than I needed.

[Macy6 356]

Everyone is different but I have been able to drink to my norm since 5 days post op. I have always been a huge drinker (water) and can take 8oz in 20min if I want too. I don't drink after I eat and don't have food get stuck. I am counting the minutes though. I hit 60 min and I am like.... WATER!!! As far as Protein Shakes go there are SO many on the market, you can thin them to tolerate. I do not require a great deal of shakes, I am 3 weeks out and get most of my Protein in with foods but every surgeons diet is different. Some require it. You need to decide if you can thin and tolerate one or not.

[missmeow 156]

1) Never had this problem. The "sippy" phase is right after surgery and only lasts about 1-2 weeks. My doctor's notes say you should be able to drink 16 oz in an hour right after surgery, but for me, I had to concentrate to do that. Around week 10 or so, I was able to drink normally and get in my 20 ounces in an hour taking my sweet time. I could probably go faster but I am not a big drinker. I drink 60-80 ounces a day now.

2) You won't have room to drink/eat if you are eating dense Protein. Now crunchy naughty carby stuff, yeah you can drink and eat, but you don't want to get into that habit. If you chew all of your food properly and eat at an appropriate rate, you don't need to wash the food down. It goes down on its own.

3) Try finding a Protein shake now because you will be needing them for the first few months. You can do Protein chicken Soups or at protein to your regular foods but I found the protein supplements to not be unflavored and just gross. It's easier to drink a premiere protein for Breakfast for me. You will probably need some kind of supplement until you can get your protein and calories counts up high enough to get your full amount of protein in. I'm 6 months out and drinking shakes for Breakfast. It's just easier for me and I don't mind the taste.

[AtlantaRed 651]

I think the chewing is what makes the swallowing easier without meals. I'm nowhere near sleeved but lately have noticed the difference between a regular bit (for me) where it's a decent sized bite with 3 or 4 chews and a gulp to swallow. Then I will make an effort to actually chew the same sized bite a million times and it's so different going down!

The unflavored powder and the unjury chicken flavored Proteins sound like your best bet if you don't want the Protein mixed with milk.

[kvlasy 195]

Syntrax also has several Protein flavors that are mixed with Water (Carribean Cooler, Fuzzy Navel, etc). There are a decent number of Protein Drink options available. Once past liquids and soft foods there are a lot of good Protein Bars too. My current favorites are the Oh Yeah bars.