A lesson learned about protein

[Alexandra 55]

Well, I learned something today. I've always known that Protein makes you feel full longer, but today's events really brought it home to me.

Since today was Saturday and I didn't have to drink my Breakfast in the car, I passed on the Protein Drink and had a yogurt for Breakfast. Then right before we left on our outing I had a small cup of Tomato Soup. Feeling good!

Now, on Saturdays my family often eats lunch out wherever we happen to be. Well, we ended up at a takeout grill place that had absolutely nothing mushy on the menu. But I was hungry so I committed the ultimate Bandster BooBoo and had a milkshake. Well, this filled me up just fine, for a while. A couple of hours later we're leaving the lake and the kids needed a snack, so we found ourselves at Wendy's. My stomach is growling too but all they had that I could adapt to my mushy requirements was a baked potato. I ate that, all mushed up, pretty quickly. But it didn't last!

Two hours later we came home and it's almost time for dinner. I'm famished! Then I ate about 2 ozs. of salmon pate while waiting for my Soup to heat up, and before I know it I'm full. But my brain still thinks I'm hungry, so I start in on the soup. Uh-uh. I find myself just staring at it, amazed that 2 ozs. of salmon pate filled me up in a way that an entire mushed-up baked potato could not.

Protein. It's the bomb!

[mrwindt 12]

Alexandra

I've been following your posts and have a question. If I remember correctly, you had your surgery on 8/20. I'm right behind you - on 8/26. So, you're just 1 1/2 weeks post-op. Correct? And you're on mushy food already??? I'm amazed.

I am just 4 days post-op and am on Clear liquids until next Tuesday, then I have a week of full liquids (Protein drinks and yogurt, etc.), before I am allowed to go to mushy foods in week three. I'm surprised that you are able to be on mushy (and soft?) already. Nice to hear though. What are the guidelines your doctor gives you?

Your words of wisdom about Protein are helpful. Actually, I'm pretty amazed I'm not starving right now. I've been having basically clear broth, Jello, fruit juice popsicles - AND a clear liquid Protein, which I think really helps. But I must say, I'm ready for the next phase. I'm sick of the Clear Liquids.< /p>

Thanks for all your helpful posts.

Mary

[Alexandra 55]

Hi Mary,

Yup, I guess my doctor is pretty liberal in his post-op diet. By my one-week checkup he said I should be able to handle mushy foods, which he wanted me to stick to for another two weeks after that. I had only tried one thing by that point--refried beans--and it was a little rough--so I'd backed off. But he reassured me that if I'm not actually uncomfortable eating something there's no reason not to. Now I'm having cottage cheese for Breakfast 11 days out and it's actually good!

It's enlightening, isn't it, how different the various doctors' post-op instructions are? I'm sure each one is convinced his or her approach is the right one, but it's clear there are as many different doctors as there are patients.

Medicine will always be as much art as science.