Need help with protein

[bettyblueberry 2]

I'm not even a week post op and I can no longer handle Protein supplements. Starting yesterday every time I would have my protein power mixed with either Water or almond milk I started feeling really hot and my heart started pounding and I over all just don't feel good. I guess this is a sign of dumping? My protein is very low sugar so I'm not sure what to do to get protein in.

[joy59 81]

I am still preop but something to try is to further dilute with Water or almond milk. Make sure you drink slow sips and try taking half the amount no more then 4 ounces but may need to start or go back to 2 ounces and then try more in a few days. My NUT had touched a little on this.

[James Marusek 5,244]

There are many different choices for Protein powders and drinks and I suggest you experiment with them until you find one that you can tolerate. It is very important that you mix the powder with the liquid with an electric blender rather than by hand. Otherwise the powders do not dissolve very well. At this stage I used Muscle Milk Light. Then I started blending in a banana with the powder, it made a major taste improvement.

You might also try using milk. At the beginning immediately after surgery, I was lactose intolerant. So milk was not an alternative. But after a couple months this condition disappeared and milk was on the menu for supplementing my Protein. During the winter, I would drink a large cup of hot chocolate milk. You must use the "no sugar added" variety.

Further down the road, you will be able to transition to Protein Bars to replace some of your Protein shakes. I recommend QuestBars.

[*Shelly* 6]

I found a Protein Drink called Rockin Refuel Lean Builder. 20 gm of pritein, 6 gm of sugar, 8 net carbs for the 12oz bottle that comes in chocolate for 150 calories and tastes great. I have had a hard time getting my 60 grams of Protein in everyday and this has helped me a lot. I found it at Winn Dixie. It's by Shamrock Farms.

[purelygraceful 1]

I have a difficult time with the "milky" looking Protein powders and decided to try the clear Isopure Zero Carb drinks instead. They still have whey isolate Protein in them, but you can see through them and for some reason they are going over so much better. I'm hoping I can handle the powders again soon and plan to reintroduce them in a week or so.

I also had the heart pounding following meals/protein drinks shortly after surgery -- I'm only two weeks out, but it has gone away completely. I don't think I was dumping. I'm extremely conscious of the number of carbohydrates (not just the sugars on the label, but how many grams of carb are in each item) I consume. I'm a vegetarian, so many of my protein sources have carbohydrates in them (like refried fat free Beans and tofu). I never take in more than 15 grams of carb total per meal and it seems to be working for me so far. That is about how many carbs are in half a cup of anything carb-containing that does not have added sugar it seems.

I wanted to ask -- are you using whey isolate or regular whey Protein Powder? The isolate has little to no lactose in it, but regular whey does have lactose. I don't know if that would make a difference to you or not in how your body processes the protein if you were to switch to an isolate if you don't already use one. Or, perhaps, pick up some Lactaid and see if taking that enzyme helps you if the problem is lactose intolerance.

I also find that, if I eat too fast, my body responds with the rapid heart rate, hiccupping, and some slight pain in the center of my chest (over my sternum).

Are you still on full liquids or are you transitioning into purees now? It was easier for me once I started purees and it was especially better for me when I eat soy instead of dairy as a protein source. My body tolerates soy extremely well, but I get hot and heart poundings (and diarrhea -- sorry, I know it's gross) with dairy.

Good luck getting this figured out! I don't know if anything I said helps at all, but I do wish you the best!

[walking_one 17]

Purelygraceful, what flavors of Isopure do you like? I have heard that some of them are kinda nasty and would love your opinion.

Edited September 11, 2014 by walking_one

[purelygraceful 1]

Hi walking_one!

I've had good luck with most of the flavors. I got a case of the little bottles (8 ounce) in the Alpine Punch flavor and it's good! It does feel like something is very lightly coating your mouth while you drink it (a reviewer on Amazon called it a "filmy" feeling and that's pretty accurate) -- they all have that. I have not tried the coconut flavor (I do have a single bottle of it, but am nervous to try that flavor for some reason). I like the grape a great deal, though I know some reviewers did not like it. It's actually my favorite and I wish I had more than the single bottle (big glass bottle with just over two 8 ounce servings in it). I also have a case (the big glass bottles) of the blue raspberry flavor -- also very good! I didn't care as much for the melon flavor as I did for the others. I liked the mango flavor a lot. I'd say my favorites were grape, alpine punch, and then the blue raspberry. The others were not at all bad to me, though. I know there's a passionfruit flavor and I was not able to et a bottle of that one to try.

If you're thinking about ordering on amazon please be sure that it's the zero carb version you put into your cart -- it was little tricky for me when I was shopping as both the zero carb and the higher in carbs versions showed up when I searched for the product and they look nearly identical if you just glance at them.

I ordered the small plastic bottles from amazon and went to a Vitamin Shoppe store for the glass bottles. They had them by the case at the Vitamin Shoppe and also individually in the cooler. I sipped on one in my car after leaving the store!

I forgot -- I also really liked the orange flavor, which I think gets bad reviews. I suspect that if there is some flavor you really like when not in a Protein drink you'll probably like it in the Protein Drink, too. I love orange flavored things. I like melon, but not as much as other flavors.

These drinks are not, in my opinion, sickeningly sweet. They're actually somewhat refreshing and I actually told my sister the other night that I GET to have a Protein Drink after we finish talking. I like them icy cold. The little bottles are convenient when I need to take one on the go. They're not as delicious as a sports drink, but they're pretty good. They certainly rescued me with the problems I've had with the powders.

[walking_one 17]

Wow thanks for the excellent review - it really helps!